Heart Attack Archive

A number of physiological changes driven by the body's internal clock help explain why heart attacks are more common in the morning. These changes include factors involved in blood pressure, blood clot formation, and inflammation.

All adults should get a lipoprotein(a) blood test at least once in their lifetime, according to the 2026 cholesterol guidelines. Also known as Lp(a), these fatty particles are similar to LDL (bad) cholesterol but more dangerous.

An enlarged heart has many possible causes, including conditions that force the heart to work harder than usual (such as chronic high blood pressure or heart valve problems) and different types of cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease).

The scientific understanding of HDL cholesterol has evolved in recent years, and many cardiologists now believe that HDL may be more of a bystander rather than a "good guy" that helps lower heart disease risk. While some types of HDL are great at plucking excess cholesterol from LDL and artery walls (a process referred to as reverse cholesterol transport) other types of HDL don't do this. In clinical trials, medications to raise HDL levels-including a drug specifically designed to improve reverse cholesterol transport-have not succeeded in lowering heart attacks and strokes.

High temperatures raise risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and also stress the cardiovascular system, making the heart work harder. If you have a heart condition, here's how to keep cool and protect yourself when temperatures rise.

An analysis shows less than 7% of adults in the US meet the criteria for optimal cardiometabolic health. Taking small steps to help control and improve key risk factors can reduce the odds of a heart attack or stroke.

Television portrayals of hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) aren't always accurate, according to a 2026 analysis. Inaccurate depictions involved the age of CPR recipients, how CPR was done and the location of where it was performed.

A review of 17 studies found that for people at high risk of heart disease, cutting down on saturated fats may have lowered their risk of major cardiac events over the next five years, but people at lower risk did not see similar benefits.