Heart Health Archive

Frank discussions with a doctor can help heart attack survivors return to sexual activity.

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Few things shake your sense of well-being more than a sudden heart attack. When the initial shock wears off, an over-whelming need to get life back to normal as quickly as possible usually takes hold. "Patients always ask me when can they drive again, when can they start exercising, and when can they return to work," says Dr. Donna Polk, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. A key issue that seldom gets mentioned, though, is the struggle many heart attack survivors encounter when trying to resume their sex lives.

The same physical changes involved in a heart attack can conspire to diminish sexual enjoyment. Faulty circulation throughout the body, a hallmark of cardiovascular disease, reduces the amount of blood that reaches the sex organs. Men may develop erectile difficulties, and women may not have the blood flow needed for vaginal arousal and lubrication.

New findings focus on diastolic blood pressure—the second number in your blood pressure reading.

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Of the two numbers that make up your blood pressure reading, the first one (systolic blood pressure) typically gets more attention. That's because as people age, their arteries lose their elasticity, and the inner walls are more likely to accumulate cholesterol-laden plaque. These factors tend to raise systolic blood pressure, a measure of the pressure inside the arteries when the heart contracts to pump blood throughout the body.

Current guidelines suggest that most people should aim for a systolic blood pressure reading of 140 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or lower. But last year, a widely publicized clinical trial suggested that a target of 120 mm Hg could further reduce the dangers associated with high blood pressure (namely, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and death).

As people grow older, their hearts tend to become thicker and stiffer and not pump as effectively. But those who stay physically active as they move from middle age into their 70s may be less likely to develop age-related declines in heart function.

The discovery of 44 gene sites associated with high blood pressure may provide leads for developing new drugs to treat this common condition. 

Throughout life, men seem to be twice as likely to have a heart attack as women. This risk appears to persist even after accounting for risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. 

Low LDL cholesterol and high HDL cholesterol lower your risk for cardiovascular disease. That is what the studies have always shown us. But a new study suggests that low HDL itself may not be the risk factor for heart disease we thought it was. It could merely be a sign of an unhealthy lifestyle, or other health risk factors, that also contribute to heart disease. Trying to find medications to raise HDL cholesterol may not be as effective as encouraging people to adopt healthier habits.

Calcium supplementation was associated with three to seven times the risk for dementia among older women with cerebrovascular disease.

Heart murmurs can occur when people are young and then return in older age. There are three main causes in adults: increased volume or speed of blood flowing through a normal heart, a stiff heart valve, or a leaky heart valve. Most do not lead to heart problems, but a change in the murmur’s intensity or the appearance of symptoms like shortness of breath, light-headedness, or chest pain would prompt a further medical evaluation.

Here's how to keep your daily salt intake in check.

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Most men probably consume too much sodium, and new federal guidelines are aimed at helping them curb their habit.

The FDA advises no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily—the amount in about 1 teaspoon of salt. (People with prehypertension and hypertension should limit their intake to 1,500 mg, roughly the amount in 3/4 tea-spoon of salt.)

A common tooth infection often caused by cavities and usually found by chance on dental x-rays is associated with a higher risk of acute coronary syndrome, an umbrella term for a sudden blockage in the blood supply to the heart.