cardiovascular

Oh, the wondrous human heart. Celebrated in song, praised by poets, captured by lovers, it is one of the most important organs in the human body, but it can also be the deadliest. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both women and men in the United States, killing almost 700,000 Americans each year. Coronary heart disease, the most common heart ailment among Americans, occurs when Read more...

Need one more reason to quit smoking, eat right and exercise? How about inflammation? Most people think of inflammation as the redness, swelling and warmth that accompanies a cut, injury or illness. These are symptoms of the body's immune system fighting off what it perceives as an intruder. When that intruder is cholesterol, inflammation can wreak havoc on the cardiovascular system and Read more...

LEXINGTON, Ky. - In 1982, 22,071 male doctors said they'd be happy to be part of a study to see whether a single tablet of aspirin would reduce their risk of heart attack. They were the right age -- between 40 and 84. They were healthy, with no history of heart disease. Not much else was noted -- not how much they smoked or what they weighed or whether they liked a good thick steak every night. Read more...

When it comes to women and heart disease, we've made tremendous strides: More women know that it's a top health threat (57 percent in 2006, up from 34 percent in 2000), but the message doesn't always translate into action. Surveys have found that only 21 percent of women think they might be at risk, which partly explains why more of us aren't adopting heart-healthy habits. But experts agree -- Read more...

ORLANDO -- As the days get shorter and colder, as less ultraviolet light reaches the skin and more salty comfort food reaches the stomach, a silent but potentially troubling medical change may be taking place in people all over North America. Their blood pressure may be going up. For years, some researchers have noticed this phenomenon, but the largest study of its kind has found Read more...

The American Heart Association informs us that coronary heart disease is America's number one killer. Stroke is number three, as well as being a leading cause of serious disability. To reduce your risk factors for cardiovascular disease, know the warning signs and know how to respond quickly and properly. According to the AHA, some heart attacks are sudden and intense, like the Read more...

Improving dietary and lifestyle habits is a critical part of any strategy for cardiovascular risk reduction. The American Heart Association (AHA) recently revised its diet and lifestyle recommendations to reflect new evidence. Here are the eight newest diet and lifestyle recommendations intended to reduce your cardiovascular disease risk: 1. Balance caloric intake and physical activity Read more...

Diet versions of soft drinks are just as bad for you as the sugary alternative, a study has found. A check on 3,000 men and women over three years revealed that a single soft drink a day is enough to increase the chances of a heart attack. Those who drink at least one a day are up to 60 percent more likely to develop obesity and high blood pressure, which can ultimately lead to attacks Read more...

Chances are, you would be more likely to survive a heart attack today than 20 years ago. That's because we know more about the warning signs and can respond more quickly.However, there still are patients who have symptoms of a heart attack, but may not respond as quickly as necessary to keep from damaging the heart muscle. Remember, time is muscle. If you respond quickly to any of the warning Read more...