Harvard Heart Letter articles from February 2009

Harvard Heart Letter archives from February 2009

Bypass results vary by hospital.(Report)
February 1, 2009... Bypass results vary by hospital Checking up on hospitals and surgeons before bypass surgery may pay off. A quarter of a million Americans have bypass surgery each year. Most of these operations are elective procedures, scheduled in...

Spotlight on heart tests: C-reactive protein testing comes of age.
February 1, 2009... Spotlight on heart tests C-reactive protein testing comes of age Measuring low-grade inflammation can help refine cardiovascular risk. Blood pressure and tests for various types of cholesterol help spot hidden heart disease, but...

Generic heart drugs as good as brand names.
February 1, 2009... Generic heart drugs as good as brand names "You get what you pay for" doesn't apply to prescription drugs. Open your medicine cabinet or pill drawer, and you're likely to find at least one generic drug. That's a good thing for your...

Two-way street between depression and heart disease.
February 1, 2009... Two-way street between depression and heart disease Lifting depression can help the heart and mind; exercise is essential. When your cardiologist opens a visit with "How are you feeling?" the question usually refers to how your body is...

Heart beat: Preeclampsia poses later heart risk.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Heart beat Preeclampsia poses later heart risk Aside from the creation of a new family member, pregnancy has few long-term effects on health. Preeclampsia, a potentially dangerous condition that affects as many as one in 20 pregnant...

Heart beat: Statins, aspirin affect prostate cancer test.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Heart beat Statins, aspirin affect prostate cancer test Each year, close to 200,000 American men learn they have prostate cancer. Most find out because of the results of a blood test used to check for hidden cancer. This controversial...

Heart beat: Trial gives nod to home warfarin monitoring.(health.harvard.edu/141)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Heart beat Trial gives nod to home warfarin monitoring Warfarin (Coumadin, generic) is a Goldilocks drug. Take too little, and stroke-causing clots can form in the bloodstream. Take too much, and bleeding into the stomach or brain can...

Heart beat: When success leads to failure.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Heart beat When success leads to failure Nearly 5.5 million Americans live with heart failure, and their ranks are growing by 660,000 a year. Part of this growth is fueled by better care for heart attacks. Many people who survive one...

Heart beat: C+E get an F for heart protection.(vitamins E and C)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Heart beat C+E get an F for heart protection If you've been relying on vitamins E and C to ward off heart disease, it's time to switch to something that actually works. The results of a large, randomized controlled trial showed...

Heart beat: Beware cardiac arrest after heart attack.(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Heart beat Beware cardiac arrest after heart attack Surviving a heart attack is either a huge achievement or a miracle, depending on your point of view. Although the worst is behind you, the month after a heart attack is difficult for...

Follow-up.(briefs)(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Follow-up Counterpulsation and heart failure. Inflatable pants that rhythmically squeeze the legs in time with the heartbeat can ease angina (chest pain) when medicine and more traditional therapies don't do the trick. This technique,...

Ask the doctor: What does an enlarged heart signify?
February 1, 2009... Ask the doctor What does an enlarged heart signify? Q. My doctor told me I have an enlarged heart. What is this? What causes it and what does it mean for my health? A. The term "enlarged heart" refers to a heart that is larger...

Ask the doctor: Could my statin or exercise be affecting my kidneys?(Brief article)
February 1, 2009... Ask the doctor Could my statin or exercise be affecting my kidneys? Q. Can muscle damage from a statin, or from strenuous exercise, elevate creatinine even after I stopped taking the statin and exercising but continue to take Zetia and...