Heart Health Archive

A noninvasive test called a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan, which measures specks of calcium in the heart's arteries, can help predict a person's risk of heart disease. New research suggests that a CAC score (which ranges from 0 to 1,000 or more) also can accurately predict a person's risk of dying over the following decade and a half.

The study included 9,715 people who were referred to a cardiology clinic and underwent CAC scans. All had risk factors for heart disease (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or a family history) but no symptoms. During the nearly 15-year follow-up, people with scores of 400 or greater had a 20% risk of dying of any cause. By comparison, the risk of death was only 3% for people with no signs of calcium in their arteries (a CAC score of 0).

A constant drone of low-level traffic noise may slightly raise your risk of cardiovascular disease, according to British researchers.

The study included data from the nearly 450,000 people admitted to London hospitals with cardiovascular disease over an eight-year period. Researchers estimated how much traffic noise these people were exposed to, day and night.

Strokes seem to come out of the blue. But most of them happen due to decades-long damage to blood vessels and growth of artery-clogging plaque. That raises the question: Is there an early warning test for stroke?

Yes and no. A test called the carotid ultrasound can detect the buildup of cholesterol-filled plaque in the carotid arteries in the neck. These arteries deliver blood to the brain. The test, which uses sound waves, is quick, safe, and without any immediate potential for harm. It makes perfect sense for someone experiencing lightheadedness, memory loss, or the warning signs of a stroke or mini-stroke.

Cardiac arrest is the ultimate 911 emergency. The heart stops sending blood to the body. Death occurs in minutes — unless a bystander takes matters into his or her hands and starts cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This keeps blood circulating until trained and better-equipped first responders arrive on the scene to jump-start the heart back into a normal rhythm. Two new studies in JAMA provide compelling proof that efforts to train people to do life-saving CPR pay off. Many organizations sponsor CPR and AED training programs. Two notable ones are the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross. Many local departments of public health also provide CPR training, including “friends and family” classes for people close to someone at risk of cardiac arrest. The investment of time and effort to learn CPR is small. The potential payoff — saving a life — is huge.

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) offers a new lease on life for thousands of people each year. But it has also been blamed for “brain fog,” a loss of memory and thinking skills that follows the procedure in some people. Such brain problems are often called “cognitive impairment.” But the operation itself may not be to blame, according to a review in today’s Annals of Internal Medicine. A team of mostly Veteran’s Affairs researchers concluded that intermediate and long-term cognitive impairment after cardiovascular procedures “may be uncommon.” That said, they recommend that anyone thinking about open-heart surgery or other large cardiovascular procedure should discuss with the surgeon the possibility of cognitive impairment.

Extra-virgin olive oil and nuts seem to contribute to the benefits.

Q . Can you explain exactly what "ejection fraction" means? And is there any way to increase it?

A. Ejection fraction refers to the volume of blood that's pumped out of the heart's left ventricle each time it contracts. Contrary to what many people believe, a normal ejection fraction is not 100%. Even a healthy heart pumps out only about half to two-thirds of the volume of blood in the chamber in one heartbeat. So a normal ejection fraction lies somewhere in the range of 55% to 65%.

Q. My cardiologist told me to take clopidogrel for a year after I received a stent. Now the year is up. I haven't had any bleeding problems. Should I keep taking it?

A. In addition to aspirin, doctors routinely prescribe clopidogrel (Plavix) for people who receive stents, the tiny metal mesh tubes placed in clogged blood vessels to improve blood flow. This medication stops blood components called platelets from clumping together and forming clots. The current guidelines generally recommend that people take the drug for a year. This advice assumes they don't have any side effects such as unusual bleeding, which can show up as severe nosebleeds or blood in the urine or stools. However, these guidelines are still evolving. Experts are currently reviewing new findings from large studies on the benefits and risks of taking clopidogrel and similar drugs for extended periods of time.

Now we have a better tool to calculate your chance of a brain attack if you've been diagnosed with afib.

Atrial fibrillation (afib) is among the most common heart rhythm irregularities. During a bout of afib, the usually rhythmic contractions of the heart muscle's upper chambers (the atria) are replaced by an ineffectual quiver that does not completely move blood out of the heart chamber. As a result, blood can stagnate and form clots. These clots can then travel to the brain and cause an ischemic stroke.