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Heart Disease Archive

Articles

Stress at work takes a toll on the heart

Men who report specific types of job-related stress face a higher risk of heart disease than those without such stress, according to a 2023 study.

"Weekend warriors" can lower cardiovascular risks, too

A 2023 study suggests that a "weekend warrior" exercise pattern, in which people concentrate their exercise into one or two days weekly, can lower cardiovascular risks as effectively as a pattern of spreading exercise out over the week.

Climbing stairs linked to lower risk of heart disease

People who climb more than five flights of stairs—about 50 steps—daily may lower their risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a 2023 study.

Living with heart disease? Avoid unnecessary testing

For people with chronic coronary disease who do not have symptoms, new guidelines recommend against routine testing with cardiac CT angiography, echocardiography, and stress testing. The results are unhelpful—and in some cases harmful. Unclear results often general additional testing or unnecessary procedures, including some that expose people to radiation for no reason. In addition, the tests add expense without any corresponding benefit, and these costs are increasingly being passed back to patients, in the form of copayments or higher premiums.

Higher step counts linked to lower risk of heart-related death

A 2023 study found that the more steps people take, the lower their risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, with the benefits starting with as few as 2,300 steps per day.

Advances in managing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

About one in 500 people has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a condition that causes the walls of the heart to thicken and enlarge. It's often caused by genetic mutations and is the most common inherited form of heart disease. Contrary to popular belief, vigorous exercise appears to be safe for most people with HCM. For people with symptoms, several treatments are available, including mavacamten (Camzyos), a first-in-class medication that targets the underlying cause of HCM by inhibiting a protein that helps power heart muscle contractions.

Large study finds the sweet spot for daily step goals

In a 2023 review of 17 studies that included about 227,000 people, those who took at least 3,900 steps per day had reduced risks of dying young from any cause. Even taking about 2,300 steps per day compared to fewer daily steps was tied to reduced risks of dying prematurely from cardiovascular disease.

Are you an everyday exerciser or a weekend warrior?

People who get most of their recommended weekly physical activity over one or two days may lower their heart disease risk just as much as those who are active more regularly throughout the week. Evidence also suggests there's no particular benefit to exercising at certain times of the day, including with respect to mealtimes. So people should be physically active whenever they find it to be most convenient.

Baby, it's cold inside

Some older adults feel cold frequently. This may result from age-related physical changes or an underlying condition. Examples of underlying conditions that might make a person feel cold include anemia, an underactive thyroid, diabetic neuropathy, peripheral artery disease, or Raynaud's phenomenon. People who experience coldness that interferes with their daily activities or sleep should talk to a doctor about it.

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