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Health News Results - 52
Beta Blocker Meds May Not Help Some Heart Attack Survivors
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- April 10, 2024
- Full Page
Beta blockers appear to be useless when prescribed to heart attack survivors who aren't suffering from heart failure, a new clinical trial indicates.
The s...
Head-to-Head Study Finds Which Diabetes Meds Are Best for the Heart
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- May 9, 2023
- Full Page
There are many medications for type 2 diabetes, but one class may stand out for protecting the heart, a new study suggests.
The study, of thousands of U.S. veterans with diabetes, found that those who added drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists to their usual regimen were...
Do All Heart Attack Survivors Need Long-Term Beta Blocker Meds?
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- May 4, 2023
- Full Page
It's standard for heart attack survivors to take beta blocker medications for years afterward, but a new study suggests that may be unnecessary for people who've had a milder heart attack.
Researchers found that among heart attack survivors whose hearts still had n...
Experimental Pill May Be New Way to Control Cholesterol
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- November 7, 2022
- Full Page
Millions of people take daily medication to lower their cholesterol levels and prevent heart attacks, but there hasn't been a drug that targets a dangerous type of cholesterol in the blood known as lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a).
That's why a new study of an investigational dr...
All-in-One 'Polypill' Gets Heart Patients Taking Their Meds
- By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- August 29, 2022
- Full Page
In a finding that proves convenience is key when it comes to sticking to a medication regimen, new research shows that combining three heart drugs into one "polypill" slashes the risk of dying from a second
Two Meds Better Than One for Many With High Blood Pressure: Study
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- October 5, 2021
- Full Page
Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure and only 24% have it under control, but what's the best way to treat it -- one high-dose pill or two at a lower dose?
A large new study suggests that two medications may be better than one for many older patients. Lowerin...
Getting Healthy After Heart Attack Could Add Over 7 Years to Life
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- August 27, 2021
- Full Page
Heart attack survivors could gain more than seven healthy years of life if they take the right medications and improve their lifestyle, new research estimates.
Unfortunately, studies have found, heart attack survivors rarely get optimal control over their risk factors.
Statin's Health Benefits Far Outweigh Any Potential Harms: Study
- Robert Preidt
- July 16, 2021
- Full Page
The heart benefits of cholesterol-lowering statins in people without heart disease far exceed the risks of any side effects, a new review finds.
Statins are widely prescribed to people with heart disease, and recent guidelines recommend greater preventive use of the drug...
Two Is Not Better Than One When It Comes to Blood Thinners
- Robert Preidt and Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporters
- April 22, 2021
- Full Page
It may not be a good idea to take a daily low-dose aspirin if you're also taking a widely used class of blood thinners called direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), researchers caution.
DOACs include drugs such as Eliquis (apixaban), Pradaxa (dabigatran), Lixiana (edoxaban)...
Could Widely Used Blood Pressure Meds Raise Skin Cancer Risk?
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 12, 2021
- Full Page
Most people are familiar with common sun-protection advice, from wearing and reapplying sunscreen to putting on a hat.
But a new Canadian study finds that for people who take certain blood pressure medications, that advice becomes even more critical because those drugs c...
Beta Blockers Won't Cause Depression, But Might Impair Sleep: Study
- Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt
- March 16, 2021
- Full Page
Millions of people take a beta blocker regularly, and a new study brings good news: The medications will not raise the risk of depression.
Beta blockers are used to treat conditions such as heart failure, chest pains, high blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythm. But it...
Prescription-Strength Fish Oil Won't Help Your Heart -- Or Will It?
- Steven Reinberg and Ernie Mundells
- November 16, 2020
- Full Page
Does high-strength fish oil help the heart or doesn't it?
Prior research into a prescription medicine derived from fish called Vascepa, announced earlier this year, suggested it might be of real value for heart patients.
But the results from a trial of another suc...
Living Healthy Good for Your Heart, Even if You're on Meds
- Steven Reinberg
- November 12, 2020
- Full Page
No matter how many medications you take, eating a healthy diet, not smoking and getting plenty of exercise will help keep you alive, a new study finds.
"We've long known about the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. The results from our study underscore the importan...
No Link Found Between Blood Pressure Meds and Cancer: Study
- Robert Preidt
- September 7, 2020
- Full Page
Blood pressure drugs don't increase the risk of cancer, according to the largest study to examine the issue.
A possible link between blood pressure drugs and cancer has been the subject of debate for decades, but evidence has been inconsistent and conflicting.
...
Cancer Patients Less Likely to Be Prescribed Heart Meds: Study
- Robert Preidt
- June 16, 2020
- Full Page
Heart disease is on the rise among cancer patients and survivors, but they're less likely than people without cancer to be prescribed medicines to protect their heart, a new study finds.
Heart disease has become a leading cause of long-term preventable death in cance...
Major Study Casts Doubt on Routine Use of Stents, Bypass
- Dennis Thompson
- March 31, 2020
- Full Page
Folks with clogged arteries do as well with medication and lifestyle changes as they do after undergoing invasive procedures to reopen their blood vessels, a major new clinical trial reports.
Bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty and stenting are no better than drugs, ...
Common Heart Drugs' Risk With COVID-19 Unproven, Experts Say
- Rich Holmes
- March 30, 2020
- Full Page
Could a blood pressure or diabetes medicine make COVID-19 more severe?
A new theory suggests the coronavirus could be binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors in the lower respiratory tracts. Commonly used drugs like ACE inhibitors and angiotensin ...
Medical Groups Say Heart Meds Don't Worsen COVID-19 Symptoms
- Robert Preidt
- March 17, 2020
- Full Page
Two types of heart medications do not make coronavirus infection worse, three major U.S. medical groups say in a new joint statement meant to dispel misinformation about the use of the medications in people with COVID-19.
The American Heart Association (AHA), ...
After Heart Attack, Following Doctor's Orders Greatly Boosts Survival
- Dennis Thompson
- March 5, 2020
- Full Page
Heart attack survivors receive a laundry list of tasks from their doctors as they leave the hospital, all aimed at improving their heart health.
It would be understandable to look at the list with a raised eyebrow and ask just how important all of it is.
Vi...
Recommended Diuretic Drug Tied to Harmful Side Effects
- Steven Reinberg
- February 18, 2020
- Full Page
Patients taking a common diuretic to help lower blood pressure may be better off with a similarly effective but safer one, a new study suggests.
Current guidelines recommend the drug chlorthalidone (Thalitone) as the first-line diuretic. But it can have serious side...
AHA News: Spanish-Speaking Stroke Survivors Face More Obstacles
- February 14, 2020
- Full Page
Stroke survivors who speak Spanish are more likely to have low stroke literacy and a negative perception of their health care, according to a new study that called for breaking down language barriers.
The preliminary study, being presented next Friday at the America...
Common Drugs Might Help Prevent Death From a 'Broken Heart'
- Steven Reinberg
- February 13, 2020
- Full Page
When someone close to you dies, grief can literally break your heart, but two common medicines may help prevent a heart attack.
"While almost everyone loses someone they love during their lifetime and grief is a natural reaction, this stressful time can be associate...
AHA News: She Put Off Heart Symptoms Until It Was Almost Too Late
- February 7, 2020
- Full Page
When she's not biking, hiking or swimming, Bev Pohlit can probably be found tending to the vegetables growing in her quarter-acre backyard in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania.
"I take advantage of every little square inch," she said. "My vegetables are my morning snacks...
Healthy Habits Can Slide After Starting Heart Medications
- Amy Norton
- February 5, 2020
- Full Page
Some people let healthy habits fall by the wayside after they start medications for high cholesterol or high blood pressure, a new study finds.
Of more than 41,000 middle-aged Finnish adults researchers followed, those who started on cholesterol or blood pressure dru...
'Yo-Yo' Blood Pressure Numbers in Youth a Bad Sign for Health Later
- E.J. Mundell
- January 22, 2020
- Full Page
If your blood pressure numbers swing from low to high and back again in your 20s, that could bode ill for heart health in middle age, new research shows.
In fact, every 4 mm Hg spike in systolic blood pressure -- the top number in a reading -- during young adulthood ...
Black Patients May Not Gain Heart Benefit From Low-Dose Aspirin
- E.J. Mundell
- December 11, 2019
- Full Page
The daily use of low-dose aspirin against heart disease may have taken another knock.
New research shows that the practice may not provide black Americans with any lowering of their heart attack risk.
Researchers analyzed 11 years of data from more than 65,...
Study Casts Doubt on Use of Common Heart Failure Drugs
- Robert Preidt
- December 5, 2019
- Full Page
Millions of Americans with heart failure take one of the family of beta blocker medications to help ease the condition. But in many cases, could the meds be doing more harm than good?
A new study found that taking beta blockers was associated with an increased risk o...
Obesity Might Weaken Some Drugs' Effectiveness Against AFib
- Steven Reinberg
- December 2, 2019
- Full Page
Millions of Americans have the potentially dangerous irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation.
Now, research suggests that being obese might undercut the effectiveness of certain drugs meant to treat AFib.
The new study followed more than 300 patien...
Heart Medicines Priced Out of Reach for Many Americans
- Dennis Thompson
- November 25, 2019
- Full Page
Many working-age Americans struggle to pay for the heart medications that protect them from heart attack, stroke and heart disease, a new study reports.
About one in eight adults suffering from a high-risk heart problem say financial strain has caused them to skip ta...
Recalls of Blood Pressure Med Took Toll on Patients' Health
- Dennis Thompson
- November 20, 2019
- Full Page
Emergency room visits for high blood pressure surged following last year's recall of the popular heart drug valsartan, Canadian researchers report.
Within the first month of the recall, there was a 55% increase of people coming to Ontario-area emergency departmen...
Study Casts Doubt on Angioplasty, Bypass for Many Heart Patients
- Dennis Thompson
- November 18, 2019
- Full Page
Bypass operations, angioplasty and the placement of artery-opening stents: For decades, millions of Americans have undergone these expensive, invasive procedures to help treat clogged vessels.
However, the results of a large and long-awaited clinical trial suggests ...
Cheap, Older Gout Drug Could Be a Lifesaver After Heart Attack
- Dennis Thompson
- November 18, 2019
- Full Page
A cheap drug that's been around for centuries as a gout treatment might also shield heart attack survivors from future heart crises, new trial results show.
The drug, colchicine, is derived from a plant called the autumn crocus, researchers explained Saturday at the ...
Too Few Heart Patients Getting Good Results From Medicines Alone
- E.J. Mundell
- November 13, 2019
- Full Page
A rigorous, new international study finds that, despite doctors' best efforts, many heart patients given standard drugs aren't meeting goals to lower their cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
The study involved nearly 4,000 patients, averaging 64 years of age, tre...
Smartphone App Gets Heart Patients to Follow Their Rx
- Robert Preidt
- October 21, 2019
- Full Page
Forget doctor's instructions: New research shows a smartphone app is the best way to get heart patients to remember to take their medicines.
Heart attack survivors are typically prescribed medications to prevent another attack, but one in four stop taking at least o...
Certain Blood Pressure Meds Tied to Suicide Risk in Study
- Dennis Thompson
- October 17, 2019
- Full Page
A common type of blood pressure medication might be associated with an increased risk of suicide, a new study suggests.
People taking angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) appear to be more likely to die by suicide, compared to those who take another type of blood pre...
Just One Pill for All Your Heart Health Needs? It's On the Way
- Dennis Thompson
- August 23, 2019
- Full Page
Imagine a single pill loaded with a battery of heart medications that you take once a day to cut your chances of heart attack, stroke and heart failure.
A new clinical trial has turned that idea into reality.
The "polypill" reduced the risk of life-threaten...
How Does Meth Trigger Heart Disease? New Research Offers Clues
- Robert Preidt
- August 1, 2019
- Full Page
Autopsies have uncovered new insight into how the illegal drug methamphetamine harms the heart.
Preliminary findings presented Thursday at an American Heart Association meeting, in Boston, suggest that meth triggers a buildup of tough protein fibers known as collagen...
Common Blood Pressure Med Might Help Fight Alzheimer's
- Amy Norton
- June 17, 2019
- Full Page
Treatment with blood pressure medication can improve blood flow to a key brain region in people with Alzheimer's disease, a small clinical trial has found.
Researchers stressed that they do not know whether the brain finding can translate into any benefits for patien...
Study Refutes Notion That People on Warfarin Shouldn't Eat Leafy Greens
- Steven Reinberg
- June 11, 2019
- Full Page
Spinach-loving seniors, rejoice. A new study suggests that -- despite doctor warnings to the contrary -- you can eat leafy greens rich in vitamin K if you are taking the blood thinner warfarin.
In fact, "I think all warfarin-treated patients would benefit from incre...
AHA News: Torn Heart Artery Put Young Mom on Verge of Death
- June 5, 2019
- Full Page
As Jara Herron walked down her hallway to feed her 10-day-old baby, she didn't feel right. She was nauseous. Her chest felt like elephants were sitting on it. Then Herron tried to pick up her baby and couldn't. Her right arm went numb and she could barely breathe.
H...
Heart Patients Pay the Price When Nearby Pharmacy Closes
- Robert Preidt
- April 19, 2019
- Full Page
When a neighborhood pharmacy shuts down, it could have dire repercussions for heart patients living nearby, new research suggests.
That's because such closures could mean patients skip or stop taking the prescriptions they need to stay healthy and safe, according to ...
Experimental Blood Thinner May Help Prevent Stroke, Without the Bleeding Risk
- Robert Preidt
- April 18, 2019
- Full Page
Researchers say an experimental stroke drug prevented blood clots without the typical side effect of blood thinners: increased bleeding risk.
Bleeding is a common and potentially dangerous side effect of current anti-clotting drugs used to treat stroke patients. But ...
Mick Jagger in Recovery After Heart Valve Procedure
- E.J. Mundell
- April 5, 2019
- Full Page
Giving millions of fans some "Satisfaction," Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger is recovering and in good health after undergoing a heart valve procedure in New York City on Thursday.
Jagger is being monitored for any complications that could occur, such as excess...
Bad Info May Be Scaring Patients Away From Heart-Healthy Statins
- Dennis Thompson
- March 27, 2019
- Full Page
More than a quarter of people who could benefit from taking statins don't, and a new survey suggests that while not enough doctors are prescribing the cholesterol-lowering drugs, fears about side effects also play a part.
"There is so much misinformation about statin...
Docs Back Away From Low-Dose Aspirin for Heart Attack Prevention
- E.J. Mundell
- March 18, 2019
- Full Page
Millions of aging Americans worried about heart attacks and strokes have for years popped a low-dose aspirin each day, thinking the blood thinner might lower their risk.
But new guidelines issued Sunday by two cardiology groups say that, for most adults, the practice...
Prescription Fish Oil Pill Lowers Heart Attack Risk in Those Already on Statins
- Alan Mozes
- March 18, 2019
- Full Page
MONDAY, March 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who have high triglycerides and take cholesterol-lowering statins to lower their risk for heart attack or stroke can cut that risk by another 30 percent by adding a high-dose omega-3 fatty acid pill, investigators rep...
Despite Big Heart Benefits, Far Too Many Skip Statins
- Serena Gordon
- March 18, 2019
- Full Page
People who've already had a heart attack or stroke can cut their odds for another one in half if they regularly take cholesterol-lowering statins.
Yet new research found that only about 6 percent of patients take these drugs as prescribed by their doctor.
...
Heart Care Guidelines Rarely Backed by Top-Notch Science
- Robert Preidt
- March 15, 2019
- Full Page
Precious few treatment guidelines for heart patients are supported by the best scientific evidence, a new study shows.
Less than one in 10 recommendations are based on results from multiple randomized controlled trials (considered the "gold standard"), and that perce...
Making Sense of the Recent Blood Pressure Drug Recalls
- Dennis Thompson
- March 8, 2019
- Full Page
People taking blood pressure medications have faced a frightening and bewildering series of pharmaceutical recalls in recent months, as trace amounts of cancer-causing chemicals have been discovered in individual batches of drugs.
But experts from the nation's leadi...
Meds for Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Help the Heart -- But Maybe Not the Mind
- Alan Mozes
- February 27, 2019
- Full Page
While effective at cutting heart risks, blood pressure and cholesterol drugs may not help preserve seniors' brain health, new research finds.
That conclusion came from the tracking of more than 1,600 men and women in 21 countries.
Over an average span of n...