Muscle aches from statins: Real, but sometimes imagined?

About 10% of people report muscle aches when taking statins. In some cases, other health conditions such as arthritis, obesity, or just aging may be to blame. Doing exercise or yard work can cause muscle aches, which some people mistakenly attribute to statins. Another possible explanation: a phenomenon known as the nocebo effect, in which people experience negative side effects from a drug, placebo, or other treatment based on an expectation of harm. Muscle-related problems associated with statins usually resolve with a lower statin dose or a change to a different statin. (Locked) More »

What happens if my stent stops working?

Complications with stents—the tiny wire-mesh tubes used to prop open blocked arteries—are less common than in the past. When problems occur, possible treatments include medications, re-stenting, or bypass surgery. (Locked) More »

Meal delivery plans: Should you give one a try?

For people who don’t have the time, energy or interest to plan, shop, and prepare meals, subscription meal-delivery plans may encourage healthier eating and sometimes weight loss. Some plans feature low-sodium or vegetarian meals, which may benefit people with heart disease. Meal-kit plans deliver pre-portioned, mostly fresh ingredients with detailed preparation instructions, which may help people become more comfortable trying new foods and cooking techniques. Plans geared toward weight loss provide microwavable meals and pre-packaged snacks so people don’t have think about portion size or count calories. (Locked) More »

Heart rhythm monitoring with a smartwatch

Some smartphones now feature sensors and apps that detect atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disorder. But these devices are not yet accurate enough to use for screening purposes. About 30% of the data are uninterpretable or inaccurate, in part because of factors such as movement, lighting, temperature, and skin color. In addition, doctors cannot be fully available to review information generated from these devices. Finally, the health consequences of occasional, brief episodes of atrial fibrillation (which causes a rapid, irregular heartbeat) are unknown. (Locked) More »

How yoga may enhance heart health

Practicing yoga promotes overall physical fitness, but it also includes breathing exercises, relaxation, and meditation. The combined effect of these practices may improve a number of factors connected with cardiovascular health. For example, yoga helps lower blood pressure, improves sleep, and may dampen artery-damaging inflammation. By evoking the “relaxation response,” yoga may encourage emotional resilience, which can help counteract the heart-damaging effects caused by everyday (and largely unavoidable) stress. More »

Deep-vein blood clots: What you need to know

A blood clot that forms in a vein, known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), is the third most common cause of cardiovascular death. Most of these fatalities occur when a clot travels from the leg to the lung, causing a pulmonary embolism. VTE occurs in an estimated one in 1,000 people in the United States every year. Factors that increase a person’s risk of heart disease, such as age, smoking, and being overweight or obese, also raise the risk of VTE. Other contributing factors include recent surgery, hospitalization, injury to a vein, and decreased blood flow, usually caused by immobility. (Locked) More »