Harvard Heart Letter articles from April 2006

Harvard Heart Letter archives from April 2006

Clash of the titans.(no MRIs for those with pacemakers)
April 1, 2006... The pacemaker and the MRI can't work together -- at least not yet. Here's a cruel irony: If you have a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter/defibrillator (ICD), you can't take advantage of another of the 20th century's life-saving...

The riddle of MyPyramid.(Dietary Guidelines for Americans)
April 1, 2006... The new food pyramid makes a mystery of healthful eating. In April 2005, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled its long-awaited replacement for the outdated food pyramid. The USDA repainted and redecorated the old Food Guide...

Finding your way through the (mini) Maze.(minimally invasive surgeries for atrial fibrillation)
April 1, 2006... Minimally invasive operations for atrial fibrillation are on the rise. How well they work is up in the air. In 1987, a St. Louis surgeon created an operation called the Maze that successfully stopped atrial fibrillation, a rapid and...

Heart Beat; Bone thinning linked to blood thinner.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... The bone-thinning condition known as osteoporosis, a concern for many adults, may be a special problem for those who take warfarin (Coumadin) to prevent blood clots. Using warfarin for more than a year appears to increase by 25% the chances of...

Heart Beat; FDA okays new drug for tough-to-treat chest pain.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... A new drug approved in January 2006 could offer relief for the thousands of Americans with chest pain (angina) that isn't controlled by standard drug therapy. Ranexa (ranolazine) is the first new drug approved for angina since the...

Heart Beat; Soy it ain't so!(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, and other foods made from soybeans don't lower cholesterol as advertised. But eating them is still good for the heart and blood vessels. Back in 1999, the FDA let companies claim that foods containing soy...

Heart Beat; Testing a no-warfarin heart valve.(Brief article)
April 1, 2006... Having a heart valve replaced means making a tricky trade-off: Do you choose a mechanical model that can last 30 years or more but requires that you take warfarin to prevent small clots that can form on the device? Or do you choose a biological...

Ask the doctor; Which is more important, high bad cholesterol or high good cholesterol?
April 1, 2006... Q. My doctor and I are confused by my cholesterol levels. My good cholesterol is extraordinarily high, at 94, but my bad cholesterol is on the high side, too, at 154. To resolve this good news/bad news story, my doctor ordered a C-reactive...