Harvard Heart Letter articles from July 2006

Harvard Heart Letter archives from July 2006

A question of time?
July 1, 2006... When it comes to cholesterol, how long it's under control -- and how early that control starts -- is as important as how low it goes. For the last few years, "How low can you go?" has been the big question driving cholesterol researchers....

To make an omelet, you have to break some eggs.
July 1, 2006... The dangers of eggs aren't all they're cracked up to be -- avoid them if you want, but it isn't necessary. Consider the egg: Is it a dietary demon chock-full of artery-clogging cholesterol, or a perfect food, rich in healthful nutrients?...

Stem cells offer promise -- not more -- for heart disease.
July 1, 2006... Much as we need a way to fix damaged heart muscle, stem cell therapy isn't just around the corner. Cardiologists have long thought that damage from a heart attack is permanent, something to be coped with rather than fixed. Some visionaries...

Snail's pace for home INR testing.
July 1, 2006... FDA-approved machines allow you to test your blood's clotting potential at home. Why do so few people who take warfarin use them? Everyone who takes the blood-thinning drug warfarin (Coumadin) -- and there are several million of you out...

Heart Beat; Stock these for a long journey.(special support stockings)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Planning a long trip by plane, train, bus, or car? A pair of special support stockings that squeeze your legs might be a good travel companion. Sitting still for long periods, especially in the cramped confines of an airplane or other...

Heart Beat; Heat and heart failure.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Deadly heat waves in the United States and Europe taught us that people with heart failure are especially vulnerable to high temperatures. Although their heart trouble is clearly one reason they have trouble with the heat, blood vessels...

Heart Beat; What's after age 50?(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Oh, to be 50 again -- and this time without high cholesterol, high blood pressure, bad genes, or other heart disease risks. According to the Framingham Heart Study's crystal ball, heart-healthy 50-year-olds see in their futures little heart...

Heart Beat; Softening the blow.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Sometimes the first sign of cardiovascular disease is a heart attack or stroke from out of the blue. Other times the first sign -- the onset of angina, a TIA, or a minor stroke -- is gentler, more like a wake-up call than a potentially deadly...

Follow-Up.
July 1, 2006... Eye checks. The eyes of people with high blood pressure or diabetes often reflect the damage of these diseases: narrowed arteries, ballooned-out areas (aneurysms) along blood vessel walls, blocked veins, and areas of dead or dying tissue that...

By the way, doctor; What's the problem with grapefruit juice and statins?
July 1, 2006... Q. A warning on my statin prescription tells me not to drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit. Does this mean I can never enjoy this delicious fruit again? A. I can understand your disappointment at this double whammy. Here's some news I...