Heart Health Archive

Warm weather, vein valve issues, and fluid retention can all puff up your ankles. Learn what doctors look for and simple steps that may ease it.

The scientific understanding of HDL cholesterol has evolved in recent years, and many cardiologists now believe that HDL may be more of a bystander rather than a "good guy" that helps lower heart disease risk. While some types of HDL are great at plucking excess cholesterol from LDL and artery walls (a process referred to as reverse cholesterol transport) other types of HDL don't do this. In clinical trials, medications to raise HDL levels-including a drug specifically designed to improve reverse cholesterol transport-have not succeeded in lowering heart attacks and strokes.

Chronic pain is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, which may be driven in part by depression, according to a 2026 study. Mind-body therapies and medications may help.

High temperatures raise risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and also stress the cardiovascular system, making the heart work harder. If you have a heart condition, here's how to keep cool and protect yourself when temperatures rise.

Regular blood donations can slowly drain iron stores, lowering hemoglobin levels. Iron supplements may help rebuild them.

An unusually low LDL result on a screening exam can be puzzling. Learn when small numbers reflect benefit and when they might signal a hidden problem.