• Weight Gain Tied to Heart Risk in NFL Players
  
  Former U.S. National Football League (NFL) athletes who bulked up before and during their professional careers have an increased risk of heart disease and other health problems compared with other players, researchers say.
• Aspirin, Fish Oil May Not Prevent Heart Trouble in Those Already at Risk
  
  Aspirin or fish oil probably won't help prevent heart attacks or strokes in folks who are already at risk for cardiovascular issues, three new studies show.In the first study, taking a daily, low-dose aspirin did little to ward off first strokes or heart attacks in people...
• Many People Take Drugs That Interfere With Their Blood Pressure Pills
  
  People who take pills to lower their blood pressure often take other drugs that reduce the pills' effectiveness, a recent study suggests.
• Pick Quality Protein Over Quantity for a Healthy Heart
  
  High-protein diets are everywhere, but not all protein is created equal. For heart health, experts say the key is moderation and choosing wisely.
• Study: Late-Life High Blood Pressure May Harm the Brain
  
  Decades ago, hundreds of nuns and priests made an extraordinary decision: They agreed to donate their brains upon death to science, hoping to help solve mysteries about Alzheimer's and other diseases.
• Wearable, At-Home Patch Could Spot Your A-Fib Early
  
  The common but dangerous heart rhythm disorder known as atrial fibrillation -- or a-fib -- can go undetected for years.Now, research suggests a high-tech, wearable patch might spot the condition early.Use of the Zio XT wireless patch, made by iRhythm, produced "an almost...
• Statins Are Underused With Black Patients
  
  The color of a patient's skin appears to influence the medical care they receive for high cholesterol levels, a new study shows. Blacks are less likely than whites to receive appropriate treatment with cholesterol-lowering statins, the researchers report. The reasons behind...
• Skip Electrocardiograms on Low-Risk Patients, Panel Says
  
  Doctors have been advised by a federal panel to skip electrocardiograms on low-risk patients because the possible harms can outweigh any potential benefits.
• Heart Failure Reversed by Stem Cell Therapy Now in Trials
  
  Heart failure could be reversed by a new stem cell therapy now on trial in Britain that could cut out the need for surgery as the treatment revitalizes damaged tissue by cells harvested from the patient's blood.
• Study: Impotence Increases Chance of Heart Attack & Other Deadly Conditions
  
  Troubles in the bedroom can be a double whammy for older men: Researchers have found that erectile dysfunction ups the risk for heart disease. Their four-year study concluded that men whose impotence is vascular-related, not emotional, are twice as likely to suffer a heart...
• New Lifestyle Habits Slash Blood Pressure in 14 Days
  
  Changing lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise can slash blood pressure in only 14 days, says a new study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. In fact, the lifestyle changes lowered blood pressure as effectively as medication."This...
• Forget Statins! Lower Your Cholesterol With a Soybean-Based Treatment
  
  As we age, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. Primary care doctors and cardiologists encourage a number of lifestyle modifications - good diet, exercise, weight loss, and maybe statins - to reduce that risk.But some doctors are adopting alternative therapies -...
• Can Drones Save Patients in Cardiac Arrest?
  
  Drones, the unmanned aircraft that got its start as part of the U.S. military's arsenal and is today being used by everyone from photographers to farmers, are now heralded as a solution to a problem that's bedeviled emergency medical personnel for years: How to deliver...
• Risk for Fatal Heart Attacks Higher in Winter
  
  Maybe there's a good reason you dislike cold weather: The risk of death from a heart attack is higher in the winter than in the summer, a new study says. Researchers at Leeds General Infirmary in England examined data from more than 4,000 patients treated for heart attack...
• Study Reveals the 'Healthy' Diet That Increases Heart Failure Rate
  
  A blockbuster new study has found that middle aged men who follow high protein diets may be at higher risk of heart failure. That's the conclusion of research conducted on nearly 2,500 men aged 42 to 60 who ate the most animal protein and dairy. Scientists who conducted the...
• Millions of Americans May Be Getting the Wrong Heart Meds
  
  Millions of Americans may be getting the wrong treatment to prevent a heart attack or stroke, a new study suggests. Prescriptions for blood-thinning aspirin, cholesterol-lowering statins and blood pressure medications might be incorrect because a tool that estimates risk...
• Stressful Jobs Can Increase A-Fib Risk
  
  New European research has found that having a stressful job could increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm irregularity also known as heart flutter which can lead to stroke, heart failure, and other serious health conditions. Carried out by...
• 6 Ways to Lower Your Cholesterol Without Drugs
  
  There is a raging controversy about the role of cholesterol in the diet and in the blood. Some scientists say that dietary cholesterol-without gorging on saturated and trans fats-doesn't increase cholesterol levels in the blood. However the reverse is also true. Certain...
• Smoking Causes Millions of Heart Attacks, Strokes: WHO
  
  While the link between smoking and a range of cancers is well known, the World Health Organization warned Thursday there was too little awareness of tobacco's impact on the human heart. On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day Thursday, the UN health agency hailed that...
• Needed Heart Attack Care Is Faster When EMS Can Bypass Local Hospital
  
  Heart attack patients get faster life-saving treatment to restore blood flow if they live in states where ambulances are allowed to bypass local hospitals and rush to facilities with specialized cardiac care, a U.S. study suggests.
• Obesity Linked to Risk of Irregular Heart Rhythm
  
  Both men and women who are overweight or obese may be more likely to develop an irregular heart rhythm condition known as atrial fibrillation than their counterparts who maintain a healthy weight, a recent study suggests. In atrial fibrillation, the upper chambers of the...
• Osteoporosis Drug Reduces Heart Attacks and Stroke
  
  A drug commonly prescribed to prevent or treat osteoporosis reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death in people with hip fractures, says a study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The heart-healthy benefit to those who took...
• PTSD May Raise Risk for Irregular Heartbeat
  
  For reasons that aren't yet clear, people who battle PTSD may also be at heightened risk for the common heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation, researchers report. It's the first time a connection has been made between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and "A-fib,"...
• Even Young Male Smokers Have Higher Stroke Risk
  
  Young men who smoke are more likely to have a stroke before age 50 than their peers who avoid tobacco, a small study suggests. Smoking has long been linked to an increased risk of stroke in older adults, but research to date examining this connection in younger adults has...
• Smoke-Free Laws Aid Young Adults' Hearts: AHA
  
  Laws and policies that prohibit smoking in workplaces and other public areas appeared to significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular disease among a group of young adults who were followed over a 20-year span.The study findings are consistent with previous studies that...

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