By Richard Lee, M.D.
Associate editor, Harvard Heart Letter

When I was a newly minted cardiologist, heart attacks were feared far more than they are today. They terrified people who were having them, and their families, because they were known killers. Heart attacks made doctors nervous, too, since we were less certain about how to treat them and the therapies available to us were less effective than the ones we have at our disposal today.

Make no mistake: myocardial infarction (the technical term for heart attack) is still a life-and-death situation. But it is becoming more and more routine thanks ...

Automating this task could yield more accurate blood pressure readings.

Doctors are notoriously bad at measuring their patients' blood pressure. Nurses are better but many still don't use the correct method. And clinicians who do follow the proper procedure often get a reading that is higher than the person's usual blood pressure. This is called white-coat hypertension — blood pressure that is high when a doctor or other clinician measures it but normal the rest of the time.

Maybe it's time to give the job of measuring blood pressure to machines, not humans. That's the novel — and successful — ...

These evolving guidelines continue to get better and more helpful.

Every five years, the federal government revises the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The 2010 edition (issued a few months into 2011) was more a facelift than a makeover — a few wrinkles removed here, some definition added there.

It did, though, break a little new ground. For the first time, the guidelines actually urge Americans to eat less. And they mention a few foods by name, like pizza and fries and sugary beverages, rather than talking in generalities.

This document is important for several reasons. It sets the standards for ...

The debate over calcium supplements continues, with a new analysis suggesting that people who take them may have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Researchers found that digoxin, a drug used to treat heart problems, may also be effective at preventing the growth of prostate cancer cells.

A positive emotional outlook may lead to a lower risk of heart disease.

The effectiveness of statin drugs is contributing to a reduction in the number of Americans with high cholesterol.

A poll by the American Heart Association found that many people do not know some basic facts about heart health.

Further information about cardiac rehabilitation programs for people with heart disease and yoga as a way to reduce episodes of atrial fibrillation.

I have bradycardia. I live at 5,765 feet - would moving to a lower altitude help my heart rate? Recent cardiac tests were normal. My cardiologist said I don't need a pacemaker, and to keep on doing what I've been doing. At age 85 I walk three miles a day.

  I had a stent put in at age 59. Thanks to diet, exercise, and medications, my cholesterol numbers are excellent. Recent tests showed iscehmia and new blockages requiring two additional stents. Why do my arteries keep getting clogged despite my efforts?