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All Heart Health Special Reports

What You Should Know About C-Reactive Protein

One of the key markers for measuring heart attack risk has been elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. But heart experts are now all too aware that approximately half of the people who develop coronary heart disease (CHD) actually have normal or near normal LDL cholesterol levels. What's going on? In this article from the Johns Hopkins Heart Bulletin, Dr. Roger S. Blumenthal, Director of the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of… More...

Ways to Boost Your HDL Cholesterol

By now we all know that LDL cholesterol is the 'bad' cholesterol and HDL is the 'good' one. High levels of HDL – above 40 mg/dL if you are a man and 50 mg/dL if you're a woman – can help to protect your heart. In this article, Johns Hopkins cardiologists review essential lifestyle measures to boost your HDL levels and stay heart healthy. … More...

The Best Screening Tests for People Without Symptoms of Heart Disease

By now, everyone is familiar with the cholesterol and blood pressure measurements that doctors use to gauge heart risks. But a number of newer screening methods -- from blood tests to noninvasive imaging techniques -- are also available to spot heart trouble ahead. Here's a breakdown of the traditional ways doctors predict your likelihood of heart problems and which additional tests you might -- or might not -- want to consider. More...

When Atherosclerosis Strikes in the Legs

When we hear the word 'atherosclerosis,' the buildup of plaques in the arteries, we usually think about the heart or the brain. After all, plaques in the arteries of these organs hinder blood flow and can trigger a heart attack or stroke. But when atherosclerosis is present in these parts of the vascular system, chances are it's lurking throughout, including the peripheral arteries that supply blood to the legs. In this article, Johns Hopkins' cardiologists… More...

The New Blood Lipid Tests -- Sizing Up LDL Cholesterol

Studies show that people whose LDL cholesterol is made up of predominantly small, dense particles have a threefold greater risk of coronary heart disease. And now there are tests to measure LDL particle size. Should you talk with your cardiologist about these tests? You probably know by now that low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the 'bad' kind that causes heart attacks. But did you realize that LDL particles come in all shapes and sizes? Scientists have… More...

Preventing Heart Disease in Women – Updated Guidelines

In 1999 the American Heart Association (AHA) reacted to the mountain of research showing that cardiovascular disease may affect women somewhat differently than men by publishing the first Evidence-based Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women. Since then, the guidelines have helped physicians establish preventive strategies for their female patients. The recently updated 2007 heart health guidelines include some new information that you may want to discuss with your doctor. More...

Heart Glossary

The Heart Glossary is derived from both Johns Hopkins heart-related White Papers, Heart Attack Prevention, and Coronary Heart Disease. More...

Unclogging Carotid Arteries: Stents or Surgery?

Bruce Perler, M.D., Director, Division of Vascular Surgery at Johns Hopkins discusses risks and benefits of carotid endarterectomy versus carotid stenting. Carotid artery stenosis is marked by the buildup of fatty deposits in two large arteries, the carotids, that run up either side of the neck and carry blood to the brain. A significant blockage in the carotid arteries could eventually choke off the brain’s blood supply and trigger a stroke. You may have been diagnosed… More...

Controlling Cholesterol -- Is There a 'Best' Drug?

Lifestyle measures are typically considered the first step and the cornerstone for preventing heart attacks—and they may be all that are needed. But if they fail to adequately control cholesterol levels and high blood pressure (usually within three to nine months), medication is often recommended in addition to lifestyle changes. More...

Alcohol and Heart Attacks -- Does a Drink a Day Lower Your Risk?

Consuming one or two alcoholic drinks a day is associated with a reduced heart attack risk. Alcohol may lower the chance of a heart attack through many mechanisms. Most important is its effects on HDL (or “good”) cholesterol. Moderate drinking increases HDL by about 12%. More...

Surgery for Heart Disease: Angioplasty vs. Bypass Surgery

The pain of angina, usually experienced in the chest, is caused by a shortage of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle due to partial blockage of a coronary artery. The two goals in treating angina symptoms are to decrease the heart’s demand for oxygen and to increase its blood supply. More...

Exercising Safely After a Heart Attack

Exercise can be a frightening proposition in the aftermath of a heart attack. Many survivors worry that stressing the heart—a muscle that has already been injured by the heart attack—will trigger a second episode. As little as a decade ago, doctors shared these fears and counseled their heart attack patients to avoid exercise. More...

Detecting and Treating Heart Disease in Women

With regard to their hearts, men and women are similar in one important way: For both, heart disease is the No. 1 killer. In fact, heart disease claims approximately 500,000 women’s lives a year in the United States—nearly one death every minute. Most heart attacks and heart-related deaths occur in women over age 65, but each year more than 9,000 women under age 45 suffer a heart attack. Women who survive the More...

Apo B -- A Better Marker for Heart Attack Risk Than LDL Cholesterol?

A high level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol is an important risk factor for a heart attack. Yet about half of the people who develop coronary heart disease have normal or even low LDL cholesterol levels. Some research suggests that a component of LDL—called apolipoprotein B, or apo B—may be more accurate at predicting coronary heart disease. More...

When Heart Disease Strikes -- New Tests for Assessing Chest Pain

The first few minutes a patient with chest pain spends in the emergency department are critical because prompt diagnosis and treatment can limit or even prevent heart damage. However, diagnosis is not always easy, especially for people with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS)—a term that includes both unstable angina and a type of heart attack marked by the absence of ST-segment elevation on an electrocardiogram (ECG). More...

How Not To Have a Heart Attack

Some risk factors for heart attack cannot be changed. These include age (coronary heart disease increases with age, especially in men age 45 and older and women age 55 and older); gender (before age 50, heart disease is far more common in men than women—though after menopause, women’s risk increases); and heredity (you are at increased risk of a heart attack if you have a father or brothers who experienced a heart attack before age 55 or a mother or sisters who had a heart attack before age 65. More...

2009 Coronary Heart Disease White Paper
Discusses four problems resulting from coronary heart disease: heart attacks, angina, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure. Read more...

2009 Heart Attack Prevention White Paper
Focuses on lifesaving strategies for preventing a first heart attack, with up-to-date information on both established and newly discovered risk factors for heart attack; screening tests that can detect a problem before a heart attack occurs; lifestyle measures and medications that can dramatically lower your risk. Read more...

Johns Hopkins Recipes for a Healthy Heart
Over the years. research has shown us that diet and exercise play an important role in the prevention of heart disease. Read more…

2009 Diabetes White Paper
Shows you how to manage your diabetes and avoid complications such as foot problems and vision changes. Read more...

2009 Hypertension and Stroke White Paper
Explains how to treat your high blood pressure and prevent it from harming your health. Read more...

The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter: Health After 50

Reference Books

The Johns Hopkins Medical Guide to Health After 50

Johns Hopkins Symptoms and Remedies

The Johns Hopkins Consumer Guide to Drugs

Health Topic Pages

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Please send me the Johns Hopkins Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Heart

The Johns Hopkins Hospital has been ranked #1 again in the Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals by
U.S. News and World Report for the 18th consecutive year.

Please send me the Johns Hopkins Cookbook:
Recipes for a Healthy Heart