Heart Disease Archive

People can reduce their LDL cholesterol in three ways. One strategy involves dietary changes, such as eating more fiber-rich foods and swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fat. Another is to take one of several dietary supplements, including psyllium, plant sterols, or red yeast rice. The third entails taking a prescription medication, such as a statin. Many factors can affect whether these different strategies are advisable or useful, including a person's age and other risk factors for heart disease, their current dietary habits, and the quality of the supplements they take.

In a 2024 study of men ages 49 to 76, low levels of testosterone were associated with higher rates of death from any cause and specifically deaths from cardiovascular causes, such as heart attack, cardiac arrest, heart failure, or stroke.

Beta blockers remain effective medicines for treating and managing common heart disease problems. People take them to manage atrial fibrillation (an irregular and rapid heart rhythm) and to prevent chest pain from coronary artery disease. Beta blockers also are used in the initial treatment of heart attacks. However, many people who have a mild heart attack may not need to take one forever.

Chest pain is an indicator of a possible heart attack, but it may also be a symptom of another condition or problem. The type and location of the pain can help doctors determine what is causing it.

Studies have shown a link between lower risks of cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and even dementia in people who consume higher amounts of olive oil. However, no definitive studies show extra-virgin olive oil has greater benefits than regular olive oil.

A large observational study published in 2024 suggests that stroke isn't the biggest risk of atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm condition). The biggest risk seems to be heart failure, a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood effectively.

Health insurance companies sometimes require prior authorization for new, expensive medications. The high price patients pay for these drugs is related to complexities in health insurance coverage.

Intermittent fasting may help people lose weight and improve their cholesterol levels and other heart-related risks. One form of intermittent fasting is time-restricted eating, during which people eat only during a certain time window (usually eight hours) each day. Another approach, alternate-day fasting, involves fasting or significantly limiting calories for one or two days per week. But it's hard to maintain over the long run due to the challenges of following a strict eating schedule while juggling various work, family, and social commitments.

Cardiac rehabilitation, a personalized program of supervised exercise and heart-healthy lifestyle coaching, helps people recover from heart-related problems, including stable angina, heart attack, heart surgery, and stable heart failure. A 12-week program helps people regain their stamina, enabling them to resume their favorite activities, and may also lessen stress and depression. Cardiac rehab is also proven to lower the risk of future heart-related illness and hospitalization and may help people live longer.

Physical activity lowers cardiovascular disease risk in part by reducing stress-related activity in the brain, according to a 2024 study.