Inflammation Archive

Heart Health

New treatment for pericarditis approved

Published August 1, 2021

The FDA has approved a new drug called rilonacept (Arcalyst) to specifically treat recurrent pericarditis, a painful inflammation of the fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart.

Diseases & Conditions

Chronic gut inflammation: Coping with inflammatory bowel disease

Published August 1, 2021

Chronic inflammation in the gut may be due to inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. It’s unclear what causes IBD. Doctors suspect it’s a combination of factors, such as eating an unhealthy diet or using certain medications; altered gut bacteria; having a leaky gut; or genetics. The goal of IBD treatment is remission: suppressed symptoms, lower blood levels of inflammatory markers, and normal-looking bowel and tissue biopsies. Approaches to achieve remission and prevent flare-ups include medication, a healthy lifestyle, and possibly surgery.

Heart Health

Cold-water dips: Healthy or risky?

Published August 1, 2021

Swimming (or just dunking) in cold water is generally safe. But people with heart rhythm disorders should be cautious about this practice. The evidence for the health benefits for cold-water immersion (which allegedly include fat loss and reduced inflammation) is limited. Submerging the face in cold water triggers the diving reflex, which causes the heart to slow down and blood pressure to rise. This response—in addition to an adrenaline surge from cold water on the skin—may trigger an underlying arrythmia.

Mind & Mood

Thoughts on optimism

Published July 1, 2021

Science continues to find that people with an optimistic outlook enjoy healthier and longer lives. The power of optimism is not just having a sunny disposition, but applying this mindset to make positive change. Even if people are not naturally optimistic, there are ways to change one’s outlook, such as looking for opportunities during trying times, focusing on personal strengths, practicing gratitude, and visualizing their best possible self.

Pain

Chronic inflammation and your joints

Published July 1, 2021

The immune system sometimes launches a chronic inflammatory response in certain joints. That leads to pain, stiffness, and joint damage known as inflammatory arthritis. It’s usually unknown what triggers the conditions. Types of inflammatory arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and psoriatic arthritis. Treatments include medications, such as biologic or nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and lifestyle habits, such as exercising, avoiding processed foods, reducing stress, not smoking, and getting enough sleep. Wearing a splint or brace on affected joints and seeking physical therapy may also help ease pain.

Heart Health

Autoimmune conditions and heart disease

Published July 1, 2021

People with systemic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriasis are more likely to have heart attacks and to die of cardiovascular disease than people in the general public. The 2019 expert guidelines for preventing heart disease says these conditions should be considered "risk enhancers" when estimating heart attack risk. But this added risk may be underrecognized and undertreated.

Heart Health

Are you wasting money on supplements?

Updated June 1, 2021

Taking multivitamins doesn’t prevent heart attacks or strokes, and most dietary supplements (such as fish oil, red yeast rice, and coenzyme Q₁₀) offer no or limited benefits for avoiding heart-related problems. For people who don’t have heart disease, eating two servings of fatty fish weekly or following a healthy vegetarian diet rich in nuts, legumes, and healthy oils makes more sense than spending money on over-the-counter fish oil supplements. People with heart disease would be better off asking their doctor about the prescription drug icosapent ethyl (Vascepa), a high-dose, purified EPA that lowers cardiovascular risk when taken with a statin.

Staying Healthy

Expand your healthy cooking oil choices

Updated June 1, 2021

The healthiest fats for cooking and using on food come from plants. Plant oils consist mostly of unsaturated fat, which in limited amounts is good for the heart. One can enjoy a wide variety of plant oils, such as avocado, canola, corn, flaxseed, grapeseed, olive, peanut, rice bran, safflower, soybean, sunflower, and walnut oils. But high heat can break down plant oil molecules and reduce health benefits. The most fragile plant oils include extra-virgin olive oil and nut oils, such as walnut oil.

Staying Healthy

5 inflammation-fighting food swaps

Updated May 10, 2021

Inflammation can be a beneficial sign that the body's immune system is fighting an infection, but it can also linger over time, damaging the body. There is evidence that eating a diet heavy in foods that promote inflammation can increase the risk for certain health problems, and also that a healthy diet can reduce inflammation.

Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Stopping osteoarthritis: Could recent heart research provide a clue?

Published October 15, 2020

Currently no medication can slow the progress of osteoarthritis. And while a reanalysis of a study of people with heart disease suggests a promising approach, more definitive research will be necessary to confirm this.

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Inflammation Archive

Articles

New treatment for pericarditis approved

Chronic gut inflammation: Coping with inflammatory bowel disease

Cold-water dips: Healthy or risky?

Thoughts on optimism

Chronic inflammation and your joints

Autoimmune conditions and heart disease

Are you wasting money on supplements?

Expand your healthy cooking oil choices

5 inflammation-fighting food swaps

Stopping osteoarthritis: Could recent heart research provide a clue?

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