Harvard Heart Letter articles from October 2005

Harvard Heart Letter archives from October 2005

Is that angioplasty really necessary?
October 1, 2005... In the throes of a heart attack, artery-opening angioplasty is a lifesaver. The same can't be said when it's done to open a narrowed heart artery that isn't causing problems. A quarter of a century ago, Andreas Grüntzig wheeled a...

Healing touch: Hands-on help for the heart?
October 1, 2005... Touch therapies are reaching growing numbers of patients. There's power in touch, the most pervasive of the five senses. Babies need touch to thrive; a gentle touch soothes people of all ages. Therapies that rely on touch (see "What are...

Is blood like your waistline -- the thinner, the better?
October 1, 2005... An interesting theory proposes that watering down your blood can prevent heart disease. Don't overdo it. The old adage "Blood is thicker than water" makes sense for family ties. For the heart and circulatory system, though, thinner, more...

Heart Beat; Bumping along to better health.(walking can improve heart rate)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Treadmill and track, move over -- a bumpy road may yield a smoother path to better balance, lower blood pressure, and good health. In China, people walk barefoot on formal paths paved with river stones. A team from the Oregon Research...

Heart Beat; Splitting the difference.(pill splitting)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... If you take a cholesterol-lowering statin, you may be able to slash the cost of the drug in half by doing what the Veterans Affairs medical system is doing: Buy an inexpensive pill splitter (see figure, below) and get a prescription for the...

Heart Beat; ACE giveaway could save lives, money.(Angiotensin converting enzyme)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... If the best things in life are free, then doctors should be giving away ACE inhibitors to people with diabetes. University of Michigan researchers estimate that making these drugs available at no cost would saves lives, not to mention billions...

Heart Beat; Tree of heaven may be hard on the heart.(tree of heaven causing myocarditis)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Sap from a common, weedy tree known as tree of heaven, Chinese sumac, and stinking sumac (Ailanthus altissima) could cause myocarditis, an uncommon in­­flam­mation of the heart. Doctors at Strong Mem­orial Hospital in...

Heart Beat; Checks recommended for relatives of people with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The most common cause of heart failure is something called dilated cardiomyopathy -- the weakening and enlargement of one or both of the heart's lower chambers (ventricles). As the ventricles become big and flabby, they have increasing trouble...

Heart Beat; Treating depression after a heart attack.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Surviving a heart attack is cause for celebration. It's also a trigger for depression. Up to half of heart attack survivors get the blues, and many go on to develop full-blown clinical depression. Early experiences with antidepressants...

Ask the doctor; Should my CRP level change from test to test?(C-reactive protein)
October 1, 2005... Q. I had a blood test for CRP that came back at 1.9, which my doctor said was on the high side. I had it checked again a few weeks later and it was under 1. What does this mean? Should I have it checked again? A. Your liver makes...

Ask the doctor; Can I have a low ejection fraction and not feel it?(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Q. My doctor told me that I have "low ejection fraction," but I feel fine. How can this be? I thought this was part of heart failure and would make someone feel bad. Should I do anything about it, even though I don't have any symptoms? A....