Harvard Heart Letter articles from February 2000

Harvard Heart Letter archives from February 2000

If you were to poll women about their greatest health fear, many would answer "breast cancer." A serious and devastating illness, breast cancer is responsible for one out of 27 deaths in women. In contrast, almost one out of every two deaths is due to coronary heart disease.
February 1, 2000... Adding to the arsenal Medications can be added to the prevention arsenal when lifestyle changes alone do not seem to sufficiently reduce risk factors. Pharmacological intervention may be part of primary prevention or secondary prevention -...

During the early and mid-1990s, millions of Americans turned to what appeared to be a promising combination of prescription drugs to help them lose weight. These medications - fenfluramine and phentermine - were known as fen-phen. Taking fenfluramine and phentermine together, in low doses, was just as effective as taking either drug alone, but with fewer side effects. Or so it seemed.
February 1, 2000... An impending epidemic? When reports about the heart-valve abnormalities in the patients studied at the Mayo Clinic hit the news, people all over the country who had taken these medications headed to their doctors offices for evaluations to...

Heart Lines.
February 1, 2000... Easy Enough for a Child to Use Most cases of sudden cardiac death are due to a heart rhythm abnormality called ventricular fibrillation. If the hearts rhythm can be promptly "reset" with an electrical shock, the cardiac arrest victim will...

Vigorous Activity Lowers Diabetes Risk.
February 1, 2000... Several studies have shown that people who lead physically active lives are less likely to develop "type 2" diabetes - the form of diabetes most common in middle-aged and elderly people. However, how much exercise is enough to fend off this...

Ask the Doctor.
February 1, 2000... Q My heart was damaged by two heart attacks. I know that ACE inhibitors help patients with heart failure, but I just can't take them. They make me cough. Is there something else I can try? A There are several other medications that can help...

Ask the Doctor.
February 1, 2000... Q I had a heart attack last year and have resumed most of my activities, including some tennis, without problems. However, both my wife and I are reluctant to have sexual intercourse. To be frank, she is concerned that it would be dangerous for...

Hidden Benefits of ACE Inhibitors.
February 1, 2000... Over the last 10 years or so, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have become widely prescribed for high blood pressure and are standard care for people with heart failure. There are now many members of this drug family, which...