Heart Health Archive

Hospital at home provides care in a person's home for common conditions such as heart failure. Health care providers visit at least twice daily and can draw blood, provide intravenous medication delivery, and take portable ultrasounds and chest X-rays. Patients are constantly monitored via a small patch on the chest that measures heart rate and rhythm, breathing rates, and activity. The program also provides a tablet used for videoconferencing with the doctor and specialists, if needed.

Yoga has modest yet positive effects on several factors linked to cardiovascular health, including lower blood pressure and lower levels of harmful LDL cholesterol. The postures, breathing, and meditation practices inherent in yoga help cultivate the relaxation response, which trains the body to be less reactive during times of stress. People new to yoga should seek out a beginner, gentle, or chair yoga class, especially those who are over 65 or who have any medical conditions.

The carbohydrate-insulin model of obesity considers the biological mechanisms that trigger the body to store too much fat. Eating fast-digesting carbs causes the body to release large amounts of insulin, which causes excess calories to be stored as fat. When fat cells suck up too many calories, there are too few calories for the rest of the body, which causes hunger and overeating. Cutting back on carbohydrates may shift metabolism in ways that promote weight loss without causing excess hunger, while also improving common risk factors for heart disease. The amount of carbohydrate reduction people might consider depends on their specific health parameters.

A wearable sensor no bigger than a postage stamp can capture detailed images of the heart, even when a person is exercising. The technology may one day make high-quality cardiac imaging more widely accessible to a larger population.

People who experience stroke symptoms that disappear in less than an hour, a phenomenon known as a transient ischemic attack, should seek immediate care to prevent a full-blown stroke.

Medication to lower high blood pressure is a proven way to reduce a person's risk for heart disease. But adopting lifestyle changes may let people maintain healthy readings and perhaps even avoid drug therapy. Six lifestyle changes have the most significant influence on blood pressure: diet, exercise, weight control, limiting sodium and alcohol, and managing stress.

While the focus is often on avoiding unhealthy foods, adding in nutritious options can be a means of protecting and improving your heart health. Olive oil, mixed nuts, multicolored fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, and sources of soluble fiber are options to try.

People younger than 65 with a bicuspid aortic valve who develop aortic stenosis may need open heart surgery to replace the valve. A less invasive procedure isn't possible for several reasons, including challenges related to the valve anatomy.

Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition marked by brief pauses in breathing, often triggering loud snoring, grunts, gasps, and choking noises. Because sleep apnea can put stress on your heart and circulation, it's important to learn the signs and symptoms and get treatment.