Heart Health Archive

Preparing for future medical decisions — for yourself or a loved one — can help make the experience less scary.

Have you ever sat down with a relative or close friend to talk about what would happen if either of you became unable to make your own health care decisions? Most people haven't. Only about one in three Americans has any type of legal documentation (known as an advance directive) to cover such a situation.

Imagining possible scenarios, such as experiencing a stroke or having advanced heart failure, understandably makes people uncomfortable or scared. But avoiding the topic can leave people unprepared if their health — or the health of a parent, spouse, or friend — suddenly takes a turn for the worse.

In Southern states, people often eat black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day, a tradition believed to bring wealth and good fortune in the coming year. The classic recipe for this dish, called Hoppin' John, often includes some form of pork. But the Half-cup Habit website has a vegetarian version; see https://pulses.org/nap/recipe/hoppin-john.

It may be just luck, but black-eyed peas seem to be less likely than black beans or pinto beans to cause intestinal gas, according to a small study. All legumes contain fiber and substances known as oligosaccharides that can't be broken down by human digestive enzymes. But the billions of bacteria living in the gut can digest oligosaccharides, often creating gas in the process.

Research we're watching

Having a dog often means taking daily walks, a habit that helps stave off heart disease. But that might not be the only reason dog owners have healthier hearts, according to a new study.

The nearly 1,800 participants had no history of heart disease in 2013 when the study began. Researchers scored them based on the American Heart Association's "Life's Simple 7" factors: body mass index, diet, physical activity, smoking status, blood pressure, blood sugar, and total cholesterol. Then they compared the scores of people who owned any pet to those who did not own pets, as well as the scores of dog owners with owners of any pet or no pet.

Research we're watching

People with a positive outlook on life seem to be less likely to experience serious heart-related problems, according to a review published Sept. 27 by JAMA Network Open.

The study pooled findings from 15 studies involving a total of more than 220,000 people. After a follow-up period lasting an average of nearly 14 years, researchers found that optimism was associated with a 35% lower risk of angina, heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes. That benefit held even when they considered studies that took into account depression, physical activity, and other possible confounding factors.

Research we're watching

Counting steps with a fitness tracker doesn't always inspire people to be more active. But a little friendly competition may help, a new study suggests.

The study, published online Sept. 9 by JAMA Internal Medicine, included about 600 overweight or obese adults, all of whom received wearable step trackers and set goals to increase their daily steps. Researchers randomly divided them into four groups. The control group had only their goals and the step trackers; the three other groups also had different elements of games (support, collaboration, or competition) tied to their goals, an approach known as "gamification."

On call

Q. I have atrial fibrillation and currently take warfarin (Coumadin) to prevent a stroke. I haven't had any problems with it, but I wonder if I should switch to one of the newer blood thinners. Are there any advantages?

A. For about 50 years, warfarin was the only choice for people who needed to take an oral anticoagulant (blood thinner). While warfarin is inexpensive, it has its downsides. People who take it must regularly undergo a blood test, called an INR, to ensure they are getting the proper dose. A person's blood should be "thin" enough not to clot easily, but not so thin as to pose a high bleeding risk.

Age, family history, and other risk factors determine if daily aspirin can help prevent a heart attack or stroke.

For many of us, aspirin was the go-to medicine of our youth. Everything from headaches, colds, and general aches and pains were treated with two aspirin and a glass of water.

For decades, aspirin was widely believed to be a safe way to protect healthy adults from heart attacks and strokes. But over the past couple years, new research has questioned this premise and many doctors have already stopped prescribing aspirin for adults at low risk of cardiovascular disease.

In the journals

Need another reason to get your annual flu shot? It could protect you from a fatal heart attack or stroke if you suffer from high blood pressure, according to research presented at a 2019 joint conference of the European Society of Cardiology Congress and the World Congress of Cardiology.

Previous research has found that the inflammation from a flu infection can trigger a heart attack or stroke, and people with high blood pressure are especially at high risk.

People who have elevated blood pressure readings in a doctor’s office but normal readings elsewhere are said to have white-coat hypertension. A new study suggests that people with this condition face a greater risk of heart disease than those whose blood pressure is always normal.

Heart failure — this dire-sounding term often brings to mind a heart that has beat its last. Not so. Heart failure means that the heart isn't able to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Common effects of heart failure include fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling in the legs.

Many people are surprised to learn that heart failure is often a manageable condition. Taking medications, balancing exercise and rest, following a low-sodium diet, and being careful about fluid intake can help keep it in check. But heart failure can be unpredictable. After a long stretch of being under control, it can flare up, and even require a hospital stay.