Heart & Circulation, features and articles | Educational Science

Aug 30, 2018

Heavy Metals May Pose Another Health Risk: Heart Disease

Heavy metals like arsenic and lead are known to be toxic in high doses, and some of these metals increase the risk of cancer. But now, a new meta-analysis draws attention to an underappreciated risk of heavy metal exposure: heart disease. The meta-analysis found that exposure to arsenic, lead, copper...

Sep 10, 2018

Blood Test Could Tell You What Time It Is In Your Body

Whether you're an early bird, a night owl or a functions-best-at-midday kind of person very much has to do with slight variations in your body's internal clock. But if you're unclear on what time it is inside your body, there might be a blood test one day that can tell...

Sep 25, 2018

These People Drank Their Own Blood — for Science!

In a new study, 16 volunteers went above and beyond in the name of a better diagnosis for inflammatory bowel disease: They drank their own blood. The vampire study reveals the limitations of a common method for diagnosing disorders like Crohn's disease. That method involves looking for a protein linked...

Oct 1, 2018

Drinking More Water Really Does Ward Off UTIs

This article was updated on Oct. 1, 2018. It was originally published on Oct. 6, 2017. Drinking an extra six glasses of water a day may reduce some women's risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to a new study. The study found that women who get frequent UTIs could...

Oct 2, 2018

A Woman Was Hit By a Wave at the Beach. It Ruptured One of Her Arteries.

A woman's beach vacation took an unexpected turn when she was hit so hard in the neck by a wave that it ruptured one of her arteries, according to a recent report of her case. The 60-year-old woman, who lives in Ireland, was vacationing at the beach when an ocean...

Oct 9, 2018

Cholesterol Levels: High, Low, Good & Bad

Cholesterol is a waxy material that is produced naturally by the liver. It protects the nerves, produces hormones and makes cell tissues, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. However, too much cholesterol can be a bad thing — which is why it's important to manage it and keep...

Oct 31, 2018

Man's Bloody Tears Were Caused by This Rare Condition

It sounds like a scary Halloween costume: a man with bloody tears pouring down his face. But for a man in Italy, such tears were the real thing, the result of a rare condition that causes people to cry blood. The 52-year-old man went to an emergency room after bloody...

Nov 5, 2018

'Broken-Heart' Syndrome Is Real. This Complication Makes It Deadly.

People who experience a rare condition known as broken-heart syndrome need immediate medical attention, but often make a quick recovery. But the problem can be particularly deadly if these patients also develop a complication in which their heart can't pump enough blood to the body, a new study finds. What's...

Nov 10, 2018

Why Late-Night Eating May Hurt Your Heart

CHICAGO — Late-night meals may take a toll on heart health, a new study suggests. The research, presented here today (Nov. 10) at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions annual meeting, found that eating more later in the evening was associated with an increased risk of heart disease. People in...

Nov 11, 2018

These Plant Chemicals Could Help Your Heart's Health

CHICAGO — Drinking a cup of tea or eating a handful of berries a day may help protect against heart disease, a new study suggests. The research, presented here yesterday (Nov. 10) at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions annual meeting, found that daily consumption of small amounts of flavonoids...

Nov 11, 2018

Both Bacteria and Viruses Can Cause Pneumonia, But One Is Much Worse for the Heart

CHICAGO — Pneumonia caused by bacterial infections poses a much greater threat to the heart than pneumonia caused by viral infections, a new study suggests. Patients in the study who were diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia had a higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death, compared with patients diagnosed with...

Nov 20, 2018

Aspirin Can Help Your Heart. Omega-3s Might. But Together? Maybe Not.

Eating one tuna sandwich might increase the risk of heart disease in people also taking aspirin, but eating three tuna sandwiches and taking aspirin … might not. At least, that's according to new findings presented Nov. 10 at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions annual meeting. The findings have...

Dec 7, 2018

Man Coughs Up a Giant Blood Clot in the Shape of His Lung

Coughing up blood is an alarming symptom, but it's not particularly rare. Even so, one man in California shocked his doctors when he coughed up an unusual-looking blood clot: It was in the shape of his lung. The 36-year-old man was being treated for a serious heart condition, according to...

Jan 25, 2019

500-Year-Old Greenland Mummies Had Heart Disease, Scans Show

Five mummies lay entombed in ice in Greenland for some 500 years, their flesh, muscles and even their blood vessels sealed off from the vagaries of decay. Now, scientists have analyzed the mummies to find that some of them had arteries that were coated with plaque, a sign of atherosclerosis....

Jan 30, 2019

E-Cigarettes Linked to Heart Attacks, Strokes

Electronic cigarettes are often thought of as healthier than conventional cigarettes, but the jury's still out on their potential health risks. Now, a new study has found a link between e-cigarette use and an increased risk of stroke and heart attacks. The study analyzed information from about 400,000 Americans who...