Researchers at the Centre for Eye Research Australia think that an eye exam can help to diagnose patients who have heart disease. Their work indicates that looking at the condition of the blood vessels of the retina at the back of the eye can give doctors an idea about the condition of blood vessels in the brain, heart, and kidneys. The team is using computers to analyze thousands of images of eyes to determine whether this type of procedure can accurately indicate whether a person has heart disease. Finding people who are at high risk is important, since by the time the physical signs of heart disease are apparent, the individual has already sustained damage to their body. If a non-invasive test like this one can help to diagnose heart disease earlier, then that is all the more reason to ...

Here’s another reason why getting your flu shot is a good idea: Contracting influenza increases your risk of suffering a heart attack. During the flu season, the rate of heart attacks jumps up between 35-50 percent. Now that countries are taking the threat of H1N1 swine flu seriously (and they should), people who have heart disease should make sure that they get their flu shot once it becomes available. If British statistics are anything to go by, most people who are living with chronic heart disease don’t get a flu shot. In that country, only 47 percent of people who have this disorder, diabetes, or asthma actually got their shot. When the H1N1 flu shot becomes available in your area, go and get it. You may think it’s too much trouble or too time-consuming, but your heal...

What you choose to eat can play a part in lowering your cholesterol levels. Here are four cholesterol-reducing foods you should be eating: 1. Fish contains Omega-3 fatty acids that help to lower cholesterol levels. If you can’t or don’t want to eat two servings of mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna or salmon, you can get the benefits from taking Omega-3 supplements. 2. Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which helps to reduce the low-density cholesterol in the body. You can get the same health benefits by including apples, pears, prunes and kidney beans. 3. Walnuts and almonds contain polyunsaturated acids, which aid in keeping blood vessels healthy. A serving of an ounce or two each day will help to keep yours healthy. 4. Olive oil contains antioxidants. Including this food in...

You already know that your daily commute isn’t the most pleasant part of your day, but it can be harmful to your health as well. The results of a study conducted by the University of Michigan Health System show that being exposed to air pollution for a couple of hours causes blood pressure to increase. When a person is exposed to air pollution, the diastolic blood pressure (the low number on the BP reading) increases dramatically. The results of the study were published in Hypertension, which is published by the American Heart Association. The increase in systolic blood pressure may not affect a healthy person, but that’s not the case if you happen to be one of the 30 percent of people in North America who live with hypertension. Keep an eye on air pollution levels in your area...

If you are at a high level of risk for heart disease, you are in good company. Less than 10 percent of Americans are at a low level of risk for the disorder, according to the results of a new research study published in the medical journal Circulation. Only 7.5 percent of the population in the U.S. has none of the risk factors linked to heart disease: Smoking High cholesterol (more than 200 mg/dL) High blood pressure (above 120/80) Overweight or obese Diabetes Americans’ expanding waistlines are to blame for the lousy numbers. It’s true that smoking is less fashionable now than it was in the 1970s, but with the increasing numbers of people who are couch potatoes and the lower levels of physical activity in children, these numbers shouldn’t be all that surprising. ...

Fish is not only a good source of protein in your diet; eating it regularly can help to lower your risk of dying from a heart attack. The American Heart Association recommends that people eat one or two servings of fish every week to get the benefits that the Omega-3 fatty acids in fish provides. The unsaturated fatty acids contained in fish may lower your cholesterol levels, but that isn’t the main benefit to adding fish to your menu on a regular basis. The Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation in the body. Omega-3 also has other health benefits, including lowering triglycerides and blood pressure, reducing the instance of blood clots, and giving the body’s immune system a boost. Choosing fatty fish like salmon, herring, trout and tuna will give you the health benefi...

A Japanese research study has concluded that drinking two cups of green tea per day will reduce the risk of heart disease. Researchers from Okayama University worked with 12,000 study participants between the ages of 65-84. Each person was asked to fill out a questionnaire to answer questions about their diet, the amount of alcohol they drank, and whether they were smokers. The participants were followed for seven years. During that time, more than 1,200 of them died. When the researchers analyzed the questionnaires, they found the people who drank green tea regularly were less likely to have passed away during the time the study ran. When study participants drank between 420 ml and 560 ml each day, they were 75 percent less likely to die from heart or circulatory disease than people who d...

People who are depressed are more likely to have a heart attack, and people who have already had a heart attack are more likely to become depressed. According to the American Heart Association, between 15-20 percent of people who have had a heart attack become depressed. This figure is much higher than the national average of 6/7 percent. When a person who has already had a heart attack becomes depressed and the condition lasts for six months or more, their risk of dying within seven years doubles. A person in that state may not eat well or exercise regularly, which puts them at increased risk for a heart attack. They are also less likely to take their heart medication, which will lead to negative health consequences whether they are suffering from depression or not. All heart attack patie...

Angina is considered a warning sign of heart disease, but being diagnosed with this condition is not the same as suffering a heart attack. There are three types of angina that you need to be aware of: Stable Angina occurs when the heart doesn’t have access to the level of oxygen-rich blood that it needs. Each episode feels the same, and the patient experiences them when performing the same kinds of activities. Rest and/or medications are prescribed to relieve the symptoms. Unstable angina may be a precursor to a heart attack. It can be treated with medications, but the symptoms may worsen when the patient is at rest. Unstable angina is considered a medical emergency and prompt treatment at a hospital is required. Variant angina is not a common condition. It occurs when the blood flow...

Having skinny legs may increase your risk of heart disease. The results of a new study put a positive spin on having something more substantial than chicken legs. The results, which have been published in the September 4, 2009 edition of the British Medical Journal, state that there is a link between the circumference of a person’s thighs and their risk of heart disease (and dying at a young age). The study was conducted with 2,800 participants, who were all approximately 50 years of age. The risk of heart attack was double for those participants (male and female) with thighs measuring less than 22 inches (55 cm). People whose thighs measured between 22 and 24 inches (55-60 cm) had a certain level of protection against heart disease. Unfortunately, this protection isn’t present...