heart attacks

It's heart month, so let's kick it off with this Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minute about aspirin and heart attacks. To listen, [...]

As the National Weather Service pays close attention to a major winter storm approaching much of eastern part of the United [...]

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Added sugar: Don't get sabotaged by sweeteners Added sugar can contribute unwanted calories and aggravate health concerns. See where it may be lurking in your diet and how to cut back. Telehealth: When health care meets cyberspace From researching treatment options to emailing your doctor, see how technology can help you better manage your health. EXPERT ANSWERS White whole-wheat bread: Is it nutritious? White whole-wheat bread may make it easier to add whole grains to your diet. Can vitamins help prevent a heart attack? There's mixed evidence on whether vitamins can prevent heart disease. Find out more. HEALTHY RECIPES Asparagus, tomato and red pepper French bread pizza Broccoli cheddar bake English cucumber salad with balsamic vinaigrette Poached pears HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK Prevent night leg cramps Nighttime leg cramps often strike just as you're falling asleep or waking up. To prevent these involuntary contractions of your leg muscles, usually in the back of your lower leg, stretch your legs before you climb under the covers. Wear shoes with proper support. Untuck the covers at the foot of your bed. And drink plenty of fluids during the day. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

Dear Mayo Clinic: Is it true that heart attacks are more common around the holidays? If so, why is that? What can people do to lower their risk? Answer: Heart attacks, along with heart problems in general, are more common around the holidays. Various factors can play into this, including stress, travel, changes in diet and disrupted schedules. Fortunately, many self-care steps can help keep your heart healthy. One of the biggest challenges this time of year is healthy eating. For people with heart problems, choosing a heart-healthy diet amid an abundance of holiday foods can be daunting. But not straying too far from your normal diet is important. Keep portion sizes reasonable and limit fatty foods. Eating too much can lead to chest pain or shortness of breath in some people with heart problems. Drink small amounts of alcohol, if any, as alcohol can raise your risk for heart rhythm problems and heart attack. Men should not drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day. Women should not have more than one.

Mayo Clinic researchers have found a way to resynchronize cardiac motion following a heart attack using stem cells. Senior author of the study Andre Terzic, M.D., Ph.D., says, "The discovery introduces — for the first time — stem cell-based ‘biological resynchronization’ as a novel means to treat cardiac dyssynchrony."

Scientists implanted engineered stem cells, also known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, into damaged regions of mouse hearts following a heart attack. This regenerative approach successfully targeted the origin of abnormal cardiac motion, preventing heart failure. The findings appear in the September issue of  The Journal of Physiology.

Click here for news release Journalists: Soundbites with Dr. Terzic are available in the downloads. Sound bites with first author, Satsuki Yamada, M.D.,Ph.D., are also in the downloads including b-roll of her explaining the post-infarction progression slide above. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ZiKdOk7eM&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

Smoke-free work policies are more and more common, but do they help?  Dr. Richard Hurt provides some findings from a recent [...]

    On Saturday, July 20, Charanjit Rihal, M.D., will join us to talk about coronary artery disease. Many people suffer [...]

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Is it true that heart attacks are more common around the holidays? If so, why is that? What can people do to lower their risk?   ANSWER: Heart attacks, along with heart problems in general, are more common around the holidays. Various factors can play into this, including stress, travel, changes in diet and disrupted schedules. Fortunately, many self-care steps can help keep your heart healthy.  One of the biggest challenges this time of year is healthy eating. For people with heart problems, choosing a heart-healthy diet amid an abundance of holiday foods can be daunting. But not straying too far from your normal diet is important.