New thinking about plaque in arteries that feed the brain
Want to prevent shifting teeth? Maybe you need retainers
What you need to know about the new dietary guidelines
Food that's healthier for people and planet can be cheaper, too
New evidence that polyphenol-rich foods help the heart
How to spot Parkinson's disease symptoms
8 simple ways to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet
GERD diet: Foods to avoid to reduce acid reflux
How to curb your stress eating
Heart failure symptoms in women: How they're different
Heart Health Archive
Articles
Can you reduce your cholesterol without taking a drug?
People can reduce their LDL cholesterol in three ways. One strategy involves dietary changes, such as eating more fiber-rich foods and swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fat. Another is to take one of several dietary supplements, including psyllium, plant sterols, or red yeast rice. The third entails taking a prescription medication, such as a statin. Many factors can affect whether these different strategies are advisable or useful, including a person's age and other risk factors for heart disease, their current dietary habits, and the quality of the supplements they take.
Another risk related to atrial fibrillation
A 2024 study suggests that for people with atrial fibrillation (afib), heart failure may be a more common complication than stroke. People with afib should be vigilant for the early warning signs of heart failure, such as feeling tired and winded.
Counting steps as good as time tracking for monitoring heart health
Advice about the amount of physical activity required to stave off heart disease and other chronic ailments is usually expressed as a time-based goal. But counting steps may be just as useful, according to a 2024 study.
A brief bout of anger may be bad for your blood vessels
A short episode of anger may have adverse effects on the cells lining the blood vessels, according to a 2024 study. The findings may help explain the long-observed link between negative emotions and an increased likelihood of cardiovascular problems.
Rethinking HDL cholesterol
The scientific understanding of HDL cholesterol has evolved in recent years, and many cardiologists now believe that HDL may be more of a bystander rather than a "good guy" that helps lower heart disease risk. While some types of HDL are great at plucking excess cholesterol from LDL and artery walls (a process referred to as reverse cholesterol transport) other types of HDL don't do this. In clinical trials, medications to raise HDL levels-including a drug specifically designed to improve reverse cholesterol transport-have not succeeded in lowering heart attacks and strokes.
Chest pain: A heart attack or something else?
Chest pain is an indicator of a possible heart attack, but it may also be a symptom of another condition or problem. The type and location of the pain can help doctors determine what is causing it.
Why do some heart drugs cost so much?
Health insurance companies sometimes require prior authorization for new, expensive medications. The high price patients pay for these drugs is related to complexities in health insurance coverage.
Physical activity, the brain, and a possible link to better heart health
Physical activity lowers cardiovascular disease risk in part by reducing stress-related activity in the brain, according to a 2024 study.
Heart failure might be the most common complication of atrial fibrillation
A large observational study published in 2024 suggests that stroke isn't the biggest risk of atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm condition). The biggest risk seems to be heart failure, a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood effectively.
Can intermittent fasting improve heart health?
Intermittent fasting may help people lose weight and improve their cholesterol levels and other heart-related risks. One form of intermittent fasting is time-restricted eating, during which people eat only during a certain time window (usually eight hours) each day. Another approach, alternate-day fasting, involves fasting or significantly limiting calories for one or two days per week. But it's hard to maintain over the long run due to the challenges of following a strict eating schedule while juggling various work, family, and social commitments.
New thinking about plaque in arteries that feed the brain
Want to prevent shifting teeth? Maybe you need retainers
What you need to know about the new dietary guidelines
Food that's healthier for people and planet can be cheaper, too
New evidence that polyphenol-rich foods help the heart
How to spot Parkinson's disease symptoms
8 simple ways to reduce ultra-processed foods in your diet
GERD diet: Foods to avoid to reduce acid reflux
How to curb your stress eating
Heart failure symptoms in women: How they're different
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