Mediterranean and Portfolio diets

If you need to lower your cholesterol and want to try changing your diet first, your best bets are a Mediterranean-type diet or the so-called portfolio diet. (Locked) More »

November 2011 references and further reading

Cordero A, Bertomeu-Gonzalez V, Moreno-Arribas J, Agudo P, Lopez-Palop R, Masia MD, Miralles B, Mateo I, Quiles J, Bertomeu-Martinez V. Burden of systemic hypertension in patients admitted to cardiology hospitalization units. American Journal of Cardiology, published online Aug. 24, 2011. Salisbury AC, Amin AP, Reid KJ, Wang TY, Masoudi FA, Chan PS, Alexander KP, Bach RG, Spertus JA, Kosiborod M. Hospital-acquired anemia and in-hospital mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction. American Heart Journal 2011; 162:300-309 e3. Salisbury AC, Kosiborod M, Amin AP, Reid KJ, Alexander KP, Spertus JA, Masoudi FA. Recovery From Hospital-Acquired Anemia After Acute Myocardial Infarction and Effect on Outcomes. American Journal of Cardiology 2011. (Locked) More »

The hidden burden of high blood pressure

High blood pressure imposes an up-front burden in people who know they have it and who are working to control it. It adds to worries about health. It alters what you eat and how active you are. High blood pressure often requires you to take one or more pills a day, which can be a costly hassle. There are long-term consequences, too. High blood pressure contributes to the development of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and kidney disease. Because of all the ways hypertension interferes with health, the average life span for people with it is five years shorter than it is for those with normal blood pressure.  (Locked) More »

Can a hospital stay make you anemic?

Receiving hospital treatment for a heart attack may lead to anemia. There isn't much you can do to avoid developing anemia during a hospital stay other than asking doctors and nurses to minimize the amount of blood drawn for tests. Preventing the problem is better than trying to fix it, because if you do develop anemia while hospitalized, it isn't clear if treating the anemia — with either iron pills or a drug that stimulates the bone marrow to make more red blood cells — will improve quality of life or post–heart attack survival. (Locked) More »

Don't delay if heart failure symptoms worsen

Paying attention to changes in your body can help prevent a recurrence of heart failure. Many people ignore these early warning signs. One thing that keeps many people from calling for help is that they don't recognize their symptoms as being related to their heart failure. If you have heart failure, call your doctor if you notice any of these signs: (Locked) More »

Latest thinking on a "cardioprotective" diet

A new emphasis on foods rather than nutrients aims to simplify recommendations for healthy eating, making them easier to understand and put into action. Nutrition experts at the Harvard School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University have applied this food-based approach to a "cardioprotective diet." This table lists heart-healthy foods that you should eat more of and heart-harmful foods you should eat less of. More »

Follow-up

Further information about a breast cancer drug that may weaken the left ventricle. (Locked) More »

Ask the doctor: Can stopping aspirin cause heart problems?

I've read that if you take aspirin every day, stopping it temporarily increases your chance of having a heart attack more than if you had never taken aspirin. Is that true? If I need to stop taking aspirin for some reason, is there a safer way to do it? (Locked) More »