Heart Health Archive

Telemedicine visits combined with self-measured blood pressure readings may help control high blood pressure better than traditional clinic visits, according to a 2024 study.

A second opinion from a cardiologist may be helpful for people considering whether to undergo a specialized heart procedure. Such consultations may be increasingly appropriate as new, minimally invasive treatments for various heart problems become more widely available and more specialized. Others who might seek a second opinion include people with heart-related symptoms that persist despite treatment, who have been told they have no more options.

New guidelines for managing atrial fibrillation focus on lifestyle habits to prevent and control the disorder. One recommendation is for people to limit alcohol to one drink per day, or ideally less. Another is for people who are overweight or obese to lose weight, either by striving for a body mass index no greater than 27 or by shedding at least 10% of their body weight. The guidelines also suggest that people get three to four hours of exercise per week. And people with afib who snore should consider getting tested for sleep apnea.

Certain foods, such as beans, oats and whole grains, fatty fish, and fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber, can lower "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Compared with analog scales, digital scales are more accurate and easier to read. Many smart scales include added features such as smartphone connectivity and body composition estimates.

Replacing just five minutes of sitting with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity may lead to tangible improvements in cardiovascular health. Adding longer, more intense bouts of exercise can reap greater rewards. But even modest changes such as replacing sitting with standing may lead to positive changes in health parameters, including improvements in body mass index, waist circumference, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels.

Calcium deposits in the coronary arteries surrounding the heart may be a sign of fatty plaque buildup in arteries. Dietary calcium is not a cause of these calcium deposits. While people can't reverse the effect of calcium deposits, they can slow the process by managing blood pressure and "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Treatments for angina include medications to lower LDL cholesterol to very low levels to help reduce artery-narrowing plaque. Drugs that slow the heart rate and widen arteries can improve symptoms.

About a third of healthy people-and about 60% of people with high blood pressure-are salt sensitive, meaning they have an exaggerated response to dietary sodium. But an estimated one in 10 people may have inverse salt sensitivity: their blood pressure goes up when they eat less salt. Understanding the genetic basis of these differences may one day improve the treatment of blood pressure.