Heart Health Archive

Eating a variety of flavonoid-rich foods may offer greater protection against cardiovascular disease and cancer than eating only a few high-flavonoid foods, according to a 2025 study.

People commonly experience heart palpitations, which feel like the heart flutters or skips a beat, or beats at a faster rate or in an irregular rhythm. They often last only seconds and can be unsettling. For the most part, palpitations are nothing to worry about. Still, these unusual heart sensations may indicate something more serious, such as atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, or ventricular tachycardia. Palpitations that persist or cause other symptoms (such as lightheadedness) should be evaluated by a doctor.

For people with diabetes, a modified version of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet can lower their blood pressure. Called DASH4D, it has fewer carbohydrates, more unsaturated fat, and slightly reduced amounts of potassium.

An inexpensive blood test that checks for a genetic variant of Lp(a)-a fatty particle similar to LDL cholesterol-may help clarify who might benefit from a daily low-dose aspirin, according to a 2025 review of study findings.

According to a 2025 study, people living near coastlines with high levels of marine microplastics had higher rates of heart disease than those living close to coastlines with less plastic pollution.

Growing numbers of people have microvascular disease, which is caused by problems in the network of tiny blood vessels in the heart rather than blockages in the heart's major arteries. Evidence for this trend comes from large studies using diagnostic imaging tests coupled with heart disease registry data. Experts believe today's higher rates of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and chronic kidney disease is changing how cardiovascular disease is manifested.

In a 2025 analysis involving about 200 million people, those who used cannabis had a 29% higher risk for sudden heart attacks or angina and twice the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease, compared with people who didn't use cannabis.

There are no medications to treat aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve), but several possibilities are currently being studied, including a class of drugs to treat diabetes and others that lower high lipoprotein(a) blood levels.

Few people get the recommended two fruits and three vegetables per day. Tips for helping people add more produce into their diets include starting small (making just one minor addition or substitution at a time and sticking with it for several weeks); choosing smarter snacks (like hummus and carrots or apples and peanut butter); sneaking pureed vegetables into pasta and other dishes; making smoothies and soups; and relying on frozen fruits and vegetables.

Increasing potassium levels while lowering sodium may be more effective in lowering high blood pressure than reducing dietary salt alone, particularly for men, according to a 2025 study.