Heart Health Archive

Research we're watching

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Roaring jets, rumbling trains, and revving automobiles may have a detrimental effect on your cardiovascular health.

According to a review article in the Feb. 13, 2018, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, many studies have observed a connection between transportation-related noise and a slightly higher risk of high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart failure. The association persists even after adjustment for possible confounding factors, such as air pollution and socioeconomic status.

Research we're watching

Compared to sitting, standing burns slightly more calories — about 0.15 calories per minute. But that tiny difference adds up: a person who weighs 143 pounds could burn an extra 54 calories per day by standing instead of sitting for six hours, as researchers report in the Jan. 1, 2018, European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

Assuming that person kept eating the same number of calories per day, that translates to 5.5 pounds of weight loss after one year. The estimate comes from data pooled from 46 different studies.

Research we're watching

For people with atrial fibrillation, losing a little weight and getting exercise may improve their symptoms, according to a review published online Feb. 7, 2018, by The American Journal of Cardiology.

Atrial fibrillation (or afib) is a common heart rhythm disorder marked by a quivering or fluttering heartbeat, which can cause dizziness and breathlessness. Other symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and fainting.

Ask the doctor

Q. Is it possible to have heart problems, even if you live a healthy lifestyle? Or to avoid heart problems, even if you don't live a healthy lifestyle?

A. Life contains no guarantees: yes, even if you live a healthy lifestyle you still can develop heart problems — particularly if you have been born with "bad" genes that make you vulnerable to heart disease.

Eating more whole grains is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

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The word "refined" often describes things that have been stripped of impurities or other unwanted elements. But when it comes to wheat, rice, and other grains, the refining process instead removes the most healthful parts of these nutritious foods.

For example, white flour and white rice have far less of the vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fiber, and other plant-based chemicals called polyphenols found in whole-wheat flour and brown rice. The combination of those beneficial nutrients may explain why people who eat more whole grains have a lower risk of developing and dying from heart disease.

Not all heart attacks result from a blocked artery — and even small ones can have serious outcomes.

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Perhaps you've heard heart attacks described in various ways, from "mild" to "massive," or even the ominous-sounding "widow maker." But these terms may sow confusion and anxiety.

The good news: Most people who have a heart attack survive. The bad news? "Any heart attack can be fatal, no matter how big, how small, or where it occurs in the heart," says Dr. James Januzzi, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated -Massachusetts -General Hospital. There's a lot of mis-understanding among the general public about what a heart attack actually is, he adds.

Riding a bike — either outdoors or inside — can be a good way to exercise at different levels of intensity.

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Spring's milder temperatures often encourage people to exercise outside. Riding a bike can offer a nice break from walking, the exercise that doctors recommend most often. If you're bored of your walking route and looking for bit of a challenge, consider cycling. Biking enables you to travel faster and farther than jogging or running but puts far less stress on your joints.

"I have many patients who bike, and they find it's a great way to get some exercise, especially when the weather's favorable," says Dr. Brendan Everett, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. Cycling may not burn as many calories as jogging over a given period of time, but jogging is difficult for many people, he notes. Also, you can choose a route that suits your fitness level — from a short, flat loop to a longer ride with gently rolling hills.

Treating a borderline low thyroid hormone level may be unnecessary — perhaps even undesirable — in older people.

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Your thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your throat, releases hormones that affect your entire body, including your heart. An underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, can trigger a range of symptoms, including fatigue, feeling cold, and unexplained weight gain. If left untreated, hypothyroidism can slow the heart rate and make the arteries less elastic, causing blood pressure to rise. Elevated cholesterol -levels are another possible consequence.

True hypothyroidism is not common; it affects between 1% and 2% of people, mostly women. These people clearly need replacement thyroid hormone, which should alleviate their symptoms and protect their hearts.