Heart Health Archive

Hiking can promote cardiovascular health by building lower-body strength and boosting the heart rate, especially if the route involves elevation changes. Using poles can provide stability, especially during the downhill stretches. Using poles also helps strengthen the muscles of the upper body and may increase the number of calories burned during a hike.

Short stints of deep, slow breathing can help calm the nervous system. Slow breathing—anywhere from six to 10 breaths per minute—features a prolonged, rhythmic, and slow exhalation period. A regular breathing practice may reduce blood pressure as much as taking medication. People can practice deep breathing on their own by counting their breaths, doing guided exercises available free online or with a smartphone app, practicing yoga-based breathing (known as pranayama), or using special devices.

A spray version of nitroglycerin (a drug used to treat angina) is just as effective as the under-the-tongue pill version of the drug. The spray also has a longer shelf life.

Your doctor may ask you to track your blood pressure at home to help decide if you need to start taking medication or to track your response to treatment. Here's how to get accurate readings.

The thyroid gland releases hormones that affect the heart. Too little thyroid hormone slows the heart rate and may boost blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while too much can trigger abnormal heart rhythms and high blood pressure.

Anxiety disorders promote the stress response, which influences the same brain systems that affect cardiovascular functions.

Ignoring the warning signs of a ministroke can lead to a major stroke at a later time. People should be evaluated right away for symptoms such as speech and vision problems or weakness in an arm or leg.

Making plaque disappear is not possible, but it is possible to shrink and stabilize it. Drugs called statins can help with this, and so can eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising, and quitting smoking.