Heart Health Archives

Ask the Experts: Coordinating Care Needs; Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes; LVAD for Heart Failure

Jan 22, 2024 · Rosanne Leipzig, MD, PhD · Aging & Independence

My elderly mother is fit and well for her age, but she sees several specialists and is struggling to manage her health-care needs, medical appointments, and medications. I help when I can, but it’s difficult because I live on the other side of the country; moreover, my husband has frontotemporal … Read More

Low-Sodium Diet Lowers BP

Jan 22, 2024 · UHN Staff · Aging & Independence

Compared with a high-sodium diet, eating a low-sodium diet lowers blood pressure (BP) after one week, according to researchers. Study participants, aged 50 to 75 years old, included those with normal BP, controlled and uncontrolled hypertension (high BP), and untreated hypertension. Data was gathered during participants’ usual diet, then after … Read More

Make Time for Tea

Jan 22, 2024 · Lori Zanteson · Aging & Independence

Tea has been enjoyed for more than 5,000 years. Its consmption is supported by modern research for related health benefits and disease risk reduction. Tea Basics. Tea contains polyphenols, antioxidant plant compounds associated with health benefits. The four types of tea known as “true” teas—white, green, Oolong, and black—are all … Read More

Research Round Up February 2024

Jan 22, 2024 · UHN Staff · Aging & Independence

• Adapted Med Diet Potential. A culturally appropriate adaptation of the Med diet to a Med-soul food diet for stroke patients in the Southeastern U.S. improved stroke risk factors, researchers say. The study included patients admitted to the hospital for acute ischemic stroke with at least one metabolic risk factor: … Read More

Cardiac Rehabilitation Still Underutilized

Dec 20, 2023 · Kate Brophy · Aging & Independence

One of the best ways to improve and speed up your recovery from a major cardiovascular event is to participate in a cardiac rehabilitation program. These programs are tailored to people who have suffered a heart attack or undergone heart surgery and also can improve health and quality of life … Read More

Newsbriefs: Switching Blood Thinners; Sleep Colder; Hobby Means Happy; Poor Sleep After Menopause

Dec 20, 2023 · Kate Brophy · Aging & Independence

A Switch to New Blood Thinners May Not Suit Frail Elders New blood thinners developed over the last decade have made blood clot prevention less onerous, but a study published in Circulation, Aug. 27, 2023, suggests that switching from stable warfarin (Coumadin®) may not be the best option for frail … Read More

Unlock Rapid Fitness Gains with HIIT Training

Dec 20, 2023 · UHN Staff · Aging & Independence

Given that lack of time is one of the most-often cited excuses for not exercising, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) just might be the ideal exercise. It might sound like an exercise program for elite athletes, but this approach is appropriate for anyone who wants significant gains in a short period … Read More

Oxygen Saturation Levels

Dec 20, 2023 · UHN Staff · Aging & Independence

Q: I know that pulse oximeters, those devices put on my finger during routine office visits, read my oxygen saturation levels. Why is that important? A: Checking oxygen saturation is often called the “fifth vital sign.” Along with temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rate, this important piece of data helps … Read More

Ask the Doctor January 2024

Dec 20, 2023 · UHN Staff · Aging & Independence

Q: Is short-term memory the same as working memory? A: Because aspects of working memory and short-term memory overlap, they are sometimes used interchangeably. But, generally, they are thought of as two distinct types of memory. Short-term memory is, as the term implies, information that is held on to for … Read More

Newsbites: Healthy lifestyle and heart disease, weight loss drug side effects; red meat and diabetes

Dec 19, 2023 · Judith C. Thalhaimer, RD, LDN · Aging & Independence

Healthy Lifestyle May Outweigh a Genetic Risk Factor for Heart Disease Abdominal obesity (a waist circumference of more than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men) is a well-established risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Scientists … Read More

Heart Health

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