Heart Disease & Stroke

Emily Blair, a medical assistant at the Colon, Stomach and Liver Center in Lansdowne, Va., takes a blood pressure reading for Robert Koenen. New guidelines say that patients should have their arm resting on a surface while taking a reading and both feet s

Health & Safety

Odds Are, They're Taking Your Blood Pressure All Wrong

8:14am November 20, 2017

by Richard Harris

New guidelines have lowered the threshold for high blood pressure to 130/80, which makes it even more important to get an accurate reading. Here's how to increase the odds of getting it right.

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Young bodies may more easily rebound from long bouts of sitting, with just an hour at the gym. But research suggests physical recovery from binge TV-watching gets harder in our 50s and as we get older.

Get Off The Couch Baby Boomers, Or You May Not Be Able To Later

8:43am September 04, 2017

by Patti Neighmond

If you sit too much during middle age — at work and at home — your ability to exercise or even walk in late decades is at risk, a study hints. And, of course, your risk of heart disease climbs, too.

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Has Salt Gotten An Unfair Shake?

5:00am September 03, 2017

by Bret Stetka

For years, we've been told that less salt is better. But some scientists say that the world's universal seasoning has been maligned and that moderate salt intake is healthier for many people.

Ankle pain, conceptual computer artwork.

Is Inflammation Bad For You Or Good For You?

4:50pm July 21, 2017

by Katherine Hobson

It depends what's causing the inflammation and how long it lasts. But the habits that keep you healthy overall also help prevent the bad inflammation that increases the risk of chronic disease.

Ann Mazuca has diabetes and glaucoma that can be aggravated by high blood pressure. The support shown by clinic staff at the University Family Health Center Southeast, in San Antonio, helps her do what's needed to reduce hypertension, she says. "The fact

To Bring Down Stubbornly High Blood Pressure, It Helps To Have A Team

1:30pm May 04, 2017

by Wendy Rigby

A quick prescription and annual lecture from a doctor often aren't enough to help people control hypertension. So some clinics now mobilize teams of health pros to motivate and support patients.

Over a period averaging 4.7 years, study participants who had the greatest fluctuations in weight — about 8.6 pounds — had double the risk of a heart attack, stroke or death, when compared with those who experienced weight fluctuations of less than 2

Yo-Yo Dieting May Pose Serious Risks For Heart Patients

12:30pm May 01, 2017

by Patti Neighmond

People with heart disease should keep their weight down, but it can be hard to lose weight and keep it off. Now a study shows big fluctuations may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

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The injectable drug Repatha can lower cholesterol to unheard-of levels. The next question is whether the disease-prevention benefit it worth its high price.

Pricey New Cholesterol Drug's Effect On Heart Disease Is More Modest Than Hoped

9:36am March 17, 2017

by Harlan Krumholz

The injectible drug Repatha is spectacularly good at lowering cholesterol. But the first big clinical trial of its ability to prevent heart attack and stroke finds smaller benefits.

Siphiwe Baleka (left) says he gained 15 pounds when he first started driving a truck; food was comfort and exercise was tough to come by. Trucking, he says, is "the most unhealthy occupation in America."

Athlete-Turned-Trucker Works To Improve Truckers' Health

12:08pm January 19, 2017

by Alex Smith

Once an elite swimmer and a Yale grad, Siphiwe Baleka now coaches 3,000 fellow truckers on the best ways to work out, eat right and stay connected on the road. Drivers say his wellness plan works.

Life Expectancy In U.S. Drops For First Time In Decades, Report Finds

9:50am December 08, 2016

by Rob Stein

Overall, U.S. life expectancy dipped in 2015 — the first drop since 1993. That's because the death rate went up between 2014 and 2015, driven by an increase in mortality among people younger than 65.

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Yes, getting exercise and eating right can significantly cut your risk of developing heart disease, a study finds, even if you inherited genes that predispose you to the illness.

DNA Is Not Destiny When It Comes To Heart Risk

4:01pm November 13, 2016

by Richard Harris

People with unlucky genes but good health habits were half as likely to develop heart disease as those who had an unhealthful lifestyle and genes that increased their heart risk, a study found.