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Heart Health Archive

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Cutting meat intake by a third could reduce rates of heart disease

A 2024 report suggests that rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and colon cancer would fall substantially if people ate less red and processed meat.

What does it mean to have a heart attack?

Heart attack symptoms can be severe or subtle. The underlying process that causes a heart attack can differ, and people may experience significant heart damage or little to none. Doctors diagnose a heart attack based on symptoms, a person's cardiovascular risk profile, electrocardiogram findings and the blood troponin level. Troponin is a protein released when heart damage occurs. Immediate and long-term treatment depend upon the type of heart attack and its impact on heart function.

Different types of rapid heart rhythms

Atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardia are rapid, abnormal heart rhythms that originate in the upper part of the heart. But they tend to arise at different ages, and they require different treatments.

Is the portfolio diet the best diet ever?

What we eat plays an important role in health and quality of life - but is there a single best diet? One newer choice is the largely plant-based portfolio diet, which combines aspects of highly regarded eating patterns and focuses on foods proven to lower harmful blood lipids and enhance cardiovascular health.

Can you self-titrate your blood pressure drugs?

People with hypertension who monitor their blood pressure at home may be able to successfully self-titrate their blood pressure medications, a 2024 study suggests. First, they need to know their target blood pressure. Readings that remain above goal requires consultation with their doctor to create a plan for better BP control, such as specific steps for medication self-titration.

When fear strikes the heart: Post-traumatic stress disorder

People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are especially vulnerable to cardiovascular problems, including a 40% increased risk of heart attack. The amygdala, a brain structure involved in processing anxiety, fear, and stress, is overactive in people with PTSD. But these people also have decreased activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulating emotions and dampening the fear response. This brain activity imbalance triggers chronic activation of the body's "fight-or-flight" response. The resulting physiological changes appear to underlie the development of atherosclerosis.

Chronic loneliness linked to higher risk of stroke

In a 2024 study by Harvard researchers, people who reported feeling persistently lonely had a 56% higher risk of experiencing a stroke compared with people who did not report feelings of loneliness.

High lipoprotein(a) raises heart attack risk even in healthy people

High levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a)-a variant of LDL (bad) cholesterol- may triple the risk of a heart attack, even among healthy people with no other known risks for heart disease.

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