Mayo Clinic Healthcare cardiologist offers simple tips to maximize health at outdoor events

LONDON — Festival season can be surprisingly physically demanding. Hours spent standing, walking or dancing can put extra strain on the heart, especially for those with preexisting conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, explains Gosia Wamil, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London.

For people with heart failure, this can lead to shortness of breath or a worsening of symptoms. For those with coronary artery disease, in which the major vessels that supply blood to your heart become narrowed or blocked, sudden intense activity can trigger chest pain or even a heart attack, Dr. Wamil says.

"Key warning signs of heart distress at festivals include chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, cold sweats, or fainting," Dr. Wamil adds. "These symptoms should never be ignored, and immediate medical help should be sought if they occur."

Noise exposure at outdoor concerts, carnivals and other events also can affect heart health.

"Short-term, loud noise can trigger the body's 'fight or flight' response, raising blood pressure and heart rate," Dr. Wamil says. "Long-term, chronic noise exposure has been shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease."

Overindulging in alcohol, caffeine or salty food poses another serious risk. It can trigger holiday heart syndrome, in which even healthy individuals develop an irregular heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation, Dr. Wamil says.

"Alcohol is a direct toxin to the heart muscle and can cause a sudden rise in blood pressure," she explains. "For those with existing heart conditions, binge drinking can trigger heart failure or even a heart attack."

People with diabetes or heart disease should plan ahead when attending festivals and other events, advises Dr. Wamil, who specializes in the link between diabetes and heart disease. It's important to take medications on time, bring medical identification and carry essential supplies, such as snacks, water and a list of medications.

Keeping blood sugar stable with healthy food choices and staying hydrated can help prevent complications. Comfortable shoes and regular rest breaks are also key, especially for those with neuropathy or fatigue.

"If you have a heart condition or other serious medical issue, staying near the edge of crowds is a sensible precaution. It allows quicker access to medical help and an easier way out if needed," Dr. Wamil suggests. "Crowded environments can lead to overheating, anxiety or unexpected physical exertion, so choosing a shaded, quieter area can reduce risk."

For everyone, staying healthy during festival season means hydrating often, especially with water, and seeking out shade on hot days.

"Try to balance fun with rest, and include healthy foods when possible," Dr. Wamil says. "Protect yourself from the sun, pace your activities, and keep your phone charged in case of emergencies."

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About Mayo Clinic Healthcare
Mayo Clinic Healthcare, located in London, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit academic medical center. Mayo Clinic is top ranked by U.S. News & World Report in more specialties than any other hospital for a reason: quality of care. Mayo Clinic Healthcare is the U.K.'s front door to that unparalleled experience. Visit Mayo Clinic Healthcare for more information.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: When I go for a walk or to the gym, people always seem to be checking their pulse, whether by hand or with a wearable. Why is heart rate so important?

ANSWER: Your heart rate, or pulse, is the number of times your heart beats per minute. Your resting heart rate is when the heart is pumping the lowest amount of blood you need because you're not exercising. If you're sitting or lying down ― and you're calm, relaxed and aren't sick ― your heart rate is typically between 60 and 100 beats per minute. 

Other factors that can affect your heart rate include: 

• Air temperature 
  When temperatures or humidity increases, the heart pumps more blood, so your pulse or heart rate may increase. 
• Body position 
  Sometimes, when going from sitting to standing, your pulse may go up a little. After a few minutes, it should return to a typical rate. 
• Emotions 
  If you're stressed, anxious or incredibly happy, your emotions can raise your heart rate. 
• Body size 
  Body size usually doesn’t increase your heart rate. However, if you're obese, you may have a higher resting heart rate. 
• Medication use 
  Medications that block adrenaline tend to slow your heart rate. Thyroid medication may raise it. 

Why your heart rate matters 

Cardiovascular exercise, also called cardio or aerobic exercise, keeps you and your heart healthy. This specific type of exercise gets your heart rate up and your heart beating faster for several minutes. Cardiovascular exercise helps strengthen your heart, allowing it to pump blood more efficiently and improving blood flow to all parts of your body. It also boosts your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, and lowers your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol. This may result in less buildup of plaque in your arteries.

Abnormal heart rate 

If you experience irregular heartbeats, including a racing heartbeat, slow heartbeat or a feeling of fluttering in your chest, you may be experiencing a heart arrhythmia. Heart rhythm or heartbeat problems can occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate your heartbeats don't work properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, slow or irregularly. Talk with your healthcare team if you have heart rhythm concerns.  

Know your numbers 

Many wearable activity trackers can monitor your heart rate when you exercise and periodically throughout the day. If you don't have an activity tracker, you can use the radial artery in your wrist or the carotid artery in your neck. If you have heart disease or long-standing diabetes, it's best to use the artery on your wrist. 

To find your heart rate manually: 

• Locate the artery you will use to find your heart rate. 
• Using the tips of your first two fingers, press lightly over the artery. 
• Count your heartbeats for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 to find your total beats per minute.  

What's your target heart rate? 

Your target heart rate is the rate you need to maintain over a set amount of time to reach the energy level necessary to give your heart a good workout. The first step in finding the target heart rate that will maximize your cardiovascular exercise is determining your maximum heart rate. 

Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. Your target heart rate for moderate to vigorous exercise is about 50%–85% of your maximum heart rate. 

A general guide for averages by age is: 

• 20: 100–170 beats per minute 
• 30: 95–162 beats per minute 
• 35: 93–157 beats per minute 
• 40: 90–153 beats per minute 
• 45: 88–149 beats per minute 
• 50: 85–145 beats per minute 
• 55: 83–140 beats per minute 
• 60: 80–136 beats per minute 
• 65: 78–132 beats per minute 
• 70: 75–128 beats per minute 

How to give your heart a good workout

Start slowly. 
If you’re beginning an exercise program, aim for the lower end of your target heart rate zone, and then gradually build up intensity. If your heart rate is too high, take it easier. If it's too low, add some intensity and push yourself to get your heart rate closer to your target.

Try interval training. 
Interval training, which includes short bursts of 15–60 seconds of higher-intensity exercise, alternated with longer, less strenuous exercise, effectively increases cardiovascular fitness. Talk with your healthcare team before trying interval training, but it’s typically safe for those with existing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 

Take the "talk test." 
If you can carry on a conversation in brief sentences while exercising, you're probably in the moderate intensity range. You'll be breathing faster, developing a light sweat and feeling some muscle strain. If you're working at a vigorous intensity, you won't be able to say more than a few words without catching your breath. If you can sing while working out, you're probably in the low-intensity range, so step it up.

Xiaoke (Ken) Liu, M.D., Ph.D., Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse, Wisconsin

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. I've read that it puts me at greater risk of stroke. Can you tell me more about this?

ANSWER: You may not have known you had atrial fibrillation (AFib) until your condition was discovered during a physical examination. For others, AFib can have life-altering symptoms that affect their ability to perform daily activities.

Atrial fibrillation is a common type of heart rhythm disorder where the heart doesn't beat efficiently. This makes the heart unable to pump enough blood out to the body with each heartbeat. It’s estimated 12.1 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with AFib by 2030.

Lowering stroke risk

People with AFib are at a higher risk of stroke — about 1 in 7 strokes are AFib related — due to clots that can form in the upper chambers of the heart. Of the strokes resulting from atrial fibrillation, 90% occur from clots originating in the left atrial appendage in the left atrium of the heart.

Key risk factors for stroke in people with atrial fibrillation include:

• Age
• Gender
• High blood pressure
• Prior history of stroke
• Chronic health conditions, including congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and diabetes

Treating AFib

There are three main approaches to treating AFib. These are:

• Medical therapy for maintaining normal rhythm and preventing clots.
• Therapy to reset the heart rhythm, called cardioversion.
• Procedures to obtain and maintain normal heart rhythm. 

Medications.

Medications for treating AFib are the front line for managing symptoms and preventing stroke. These medicines can:

• Prevent blood clots.
• Control the speed of the heartbeat.
• Restore the heart rhythm.

This group of medications includes beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin, arrhythmics and anticoagulants. Your cardiology team will work together to determine which medication will work best for you.

Cardioversion.

Cardioversion is usually done in a hospital as a scheduled procedure. Patients may still need to take medicines for the rest of their lives to control their heart rhythm and prevent future episodes of atrial fibrillation. Even with medicine, AFib could return.

Procedural options.

People who are candidates for procedural options are cared for by a team of cardiologists, including cardiac electrophysiologists and additional specialists as needed. Potential procedures include:

• Left atrial appendage occlusion. The left atrial occlusion is a pouch-like extension of the heart. A minimally invasive procedure provides an alternative to long-term blood-thinner medications. It involves implanting a device, via a catheter, to close and seal off the left atrial appendage. This decreases the risk of blood clots entering the bloodstream, traveling to the brain or other body organs, and causing a stroke or organ damage. Patients typically leave the hospital the same day or the next day.

• Ablation. Ablation stops the generation of abnormal electrical signals in the heart and keeps it in normal, or sinus, rhythm. During ablation, a catheter is fed into the heart through the groin area using a minimally invasive approach and delivers heat or cold to modify the tissues in the heart that are causing the arrhythmia.

• Pulsed field ablation (PFA). PFA stands out from traditional atrial fibrillation (AFib) treatments due to its precision and safety. Unlike radiofrequency or cryoablation, which use heat or cold to destroy heart tissue, PFA uses short electrical pulses to target the myocardium, minimizing damage to the esophagus and nerves.

Benefits to patients include:

• Reduced procedure and anesthesia time
• Quicker recovery time
• Surrounding tissue protection

• Hybrid ablation. For people who have long-standing, persistent atrial fibrillation, ablation alone is successful half of the time. Hybrid ablation is an option for people with atrial fibrillation that's hard to manage or who have been in atrial fibrillation for more than a year. It combines the best of the catheter lab ablation and an open surgical approach.

The procedure is done in two parts:

• Part one is performed by surgeons with a scope inserted through a small incision under the breastbone to ablate the back side of the heart, followed by closure of the left atrial appendage.
• During part two, a catheter ablation modifies the tissues on the inside of the heart.

This whole-heart approach allows patients to return to normal rhythm with excellent results.

Vaibhav Vaidya, M.B.B.S., Gurpreet Singh, M.B.B.S., and Nishant Saran, M.B.B.S., Cardiology, Mayo Clinic Health System, Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — A new discovery by Mayo Clinic researchers could mean more donor hearts are available for heart transplant, giving more people a second chance at life.

In findings published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, a team led by Mayo Clinic cardiac surgeon Paul Tang, M.D., Ph.D., identified a biological process that contributes to donor heart injury during cold storage. The researchers found that a drug already used to treat heart conditions can prevent this damage.

Heart transplantation is the most effective treatment for end-stage heart failure, yet fewer than half of donor hearts are ultimately used. One major reason is the relatively short window for transplanting a donated heart into a patient, due to concerns over low donor heart function that comes from leaving a heart in cold storage too long.  

Why donor hearts deteriorate in cold storage

Although cold storage slows metabolism and helps preserve tissue, prolonged exposure to cold storage conditions can lead to molecular changes that compromise how well the heart performs after transplant. One complication is called primary graft dysfunction, in which the transplanted heart cannot pump blood effectively after surgery. This may affect up to 20% of recipients to varying degrees.

To investigate why this damage occurs, the researchers focused on a protein inside heart cells called the mineralocorticoid receptor, which plays a role in how cells respond to stress. During cold storage, they found that this protein undergoes a process in which the protein clumps together in a way that harms the heart cells, called liquid-liquid phase separation. This process promotes cardiac damage from increased inflammation and cell death, making the heart less likely to function well after transplant.

Preventing damage with a common drug

To test whether the process could be prevented, the researchers treated donor hearts with a drug called canrenone, which blocks mineralocorticoid receptor activity. In human donor hearts stored beyond the typical timeframe, treatment with the drug nearly tripled their pumping strength compared to hearts stored without it. The hearts also showed better blood flow and fewer signs of cell injury. The findings suggest canrenone may help extend the safe storage period for donor hearts by improving the heart’s pumping strength to increase chances of a successful transplant.

"As a cardiovascular surgeon, I’ve personally experienced in the operating room how every additional hour of preservation can impact the likelihood of whether a donor heart can return to normal function after transplantation," Dr. Tang says. "This discovery may give us a new tool to preserve heart function for longer during storage, improve transplant outcomes and enhance patient access to lifesaving transplants."

The study's findings also have the potential to improve the preservation of other transplantable organs. Similar protein clustering was observed in donor kidneys, lungs and livers during cold storage. This suggests that the same strategy may help expand transplant options across multiple organ systems.

Mayo Clinic collaborated with the University of Michigan on this research. Review the study for a complete list of authors, disclosures and funding. 

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About Mayo Clinic 
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news. 

Media contact:  

• Susan Murphy, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

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Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (1:00) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Preventing a stroke is a crucial aspect of healthcare, as about 80% of all strokes are preventable. The focus is on managing risk factors to reduce the long-term risk of stroke.

A stroke results from a blocked or torn blood vessel that decreases blood flow to the brain. In the U.S., stroke is a leading cause of death and disability.

“Because about 80% of all strokes are preventable, we really focus on prevention,” says Dr. Stephen English, a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

Preventing stroke risks

Tips for lowering stroke risk include maintaining blood pressure under 130/80 and keeping cholesterol and blood glucose at appropriate levels.

"(Other modifiable risks include) things like smoking cessation, treatment of sleep apnea with a CPAP device, and some other potential treatments," he says. "We want to make sure that the risk factors are mitigated to help reduce the long-term risk of stroke."

There are risk factors for stroke that cannot be changed. These include age, sex, race and family history. “There are four nonmodifiable risk factors we typically think about. The first is age, so age greater than 55; males; people that have a family history of prior stroke; and then people that are of African American descent,” says Dr. English.

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My husband and son are constantly coming home with an energy drink in hand. I tell them that they are bad for you, but I don't know enough to make a strong case. What are the effects of energy drinks on the body?

ANSWER: Energy drinks are a multibillion-dollar industry and are the most consumed supplement not under the control of the Food and Drug Administration other than multivitamins. It's a bit like the "Wild West" in the sense that energy drinks and their stimulating ingredients are under no FDA regulation and are not classified as a food or a drug but as a supplement. 

Energy drinks contain ingredients such as caffeine, taurine and guarana that affect the heart, the heart's electrical system and the heart's muscular pump. When our bodies react to these chemicals, the heart rate and blood pressure can change. The heart's recharging of the electrical system can be affected by these chemicals. For most people with a healthy heart, the consumption of an energy drink would have no serious impact on our health. However, if you have a genetic heart condition that predisposes you to sudden cardiac death, exposure to an energy drink may not be as harmless. 

People with underlying genetic heart disease or adults with coronary artery disease or weaker heart pumps can be more vulnerable to the chemicals in energy drinks. About one in 200 people have a sudden death-predisposing genetic heart disease, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, long QT syndrome, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. A healthy heart can handle caffeine in moderation, but a fragile heart may not be able to. 

Consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is safe for most adults — some energy drinks contain over half this amount in a single can. Depending on the age of your son, he may need to stay under 100 mg of caffeine per day, which is the recommended amount for adolescents ages 12-18. 

In addition to heart risk, studies have suggested an increased risk of stroke with energy drink consumption. Long-term exposure to these substances over time affects how the blood vessels and heart react to the chemicals. Our blood vessels that control our blood pressure are reacting to these chemicals, and the potential reason behind stroke risk is the tightening of our blood vessels. 

For the 199 out of 200 people who have a healthy heart and who do not have a genetic heart disease, energy drink consumption in moderation is safe. However, you might want to ask yourself: Can you go three days without it? If not, you may be experiencing some dependency on the chemicals in the energy drink. Heavy caffeine consumption can cause physical and psychological dependence, restlessness and insomnia. 

Overall, there is very little health value to energy drinks. Listen to your body — Are they making you feel shaky or causing you to experience withdrawals? Can you be satisfied with your morning coffee or tea instead? 

There is a lot of room for future research on these beverages. Consuming the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong person is a setup for the perfect storm. Caffeine may also interact with a person's medications. Tell your healthcare team that you are consuming energy drinks and the unregulated supplements they contain, and you can decide together what the right choice is for you. — Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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Mayo Clinic Healthcare cardiologist shares tips to safely get your blood pumping again

LONDON — Around the world, people are starting to engage in outdoor activities after a winter spent largely indoors and perhaps with less physical activity than during more temperate seasons. In other climates, people may be starting an indoor, less-active time. Gosia Wamil, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London, offers five tips to protect your heart when you spring into action after a sedentary period.  

It may be tempting to immediately move garden equipment and furniture out of storage, start a landscaping project, go on a long hike or engage in other physically demanding activities that were on hold due to poor weather.

"Spring is a great time to reconnect with nature and enjoy movement, but it’s vital to respect your body’s limits," Dr. Wamil says. "Even light daily activity can have meaningful benefits for heart health. Consistency matters more than intensity."

Busy lifestyles and, for many people, long days spent working at a desk, compound seasonal challenges that may mean less activity. Together, the lack of movement may decondition your body, requiring a bit of time before you return to more optimal shape. Stress can further compound demands on the heart.

Dr. Wamil's first tip: Ease into physical activity gradually.

"After a long season of reduced activity, it's important not to jump straight into strenuous tasks," she explains. "Start with light activities like walking or gentle stretching and gradually build up intensity. This helps reduce the risk of injury or sudden cardiac stress."

2. Warm up before and cool down after physical activity.

"Whether you’re gardening or going for a hike, taking five to 10 minutes to warm up prepares your muscles and heart for the activity ahead," Dr. Wamil says. "A proper cooldown helps your body return to baseline and prevents dizziness or blood pressure drops."

3. Listen to your body — and don’t ignore warning signs.

"If you feel chest discomfort, unusual shortness of breath, dizziness, or palpitations, stop immediately and seek medical attention," Dr. Wamil advises. "These symptoms could signal a heart problem, especially in people who haven’t been active for a while."

4. Stay hydrated and dress appropriately for the weather.

"Dehydration and overheating can put extra strain on the heart, especially in older adults," Dr. Wamil says. "Wear layers you can remove as you warm up, and drink water regularly even if you don’t feel thirsty."

5. If you have known heart disease or risk factors, talk to your doctor before starting a new physical-demanding activity.

"People with high blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of heart conditions should check in with their healthcare provider before beginning more vigorous outdoor tasks," explains Dr. Wamil, whose tools to diagnose a variety of heart diseases include cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI). "A tailored plan can keep you safe and active."

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About Mayo Clinic Healthcare
Mayo Clinic Healthcare, located in London, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mayo Clinic, a not-for-profit academic medical center. Mayo Clinic is top ranked by U.S. News & World Report in more specialties than any other hospital for a reason: quality of care. Mayo Clinic Healthcare is the U.K.'s front door to that unparalleled experience. Visit Mayo Clinic Healthcare for more information.

Media contact:

• Sharon Theimer, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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ROCHESTER, Minn. — Every year, some mothers die after giving birth due to heart problems, and many of these deaths could be prevented. The ability to screen for heart weakness before pregnancy could play a crucial role in identifying women who may need additional care to improve pregnancy outcomes. Mayo Clinic researchers, led by Anja Kinaszczuk, D.O., and Demilade Adedinsewo, M.D., tested artificial intelligence (AI) tools, using recordings from an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a digital stethoscope, to find unknown heart problems in women of childbearing age seen in primary care.   

Study findings published in the Annals of Family Medicine show high diagnostic performance of these technologies to detect left ventricular ejection fraction below 50%, indicating heart muscle weakness. These tools were tested on two groups of women aged 18 to 49.  

• Group 1: 100 women already scheduled for an echocardiogram (the best test to evaluate heart muscle function). They also had a standard clinical ECG and digital stethoscope recording of the heart’s electrical activity and heart sounds.  

• Group 2: 100 women seen for routine primary care visits to see how often the AI tools would find heart problems.   

The AI-ECG demonstrated an area under the curve (AUC) of .94 while the AI digital stethoscope, Eko DUO, achieved an even higher AUC of 0.98, indicating strong diagnostic accuracy. In the second cohort, the prevalence of positive AI screening results was 1% for the AI-ECG and 3.2% for the AI-stethoscope. 

"Statistically, nearly half of pregnancies in this country are unplanned, and approximately 1% to 2% of women may have heart problems they don't know about. Our research findings suggest that these AI tools could be used to screen women before pregnancy, allowing for improved pregnancy planning and risk stratification, early treatment, and better health outcomes which addresses a critical gap in current maternal care," says Dr. Adedinsewo, a cardiologist and senior author of the study.  

This research builds upon earlier published studies, including a pilot prospective study evaluating AI digital tools to detect pregnancy-related cardiomyopathy among obstetric patients in the U.S. and a pragmatic randomized clinical trial of women in Nigeria who were pregnant or had recently given birth. Collectively, this research highlights the potential of AI to modernize cardiovascular screening, enabling earlier identification and management of heart muscle weakness in women of reproductive age. Further research is underway to explore the potential of using these technologies to screen for heart weakness in broader populations.  

Mayo Clinic has licensed the underlying technology to EKO Health for its digital stethoscope with embedded ECG electrodes and to Anumana for the 12-lead ECG. Mayo Clinic and some study authors have a financial interest in this technology. Mayo Clinic will use any revenue it receives to support its not-for-profit mission in patient care, education and research. 

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About Mayo Clinic 
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education and research, and providing compassion, expertise and answers to everyone who needs healing. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network for additional Mayo Clinic news.  

Media contact: 

• Terri Malloy, Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu 

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Hailing from the historic town of Natchitoches, Louisiana, Roderick Baptiste has spent the last 17 years in Columbus, Georgia. His journey, marked by unexpected health challenges, began to unfold when he moved to Georgia in 2008. During a routine visit to his local primary care physician, an underlying heart issue and high blood pressure were discovered. This led to a diagnosis of congestive heart failure and stage 3 kidney failure.

The path to Mayo Clinic

For several years, Roderick made efforts to manage his condition. "I was treated and was being sustained with changes in medications and many prayers," says Roderick. "In August of 2014, my cardiologist referred me to Mayo Clinic in Florida, and this began my Mayo Clinic experience." At that time, his heart function had declined to a mere 10% ejection fraction, a measurement of the heart’s ability to pump oxygen-rich blood to the body.

The waiting game

Life took a slower pace in 2014 as daily activities became increasingly challenging. "Walking, talking, and normal, day-to-day routines slowly became more and more difficult to manage on my own," says Roderick. By August 2019, he had entered total kidney failure and required dialysis. Despite being listed for a heart and kidney transplant in December 2014, the wait extended for five long years, filled with monthly travels to Mayo Clinic for testing and assessments. Spring of 2019 brought multiple hospital admissions, and by December, his health had significantly deteriorated. In January 2020, Mayo Clinic admitted Roderick as an inpatient until a transplant could be performed. After a 23-day wait, he received a new heart and kidney on Feb. 22, 2020.

A connection beyond surgery

Six months after his transplant, Roderick reached out to his donor's family. His donor's mother responded, and since then, they have built a strong relationship, maintaining contact through visits, phone calls, texts and video conferencing.

Living his best life

Today, Roderick says he feels amazing, living his best life with no health issues to report. His story is a testament to the lifesaving effect of organ donation and transplantation. To those considering becoming organ donors, Roderick offers heartfelt encouragement: "If you check the box as a donor, you could help save so many lives."

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DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My friend swears by intermittent fasting since her recent weight loss. I know it works for some people, but is it actually healthy? 
 
ANSWER: Although it may appear to be a new trend, intermittent fasting has been popular for over 1,500 years. While we know that it works for some people to lose weight, the reality is that whether or not it helps organs such as the heart is still to be determined. Early research presented at a recent scientific meeting suggested that intermittent fasting might be harmful or risky in general. It showed that people practicing intermittent fasting are twice as likely to die from heart disease or die in general than those who don't practice. 
 
The main problem is that intermittent fasting is not standardized. There are many ways to do intermittent fasting. Over the past few decades, it has been popularized in the UK as "eat whatever you want for five days, then don't eat for two full days other than fluids and soups." People were losing weight, and from that point on, people started adapting to fasting in very different ways. Some people will restrict their time for eating to 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for example. The most common form of intermittent fasting I have seen is that people just skip breakfast.
 
Whether breakfast is "the most important meal of the day" is still under debate. Skipping breakfast historically hasn't been something necessarily healthy. It is not fully understood why, but there are numerous studies showing that people who skip breakfast have an increased risk for heart disease and other ailments. Early morning is the time when people have the most heart attacks. Part of the reason for that is the high-adrenaline state that occurs early in the morning. If you match that with no food, no calories at all, that might be the reason why studies show that people practicing intermittent fasting are not necessarily healthier or safer. I think that's important to keep in mind.
 
People who lose weight through intermittent fasting can benefit their overall health, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to continue forever. We have to consider many other factors when people don't have breakfast or other meals. Stress hormones go up, which may increase blood pressure and adrenaline, causing many changes in our system that might actually be more harmful than beneficial.
 
When patients ask if intermittent fasting is healthy, the response should be, "It all depends." If they start skipping dinner, having very light dinners or just trying not to have dinner too late, that's an excellent way to practice. Or perhaps having a very light lunch or skipping lunch altogether — just not necessarily going for too long with no food.
 
Studies show that having multiple small meals throughout the day versus just two big meals results in better cholesterol and many other positive changes in the metabolism. So, this idea of not having any food or calories for long periods of time is still under debate. Based on recent evidence, intermittent fasting is particularly unsafe for patients with heart disease or with a history of heart disease. Practicing intermittent fasting can be safer with supervision from your healthcare team. — Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
 

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