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Dr. Nanette Wenger, the queen of hearts
Open Dr. Nanette Wenger's refrigerator, and the first thing you'll see is a bowl of ice chips filled with crudités – carrot and celery sticks, perhaps some broccoli florets. "I love them," said Wenger, the world-renowned cardiologist who turns 94 this year. "I've always eaten healthy." Wenger says...
Can people with an irregular heartbeat drink coffee?
When Dr. David Kao tells patients they have atrial fibrillation – an irregular and often rapid heart rhythm that can lead to stroke, blood clots or other health issues – their first question is usually "Do I have to give up coffee?" His answer often surprises them: No.
An EMT's heart stopped during a 10K race. A cop saved him with CPR.
Willie Hatchett was eager and ready for the start of the Peachtree Road Race, a 10K held on July 4 in Atlanta. Hatchett had run it nearly every year for two decades and was confident he could get to the finish line. The 59-year-old EMT and former firefighter bolted through...
Tips for reducing screen time (and why that might be a good idea)
If you're worried about how much time you spend staring at screens but can't imagine life without them, don't worry – nobody is saying you need to switch to a rotary phone or transistor radio. "Social media and electronic devices are not inherently good or bad," said Dr. Jason...
Marijuana use linked to higher risk of heart attack and stroke
Using cannabis – either by smoking, eating or vaping it – may raise the risk for heart attacks and strokes, new research suggests. Survey respondents who said they use cannabis, or marijuana, had a higher risk for cardiovascular problems regardless of whether they used tobacco products or had other underlying cardiovascular risk factors, the study found. The research was published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
At 97, AHA's first Black president looks back at his pioneering career
Soon after his 97th birthday, Dr. Edward Cooper sat down and began writing. The focus was his career, particularly his work with the American Heart Association. Once typed and printed, his thoughts filled five pages, spilling onto a sixth. Looking over the printout, Cooper thought it needed more work. He...
AI shows promise but remains limited for heart and stroke care
Artificial intelligence has the potential to change many aspects of cardiovascular care, but not right away, a new report says. Existing AI and machine-learning digital tools are promising, according to the scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Such tools already have shown they can help screen patients and guide researchers in developing new treatments. The report was published Wednesday in the journal Circulation.
Healthy runner's stroke followed a bad bout of COVID-19
On a ride to high school one morning, Shelley Marshall asked her daughter how things were going with her field hockey team. At least, that's what she intended to say. The words came out so garbled that her daughter said, "Mom, what is going on? Are you having a stroke or something? Look at me."
How eating disorders can damage the heart
Every 52 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from an eating disorder. Some of those deaths will be from cardiovascular complications. "The heart is severely affected by weight loss and malnutrition," said Dr. Philip Mehler, founder and medical director of the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders and Severe Malnutrition in Denver. "The more severe the disorder, the more likely the person will have cardiac complications."
6-year-old was born with a heart defect. Here's what her parents tell her every night.
When Stephanie Jenness found out she was pregnant with her third child, she and her husband, Dan, were ecstatic. They started preparing for life as a family of five, even purchasing a minivan. Stephanie's pregnancy was mostly smooth. There was a brief scare when a test showed a possible problem...
Torn neck arteries may be more common than once thought
Along each side of the neck are a pair of arteries that supply blood to the brain. It's rare for one of those blood vessels to tear. But it's one of the most common causes of a stroke in younger adults, according to a new report that comes on the heels of research showing that cases appear to be rising, especially among women.
New guidance on predicting developmental issues in people with heart defects
Major advances over the past decade have changed the thinking about which congenital heart defect survivors are most at risk for challenges with neurological development, learning, emotions and behaviors across their lifespan, according to a new American Heart Association report. The scientific statement, published Thursday in the journal Circulation, provides...
The intersection of race, ethnicity and health in Afro Latino communities
Maria Solis Belizaire knows heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions run in her family. Her father survived a heart attack in his late 30s when she was a teenager, and both of her grandmothers had multiple heart surgeries. Solis' family health history is one reason she started running. In 2016,...
Baby's enlarged heart discovered by chance after pregnant mom's fall
At seven months pregnant, Debi Corrigan was shopping for spring flowers at a Wichita, Kansas, garden center when she took a tumble. She protected her belly, landing left arm first, but shattered her elbow so badly that doctors implanted a rod in her arm. Her elbow throbbed, but otherwise, she felt fine, aside from the usual aches and pains during one's last trimester.
5 things teen girls (and their parents) should know about heart health
Among many teenage girls, hearts are a communications staple. Heart emojis punctuate their texts, heart hands frame their selfies on social media. But rare is the girl who thinks about her heart as the critical organ it is, the epicenter of the circulatory system, supplying blood with oxygen to the body to keep things working smoothly.
Twin sisters uncover rare genetic condition that sent both into heart failure years apart
Fresh out of college with a degree in nutrition, Olivia Hart went home to Martha's Vineyard to waitress and figure out her next steps. In her spare time, she rode horses, a lifelong passion Olivia shared with her fraternal twin sister, Sofia. Long hours on her feet left Olivia exhausted....
The presidential heart attack that changed America
Heart disease is no stranger to the White House. But in a century of presidential cardiac crises, none affected America the way Dwight Eisenhower's 1955 heart attack did. The incident first shocked, then enlightened the nation. And coming right before an era of rapid scientific progress, it highlights how much researchers have learned about heart health.
Within roughly a year, she got a college degree, a new heart and a husband
While the other kids went out to play during kindergarten recess, Katherine Herrmann had to stay inside. She was born with a heart problem that required her to take medications every day. Because blood thinners were among her pills, she couldn't risk getting hurt and bleeding. Katherine was an infant...
Saving lives with CPR? That's kid stuff, experts say
To some people, sixth grade might seem a little young to be taking responsibility for saving lives. Riley Clower and her classmates in Laramie, Wyoming, would disagree. Last fall, Riley and some fellow students at Laramie Middle School received CPR training at the nearby University of Wyoming. They practiced on manikins, heard songs that helped set the pace and watched a video about a girl who used CPR to save her father.
How a social connection expert stays connected and why
Once a week, social connectedness expert Dr. Julianne Holt-Lunstad takes an afternoon to ski with her husband, Nathan. During the pandemic, the Salt Lake City couple started hiking together regularly. And after 30 years of marriage, they still set aside time to go out on dates. It's not just the...
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Heart and Stroke News: Stories about people, science and health, from American Heart Association News.
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