Heart Health Archive

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Research we're watching

People who sleep too much or too little may be more likely to have early signs of heart disease, according to a study of more than 47,000 apparently healthy young and middle-aged adults.

The study volunteers filled out sleep questionnaires and underwent tests to assess the arteries in their hearts and legs. Researchers found that people who slept for nine or more hours per night had more calcium buildup in their heart artery walls and stiffer leg arteries than those who slept seven hours per night. These early signs of heart disease were also more prevalent in people who logged five or fewer hours of sleep per night and in people who reported poor sleep quality.

Research we're watchting

Many people with heart disease worry if sexual activity is safe for their hearts. But sex is rarely the cause of a heart attack, and sex after a heart attack is safe for most people, according to a research letter in the September Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Researchers asked 536 people ages 30 to 70 who were undergoing cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack to fill out questionnaires about their sexual activity in the 12 months before their heart attack. Over the 10-year follow-up, there were 100 adverse heart-related events among the participants, including heart attacks, strokes, and deaths from cardio-vascular disease.

Ask the doctor

Q. I've read news reports that the heartburn drug I take may cause heart attacks. Should I worry about this?

A. Several studies have reported an association between proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) and heart attacks. PPIs are medications for heartburn, such as omeprazole (Prilosec) and pantoprazole (Protonix). Overall, however, the evidence suggests these medications are not risky for your heart.

In the journals

Dietary supplements containing the herbal ingredient yohimbe often contain prescription-strength active ingredients that are potentially dangerous, according to a study in Drug Testing and Analysis.

Scientists analyzed 49 popular brands of supplements with yohimbe. They found evidence that 39% of the products tested appeared to contain a pharmaceutical-grade extract of the herb.

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In the journals

The influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has endorsed low-dose daily aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease in people ages 50 to 59 who have a 10% or greater chance of heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years. Unless a person already has cardiovascular disease, the actual number of heart attacks and strokes prevented with daily aspirin is relatively small. This draft recommendation did not recommend aspirin for those younger than 50 or 60 or older, citing insufficient evidence to make a recommendation.

The USPSTF statement is at odds with a statement in 2014 by the FDA that evidence does not support general use of aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke in otherwise healthy adults. However, daily aspirin is often recommended for those with a history of cardiovascular disease, since the potential benefit (preventing heart attacks and strokes) outweighs the risk of bleeding that comes with regular aspirin use.

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In the journals

Eating a heart-healthy diet is associated with better dental health, according to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was originally developed to lower blood pressure, but research has uncovered a variety of other possible health benefits.

In the new study, researchers with the Veterans Affairs Dental Longitudinal Study followed 533 men ages 47 to 90. The men had dental exams every three years over a 20-year period. A trained examiner checked the men for signs of root cavities, which can occur if the gums recede and expose the root surface. Root cavities lead to tooth loss, an outcome that most men understandably want to avoid.

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A landmark study indicates that lowering the top number to 120 mm Hg can reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and death.

Medical practice usually evolves fairly slowly. Experts meet every five to 10 years to review study findings and make recommendations. But occasionally the results of a single study are so decisive that it is brought to a halt early, the results are announced, and doctors change their advice to patients based on the findings. For example, in 2002 the Women's Health Initiative was stopped three years early when postmenopausal women taking estrogen and progestin were found to be at higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer than those who weren't on the hormones. The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy fell 70% in the next few years.

Formally published results of the SPRINT trial confirm the early conclusions released in September. A target systolic blood pressure (the top number) of 120 mm Hg or less offers real health benefits, including a lower risk for cardiovascular problems and even death. Even if you don’t have high blood pressure, the results are so compelling that everyone should know his or her blood pressure and develop a plan with a primary care physician to achieve and maintain the “ideal” blood pressure for them.

These potent medications are for hard-to-manage cases of high cholesterol—not replacements for the tried-and-true statins.