Heart Attack Archive

Studies on alcohol's health effects have shown conflicting results, Harvard experts say, leaving people confused. No randomized, controlled trials have been performed, and observational studies can't easily tease apart drinking and other lifestyle habits that influence health, such as exercise, sleep, and social connectedness. However, drinking alcohol has been convincingly linked to developing breast cancer, so women concerned about their breast cancer risk should consider reducing or eliminating alcohol. For most other healthy people who enjoy an occasional drink, they can continue to do so.

A 2023 study suggests replacing a daily serving of processed meats with whole grains, nuts, or beans is associated with lower odds of cardiovascular conditions such as heart attack or stroke.

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of interrelated health conditions that significantly increases the risk for heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and more. A diagnosis requires at least three of the following risk factors: obesity, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, or high blood pressure. Metabolic syndrome can be reversed if it's recognized. Losing weight is central to reducing many of its features. Lowering elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels also plays a major role in reducing the risk for heart disease and stroke.

The weight-loss drug semaglutide is the first obesity treatment shown to help people live longer and have fewer cardiovascular problems. Developed as a drug for type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was first marketed as Ozempic; a higher-dose version for weight loss is called Wegovy. But because the drug is so popular, it can be hard to find, and it might not be covered by insurance.

For preventing repeat heart attacks, coated aspirin is just as effective as regular aspirin, but it does not appear to provide extra protection against bleeding risk.

Up to three in 10 people who use marijuana may be unable to stop using the drug, even when it has negative effects on their lives. A 2023 study links this problem— known as cannabis use disorder—to a higher risk of heart problems.

Taking supplements that contain high levels of biotin (vitamin B₇) can lead to falsely low or falsely high results on a troponin test, a blood test used to diagnose heart attacks.

Ejection fraction is the fraction (expressed as a percentage) of the blood that the heart "ejects" out to the rest of the body when it contracts. Low ejection fraction signals one form of heart failure. An echocardiogram is the standard test to measure ejection fraction.

As many as 60% of heart attacks go unnoticed when they occur. So-called silent heart attacks occur for a variety of reasons, including differences in pain perception and people not recognizing symptoms or dismissing them. People may assume heart attack symptoms are limited to the chest, but nerves in the heart can send signals to the surrounding nerves, causing pain that radiates to the stomach, back, neck, arm, or jaw. Sometimes people assume their chest pain is caused by a respiratory infection or heartburn when they're actually having a heart attack.

A 2023 Harvard study found that regularly squeezing a week's worth of exercise (150 minutes) into just one or two days—a "weekend warrior" approach—is linked to the same heart-healthy benefits as daily exercise.