Diseases

People with rheumatoid arthritis have double the risk of suffering heart attacks or strokes and should be considered for treatment with statins and blood pressure drugs, rheumatology experts said on Friday.

A report by a medical task force to the annual congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Paris concluded the risk was comparable to that associated with type 2 diabetes, which is already an established cardiovascular risk factor.

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"The lesson is that if a problem with heat illness is suspected, asking someone if they are okay is not enough. In addition to high body temperature, the obvious signs of heat illness are red, hot and dry skin with little or no sweating, as well as a rapid strong pulse. A person with heat illness may start stumbling or appear less coordinated than usual. Ask the person if she or he has a headache, nausea or dizziness. Talk to them about a variety of topics to see if they exhibit symptoms of confusion.

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Doctors may want to give stroke victims antidepressants right away instead of waiting until they develop depression, a common complication, new research suggests.

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Those with erectile dysfunction were twice as likely as other men with diabetes to develop heart disease.

The root cause of both can be blood vessel damage caused by high blood sugar levels, the Chinese University of Hong Kong said.

Experts said men with erectile dysfunction should see their doctor.

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I was in Washington, D.C., recently with many of my closest friends celebrating the 20th anniversary of The Larry King Cardiac Foundation.

Flashback to the day in 1987 that my heart literally stopped. I was working at CNN from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. and for Mutual Broadcasting doing an overnight nationally syndicated radio show from midnight to 4 a.m.

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Exposure to small particulates - tiny chemicals caused by burning fossil fuels - is known to increase the chances of heart disease and stroke.

But the Harvard School of Public Health found it also affected development of deep vein thrombosis - blood clots in the legs - in a study of 2,000 people.

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Daily doses of statins and blood pressure medications will not be enough to prevent heart disease among the ever-growing number of Baby Boomers who are overweight or obese, a new study suggests.

The simple truth, experts say, is that pounds must also be shed to keep cardiovascular trouble away.

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A new study of more than 5,000 men calls into question the idea that baldness can signal a greater risk of heart disease.

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Stay Calm
Meditating for 20 minutes a day can lower systolic blood pressure by five points and diastolic pressure by 2.8 points, according to a recent study in Current Hypertension Reports. To reap the same benefits, sit comfortably, close your eyes, and slowly repeat a peaceful mantra, such as the classic ohm or simply calm.

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Patients who had an additional stent implanted as emergency treatment for their stent thrombosis were at an increased risk for cardiac death or recurrent thrombosis, Dutch researchers said on Saturday.

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A common new technology for monitoring defibrillators is vulnerable to hacking and even to reprogramming that could stop the devices from delivering a lifesaving shock, according to research to be released Wednesday.

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A four-monthly jab may one day replace the need to regularly take pills to control blood pressure, scientists say.

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Middle-aged non-drinkers can quickly reduce their risk of heart disease by introducing a daily tipple to their diet, South Carolina researchers say.

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One in seven strokes among Chinese men is due to cigarette smoking, researchers in China and the United States said citing a large-scale study that identified the habit as a major risk factor.

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For those who had a habit of nodding off, the risk of stroke was two to four times higher than for those who never fell asleep in the day, a study found.

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