Heart Disease Archive

People with autoimmune diseases may be up to three times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than people without an autoimmune disease. Among the most common autoimmune diseases are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus. Awareness of this elevated risk is especially important because autoimmune disease typically strikes when people are in their 20s or 30s. In turn, heart problems may develop up to a decade earlier than in people without an autoimmune disease. A calcium scan, which detects early signs of atherosclerosis, can help assess a person's risk and guide treatment advice.

Pregnancy and reproductive complications, including high blood pressure, diabetes, pre-eclampsia, infertility, and stillbirth, are linked with higher cardiovascular risks in affected women many years later. Such complications affect 5% to 10% of pregnancies and are rising as obesity rates increase and more women postpone pregnancy. Ongoing preventive care and screenings are crucial for women who experienced pregnancy complications to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels and treat any irregularities aggressively.

A 2023 review of 70 studies found that both unprocessed and processed red meat are linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, with no apparent difference in risk between men and women.

Four eating patterns—including the DASH, Mediterranean, pescatarian, and vegetarian diets—align most closely with recommendations for a heart-healthy diet, according to a 2023 scientific statement from the American Heart Association. These diets limit saturated fat and excess carbohydrates, especially highly processed carbohydrates and sugary drinks. Evidence supporting these diets comes from decades of randomized trials, population-based studies, and other research.

Many chronic conditions seem to be related. Examples include obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease; hearing loss and dementia; obstructive sleep apnea and high blood pressure; various autoimmune diseases; and obesity and joint problems. People with chronic conditions should ask their doctors about the risk for associated diseases.In some cases, they should have certain health screenings to check for them. In other cases, additional screening isn't automatic.

Research into the health benefits of alcohol has not provided a clear answer. Some findings suggest that alcohol helps protect against heart disease and lowers the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and drinkers tend to live longer than nondrinkers. Other studies say these benefits are less clear. If you don't drink alcohol now, there are no health reasons to start drinking. If you do enjoy it, it's best to have no more than 2 drinks in the same day.

Wearing a device that automatically records blood pressure every 30 to 60 minutes for 24 hours (known as ambulatory blood pressure monitoring) may better predict death from cardiovascular disease and other causes than clinic blood pressure readings.

A calcium score, which quantifies the plaque inside the heart's arteries, can sometimes improve the ability to assess a person's risk of heart disease beyond the traditional heart disease risk score.

In the United States, Black adults are more than twice as likely to die of cardiovascular disease than white adults. Discrimination and its downstream effects may underlie the survival gaps in cardiovascular disease between racial groups. Discrimination includes the daily hassles and indignities people experience in daily life and is reflected in a higher frequency of traumatic experiences. Unfair treatment can also affect employment opportunities, which limits opportunities to live in areas with access to heathy food, safe places to exercise, and good medical care.

Five smart watches capable of recording an electrocardiogram and detecting atrial fibrillation have been cleared for the market by the FDA. The devices can continuously monitor a person's pulse for an abnormally rapid heart rate and tell the wearer when to record an ECG, which involves opening an app and touching the side of the watch for 30 seconds. But it's not clear if using this feature can improve a person's health. There are many other ways to screen for afib. These strategies, which include simply checking one's pulse or wearing a heart monitor, depend on a person's afib risk and symptoms.