If you've had a heart attack or stroke, you might want to avoid ultra-processed foods, new research suggests.

The study found that a high intake of such foods significantly increases the risk of another heart attack or stroke, and it's more likely to be fatal. This was true even in people following what seems to be a heart-healthy diet.

Ultra-processed foods are made in part or enti...

Folks who've had a clogged artery reopened probably can stop taking blood thinners sooner than previously thought, a new study argues.

Patients are regularly prescribed blood thinners for a year or more after angioplasty. This is to make sure that blood doesn't clot inside the metal stent that now holds their artery open. That could cause a heart attack or stroke.

But heart doctors ...

A fatal heart attack or stroke is often the first indication of heart disease in middle-aged smokers, according to a new study.

It also found that heart disease is the leading complication among smokers when compared with deaths from other causes -- including lung cancer. In addition, smoking is associated with developing heart disease at a younger age and shortening a person's life by as...

Your daily cup of joe might be a quick pick-me-up, but it comes with a mixed bag of good and not-so-good effects on your health, a new study reports.

Drinking coffee helps people stay more active, but it also significantly robs some of sleep, researchers say.

And while java doesn't seem to cause irregular rhythms in the upper chamber of the heart, it can cause the lower chamber...

Urban air cleared during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns as fewer commuters hit the road daily, and that might have resulted in one unexpected heart health benefit for Americans, a new study suggests.

Those reductions in air pollution appear to be linked to a decrease in heart attacks during the shutdowns, according to research slated for presentation Saturday at the American Heart Associ...

Bypass surgery is slightly better overall than stenting to open blocked arteries in people with severe coronary artery disease, new research shows.

But decisions may still need to be made on a case-by-case basis: Stenting appeared more beneficial in some patients, particularly if they didn't have complex disease.

The findings should help guide decisions about which treatment is best...

ADHD medications are increasingly being prescribed to older adults, and they may cause a short-term spike in the risk of heart attack, stroke and arrhythmias, a large new study suggests.

Stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall, are commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But they are also increasingly being prescribed "off-label" to ol...

The number of people experiencing numbness, pins and needles, and burning pain in their feet and toes seems to be on the rise, new research suggests, and some of these folks may be at increased risk for heart trouble.

Exactly why there has been an uptick in "small fiber neuropathy" is not fully understood yet, but it could be due to the ongoing diabetes and obesity epidemic as both condit...

People who live in disadvantaged parts of the United States are nearly twice as likely to die young from heart disease as folks in the wealthiest locales, a new study reports.

In other words, your zip code can tell you as much or more about your heart health risk as your genetic code, said senior researcher Dr. Khurram Nasir, chief of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at Houston Meth...

The length of a woman's menstrual cycle as she nears menopause could reflect her future risk of heart disease, researchers report.

Some women's menstrual cycles become longer as they approach menopause, while others' cycles remain stable. This new study found that the women whose cycle increased in length two years before menopause had better measures of vascular health than those who had...

Most people shouldn't bother taking daily low-dose aspirin to reduce their risk of a first heart attack or stroke, the nation's leading panel of preventive medicine experts announced Tuesday.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued a draft recommendation that essentially backs off its previous advice urging many folks to consider taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart di...

It's no secret that excess weight is bad for the heart. But a new study suggests that obese people who lose a substantial amount of weight may reverse the related cardiovascular risks.

Researchers found the odds for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol were similar in formerly obese Americans who were now at a healthy weight and people who had always had a healthy weight.

Di...

For people with diabetes who have a stroke, there may be an ideal blood sugar target to prevent another one or a heart attack, a South Korean study finds.

To determine average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months, the study team used the hemoglobin A1C test.

"We know that having diabetes may be associated with an increased risk of having a first stroke," said study a...

After a heart attack, a smartwatch app may help keep patients from being hospitalized again, researchers say.

The app helps patients keep track of medications and make lifestyle changes. It may also reduce rehospitalization in the month after discharge by half, according to a new report.

The American Heart Association says one in six heart attack patients returns to the hospital wit...

You remember the ad. It asked if you've "got milk?" and said that "milk does a body good."

So, does it? New research suggests it might.

In the study, people who consumed more dairy fat actually had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who drank or ate less dairy, CNN reported.

"Increasing evidence suggests that the health impact of dairy foods ma...

Younger women who undergo radiation for cancer in the left breast have a heightened risk of heart disease years later, a new study finds.

Among women who received radiation therapy for left-sided breast cancer, 10.5% developed coronary artery disease over the next 27 years, researchers found. That was close to double the rate among women who had radiation for tumors in the right breast.

A year of exercise training helped to preserve or increase the youthful elasticity of the heart muscle among people showing early signs of heart failure, a small study shows.

The new research, published Sept. 20 in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, bolsters the idea that "exercise is medicine," an important shift in approach, the researchers wrote.

The stu...

If the Alps or the Rockies are on your bucket list, check with your doctor first if you're at risk for cardiovascular disease.

New advice from the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests certain people take precautions before going to high altitude places.

These recommendations apply to folks with high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart rhythm abnormalities (arrhy...

Marijuana has been linked to a doubling in the risk of a heart attack in younger adults, no matter how they use it, a new study reports.

Eighteen- to 44-year-olds who used pot were twice as likely to have a heart attack compared with non-users, whether they smoked, vaped or ate their weed, researchers found.

"We found it wasn't only smoking that had this kind of effect. The effect s...

Feelings of despair and hopelessness can raise the odds of death in people battling heart disease, and new research suggests that where you live, as well as your marital status, can also play a role.

The study found that heart disease patients who lived in rural areas and were unmarried were more likely to feel hopeless.

"Because we know hopelessness is predictive of death in p...

Along with other dangers, the aftermath of Hurricane Ida could pose significant heart health risks.

Stress and trauma from the storm that slammed into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other states could increase heart risk, and the impact may be more significant for heart disease and stroke patients, the American Heart Association (AHA) warns.

For example, it may be more difficul...

The latest buzz on coffee? It may be good for your heart, a new, large study suggests.

Drinking light to moderate amounts -- up to three cups a day -- may lower the risk of stroke, fatal heart disease and all-cause death, researchers found.

"Regular coffee consumption of up to three cups per day is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and str...

The greener your neighborhood, the lower your risk of heart disease.

That's the takeaway from a new study, which reported that adding to a neighborhood's green space can have a big payoff for public health.

"For the cost of one emergency room visit for a heart attack, trees could be planted in a neighborhood with 100 residents and potentially prevent ten heart diseases," said study ...

Heart attack survivors could gain more than seven healthy years of life if they take the right medications and improve their lifestyle, new research estimates.

Unfortunately, studies have found, heart attack survivors rarely get optimal control over their risk factors.

The new research echoes that evidence: Of more than 3,200 patients, only 2% had their blood pressure, cholesterol a...

New research offers further evidence of a link between gum disease and heart disease.

The ongoing Swedish study previously found that gum disease ("periodontitis") was much more common in first-time heart attack patients than in a group of healthy people.

In this follow-up study, the researchers examined whether gum disease was associated with an increased risk of new heart problems...

The arteries of young people who drink stiffen sooner in their lives, which could increase their risk for heart disease and stroke later on, a British study reports.

People's arteries naturally become less elastic with age, but certain factors -- including alcohol and tobacco use -- can speed up the process. This study included more than 1,600 people in the United Kingdom. Their alcohol u...

Roaring, fast-moving blazes. Choking smoke. Fiery tornados. Thunderstorms and lightning.

The Dixie Fire -- now the single largest wildfire in California history -- continues to spread, having burned through more than 750 square miles of forest land north of Sacramento.

The astonishing spread of smoke from the fire, causing discomfort and illness to people hundreds or thousands of mi...

In a study conducted in Scandinavia, loss of height among middle-aged women was linked to an increased risk of early death from heart attack and stroke, researchers report.

Some loss of height goes along with aging, and previous studies have suggested it may boost the odds of death from heart disease.

While women tend to shrink more than men with age, height loss in women has not be...

Smoke from wildfires burning along the West Coast is choking the entire United States, reminding everyone of the hazards of climate change.

But that haze isn't just stinging your eyes and choking your breath -- it poses a direct threat to your health, experts say.

Wildfire smoke has been shown to increase risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as lung ailments like asthma, Ameri...