Heart Health Archive

About 5% of Americans have low-density lipoprotein (LDL) values of 190 mg/dL or higher. Their risk of heart disease is five times higher than people with near-optimal values (less than 130 mg/dL). Some have familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition that can lead to LDL values up to 350 mg/dL (or even higher in some cases). Known as FH, it's a common cause of early heart attacks.

Most hospitals have chaplains who can provide emotional and spiritual support to patients and their families during challenging medical situations, such as impending heart surgery, a worsening bout of heart failure, or cardiac arrest. Spiritual care, which has been linked to improved health outcomes, encompasses but does not necessarily include formal religious practices. It aims to help people explore sources of comfort and hope while coping with the challenge of a diagnosis.

Snow shoveling can be risky for people with heart disease because (1) the activity requires a lot of physical effort, and (2) cold temperatures constrict arteries. Both factors can raise the risk of a heart attack in people with narrowed heart arteries.

The body roundness index—defined as height in relation to waist circumference—may be a good way to predict a person's risk of cardiovascular disease.

People can learn how to give chest compressions—a key aspect of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR—by watching a 90-second online video. CPR keeps blood flowing to the brain and vital organs during a cardiac arrest. There are various ways to practice chest compressions on a mannequin, including at an in-person class or at one of 30 kiosks (including six at major airports) located nationwide.

Smart rings can do many of the same things a smart watch can, including heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen level measurement, and activity and sleep tracking.

People sometimes wonder if the calcium they consume affects their calcium score, a test that measures calcium in the heart's arteries to predict heart disease risk. But a 2024 study linked higher calcium intake to a lower risk of heart calcifications. Calcium helps lower blood pressure, possibly by improving the function of the lining of blood vessels. Older adults should make sure they're getting the recommended amount of calcium in their diets. Good sources include dairy products, tofu made with calcium sulfate, almond or oat milk, canned sardines or salmon, collard greens, and kale.

Over a 24-year span, people whose diets favored plant-based fat lived longer than people who ate more animal-based fat, according to a 2024 study. The same distinction appeared specifically for deaths from heart disease.

In 2024, the FDA approved two catheter-based devices for treating a leaky tricuspid valve. Both relieve symptoms and improve quality of life for people with moderate to severe tricuspid regurgitation, which affects about 4% of people ages 75 and older. One device is a modification of a system to treat mitral valve regurgitation that works by bringing the valve leaflets together at the areas of most severe leakage. The other device delivers a new valve made of cow heart tissue, which is commonly used in surgical valve replacements.

An online tool to predict heart disease risk might be more accurate if it included a psychological health assessment. Including depression screening results appears to strengthen the tool's ability to predict heart disease deaths.