
Extreme heat endangers older adults: What to know and do

Want to cool down? 14 ideas to try

What is a PSA test and how is it used?

Blood sugar–friendly fruits if you have diabetes

Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives

Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help

Could tea tree oil help treat acne or athlete’s foot?

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c): What to know if you have diabetes or prediabetes or are at risk for these conditions

What could be causing your blurry vision?

Avocado nutrition: Health benefits and easy recipes
Heart Health Archive
Articles
Treating high blood pressure may help lower risk of cognitive decline
People who aggressively lower their high blood pressure not only help their heart health, but also may protect their brains from cognitive decline in the process, according to a 2025 study.
Are you at risk for heart failure?
Evidence published in 2025 suggests that 15 million people in the United States are at risk for developing heart failure, a condition in which the heart doesn't pump well enough to meet the body's needs. The estimate was determined with improved tools to calculate risk, called the PREVENT equations. Like previous methods, the equations consider age, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and smoking history. But the PREVENT equations remove race (an unreliable predictor) and add additional aspects of health.
New insights about the risks from a "hole" in the heart
About 25% of people have a common heart variant called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a flaplike opening between the heart's upper chambers. In people with the condition, venous blood can leak across the heart from the right atrium to the left atrium, bypassing the lungs. If that blood contains a clot, it can travel directly to the arteries that send blood throughout the body. A stroke can occur if that clot lodges in an artery supplying the brain. In people prone to blood clots, a PFO raises the risk of stroke and dementia.
Eat cheese, if you please
A daily serving of cheese is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease. But it's best to pair cheese with foods like whole-grain crackers or salad instead of combining it with refined carbohydrates and meat, such as cheese on burgers or pizza. Health-promoting fermentation products may counteract the saturated fat and sodium found in cheese.
Are salt substitutes a smart choice?
Substituting potassium-containing salt substitutes for regular salt can help lower blood pressure as well as the risk of stroke. But people should also check the sodium content in foods and eat more potassium-rich produce.
How well do TV medical dramas portray heart disease?
TV medical dramas often portray treatments for heart attacks and cardiac arrest. While the timelines are often accelerated and certain aspects may be dramatized to engage viewers, the medical details are, for the most part, factual and authentic. Writers and producers routinely rely on health care experts — including Harvard doctors — to make sure the information is accurate. For people with heart disease, seeing how emergency physicians treat urgent conditions may show them what to expect.
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
With ticks thriving in a wider geographic range, appearing earlier and sticking around later, it's important to stay vigilant about protecting yourself against ticks that cause Lyme disease and other illnesses. Learn some steps you can take to avoid tick bites.
Less butter, more plant oils, longer life?
Long-term research found that higher consumption of butter increases mortality risk, while higher consumption of plant-based oil lowers it. And substituting certain plant oils for butter might help people live longer. What's a butter lover to do?
Can I lower my cholesterol without a statin?
Statins are among the most-prescribed drugs in the United States, but some people are concerned about side effects. Lifestyle changes involving diet and exercise can help lower cholesterol enough to take a statin break

Extreme heat endangers older adults: What to know and do

Want to cool down? 14 ideas to try

What is a PSA test and how is it used?

Blood sugar–friendly fruits if you have diabetes

Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives

Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help

Could tea tree oil help treat acne or athlete’s foot?

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c): What to know if you have diabetes or prediabetes or are at risk for these conditions

What could be causing your blurry vision?

Avocado nutrition: Health benefits and easy recipes
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