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Read More about Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Beyond anti-clotting drugs
Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Beyond anti-clotting drugs

Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: Beyond anti-clotting drugs
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.
Read More about Fruit of the month: Pomegranate
Fruit of the month: Pomegranate

Fruit of the month: Pomegranate
Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants that help quell inflammation; the fruit may also help lower LDL and blood pressure.
Read More about Eating more whole grains linked to lower heart-related risks
Eating more whole grains linked to lower heart-related risks

Eating more whole grains linked to lower heart-related risks
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.
Read More about When someone you love has heart disease
When someone you love has heart disease

When someone you love has heart disease
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.
Read More about Yoga: A gateway to healthier habits?
Yoga: A gateway to healthier habits?

Yoga: A gateway to healthier habits?
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.
Read More about Harvard Health Ad Watch: Can a wearable device reduce stress?
Harvard Health Ad Watch: Can a wearable device reduce stress?

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

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?

Read More about A closer look at heart disease risk
A closer look at heart disease risk

A closer look at heart disease risk

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.

Read More about In your eyes: Clues to heart disease risk?
In your eyes: Clues to heart disease risk?

In your eyes: Clues to heart disease risk?
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.
Read More about Alcohol and atrial fibrillation
Alcohol and atrial fibrillation

Alcohol and atrial fibrillation

Even small amounts of alcohol—a single drink per day—has been linked to a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation.

Read More about Beyond blood pressure: Added benefits from the DASH diet
Beyond blood pressure: Added benefits from the DASH diet

Beyond blood pressure: Added benefits from the DASH diet
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating pattern doesn’t just lower blood pressure. It may also reduce inflammation, heart injury, and heart strain.
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