Heart health: How to save your life
A heart attack or cardiac arrest can seem to come with no apparent warning, but cardiovascular disease is often silently worsening as time goes on. Diet, exercise, weight and other lifestyle factors all play a role, as do disease and genetics. We can reduce some risk factors and compensate for others, but we should also learn the red flags of impending problems — and how to prevent them. In the meantime, the diagnoses, prognoses and treatments for heart disease are changing. This collection of articles helps explain what doctors are doing, and what you can do, to keep your heart as healthy as possible.
11:25 AM CDT, May 3, 2012
Keep tabs on your blood pressure; 7 signs to look for
The American Heart Association advises that keeping a check on your blood pressure is critical to heart health and preventing stroke.
7:08 PM CDT, April 27, 2012
Hearts and technology: Ongoing innovations in cardiology
Lori Turner, 53, was lying on a table in the electrophysiology lab at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, obscured by heavy equipment. Born with a rare, potentially fatal heart condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, or WPW, the Mansfield resident was undergoing an operation that would fix the defect and end her periodic bouts of rapid heartbeat and dizziness.
April 11, 2012
S.M.A.R.T. Heart engages in upbeat care
For most of 2011, Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute was "home" for Deborah Cole, 52. Thanks to the hospital's new stress management program, though, she kept up her spirits.
7:01 PM CDT, April 4, 2012
Cancer diagnosis raises risk of heart attack and suicide, study says
Cancer can kill long before malignant tumors take their toll, new research shows. A study involving more than 6 million Swedes reveals that the risk of suicide and cardiovascular death increases immediately after a cancer diagnosis.
8:06 PM CDT, March 21, 2012
Patient at UW is first in Northwest to leave a hospital with an artificial heart
Christopher Marshall left the University of Washington Medical Center on Wednesday without a human heart. Instead, Marshall, 51, has an artificial heart in his chest with a power supply he carries around in a backpack.
March 14, 2012
A quick review of the state of statins
Statins are the most prescribed drugs in the world, taken by nearly 21 million Americans. So when anything changes with these cholesterol-lowering medications, it makes headlines.
10:55 PM CST, February 22, 2012
Heart-healthy 'Kathy's Cookbook' was labor of love for late cardiac patient
Kathy Brown wasn't always much of a chef — but she was an educator. When Brown, the former head of Grace Christian School, was diagnosed with amyloidosis of the heart in April 2008, she began experimenting with recipes to suit her new low-fat, low-salt, low-sugar diet.
February 22, 2012
You could die of a broken heart, doctors say
For centuries, there have been songs, writings and proclamations about losing love, with many often using the term "a broken heart" to describe the pain.
10:59 AM CST, February 9, 2012
10 things your cardiologist wants you to know
Sure, you should keep your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure in check. But getting there — and staying there — includes a multitude of physical, nutritional and emotional components. Here are cardiologists' top 10 secrets for getting heart healthy in a hurry.
Healthy food tips for February: American Heart Month
According to the American Heart Association, "There are nine calories in every gram of fat, regardless of what type of fat it is. That's a lot of calories compared to carbohydrates and proteins, which contain four calories per gram." Whether you read the nutritional facts on menus or at home, here are some popular items to avoid or add on your grocery list to fight heart-related illnesses for February, American Heart Month.
2:54 PM CST, January 25, 2012
Defusing the mental and emotional pressures that take a toll on cardiac health
Your weight is in check, you exercise three times a week and heart disease doesn't run in your family. So that means you're not going to have any heart disease, right?
2:55 PM CST, January 25, 2012
Positive thinking seems to help the heart
Depression, anxiety, anger and other negative emotions have been linked to heart disease and heart attacks. But what about the flip side — are positive emotions connected to better heart health? Yes, say two reports that addressed this question from different directions.
2:04 PM CST, December 7, 2011
Dash diet may reduce need for blood pressure medication
Q: Is the Dash diet effective for extremely high blood pressure? I really want to avoid taking medication.
November 28, 2011
Push for hospitals to buy new defibrillators criticized
Hospitals around the country have been spending millions of dollars to buy automated defibrillators to save the lives of more patients who go into sudden cardiac arrest. The purchases were spurred by a 2000 recommendation from an American Heart Assn. committee that said the equipment would bring patients speedier emergency medical help.
November 23, 2011
High blood pressure linked to mental decline too
Doctors long have cautioned patients about the consequences of uncontrolled high blood pressure, including heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure.
4:07 PM CDT, November 3, 2011
Resveratrol appears to make fat men fitter
The first clinical trial to test the effects of resveratrol -- the plant compound plentiful in red wine and grapes -- on humans has found that a small daily dose of a purified resveratrol supplement lowered blood pressure and improved a wide range of human health measures in a small group of obese men.
October 19, 2011
Study finds risk with 2-day gap in dialysis treatment
A recent study showing an uptick in death, heart attack and hospitalization for patients undergoing dialysis after a two-day gap in treatment was no surprise to many kidney specialists in the area.
2:39 PM CDT, September 14, 2011
A drop in pressure
Getting high blood pressure is the easy part — 76 million Americans already have it. But lowering it back down again doesn't have to be tricky either. Talk to your doctor and see if trying some of these ideas throughout the day can get you back on track.
4:49 PM CDT, May 10, 2011
NSAIDs following a heart attack greatly increase risk of a repeat heart attack, and death
Heart patients who used common pain relievers called NSAIDs even briefly are at much higher risk of having a repeat heart attack or of dying than those who stay away from the drugs, which include such widely used over-the-counter medications as ibuprofen and naproxen, a new study concludes.
May 11, 2011
New pacemaker allows for MRI
The low heart rate, water retention and fatigue have all but disappeared for Bob Fouts since doctors implanted a pacemaker in the 79-year-old Korean War veteran.
April 10, 2011
NUTRITION LAB
Coffee studies should warm your heart
Looking for a reason to not give up your coffee habit? Here's one possibility: heart health.
February 16, 2011
New campaign urges women to call 911 at heart attack warning signs
Marla Kalish, 58, of Highland Park, started experiencing chest pressure five years ago during her morning tennis matches. When she slowed down, the pressure would always dissipate, so she chalked it up to acid reflux.
Ten tips to a healthier heart
Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in America. Here are some ways to maintain a healthy heart, and in turn, live a long, happy life.
February 7, 2011
Roy Wallack: Gear: Heart rate monitors, vital sign trackers keep you in the know during workout
Whether you're 18 or 80, if you like to run, bike, row, swim, cross-country ski or climb mountains, you have to keep an eye on the old ticker — for training and safety purposes. Those aiming for victory have to know how hard to push it; those out for basic health and longevity have to know when to throttle back. And those who take it too far absolutely have to get help fast. Here's some technology that provides instant access to your vital signs exactly when you and your helpers need it.
February 7, 2011
My Turn: Bill Hillman thanks chest compressions for helping to save his wife
It was 4:05 a.m. on Oct. 29, 2009. I heard my wife, Dianne, say, "I think I'm having a heart attack."
The seven guidelines for heart health
If you want to improve the health and fitness of your heart and blood vessels, you can. Basic lifestyle changes involving diet, exercise and smoking can make a big difference. It also helps to keep an eye on some key numbers, including blood pressure, cholesterol, body mass index and blood glucose.
Heart-healthy foods
Wondering what foods will help keep your heart healthy? Here's a few pointers about cardiac nutrition.
January 27, 2011
The difference between sudden cardiac arrest and heart attacks
The new year brings a lot of resolutions to exercise. And sometimes the cold weather also means more snow shoveling. All that exertion can be harmful to people with abnormal hearts by leading to sudden cardiac arrest. Dr. Gordon Tomaselli, director of cardiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital, talks about the difference between sudden cardiac arrest and a heart attack and what those at risk can do.
3:00 PM CST, January 10, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Heart disease risk rises with time spent sitting
Heart disease risks rise dramatically among people who spend two or more hours a day sitting in front of a computer screen, television or video-game box, researchers reported Monday. Experts now think that prolonged sitting -- what they call "recreational sitting" -- is especially harmful to heart health.
September 14, 2010
Wrong treatment for heart disease?
Tens or even hundreds of thousands of Americans are having coronary artery angioplasty and stenting every year when they should be having bypass grafts, and the result is an extra 5,000 or more deaths annually, researchers said Sunday.
August 31, 2010
Depression and heart health
The loss of interest, ruminations of suicide and feelings of guilt and sadness that are the hallmarks of depression may be debilitating. But it is depression's physical warning signs — fatigue, sleep disturbance and appetite changes — that are the most corrosive to the heart, a new study concludes.
April 5, 2010
The gender line
Say what you will about Mars and Venus, but anatomically, male and female hearts look the same. When healthy, both should be about the size of a fist. Both have three main coronary arteries, the large blood vessels that wrap around the outside of the heart, supplying blood, oxygen and nutrients to keep each one pumping properly.
February 22, 2010
Julie Deardorff: Demystifying the cardiac stress test
Treadmill stress test: What is a treadmill exercise stress test?
February 24, 2010
Quick guide: Heart disease
Heart disease refers to conditions related to the heart muscle, such as heart attack, arrhythmia, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, pericardial disease, congestive heart failure and congenital heart disease. Left untreated, heart disease can lead to a limited lifestyle or sudden death.
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