Heart Attack Archive

A 2022 study found that women under 55 experiencing heart attacks have different leading risk factors than men in this age group. For women, diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, and low household income are strong risk factors for heart attack.

The American Heart Association recently revised its checklist for achieving optimal heart health. Adequate sleep was added, and updates were made to previous recommendations for diet, cholesterol and blood sugar measurements, and nicotine exposure.

The American Heart Association added sleep to its list of factors for cardiovascular health. The others are a healthy diet; physical activity; low levels of nicotine exposure; and healthy levels of weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

Statins continue to be a first-line treatment for many people at risk of heart attacks and strokes. They help reduce cholesterol levels, reduce plaque build-up, and protect against plaque rupturing, and fight inflammation. Possible side effects are often mild, if they occur, and go away after a brief period. Otherwise, people can manage them by changing the dosage or switching to another type of statin, per their doctor's direction.

After surgery unrelated to the heart, a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (afib) may be more common than previously thought. These cases, which may constitute 13% of new afib diagnoses, appear to be undertreated.

Older adults exposed to light while sleeping at night may be more likely to have obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes compared with adults who sleep in darkness.

Cardiac rehabilitation, which teaches heart-healthy habits coupled with supervised exercise, can help people with heart conditions prevent future problems. Some parts of the program can be done at home, delivered through a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Known as virtual cardiac rehab, this approach offers several advantages over conventional rehab, such as avoiding the time and expense of traveling to multiple sessions during the week.

Vascular dementia, which arises from longstanding, cumulative damage to small blood vessels in the brain, may cause or contribute to up to half of cases of dementia. The vessels may thicken or become blocked by blood clots, causing tiny strokes that damage specific parts of the brain important for various thinking abilities. Keeping blood pressure in the recommended range of 120/80 or lower is the best way to prevent vascular dementia.

Anti-clotting medications have a well-known and fairly common effect: a heightened risk of bleeding. Being older, having certain health conditions, and taking certain drugs (including popular over-the-counter pain relievers) can increase this risk. Minor bleeding includes bleeding gums after toothbrushing or flossing and nosebleeds that take longer than usual to stop. Signs of more serious bleeding (which requires immediate medical care) include tea-colored, pink, or red urine; blood in the stool or black, tarry stools; or a sudden, severe headache.

Vegetarian chili is a filling, heart-healthy meal that can be dressed up with various toppings. Leftovers can be frozen in single-serving containers for simple dinners or lunches later.