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Triathlete's pain was the start of a rare form of heart attack
MaryKay West was at work in Portland, Oregon, after a long weekend in Southern California. Her husband, Jeff, had a work assignment there and she and their daughter, Anna, had visited. They'd gone for walks, shared nice meals and done a little sightseeing. And, as usual, MaryKay had gone for a run.
5 questions to ask before sharing health stories on social media
When it comes to posting health information on social media, beware before you share. Experts say that's an essential step in battling medical misinformation, an escalating problem as more people turn to social media for news, knowledge and advice about all things health-related. In the wake of rampant false information...
She was working out at the gym when her heart stopped
On an August morning, Nicole Tetreault, her husband, Brian, and their 2-year-old daughter, Ella, had eaten breakfast and taken a walk. Nicole hadn't been feeling well since Friday. She'd had a headache and was nauseous. But on Sunday she was feeling better. She'd missed several days of exercising and was eager to get back to the gym.
How job burnout can hurt your health – and what to do about it
Too many times, the realization comes too late. "When people have a major medical event like a heart attack or stroke, they retrospectively go back and say, 'Oh, I was really stressed, maybe that's why this happened to me,'" said Dr. Ian Kronish, associate director of the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York. "But they don't think beforehand that they'd better take care of that stress for their health."
11-year-old heart defect survivor is living life wholeheartedly
It started with the ultrasounds. Every time Anita Naglieri had one, her OB-GYN said she could only see half her baby's heart. "Don't worry," the doctor told her. "It's probably just the way the baby's positioned." But this pregnancy – her fourth – felt different. By 34 weeks,...
Clearing up questions on whether tofu is healthy
It seemed like such a simple, honest food when it caught your eye in the grocery store. But later, after you checked it out online, you began to worry that a long-term relationship might get complicated. It's true that health experts' passion for tofu can be seen as a bit...
He ran a 10K, went into heart failure and got a new heart – all in a few weeks
Several days after running a 10K event in Atlanta in 2019, Arthur Vaughn found himself breathless simply walking across the room. Vaughn's primary care physician recommended he see a cardiologist. The exam included a stress test. After three minutes on the treadmill, Vaughn vomited. The doctor told him to ask his then-wife to join them.
Abuse, neglect in childhood may increase heart failure risk as an adult
Childhood trauma, especially physical abuse, might increase the risk of heart failure later in life, according to new research. Past studies have found a connection between traumatic experiences in childhood and cardiovascular disease and other health problems. But there's been little research on a specific link to heart failure, in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Heart failure affects about 6 million U.S. adults.
Heart risk factors, not heart disease itself, may increase odds of COVID-19 death
Seeking to clarify connections between pre-existing heart disease and COVID-19, a study of critically ill patients has found their risk of dying from COVID-19 may stem not directly from heart disease, but from the factors that contribute to it. People with heart disease have been, and continue to be, at...
At 21, her college graduation and a stroke happened on the same day
Marissa Fattore's graduation from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania took place on a warm spring day. For the occasion, Marissa had her nails done and wore a new dress and high heels. Despite her excitement, she felt crummy. She had a headache and her brain was fuzzy. It was probably just...
After a jump in maternal mortality for Hispanic women, a search for answers
The COVID-19 pandemic produced no shortage of somber statistics. But for people who care about women's health, one number about Hispanic women stood out. Their maternal mortality rate jumped sharply in 2020 – up 44% from the year before, according to the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For every 100,000 births, there were 18.2 deaths among Hispanic women, up from 12.6 in 2019. Risk was highest among women 40 and older.
For this race car driver, curing a racing heart was key to crossing the finish line
Bryce Cornet is no stranger to a racing heart. His heart beats faster each time he puts on his helmet, slides into the cockpit of his race car, snaps on the buckles of his harness and puts the pedal to the floor to careen around a twisting, turning racetrack. "I...
The benefits of adding a drizzle of olive oil to your diet
The ancient Greeks were on to something when they referred to olive oil as an "elixir of youth and health." Centuries later, research offers evidence about the benefits of olive oil in our daily diets. Consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day may lower heart disease...
Genetics may explain rare heart inflammation in some young people
Gene abnormalities may make some people more susceptible to myocarditis, a rare type of heart inflammation that can affect young people and athletes, a large new study shows. The findings, published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, could partially answer why otherwise healthy young people sometimes develop a condition that can lead to heart failure and sudden cardiac death, researchers said.
How to keep 'vaccine fatigue' from getting in the way of a flu shot
After nearly three years of nearly nonstop talking about viruses and vaccinations, some people might be ready to tune out. That would be a mistake, health experts say. Amid warning signs of a potentially severe flu season ahead, those experts worry "vaccine fatigue" will keep people from getting their flu shot – and with it, a simple, safe way to protect themselves from life-threatening conditions, including heart attacks and strokes.
Waiting for takeoff, her heart stopped. Flight attendants came to the rescue.
Vonnie Gaither hated leaving a reunion of extended family in Baltimore. Still, she had to tear herself away to start the trek back home to Anchorage, Alaska. Her flight from Baltimore to Salt Lake City was uneventful. After boarding the plane bound for Anchorage, she buckled up and called a friend to let her know she was on her way.
HIV, hepatitis C combination boosts heart attack risk as people age
As people being treated for HIV get older, those who also have untreated hepatitis C face a much higher risk of having a heart attack than if they had HIV alone, new research finds. In a population already at high risk for heart disease, the risk of having a heart...
Move around a lot while you sleep? It might be bad news for your heart
Poor sleep quality – including moving around too much or having sleep apnea – may increase the risk for a future heart problem, new research suggests. That problem is called left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, a precursor to heart failure. But not getting enough sleep did not appear to increase that risk, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
College softball player's heart stops after routine play
In her second game of the day, Fordham University shortstop Sarah Taffet hit a ground ball to first base. The fielder charged forward, stopped the ball and kept going to tag out Sarah. It turned into a small collision, with Sarah getting knocked to the ground. "It kind of knocked...
Blood clot risk remains elevated nearly a year after COVID-19
People who got COVID-19 had a higher risk of dangerous blood clots for close to a year later, according to a large new study on the aftereffects of a SARS-CoV-2 infection during the period before vaccines became available. As seen in previous studies, COVID-19 was linked to a sharply increased...
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Heart and Stroke News: Stories about people, science and health, from American Heart Association News.
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