New Link Between Common Fat, Gut Bacteria and Heart Disease Discovered
A new Cleveland Clinic study finds people who eat a diet containing the common nutrient choline, which is found in animal products like eggs, liver or fatty fish, are not pre-disposed to heart disease by genetics alone. It’s also how your body breaks down choline that increases your risk.
Spring into Heart Health
Now that spring is here and the weather is warming up, it’s a good time to get outside and get your heart pumping. A. Marc Gillinov, MD, a cardiac surgeon at the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic, says exercise plays a big role in heart health—and the warmer weather makes it easier to get outside and get going.
24-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring Offers Better Big Picture
It happens all too often. You go to your local pharmacy’s blood pressure machine and your reading is normal. But then, when you go to your doctor’s office, it’s much, much higher. One solution for this common phenomenon, known as “white-coat hypertension,” is 24-hour blood pressure monitoring.
7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Heart Health
A better heart may be as easy as a walk in the park. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But that is precisely what the American Heart Association wants to get across with its 2010 "Simple 7" guidelines for good cardiovascular health: Get active, control cholesterol, eat better, manage blood pressure, lose weight, reduce blood sugar and stop smoking.
What Diabetics Should Know About New Guidelines for Aspirin Therapy
Increased concerns about bleeding in diabetic patients have led to stricter recommendations about their use of aspirin as a primary prevention method against cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Processed meats raise questions
Work hard to bring home the bacon – just don’t eat a lot of it! That’s because eating processed meats like bacon, sausage and salami increase the risk of heart disease, according to a recent study published in the journal Circulation.
Pass the broccoli and OJ
It turns out Mom was right: You should eat your fruits and veggies. And more of them. Your heart will thank you.
How do genes and diet affect heart disease?
Cleveland Clinic researchers will use a new $3.8 million federal grant to examine how an individual’s genes and diet interact in the development of heart disease.
Low vitamin D levels may be associated with an increased risk of heart disease
It’s well known that low vitamin D levels can weaken bones in adults leading to osteoporosis and rickets in children. However, recent studies are raising that low levels of vitamin D also may trigger other serious health problems.
Newly Revised 2010 Diabetes Guidelines
Getting tested for diabetes is now simpler and easier. The latest guidelines from the American Diabetes Association include testing a patient’s hemoglobin A1c (A1c) level, rather than glucose (blood sugar) levels using the traditional fasting blood sugar and glucose tolerance tests.
Shared Medical Appointments Now Offered through Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation Program
Cleveland Clinic’s Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation Program now offers an alternative to the traditional office visit. Shared medical appointments (SMAs) allow you to see a dietician and a nurse practitioner during the same visit. Learn more!
New American Heart Association Measure of Cardiovascular Health
By 2020, the American Heart Association (AHA) wants to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent, while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20 percent. As part of their new national goal, the AHA published a scientific statement outlining seven lifestyle behaviors/health factors that represent the ideal lifestyle habits for cardiovascular health, called “Life’s Simple 7.”
Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Vitamin D deficiency is a highly prevalent condition, present in approximately 30% to 50% of the general population. A growing body of data suggests that low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels may adversely affect cardiovascular health.
Fitness: Does it really matter?
The study, which included 33 trials that involved more than 187,000 healthy men and women, showed that better cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality and coronary heart disease (CHD).
Update on the Benefits of Adding Ezetimibe (Zetia) or Extended-Release Niacin to Statin Therapy
Treatment added to statin monotherapy can further modify the lipid profile may include combination therapy to either raise the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level or further lower the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level.
The Role of Advanced Practice Nurses in Preventive Cardiology
Advanced practice nurses have been shown to provide effective quality health care when treating patients with dyslipidemia, diabetes and hypertension.
Statins and Primary Prevention: Results of the JUPITER Trial
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein could be a useful screening test to identify patients with normal LDL levels who may benefit from statin therapy.
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Reviewed: 05/11