Blood Pressure Archive

Family history or past smoking both point to higher risk for this potentially fatal condition.

How many "lifesaving" medical tests have you been offered lately? One frequently marketed to older men is an ultrasound of the abdominal aorta, the large artery below the heart that feeds the lower body. A bulging weak spot there—an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)—could eventually rupture, and that is usually fatal.

Maintaining a healthy weight is the best way to rein in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or chronic heartburn, according to a study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Researchers found that GERD symptoms increased for every incremental rise in body mass index (BMI), which measures the ratio of weight to height.

In GERD, the acidic contents of the stomach back up into the lower esophagus, causing burning pain. The most effective treatment for GERD is taking an acid-reducing proton-pump inhibitor medication, such as omeprazole (Prilosec). People who are overweight are much more likely to develop GERD.

People with high blood pressure could benefit from a B vitamin known as folate if they are not getting enough from their diets, according to a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The study included more than 20,000 adults in China with high blood pressure who had never had a stroke or heart attack. Participants who took folate supplements along with a blood pressure medication had fewer strokes over the four-and-one-half-year trial than those who only took the medication.

A fainting spell can be inconsequential, or it can signal a serious health issue. It's important to learn why you faint.

Boosting your muscle mass may trigger changes that enhance heart health.

Q. I just got diagnosed with diabetes and my doctor said I am at risk for heart disease. Why?

A. Diabetes is considered to be an extremely strong risk factor for heart disease. One reason is that people with diabetes are also more likely to have other conditions that raise their odds of heart disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure, or elevated LDL cholesterol. Also, those factors seem to have more of a detrimental effect on people who have diabetes compared with those who don't.

Q. When someone develops a heart murmur as an adult, what are the possible causes?

The dangers of hypertension are well documented, but low blood pressure levels can cause problems, too.

Munching a small handful every day may protect your heart.

Leaky leg veins can cause painful skin changes. But safe, effective treatments can fix this common problem.

Varicose veins—those dark blue or purple leg veins that bulge just beneath the skin's surface—leave many sufferers feeling self-conscious. But beyond the cosmetic considerations, pooling of excess blood in the lower extremities can cause painful leg swelling and skin ulcers.