Heart Health Archive

Heart Health

Breath training may lower blood pressure

Published October 1, 2021

Using a device that strengthens breathing muscles for just five minutes a day may help lower blood pressure. The small handheld device provides resistance as a person inhales and exhales, providing what’s known as inspiratory muscle strength training.

Heart Health

Better blood sugar tracking: A benefit for heart health?

Published October 1, 2021

A continuous glucose monitor (CGM)—a small device placed on the arm or belly that measures blood sugar every few minutes—may help people with diabetes recognize the eating and exercise habits that hinder (or help) them control their blood sugar. CGM readouts, which are displayed on a smartphone or portable monitor, show your blood sugar values, trends, and the percentage of time that your blood sugar is in a "good control" range. Medicare covers CGMs for people who inject insulin at least three times a day or use an insulin pump to control their blood sugar.

Heart Health

Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Beyond anti-clotting drugs

Published October 1, 2021

People with atrial fibrillation who develop or face a high risk of serious bleeding from anti-clotting drugs may be candidates for procedures that block or remove a part of the heart where dangerous blood clots form. About 90% of blood clots in the heart form in the left atrial appendage (LAA), a small pouch that protrudes from the top of the heart. Two procedures prevent clots from escaping from the LAA and causing a stroke. One delivers a device that blocks the opening of the LAA; the other removes most of the LAA during heart surgery done for another reason.

Heart Health

Fruit of the month: Pomegranate

Published October 1, 2021

Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants that help quell inflammation; the fruit may also help lower LDL and blood pressure.

Heart Health

Eating more whole grains linked to lower heart-related risks

Published October 1, 2021

Over a period of nearly two decades, people who ate at least three daily servings of whole-grain foods showed smaller increases in blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and waist size compared with people who ate only small amounts of whole grains.

Heart Health

When someone you love has heart disease

Published October 1, 2021

People can support family members and friends with heart disease by encouraging them to do cardiac rehabilitation, a 12-week program that teaches the fundamentals of a heart-healthy lifestyle and features supervised exercise training. They can also ask about the person’s health goals and ways to help, rather than becoming frustrated if the person appears to be making poor choices. Finally, acknowledging and sharing emotions, such as fear and worry, may improve communication.

Heart Health

Yoga: A gateway to healthier habits?

Published October 1, 2021

Yoga addresses multiple factors that underlie heart disease, including both physical and psychological issues. Yoga can improve strength and fitness, foster better sleep, and encourage slow, deep breathing, which helps lower blood pressure and heart rate. The relaxation aspect of yoga trains the nervous system to be less reactive during times of stress. By cultivating greater mind-body awareness, yoga can help people become more in tune with their bodies and how their daily habits affect how they feel.

Staying Healthy

Harvard Health Ad Watch: Can a wearable device reduce stress?

Published September 22, 2021

Stress can affect sleep, mood, and appetite, and the long-term effects of chronic stress have been linked to health issues like cardiovascular disease, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease. A wearable device claims that it can reduce stress and build the wearer's resistance to stressful situations — but how does it work, and can any of its claims be proven?

Heart Health

A closer look at heart disease risk

Updated September 21, 2021

Sometimes the presence of atherosclerosis, the disease underlying most heart attacks, is not clear or easily recognized, especially before a heart attack or other crisis happens. In those instances, doctors may rely on a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan, which measures the amount of calcium in the heart's arteries, high levels of which are associated with cardiovascular disease. The CAC results can help predict a person's risk for heart attack or stroke, even if that person doesn't have obvious risk factors or symptoms.

Heart Health

In your eyes: Clues to heart disease risk?

Published September 1, 2021

The eyes may provide clues to the presence of cardiovascular disease. Ocular (eye) strokes can foreshadow a more serious stroke, and early damage to tiny eye blood vessels can be a harbinger of heart problems. Diabetes and high blood pressure (both common risk factors for heart disease) can damage vessels that supply the retina. Some middle-aged and older adults develop soft, yellowish, cholesterol-filled bumps on or around their eyelids. Called xanthelasmas, they can be a sign of high levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or other fats in the blood, which also raises heart disease risk.

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Heart Health Archive

Articles

Breath training may lower blood pressure

Better blood sugar tracking: A benefit for heart health?

Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Beyond anti-clotting drugs

Fruit of the month: Pomegranate

Eating more whole grains linked to lower heart-related risks

When someone you love has heart disease

Yoga: A gateway to healthier habits?

Harvard Health Ad Watch: Can a wearable device reduce stress?

A closer look at heart disease risk

In your eyes: Clues to heart disease risk?

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