In Brief

Meridia warning. The FDA is warning that people with any type of cardiovascular disease (coronary artery disease; a past heart attack, stroke, or transient ischemic attack; heart rhythm problems; heart failure; peripheral artery disease; or uncontrolled high blood pressure) should not take sibutramine (Meridia), a widely used diet drug. Data from the Sibutramine Cardiovascular Outcomes (SCOUT) trial showed that use of the drug increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.

De-salting. The average American takes in about 9 grams of salt a day. Cutting back to 6 grams (the upper limit now recommended by experts) would prevent between 90,000 and 165,000 heart attacks and strokes each year (New England Journal of Medicine, published online, Jan. 20, 2010). According to the study, cutting back on salt would be a more cost-effective way to prevent heart disease than using medications to lower blood pressure in all people with hypertension.

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