You’re likely well aware of the dangers of high cholesterol. Over time, elevated cholesterol — specifically LDL cholesterol, the kind many people refer to as “bad” cholesterol — causes your arteries to harden and narrow. Having high cholesterol can significantly increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. For most adults, less than 200 mg/dl … Continue reading Could low cholesterol actually raise your stroke risk?
What was the last thing that caused you to feel stressed? A health issue? A project deadline? An unexpected expense? A family disagreement? We all feel stress, but each of us reacts to it and copes with it in our own way. Depending on the degree of stress you’re feeling and your reaction to it, … Continue reading Why meditation is good for your heart
When Jim Eiler found out he had a family history of high cholesterol, he knew he had to do more to take care of his health. The devoted father of four started eating better and playing tennis several times a week. But one day, he began having difficulty finishing a tennis match. He noticed he … Continue reading After heart surgery, father walks daughter down the aisle
After decades of viewing daily low-dose aspirin as the standard recommendation for preventing cardiovascular disease, it seems the time for change has come. There has been ongoing discussion and study about the value of aspirin for over 30 years in both the treatment and prevention of heart and vascular diseases. For years, doctors prescribed aspirin for … Continue reading Why a healthy lifestyle (not a daily aspirin) is key to preventing heart disease
When we consider the rising prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, the numbers are sobering. Here’s a quick snapshot of Type 2 diabetes in America: 1.5 million people are diagnosed with diabetes every year (90 percent of all diagnoses are Type 2 diabetes) Between 1990 and 2010, the number of Americans with diabetes more than tripled … Continue reading Breakthroughs in the fight against Type 2 diabetes and heart disease
Wearable devices and smartwatches have many practical uses, but did you know they can help detect heart problems lurking beneath the surface? 75-year-old Elizabeth Turner loves gadgets — a love that may have saved her life. Her daily workouts include weights and circuit training, yoga, Zumba and playing golf with her husband, all of which … Continue reading How this woman’s smartwatch detected her hidden heart arrhythmia
Aortic stenosis has an ominous ring to it, and for good reason. Constricting the body’s most vital artery can diminish your life — and shorten it. But there are more options than ever to relieve the stress on your heart from working overtime to keep your blood pumping. What is aortic stenosis? First, let’s define … Continue reading Aortic stenosis: How it feels when your heart is working overtime
Toward the end of my internal medicine training at Baylor Scott & White and just two months before starting my cardiology fellowship training at the University of Oklahoma, my 29-year-old cousin died of cardiomyopathy a week after giving birth. This was not only devastating, but it also made a huge impression on me. It was … Continue reading Why do women wait longer to get help during a heart attack?
Cheryl Sepmoree remembers she didn’t want to go into downtown Dallas to work one Saturday in September 2018. But she had made a commitment, so Cheryl drove into the office. Little did she know that just blocks away, two Dallas firefighter paramedics had an equally strong commitment to their work that day: saving lives. On … Continue reading After heart attack, woman thanks firefighters who saved her life
Heart palpitations. Chest pain. Sweating. A strange fluttering sensation in your chest. These are common symptoms of anxiety or a panic attack, but they are also signs of a dangerous heart condition called atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat. Although we all experience moments of heightened stress or excitement — when our hearts seem to “skip … Continue reading Is your heart racing from anxiety or an arrhythmia?
