Recent Blog Articles
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15477/conversions/59f61b05-2e23-463a-a0f7-b8aef6addd73-micro.jpg)
Testosterone-blocking drugs boost heart disease risk when given in combination
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15472/conversions/9f706d6e-3ba5-441f-a1ce-d93af96cdb5d-micro.jpg)
Parenting isn't easy: Two important skills can help
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/14937/conversions/fcff561e-5fc9-4fbd-aac0-b9ea3778052b-micro.jpg)
Does sleeping with an eye mask improve learning and alertness?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15415/conversions/2acee670-1e43-413e-a07b-437512d22803-micro.jpg)
Do tattoos cause lymphoma?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/14051/conversions/dea50ed5-99ea-4779-aa5b-56fae11aaa92-micro.jpg)
Hot weather hikes: Staying safe when temperatures spike
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15405/conversions/f22b5f3d-fd64-479d-b10a-b2409347f160-micro.jpg)
Cannabis drinks: How do they compare to alcohol?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15404/conversions/ccd2e44a-96c4-492f-a05c-c2706549efc0-micro.jpg)
What is Lewy body dementia?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15083/conversions/2fa8315b-f48e-43fb-8b56-d681a1715343-micro.jpg)
Dog bites: How to prevent or treat them
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15386/conversions/33679f9f-8065-4e13-a188-2ca67472b36f-micro.jpg)
Ever read your medical record? Here's why you should
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/14810/conversions/778f3d8c-0b73-420c-8d03-e8542d49660d-micro.jpg)
Shining light on night blindness
Heart Attack Archive
Articles
Harvard Health Ad Watch: A blood thinner winner?
Medicines known as blood thinners are prescribed as long-term treatment to avoid initial or recurring blood clots that could cause serious complications. What does an ad in heavy rotation about the brand name blood thinner Eliquis get right and what else do you need to consider?
Complications after receiving a stent
Two main complications can occur with coronary stents: the gradual renarrowing of the area inside the stent, known as restenosis, and the formation of clots inside the stent, called stent thrombosis.
Adding potassium and subtracting sodium may equal better heart health
Consuming less sodium and more potassium may be linked to better heart health, according to a November 2021 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. After controlling for other risk factors, the researchers found that for every extra 1,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium detected in the urine, there was an 18% increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease. For every extra 1,000 mg of potassium in the urine, there was an 18% decrease in risk.
Is it a heart attack?
The first-ever guidelines to diagnose chest pain document the range of possible heart attack symptoms. They include a sense of pressure, tightness, squeezing, or heaviness in the chest but also in the shoulders, arms, neck, back, upper abdomen, or jaw. The report also provides a road map to help doctors assess chest pain with selective use of the latest available tests. Chest discomfort can also result from other conditions that affect the heart (such as pericarditis) and nearby organs. These include acid reflux, muscle or joint issues, and lung problems.
The heart-related hazards of air pollution
Air pollution is an often overlooked yet important contributor to cardiovascular disease. Tiny particles known as PM2.5 travel deep into the lungs, where they irritate receptors and trigger nerves involved in the autonomic nervous system. This irritation also contributes to inflammation, which accelerates atherosclerosis. Climate change can worsen the damaging effects of air pollution in several ways, such as by promoting wildfires and dust storms, which creates more PM2.5. To reduce pollution’s harmful effects, people can check air quality information and use portable indoor air cleaners when pollution levels are elevated.
Under pressure: How stress may affect your heart
Mental stress ischemia occurs when emotional stress causes a decline in blood flow to the heart. The condition, which affects about one in six people with heart disease, may more than double a person’s risk of heart attack. Mental stress ischemia appears to be caused in part by changes in the wall and inner lining of the heart’s smallest blood vessels. Known as microvascular disease, this problem tends to be more prevalent in women. In contrast, a more common cause of chest pain is narrowing of the large arteries of the heart.
Optimism, heart health, and longevity: Unraveling the link for Black Americans
Do older adults benefit from blood pressure treatment?
A study published online Aug. 26, 2021, by The Lancet found that blood pressure treatment protects against heart attacks, strokes, and other major cardiovascular disease problems in people up to age 85 and possibly older. For people younger than 75, the study confirmed that people taking blood pressure medicines had 10% to 20% fewer cardiovascular disease problems. For people 75 to 84, there still was a 10% reduction. For people older than 85, the results were mixed, but there still appeared to be a benefit from blood pressure treatment.
How stimulants may affect your heart
Is broken heart syndrome becoming more common?
Recent Blog Articles
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15477/conversions/59f61b05-2e23-463a-a0f7-b8aef6addd73-micro.jpg)
Testosterone-blocking drugs boost heart disease risk when given in combination
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15472/conversions/9f706d6e-3ba5-441f-a1ce-d93af96cdb5d-micro.jpg)
Parenting isn't easy: Two important skills can help
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/14937/conversions/fcff561e-5fc9-4fbd-aac0-b9ea3778052b-micro.jpg)
Does sleeping with an eye mask improve learning and alertness?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15415/conversions/2acee670-1e43-413e-a07b-437512d22803-micro.jpg)
Do tattoos cause lymphoma?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/14051/conversions/dea50ed5-99ea-4779-aa5b-56fae11aaa92-micro.jpg)
Hot weather hikes: Staying safe when temperatures spike
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15405/conversions/f22b5f3d-fd64-479d-b10a-b2409347f160-micro.jpg)
Cannabis drinks: How do they compare to alcohol?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15404/conversions/ccd2e44a-96c4-492f-a05c-c2706549efc0-micro.jpg)
What is Lewy body dementia?
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15083/conversions/2fa8315b-f48e-43fb-8b56-d681a1715343-micro.jpg)
Dog bites: How to prevent or treat them
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/15386/conversions/33679f9f-8065-4e13-a188-2ca67472b36f-micro.jpg)
Ever read your medical record? Here's why you should
![blog image 1](https://domf5oio6qrcr.cloudfront.net/medialibrary/14810/conversions/778f3d8c-0b73-420c-8d03-e8542d49660d-micro.jpg)
Shining light on night blindness
Free Healthbeat Signup
Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!
Sign Up