Heart Disease Archive

Nearly half of all heart attacks are silent, meaning they are not associated with any reported symptoms. Silent heart attacks, which can be detected on electrocardiograms, should prompt people to follow the same prevention steps as with a more typical heart attack.

Fellow exercisers may keep you motivated, and learning proper form can help you avoid injuries.

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Is your solo walking or cycling routine getting a little humdrum? Maybe it's time to try a group fitness class at your local gym or community center. Working out with others in a class led by a trained instructor may help you stick to an exercise routine, which is a vital part of keeping your heart healthy.

"We know that in a broad sense, the more fit you are, the longer you live," says Dr. Meagan Wasfy, a cardiologist at the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Exactly how you achieve that fitness doesn't seem to matter—the main thing is making it happen. Group fitness classes, which come in a wide range of styles and intensities, may offer certain advantages toward that goal.

People who are more physically fit in their mid-to-late 40s may be less likely to have a stroke after age 65 than those who are less fit.

People who eat at least four servings of whole-grain foods per day appear to have a 23% lower risk of dying of cardiovascular disease compared with people who eat little or no whole grains.

Home sleep tests to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may reliably detect the disorder even if a sleep specialist is not involved. Marked by loud snoring and breathing lapses during sleep, OSA can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Often referred to as a ministroke , a transient ischemic attack, or TIA, often lasts only minutes, but acts as a warning for a potential full stroke.

Stumble walking across the room? You simply aren't watching your step. Forget a name or can't get out the right words? It's just a fuzzy senior moment. Feeling a little dizzy? You only need to sit down for a second.

New research found that heart failure patients who had a flu shot had a 30% lower risk of hospitalization for cardiovascular disease, 16% lower risk of hospitalization for respiratory infections, and a 4% lower risk of hospitalization in general. 

An electronic home blood pressure monitor is a better option than a store-based machine for measuring blood pressure between doctor office visits. Arm cuff machines are more accurate than wrist cuff models. 

Your resting heart rate can be an instant measure of your present and future health.

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One of the easiest ways to gauge your health can be done in 30 seconds with two fingers. Measuring your resting heart rate (RHR), the number of heartbeats per minute while at rest, provides a real-time snapshot of your heart muscle function.

It is easy to do. Place your index and middle finger on your wrist just below the thumb, or on your neck to one side of your throat, so you can feel your pulse. Use a watch to count the number of beats for 30 seconds and double it to get your beats per minute. Repeat a few times to get an accurate reading. A normal RHR for most adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.