Heart Disease Archive

People who have had shingles have a 30% increased risk for heart disease and stroke, says a new Harvard study. Learn more about the risk.

In November 2022, the FDA called out seven supplement companies for illegally claiming their products could treat or prevent cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis or heart failure.

Sometimes people miss the symptoms of life-threatening conditions such as a heart attack, a stroke, atrial fibrillation, or a pulmonary embolism. To detect the warning signs, people should pay attention to sudden, new symptoms, especially if they include shortness of breath, chest pain, heart palpitations, lightheadedness, confusion, weakness, fatigue, fainting, or a terrible headache. Someone experiencing any of these symptoms should call 911. If symptoms aren't sudden or intense, and people aren't sure if they warrant emergency help, they should call their doctor.

Popular brands of dark chocolate (which is often touted as heart-healthy) may contain potentially worrisome levels of lead and cadmium. Consistent, long-term exposure to these heavy metals has been linked to cardiovascular disease.

Video visits and other forms of telehealth, which were commonplace during the COVD-19 surge, can be good options for treating people with heart disease. Telehealth delivery options can be synchronous or asynchronous, and they may also include remote monitoring or measurements such as weight and blood pressure. Blended care that combines in-person appointments with virtual visits may be the wave of the future.

For people with all types of cardiovascular disease, regular exercise helps prevent the disease from getting worse. Even very short exercise stints can make a difference. Many people with heart disease qualify for cardiac rehabilitation, which includes an exercise stress test that shows how your heart and body respond to exertion. The results can inform recommendations for safe, effective physical activity.

Doctors concentrate on helping men lower their blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, to lower their risk of cardiovascular disease. Lower HDL levels are associated with higher cardiovascular risk. This may be related to HDL's role in helping to remove excess cholesterol in arteries that can lead to plaque buildup and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. However, no specific therapies to raise HDL levels have improved outcomes.

The gut is home to trillions of microbes, collectively known as the gut microbiota, which help with digestion, manufacture certain nutrients, and release various substances that have wide-ranging health effects, including on cardiovascular health. As diet plays a significant role in the composition of the gut microbiota, people's diet can indirectly affect heart health. Following a plant-based diet that emphasizes less red meat and more fiber can support the gut and its heart-healthy benefits.

Sugary drinks—the biggest source of added sugar in the American diet—have been linked to higher levels of LDL cholesterol and other unhealthy fats in the bloodstream.

Microvascular disease refers to problems in the network of tiny blood vessels in the heart. Doctors suspect this condition in people who have angina (chest) pain with no evidence of blockages in the heart's larger arteries. In the most common form of microvascular disease, the inner walls of small arteries thicken, and the layer of cells closest to the blood lose their ability to expand and contract in response to the demand for increased blood flow, such as during exercise. In another form of the problem, vasospastic angina, muscles within the heart's arteries suddenly clamp down, causing a temporary spasm that blocks blood flow to heart muscle.