Harvard Heart Letter articles from July 2004

Harvard Heart Letter archives from July 2004

Timing, target critical for cholesterol-lowering statins.
July 1, 2004... Whether you are just starting a statin or have been taking one for years, make sure you're getting a "therapeutic dose" and hit your target. Many clinical studies drop into the ever-expanding pool of medical knowledge without leaving a...

Benefits from moderate drinking extended?
July 1, 2004... A drink a day may be okay for some people with high blood pressure. It's been known for years that too much alcohol ratchets up blood pressure. That's why the American Heart Association took such a black-and-white approach to drinking and...

Exercise your right to health.
July 1, 2004... Don't let inconsistent guidelines on how much or what kind of exercise is best for your heart keep you seated in frustration. There isn't an official "best" way to exercise if you want to control or prevent heart disease. And sometimes it...

Split thinking on low cholesterol and heart failure.
July 1, 2004... Even though low cholesterol may signal trouble for people with heart failure, taking a cholesterol-lowering statin may help. Headlines like "Cholesterol paradox: Lower values bad omen for heart failure patients" and the articles that...

Heart Beat; Even cholesterol has its seasons.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... There are many reasons not to like winter -- less daylight, cold weather, snow that must be shoveled. It could be time to add higher cholesterol to the list. University of Massachusetts researchers measured the cholesterol levels of more...

Heart Beat; Just say no to heart screening tests.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... If you've been thinking about having an exercise stress test or a heart scan even though you're feeling fine -- just to check under the hood -- a panel of experts has some advice for you: Don't bother. People at low risk of heart disease...

Heart Beat; Vitamin, mineral intake low or high -- not just right.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... A new survey of almost 9,000 Americans suggests that we're a bit like Goldilocks when it comes to vitamins and minerals. The study, part of the ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, shows that the average adult over age 40...

ASK THE DOCTOR; What is venous insufficiency?
July 1, 2004... Q After having had vague leg pain for a few months, I finally went to the doctor. She said I have venous insufficiency. What does that mean and what can I do about it? A Venous insufficiency means that the veins in your legs aren't working...

ASK THE DOCTOR; Should my blood pressure be the same in both arms?(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Q When checking my blood pressure at home, I always put the cuff on my right arm. Just for fun, one day I put it on my left arm and got a different reading. Did I make a mistake, or can someone have different blood pressure readings depending...