Heart Health Archive

Research we're watching

People who carry excess weight but have normal blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol values are sometimes dubbed "fat but fit." But they're still more likely to develop heart disease than people who aren't overweight, a new study suggests.

Researchers analyzed more than 7,600 cases of heart disease that occurred over a 12-year period in 10 European countries. They also used data from 10,000 healthy people without heart disease as a comparison group. Compared with people at a healthy weight, those who were overweight or obese had up to a 28% higher risk of developing heart disease.

Research we're watching

 Image: © Highwaystarz-Photography/Thinkstock

Close to a third of Americans say they use artificial sweeteners on a daily basis. Popular examples include aspartame (Equal, Nutra­Sweet), sucralose (Splenda), and stevia (Truvia, Pure Via). They're all available in packets and are also added to soda, yogurt, and other foods.

But do these sugar substitutes actually help you lose weight? New research suggests they do not. In fact, these zero-calorie additives may have the opposite effect — and possibly even increase the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

Research we're watching

People who smoke marijuana may face a higher risk of dying of complications of high blood pressure than people who never use the drug, new research suggests.

The study included 1,213 people ages 20 and older who were part of a larger national health survey that began in 2005. Those who said they'd ever used marijuana (57%) were considered users. Researchers then looked at data on different causes of death in 2011 and estimated the association between marijuana use with death from high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

As men live longer, more face the challenge of difficult-to-control high blood pressure.

 Image: © KatarzynaBialasiewicz/Thinkstock

High blood pressure, or hypertension, remains a common health issue for a majority of older men.

In fact, approximately 54% to 67% of men ages 65 and older suffer from the condition, which occurs when your systolic pressure (the top number on a blood pressure reading) is 140 mm Hg or higher, and your diastolic pressure (the bottom number) is 90 mm Hg or higher, according to the American Heart Association.

Ask the doctors

Q. The July 2017 issue of Harvard Women's Health Watch spoke about the potential problems related to low blood pressure when taking blood pressure medication. My readings meet the definition of low blood pressure outlined in the article, but I don't take any medication. Should I be concerned, and if so, what should I do to raise my blood pressure?

A. In general, blood pressure is deemed too low only if it causes symptoms. A normal blood pressure is defined as a reading below 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), and some experts consider your blood pressure low only if it dips below 90/60 mm Hg. However, a low reading can be normal for some people. Your doctor probably won't be too concerned about it unless it occurs suddenly; you have an underlying health condition that could cause low blood pressure, such as heart failure; or you are experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, fatigue, or nausea. Some medications, such as diuretics (water pills), some antidepressants, and beta blockers, among others, can also cause low blood pressure. But since you aren't taking any medication, this is not an issue. If you are having symptoms related to your low blood pressure, this is something you definitely want to mention to your doctor. But if you've always had low blood pressure and you're not experiencing any problems, it's likely that this is normal for your body.

Research we're watching

Last month, Harvard Women's Health Watch talked about how high blood pressure can cause a series of tiny strokes that damage your brain, increasing your risk of dementia and cognitive changes. A study in the August 8 issue of Circulation shows that this might not be the only concern when it comes to blood pressure and your mind. Researchers in Japan found that large and frequent fluctuations in blood pressure — not just high blood pressure — was associated with an increased risk of both Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

The study authors asked 1,674 dementia-free participants ages 60 and older to measure their blood pressure at home, three times every morning, for about four weeks. They followed up about five years later to see who went on to develop dementia.

Research we're watching

A research letter published in the July 3 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology says that shingles, a painful rash caused by the varicella-zoster virus (the same virus that causes chickenpox) may be linked to an increased risk of stroke and heart attack.

South Korean researchers used a national medical database to identify diagnoses of shingles, stroke, and heart attack and followed them from 2003 to 2013. They compared 23,213 individuals who had developed shingles during this period and compared their subsequent rates of heart attack and stroke to approximately 23,213 shingles-free individuals. They found that people who had shingles had a 35% higher risk of heart attack and a 59% higher risk of stroke.

New research links "safe" levels of air pollution to premature death.

 Image: © TomasSereda/Thinkstock

Every day, you inhale thousands of gallons of air — mostly nitrogen, oxygen, and a smattering of other gases. But that air also contains tiny particles spewed from power plants, industrial factories, and vehicles. These pollutants can trigger heart attacks, strokes, and irregular heart rhythms, especially in people who already have or who are at risk for heart disease.

And even though the air we breathe is much cleaner today than it was in the 1970s, there's still room for improvement. In fact, a major Harvard study recently found that air pollution kills thousands of people in the United States each year, even at pollution levels currently allowed by the Environmental Protection Agency (see "Something in the air: Regulating pollution").

Ask the doctor

Q. My doctor suspects I may have vasculitis. What can you tell me about this condition?

A. Vasculitis refers to a group of uncommon disorders marked by inflammation of the blood vessels. This inflammation can affect arteries, veins, or capillaries, the tiny vessels that connect the smallest arteries to the smallest veins. It can damage vessels that supply only one part of the body (such as the head or skin) or those that supply many different organs.

In many cases, another physician's perspective about a proposed heart procedure can be helpful.

You've just found out that several of your heart's arteries are almost completely blocked. Your doctor believes bypass surgery is the best treatment option for you, but you wonder if a less invasive procedure might be possible. Or perhaps you have a heart valve that isn't working well — should you have it repaired, or fully replaced?

These scenarios are two heart-related examples that often prompt people to seek a second opinion. "But any time a physician suggests a surgery or procedure, consulting another doctor often makes sense, especially if you have questions that aren't being explained in a way that makes sense to you," says cardiologist Dr. Dale Adler, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.