Heart Health Archive

Marijuana use, which is rising among older adults, appears to heighten the risk of heart-related problems. Cannabis is known to increase heart rate and blood pressure, although high doses can have the opposite effect. Marijuana use has been implicated in causing heart attacks, atrial fibrillation, stress cardiomyopathy, and arteritis.

Major league baseball players have team cardiologists to diagnose and treat common cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Distinguishing normal exercise-induced cardiac remodeling (which may cause the heart's main pumping chamber to enlarge) from certain inherited or acquired heart diseases, known as cardiomyopathies, often requires a specialist.

Many foods traditionally eaten in China, such as vegetables, tofu, and seafood, are all linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. So are the unsaturated oils (such as canola, soy, or peanut oil) frequently used to prepare Chinese dishes. But some Chinese cooking staples like soy sauce and other savory sauces (black bean, hoisin, and oyster) are quite high in sodium, which can raise blood pressure. At restaurants, people should request no monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that also contains sodium. For home cooking, people can buy soy sauce with 37% less sodium, which is marketed as "less sodium soy sauce.

A 2023 study found that for people with atrial fibrillation, a program of supervised and home-based exercise may reduce the severity and frequency of their symptoms.

Statin dosages fall into three categories (low, moderate, or high) based on how much the medication can lower LDL. The choice of a statin depends on a person's risk.

A 2023 study suggests that the type of technology used in smart watches to measure the heart's electrical activity may have the potential to detect early signs of heart failure or atrial fibrillation.

Over-the-counter and prescription drugs known as NSAIDs pose a risk to the cardiovascular system. They include over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and prescription drugs such as celecoxib (Celebrex). NSAIDs can cause the kidneys to hold on to salt and water, which tends to raise blood pressure. They also appear to affect the inner linings of blood vessels and alter other blood substances in a manner that promotes blood clots. People who need these pain-relieving medications should take the smallest dose for the shortest possible period of time.

ECG readings taken with a smart watch may be just as accurate as a traditional ECG done in a medical setting. But the notion of using a smart watch to diagnose a heart attack is still years away. One main reason: obtaining an ECG with a smart watch requires carefully holding the back of the watch on the wrist and at eight specific locations on the chest and abdomen. Quality control and regulatory issues are other important hurdles that need to be addressed. But experts believe improved smart watches with enhanced diagnostic ability may be on the market within a decade.

A small amount of leakage (regurgitation) from the mitral or tricuspid valve is normal. People with either condition do not need to modify their activity levels, but they should stay alert to symptoms that suggest the problem is worsening.

High temperatures stress the body, leading to thousands of heat-related illnesses and deaths every year in the US. Learn when hot weather becomes dangerous and how to create your own hot weather safety plan.