Harvard Heart Letter articles from April 2004

Harvard Heart Letter archives from April 2004

Not enough test in testosterone.
April 1, 2004... More and more men are turning to testosterone therapy even though little is known about its effects on the heart and long-term health. If aging causes a gradual droop in a man's production of testosterone, can boosting levels of this...

A look at heart attacks in women.
April 1, 2004... Women and their doctors should look beyond chest pain when it comes to spotting a heart attack. Heart attacks, like people, come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. Some are big and bold, leaving little doubt as to what's happening....

Don't overlook niacin for treating cholesterol problems.
April 1, 2004... If you can conquer or cope with the "niacin flush," this B vitamin can do wonders for cholesterol. If a drug company wanted to create the ideal cholesterol-lowering medication, here's what it would make: a safe, inexpensive pill that...

Heart Letter readers sound off about their alternative therapies.
April 1, 2004... In 2003 we asked readers of the Harvard Heart Letter to tell us which so-called alternative therapies they use to treat, control, or prevent heart disease. More than 100 of you responded by letter and e-mail. Some readers were brimming...

Synchronizing the beat.
April 1, 2004... A pacemaker that forces out-of-sync ventricles to beat together helps some people with heart failure. Changes in the highly coordinated movement of electrical signals through the heart are among the many problems that occur with heart...

Heart Beat; Extra chores for statins?(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The drugs known as statins were developed to lower cholesterol. They do this better than most of the earlier cholesterol-lowering drugs and, for most people, they're easier to take. Research in the laboratory and studies of people who take...

Heart Beat; Ulcer treatment may be good for the heart too.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Here are some possible and unexpected benefits of ulcer treatment: higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and better blood pressure control. The discovery that ulcers are often caused by a corkscrew-shaped bacterium named Helicobacter pylori...

Heart Beat; Daily multivitamin may chill inflammation.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Speaking of inflammation, a study from the Cooper Institute in Dallas suggests that something as simple as taking a daily multivitamin may lower levels of C-reactive protein. This substance, which reflects the body's response to inflammation,...

Heart Beat; Hot dog! Nitrites aid blood flow.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Tissue stores of the same salt used to preserve sausage and other foods may help increase blood flow to oxygen-starved muscle. Although nitrite is found throughout the body, researchers long thought it was merely a bystander. Experiments...

Ask the Doctor; Is there any anti-inflammatory drug I can safely take with warfarin?
April 1, 2004... Q Because I take the blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin), my doctor said I shouldn't take aspirin. Aren't there any anti-inflammatory drugs I can take for my arthritis that won't increase my chances of a bleeding problem? A Mixing warfarin...

Ask the Doctor; How did I get another blocked artery when I've been doing everything right?(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Q I am 75 and had a quadruple bypass seven years ago. Since then I have worked to reduce my cholesterol by taking Zocor (10 mg) and by eating less fat and red meat and more fish and beans. I also started taking ground flax seed, which helped...