Heart Health Archive

A 2025 study found that a high intake of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) was linked to a lower risk of heart-related problems, while intake of common olive oil was not. Higher levels of beneficial polyphenols in EVOO may explain the difference.

The 2025 blood pressure guidelines recommend starting drugs to treat hypertension if people don’t meet blood pressure goals after three to six months of lifestyle changes. The guidelines also recommend that everyone with high blood pressure be screened for primary aldosteronism, and suggest that people with resistant hypertension (stubbornly high blood pressure) consider renal denervation, a procedure that disrupts some of the nerves around the arteries supplying blood to the kidneys.

A 2025 study found that using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to trap tiny particle pollutants may help lower blood pressure for people living near busy roads. Of particular concern are particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter, known as PM_2.5, which creates inflammation that damages blood vessels and contributes to high blood pressure. Nearly a quarter of Americans live near vehicle-congested roads, and many more people are exposed to pollution from wildfire smoke.

Simple, proven strategies to live a longer, healthier life can help people become super-agers, defined as people who reach the age of 70 without any major diseases such as heart disease, cancer, or dementia. These habits include doing strength training to preserve muscle mass, eating a mostly vegetarian diet that provides many healthful nutrients, and prioritizing healthy sleep habits.

Many people with atrial fibrillation (afib) — a rapid, irregular heart rhythm — need to control symptoms, such as the feeling that the heart is racing or fluttering. Medication options include drugs that slow down the heart or help restore its rhythm. Because afib can also increase the risk of blood clots that can lead to a stroke, many of these people also need to take clot-preventing medications.

An apolipoprotein B (apoB) test counts the number of LDL particles in the bloodstream as well as other particles that can contribute to clogged arteries and heart attacks. All of these so-called atherogenic particles carry a single apoB molecule but varying amounts of cholesterol. ApoB values are more closely linked to heart disease risk than LDL cholesterol. People with signs of an unhealthy metabolism—such as prediabetes, a big belly, or elevated triglycerides—are far more likely to have a high apoB.

Doctors have long prescribed drugs called beta blockers to all heart attack survivors. These drugs, which slow down the heart and lower blood pressure, include atenolol (Tenormin) and metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol). Growing evidence suggests that these drugs offer no meaningful benefit for people whose hearts still pump normally after a heart attack. Sometimes, however, a heart attack leaves the left ventricle (the heart’s main pumping chamber) unable to contract effectively. When that’s the case, beta blockers are still recommended.

A 2025 study suggests that more than 99% of people who have a first-time heart attack, stroke, or heart failure have at least one of four risk factors: unhealthy blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar levels, or past or present smoking.

A diet high in ultra-processed foods is linked to higher burden of fatty plaque in the carotid arteries, according to a 2025 study.