Heart Health Archive

Articles

Abdominal aortic aneurysm: When you need this one-time test

Family history or past smoking both point to higher risk for this potentially fatal condition.

How many "lifesaving" medical tests have you been offered lately? One frequently marketed to older men is an ultrasound of the abdominal aorta, the large artery below the heart that feeds the lower body. A bulging weak spot there—an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA)—could eventually rupture, and that is usually fatal.

Gain more weight, get more GERD

Maintaining a healthy weight is the best way to rein in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or chronic heartburn, according to a study in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Researchers found that GERD symptoms increased for every incremental rise in body mass index (BMI), which measures the ratio of weight to height.

In GERD, the acidic contents of the stomach back up into the lower esophagus, causing burning pain. The most effective treatment for GERD is taking an acid-reducing proton-pump inhibitor medication, such as omeprazole (Prilosec). People who are overweight are much more likely to develop GERD.

Should you worry if you have a fainting spell?

Drinking lots of liquids helps prevent fainting and is especially important in warm weather.

Image: Thinkstock

A fainting spell can be inconsequential, or it can signal a serious health issue. It's important to learn why you faint.

Add strength training to your fitness plan

Muscles at work

Dynamic resistance occurs when muscles and joints move, such as when you raise and lower a hand weight.

With isometric resistance, your muscles tense and create force but no movement, such as when you push against a wall.

Image: Thinkstock

Boosting your muscle mass may trigger changes that enhance heart health.

Ask the doctor: Why does diabetes raise heart disease risk?

Q. I just got diagnosed with diabetes and my doctor said I am at risk for heart disease. Why?

A. Diabetes is considered to be an extremely strong risk factor for heart disease. One reason is that people with diabetes are also more likely to have other conditions that raise their odds of heart disease, such as obesity, high blood pressure, or elevated LDL cholesterol. Also, those factors seem to have more of a detrimental effect on people who have diabetes compared with those who don't.

Ask the doctor: What can cause a heart murmur in an adult?

A heart murmur may indicate an aortic or  mitral valve problem.

Image: Thinkstock

Q. When someone develops a heart murmur as an adult, what are the possible causes?

Lowering blood pressure: How low should you go?

Blood pressure that is
neither too low nor too high nets better health.

Image: Thinkstock

The dangers of hypertension are well documented, but low blood pressure levels can cause problems, too.

Get cracking: Why you should eat more nuts

Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, fiber, and other nutrients with possible cardiovascular benefits.

Images: Thinkstock

Munching a small handful every day may protect your heart.

Get a leg up on varicose veins

Leaky leg veins can cause painful skin changes. But safe, effective treatments can fix this common problem.

Varicose veins—those dark blue or purple leg veins that bulge just beneath the skin's surface—leave many sufferers feeling self-conscious. But beyond the cosmetic considerations, pooling of excess blood in the lower extremities can cause painful leg swelling and skin ulcers.

Bypass plus angioplasty: The best of both worlds?

In hybrid heart surgery, the blocked or narrowed left anterior descending artery is bypassed with the nearby left mammary artery, while another blocked artery (in this case, the right coronary artery) is opened with angioplasty plus a stent.

Illustration by Scott Leighton

Known as hybrid coronary revascularization, this technique may become more widely available in the future.

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