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ABC News' Sam Champion opens up about recent health scare

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:27:43 GMT

The weather anchor said he felt healthy before he talked to his doctor.

ABC News' Sam Champion returned to " Good Morning America " on Wednesday after undergoing an emergency heart procedure.

The weather anchor updated viewers on his health after undergoing a cardiac catheterization, a medical procedure used to diagnose and treat heart conditions, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

"I'm sitting here, I feel fine … but I did have an emergency procedure," he said, adding that he wanted to share his story to raise awareness about heart health and how others can start a conversation with their own doctors.

Women, the Mediterranean Diet and Strokes

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:12:35 GMT

ABC News' Dr. Tara Narula breaks down a new study that finds women who follow a Mediterranean diet will have a significantly lower risk of having a stroke.

Christopher 'Kid' Reid Reveals He Underwent Heart Transplant

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:11:09 GMT

Christopher "Kid" Reid, half of the hip-hop duo Kid 'n Play, is revealing he underwent a heart transplant, speaking about his health condition for the first time on " Good Morning America. "

The rapper, who first gained fame in the 1980s and 1990s alongside collaborator Christopher "Play" Martin, spoke with "GMA" co-anchor Michael Strahan in a segment airing Thursday, sharing he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure after an emergency room visit last July.

Reid said initially, he began experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath, which he said he attributed to getting older.

"I think sometimes you kinda just chalk it up to, you know, 'I'm gettin' older,' you know, 'The road is harsh,'" he said.

Eventually, when his symptoms intensified last summer, Reid said he visited an emergency room, where he received his diagnosis.

Reid said he was first given medication to treat the condition, but at a three-week follow-up appointment, his cardiologist grew concerned.

"He came in very swollen again, and that is a little unusual in somebody who's been started on treatment, for the swelling to come back that quickly," Erika Jones, Reid's cardiologist, told "GMA."

That evening, instead of flying across the country for a performance as Reid had planned, Jones urged him to stay put and ran additional bloodwork.

"The blood work confirmed my suspicion. It showed that his heart was failing, and it was starting to affect his other organs," Jones said.

Reid said he received a call a few hours after his appointment, urging him to go to the emergency room, where he was rushed to the ICU.

Reid was told by doctors that a heart transplant would be his only option, and he was placed on a transplant waitlist.

Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Laura Dichiacchio, one of Reid's doctors, told "GMA" that Reid was placed on the transplant waiting list because it was "a kind of life or death situation."

Dichiacchio described Reid as "warm" and "incredibly calm."

Reid said eight days after being placed on the transplant waitlist, he received a call with the welcome news that he would get a new heart the following evening. Reid said he arrived for the surgery, and seven hours later, he had a new heart.

Reid said he plans to cherish his second chance at life, saying, "This thing is ... a beautiful life. It's great. And, you know, I wanna be around for it."

He added that he hoped to inspire others, particularly people of color, to put their health first and seek medical attention when things don't feel right.

"A lot of times, we don't go because we don't want the bad news, or we too busy just hustlin', trying to make it from day to day," he said. "And we ... feel like we don't got time, or we'll get over it. Well, you might not."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the U.S., about 6.7 million adults aged 20 or older have heart failure, a condition that happens "when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs in your body."

The CDC cites hypertension, diabetes, and coronary artery disease as common risk factors for the disease.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, heart failure is a serious condition that requires medical care. Treatment can include heart-healthy lifestyle changes such as lower sodium intake, regular physical activity, and limited alcohol consumption, as well as medication, devices such as a pacemaker, and heart surgery or transplant.

Focusing on Women's Heart Health

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:50:51 GMT

Focusing on Women's Heart Health

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New Report Examines Kids' Screen Time and Health

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:52:24 GMT

Screen Time = Heart Disease?

ABC News' Dr. Tara Narula breaks down a new study that looks at the potential connection between kids frequently being on devices and developing heart disease.

Can Mammograms Detect Heart Disease?

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 14:29:50 GMT

Can Mammograms Detect Heart Disease?

ABC News ' Dr. Tara Narula explains how doctors at Northwell Health in New York are using mammograms to help identify women at risk for heart disease.

Report Reveals Rise In Heart Failure and Arrhythmias

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 16:29:10 GMT

ABC News' Dr. Tara Narula breaks down a new study showing that while deaths from heart attacks have dropped, heart failure and arrhythmias are on the rise.

Child Undergoes Breakthrough Heart Procedure

Tue, 20 May 2025 15:18:05 GMT

A child with a mechanical heart valve has received a living donor valve for the first time.

From GoodMorning America May 12, 2025

Strokes On The Rise In Young People

Mon, 12 May 2025 20:34:59 GMT

ABC News' Dr. Tara Narula shares what to know as doctors report seeing more strokes in patients under 45.

Could You Have Heart Disease Without Knowing It?

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 10:57:01 GMT

ABC News' Dr. Tara Narula explains the essential heart tests you should be getting now.

Duquesne Basketball Medical Staff Saves Father of 3 After Heart Attack

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:39:39 GMT

Ed Wesolowski collapsed at a Duquesne women’s basketball game in January. Then, the Duquesne basketball medical staff jumped into action to save Wesolowski's life.

1st Successful Open Heart Surgery Performed During Birth

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:32:20 GMT

" GMA " shares an exclusive story for American Heart Month about a groundbreaking procedure that involves open heart surgery on a baby while he was being born.

American Heart Association Releases New Report

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 19:50:37 GMT

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Key numbers to Know for a Healthy Heart

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 19:44:37 GMT

ABC News ' Dr. Tara Narula shares why knowing your numbers is key to preventing heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.

New Report Looks at Gender Gap and Heart Disease

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 17:35:19 GMT

ABC News' Dr. Jennifer Ashton has an exclusive look at the American Heart Association's dire call to address the 60 million women in the U.S. living with heart disease.

New Study Looks at Workplace Stress and Heart Health

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 17:29:25 GMT

ABC News ' Dr. Darien Sutton breaks down a new study that links high-stress jobs and an increased risk of heart problems.

Diets Heavy in Ultra-processed Foods Linked to Earlier Death: Study

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 12:29:22 GMT

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, July 1, 2024 ( HealthDay News ) -- People who eat more ultra-processed foods are more likely to suffer an early death, particularly from heart disease or diabetes, a new study warns.

Older adults who consume higher amounts of ultra-processed foods are about 10% more likely to die than those who eat less processed foods, over an average 23-year follow-up.

In particular, soft drinks and highly processed meats like hot dogs, sausages and deli cold cuts are “most strongly associated with mortality risk,” said researcher Erikka Loftfield, an investigator with the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

“Eating a diet low in these foods is already recommended for disease prevention and health promotion,” Loftfield added in an NCI news release.

Ultra-processed foods are made mostly from substances extracted from whole foods, like saturated fats, starches and added sugars.

These products also contain a wide variety of additives to make them more tasty, attractive and shelf-stable, including colors, emulsifiers, flavors and stabilizers.

Examples include packaged baked goods, sugary cereals, ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat products and deli meat.

For this study, researchers analyzed data from more than 540,000 people ages 50 to 71 regarding their eating habits and their health. The data was gathered in the mid-1990s; more than half of the participants have subsequently died.

Even after accounting for other health risk factors, researchers found that people who consumed the highest levels of ultra-processed food were more likely to die early than people who ate the least.

Ultra-processed food specifically increased the risk of death related to heart disease or diabetes, but not cancer.

“Our study results support a larger body of literature, including both observational and experimental studies, which indicate that ultra-processed food intake adversely impacts health and longevity,” Loftfield said.

“However, there is still a lot that we don’t know, including what aspects of ultra-processed foods pose potential health risks,” Loftfield added.

Researchers presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Chicago. Such research should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

SOURCE: American Society for Nutrition, news release, June 30, 2024

Study Focuses on Improving Benefits of Cardiac Rehab

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 20:24:23 GMT

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Exercise capacity is one of the most important markers of cardiovascular health, and now a local study is focused on improving the evaluation heart function.

Dr. Christos Mihos, with Mount Sinai Medical Center’s Heart Institute, is overseeing a study called “FIT-TWIST” to closely monitor the effects of a standard cardiac rehab program on patients who’ve had heart attacks.

“The heart is a muscle, just like any other muscle in our body. It’s the most complex muscle in our body and it moves in very intricate ways -- let’s say three dimensional ways -- and what we’re doing with this study is we’re saying, ‘OK, you’ve had a heart attack.’ We do an echocardiogram, which is just a basic ultrasound of the heart, but we apply very advanced modalities called speckle tracking and that allows us to visualize that three dimensional motions that we’re talking about,” Mihos said.

The goal is to tailor physical therapy to each individual patient.

The study was funded by the Florida Heart Research Foundation.

'GMA' Looks at Mitral Valve Prolapse Condition

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:38:31 GMT

In honor of Heart Health Month, we share the story of a mom who nearly died from a condition more commonly diagnosed in women while looking into the signs, symptoms and risk factors.
Goodmorning America

GROUNDBREAKING: Partial Heart Transplant Successfully Grows in Infant

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:57:51 GMT

"GMA" looks at a medical breakthrough of an infant who underwent the procedure at just 17 days old, and is healthy and doing well a year later.

WHO Sends Warning on High Blood Pressure Treatment

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 12:51:50 GMT

Are you receiving the right blood pressure treatment?

The World Health Organization reports that 4 out of 5 people with high blood pressure are not receiving adequate treatment. This is why heart disease education and resources are so important! See more here .

Mayo Clinic Hosts First Aid CPR and AED Training in Disproportionately Impacted Communities

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 12:46:14 GMT

Florida Heart is proud to fund this initiative with Mayo Clinic to decrease cardiac fatalities and lessen the disparity in African American communities.

(ABC 6 News) – According to Mayo Clinic, nearly 350,000 Americans suffer from cardiac arrest each year and almost 90% of them don’t survive.

Because of that, one Mayo Clinic doctor is using her platform to ensure communities suffering more frequently from cardiac arrests are better prepared.

Mayo Clinic associate professor, Dr. LaPrincess Brewer, says there’s a greater chance of suffering from cardiac arrests in the U.S. if you’re African-American, and that is why she is doing her part to lessen the disparity in African-American communities compared to their white counterparts.

Dr. Brewer decided she needed to offer more CPR training for African-American churches and community members following the sudden cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills safety, Damar Hamlin, on January 2, 2023. Many, including Dr. Brewer, were shocked at how this could happen to a 24-year-old professional athlete.

This lit a fire in Dr. Brewer to make sure that people understand how much more risky it is for African-Americans to go into cardiac arrest.

“I was immediately compelled to start this initiative for CPR training. I wanted to make sure that my community members were able to intervene in the case that this happened in the community,” said Dr. Brewer.

The community is learning from others as well, including two men who know firsthand just how dangerous cardiac arrest can be.

Bruce Wizik and Gene Johnson are survivors of cardiac arrests. It’s been over 15 years since they both experienced their own, now retiring from being school teachers to teach others about cardiac arrests.

They want communities across Minnesota to learn how they can save lives if they ever experience this life-saving emergency. They’re also putting the message out on how different a cardiac arrest is from a heart attack.

“So many people don’t know the difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest. A heart attack is a plumbing problem, and cardiac arrest is an electrical problem,” said Wizik.

“Another big thing about a heart attack is that you’re conscious. You’re conscious and aware. With sudden cardiac arrest you are not conscious, you are gone,” added Johnson.

Dr. Brewer has lost someone she loved after they suffered from cardiac arrest, and she wants to make sure no one else has to go through it.

“I’ve had family members that have had a cardiac arrest in the field and unfortunately they did not survive. So this is one other thing that is why I am doing this for the African-American community,” said Dr. Brewer.

See more here

How Alcohol Affects Your Heart

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:28:14 GMT

Alcohol use may cause an irregular heartbeat, raised blood pressure and more.

You likely know that drinking alcohol too often or to excess isn’t a good idea, health-wise. But when it comes to alcohol and heart health, you may have heard different sides. Is drinking all that bad for your heart? Can a glass of wine help reduce your risk of heart disease — or make it worse?

First things first: If you drink alcohol, you should do so in moderation to avoid alcohol-related heart issues. And you should never intentionally use alcohol to try to reduce your risk of heart disease.

To further explore the relationship between your ticker and your favorite glass of merlot or IPA, we chatted with cardiologist Leslie Cho, MD.

Ways alcohol can impact heart health

Here are some of the effects of alcohol on your heart:

Increased heart rate

One of the most important things your heart does is keep a rhythm. On average, a regular heart rate is about 60 to 100 beats per minute when your body is at rest. But alcohol can lead to your heart rate temporarily jumping up in speed, and if it goes over 100 beats per minute, it can cause a condition called tachycardia. Too many episodes of tachycardia could lead to more serious issues like heart failure or going into irregular rhythms, which can cause heart attack and stroke.

Raises blood pressure

That fourth drink at the bar may feel like it’s relaxing you, but it’s actually affecting your body differently than you might think. Alcohol can affect your blood pressure, causing it to go up temporarily. This is especially true when you engage in binge drinking (that’s defined as four or more drinks within two hours for women and people assigned female at birth, and five or more drinks within two hours for men and people assigned male at birth).

And sure, we’ve all had a night here or there where we’ve had one too many and we know it. But it’s important to make sure those nights of overindulgence are the exception and not the rule. If you’re not sure, make a note to tune into how much you’re having over the course of the next month or so. If it’s more than recommended, try to consciously pace your drinking to help reduce the spike in your blood pressure that excessive alcohol causes.

And if you have a history of high blood pressure, it’s best to avoid alcohol completely or drink only occasionally, and in moderation.

Irregular heartbeat

Whether it’s a glass of red wine with your turkey or toasting champagne for the new year, alcohol definitely becomes more present during the holiday season. And while enjoying celebratory spirits in moderation is alright for most people, it’s important to be aware you can fall victim to holiday heart syndrome if you overdo it. This is when overeating and overindulging in alcohol lead to an irregular heartbeat.

Holiday heart syndrome can happen if you don’t typically drink alcohol, but then have a few at a holiday party or if you binge drink. This can cause you to develop an irregular heartbeat, called atrial fibrillation, which can increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart failure.

Prolonged drinking can cause alcoholic cardiomyopathy

The short-term effects of alcohol (headache, nausea, you know the rest) are easy to pinpoint. But there are ways that alcohol affects your body over time that are important to understand. One of the long-term effects of alcohol on your heart is alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This is when your heart-pumping function gets weaker and your heart gets larger due to changes from heavy alcohol use over a long period of time.

OK, don’t panic. If you’re an occasional drinker, there’s no cause for worry. But it may be worthwhile learning about what counts as binge drinking and whether or not you may be drinking too much and don’t even know it.

Is some level of alcohol safe or beneficial?

It’s true, red wine is a better choice than hard liquor. But can a trip to the wine bar boost your heart health?

You should never consider wine or any other alcohol as a way to lower your heart disease risk. And, in fact, the study also showed that drinking one or fewer drinks per day was related to the lowest likelihood of dying from a stroke. However, Dr. Cho points out that more recent data shows that there may be no amount of alcohol that is truly safe. “The myth that wine is beneficial for heart health is no longer true,” she states.

“It’s not a good idea to start drinking alcohol in an effort to lower your risk of heart disease,” Dr. Cho continues. “It’s better not to drink any alcohol at all.”

The American Heart Association recommends the same.

Other factors to keep in mind

It’s also important to know that the ways in which alcohol affects your heart will vary from person to person, depending on your age and other conditions you may have.

Age

Let’s face it, a hangover in your mid-40s doesn’t feel the same as one in your early 20s. This is because your age plays a factor in how well you tolerate alcohol. While some people develop a tolerance to alcohol over time, this isn’t true for everyone — and this ability doesn’t last forever, Dr. Cho notes.

“As we get older, our ability to clear alcohol definitely decreases and our sensitivity to alcohol probably increases,” she explains. “Also as we get older, we end up having more diseases, so we could be on medicines that can interfere with the way our bodies metabolize alcohol.”

Other medical conditions

In many ways, your medical history (and present) can tell you a lot about your future with alcohol. That means, if you’re living with other medical conditions and/or taking certain medications, this will all have an impact on how alcohol affects you.

“Certain health conditions can make drinking alcohol more dangerous,” Dr. Cho says.

For example, some people who are on cholesterol-lowering medicines may experience muscle aches when they drink alcohol. Because alcohol and cholesterol medicine both are processed through your liver, they are, in a sense, competing for clearance. So, it’s important to think about your overall health and talk to a healthcare provider about your personal risk factors.

“Alcohol is made out of sugar,” Dr. Cho points out. “So, if you’re predisposed to diabetes or if high triglycerides are one of your issues, it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol.”

Dr. Cho also warns that if you have liver dysfunction or take other medicines that are processed through the liver, your risks might be different. Talk to your healthcare provider about how alcohol might interact with your prescription medicines.

The last thing you want is for that casual drink after work or glass of wine at dinner to negatively impact your heart health. There’s a way to have a healthy, balanced relationship with alcohol that lets you enjoy a drink occasionally and celebrate with friends and family. But your heart is an important organ that should also be cared for, so be sure to drink in moderation, learn about binge drinking and know what your body can (and can’t) tolerate before opening that tab.

Source: Cleveland Clinic

Risk Factors for Heart Disease: Don't Underestimate Stress

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 18:05:22 GMT

Stress causes all sorts of minor physical discomfort—think sweaty hands and an upset stomach. But it can also raise your risk of serious heart problems, says Johns Hopkins cardiologist Michael Blaha, M.D., M.P.H., who frequently offers his patients advice on how to keep stress from threatening their heart health.

Perhaps the most surprising part of the connection is that stress can pop up in many different scenarios—from relationships to “good” jobs to sporting events. And all can take a toll on your heart health.

Recognize Stress Sneaking In

Going through a divorce can be quite stressful, but until recently researchers didn’t know how long the health effects of that stress might last.

In a recent study that followed participants over 18 years, women going through two or more divorces had a rise in heart attack risk that was similar to that of a smoker or a person with diabetes. The study found a higher heart attack risk in men who’d had multiple divorces too. Though men did see a health benefit from remarriage, women did not. Even decades after a divorce, relationship stress can leave a powerful imprint on your health.

Work-related stress can also harm your heart. Research has found that people who are more worried about losing their job are nearly 20 percent more likely to have heart disease. “But people who are happy in their jobs may be chronically stressed as well because of the competitiveness of their jobs or because they’re trying to balance their work and home life,” Blaha says.

Surprisingly, even stress related to enjoyable events may raise your risk of a heart emergency. During a recent World Cup soccer event, heart attacks more than doubled in one German city during days when the nation’s team was playing.

Stress and Heart Disease: What’s the Link?

Stress can increase inflammation in your body, which in turn is linked to factors that can harm your heart, such as high blood pressure and lower “good” HDL cholesterol, Blaha says.

But chronic stress can also affect your heart in a more indirect way. When you’re worried, you tend to sleep poorly. You’re also less likely to exercise, make healthy food choices, or watch your weight, Blaha says. All of these lifestyle changes can put your heart health at risk.

How to Protect Your Heart

“Too often, people consider their stress as almost separate from their health,” Blaha says. If you’re struggling with any kind of stress, recognize that it can have harmful consequences. These steps can help you protect your heart during stressful times:

Get professional advice. Discuss your stress levels with your health care provider. This is especially important if you have other risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity or high blood pressure, Blaha says. Sometimes, just talking with your doctor can convince you to change your lifestyle.

Let stress motivate you. Turn stress into a reason to exercise instead of using it as an excuse to avoid physical activity, Blaha recommends. “When you have a stressful day, taking a break to walk with friends over lunch can take your mind away from the grind,” he notes.

Source: John Hopkins Medicine

Knowing CPR Can Change A Life

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:05:36 GMT

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – The American Heart Association is encouraging at least one person in every household to learn “hands-only” CPR.

In collaboration with One-Beat Medical, the Greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale Chapter of the American Heart Association is scheduling visits to local businesses, churches and schools for onsite CPR training.

Staff at Local 10 took part in sessions this week.

“And really, hands only CPR is two steps -- you’re going to call 911, then you’re going to push fast and hard in the center of the chest, so it’s really easy, you’re going to go to https://www.heart.org/ and you’re going to see an instructional video. It’s really, really simple,” said Marisol Garcia, Executive Director of the Greater Miami-Fort Lauderdale chapter of the AHA.

According to the American Heart Association, three out of four cardiac arrests happen outside of the hospital, which means knowing hands only CPR will likely save the life of someone you love.

Also in today’s health news, there’s more data this week about the impact of sleep duration and heart health.

Researchers found those who slept less than five hours or more than nine hours were at greater risk of having a heart attack.

They say the central issue is that people with sleep problems tend to have elevated blood pressure at night.

About 10 to 15 percent of Americans suffer from insomnia.

And researchers have found a nationwide association between Parkinson’s disease and air pollution.

The relative risk for Parkinson’s increased by 25 percent in areas of the country with high levels of fine particulate matter, a measure of pollution.

A study limitation is that fine particulate matter contains a variety of airborne pollutants, some of which may be more toxic than others.

Studies have also linked pollution to other health risks, including dementia and heart disease.

Source: WPLG Local10.com

CPR Video's from AHA

New study shows that loneliness and isolation can increase risk of heart disease

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:00:25 GMT

Dr. Jennifer Ashton weighs in on the results of this study and how women can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease on National Wear Red Day.

Source: ABC News

New Study Reveals Heart Health Risk Factors for women

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:35:59 GMT

Heart disease, stroke and vascular disease could put women at greater risk than men of developing cognitive difficulties as they age, a new study found.

First-ever pig-to-human heart transplant offers hope for thousands in need of organs

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 18:25:35 GMT

Study Finds Breastfeeding Linked to Lower Risk of Heart Disease in Women

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 18:15:52 GMT

Breastfeeding has now been linked to another added benefit for moms.

Women who breastfed at some point in their life were less likely to develop heart disease or a stroke or die from cardiovascular disease than women who did not breastfeed, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

The study, which analyzed data from over 1 million women around the world, found that women who breastfed had an 11% reduction in cardiovascular events, a 14% reduction in coronary heart disease, a 12% reduction in strokes and a 17% reduction in fatal cardiovascular events compared to women who never breastfed.

“It’s important for women to be aware of the benefits of breastfeeding for their babies’ health and also their own personal health,” Dr. Peter Willeit, the study's senior author and professor of clinical epidemiology at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Innsbruck, Austria, said in a statement. “Moreover, these findings from high-quality studies conducted around the world highlight the need to encourage and support breastfeeding, such as breastfeeding-friendly work environments, and breastfeeding education and programs for families before and after giving birth.”

The newly-released study found increasing benefit for women who breastfed up to 12 months cumulatively, with the benefits plateauing for any time beyond that.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.

In addition to providing important health benefits for babies, breastfeeding has also been shown to decrease the risks of breast, ovarian, endometrial and thyroid cancers in women, and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis, according to the AAP.

The new findings on the benefits of breastfeeding stand out because heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

For women age 20 and older, about 1 in 16 have coronary heart disease.

"[Breastfeeding] is not possible or desirable for every new mom, and this should be a judgment-free zone," said Ashton. "Obstetricians, midwives, pediatricians – our job is to educate and inform. It is that mother’s job to decide what she feels is best for her baby."

Siobhan Deshauer, M.D., FRCP, a resident in the ABC News Medical Unit, contributed to this report. Source: Good Morning America

Heart Health and Dementia

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 12:37:16 GMT

New Study on Heart Health Reveals Risk Factors for Women

FDA recommends restaurants, food manufacturers cut back on use of salt

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 18:01:45 GMT

The new guidance hopes to reduce overall sodium intake by 12%.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released sweeping new guidance for the food industry to voluntarily reduce sodium in processed, packaged and prepared foods in an attempt to reduce Americans' consumption.

"The FDA is issuing a final guidance, 'Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals: Target Mean and Upper Bound Concentrations for Sodium in Commercially Processed, Packaged, and Prepared Foods,' which provides voluntary short-term sodium reduction targets for food manufacturers, chain restaurants and foodservice operators for 163 categories of processed, packaged and prepared foods," the agency announced.

Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock lauded the new sodium reduction guidance in a press conference Wednesday morning. She said it is a "critical step" in improving Americans' nutrition, reducing the burden of diet-related chronic diseases and advancing health equity, predicting the effort would "become one of the most significant public health nutrition interventions in a generation."

The guidance is intended to provide measurable voluntary short-term goals over the next two and a half years to reduce excess sodium intake, while recognizing and supporting the important roles sodium plays in food technology and food safety.

ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said the news from Woodcock and Susan T. Mayne, director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, is "really targeting the food industry."

The current salt intake recommendation of 3,000 milligrams per day is now set to a goal of 2,300 milligrams a day over the next two and a half years.

"Right now, it is clear that diet is a major contributing factor to not only our obesity, but high blood pressure, which, of course, then increases the risk for heart attack [and] strokes," Ashton said.

Woodcock voiced hope that this voluntary guidance that targets the food industry itself -- rather than leaving the onus on individuals -- will help level the playing field for Americans who may not be well-equipped to police their nutrition alone, especially with sparse healthy food options in food deserts and due to some healthier food options being cost-prohibitive for lower-income families.

"The problem is so cumulative -- it's the tomato sauce, the cheese, the bread, the salad dressing, and pretty soon your whole meal has hidden salt in it. And it's really hard right now for people to manage that on their own," Woodcock said. "Most of the salt in the diet, the sodium in the diet, it comes from processed or packaged or prepared foods -- not from the saltshaker."

"Sodium is widely present in the American diet (most commonly, but not exclusively, as a result of eating or drinking foods to which sodium chloride, commonly referred to as "salt," has been added)," according to the FDA. "More than 70% of total sodium intake is from sodium added during food manufacturing and commercial food preparation."

During the same press conference, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra underscored Woodcock's point that neglecting to address sodium consumption would carry high human and economic costs. He added that the COVID pandemic has shown the importance of taking better care of one's health.

"The pandemic has graphically illustrated why today's announcement is so important and why it's so important that we take care of our health," Becerra said, adding the consequences of Americans' sky-high sodium intake could be "catastrophic personally and for the country."

Mayne said that this issue impacts all age groups with "more than 95% of children age two to 13 who exceed recommended sodium limits for their age groups -- even baby food -- which carries long-term ramifications for children's health and development," she said.

But being that this is voluntary, truly capping sodium intake effectively will require a groundswell of both industry cooperation and consumer demand to help drive the initiative.

When asked whether there would need to be more teeth behind such policy, Woodcock said the government would monitor the impact of this current guidance over time, pointing to the importance of public support.

"If we don't see success, then we're going to have to evaluate what else we should do," Woodcock said, without ruling out the idea of further, more stringent future measures.

"We have a plan to monitor and then to ratchet it further down, and what we learn over the next several years will tell us what magnitude of steps we can take," Woodcock said. She acknowledged that "this change won't happen overnight" and will require "an iterative approach that supports gradual reduction in sodium levels, broadly across the food supply, over time."

Source: ABC News

New Guidelines on Taking Aspirin for Your Heart

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 17:10:25 GMT

Not everyone should be taking an Aspirin a day due to bleeding concerns.

Older adults without heart disease shouldn't take daily low-dose aspirin to prevent a first heart attack or stroke, an influential health guidelines group said in preliminary updated advice released Tuesday.

Bleeding risks for adults in their 60s and up who haven't had a heart attack or stroke outweigh any potential benefits from aspirin, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said in its draft guidance.

For the first time, the panel said there may be a small benefit for adults in their 40s who have no bleeding risks. For those in their 50s, the panel softened advice and said evidence of benefit is less clear.

The recommendations are meant for people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity or other conditions that increase their chances for a heart attack or stroke. Regardless of age, adults should talk with their doctors about stopping or starting aspirin to make sure it's the right choice for them, said task force member Dr. John Wong, a primary-care expert at Tufts Medical Center.

"Aspirin use can cause serious harms, and risk increases with age,'' he said.

If finalized, the advice for older adults would backtrack on recommendations the panel issued in 2016 for helping prevent a first heart attack and stroke, but it would be in line with more recent guidelines from other medical groups.

Doctors have long recommended daily low-dose aspirin for many patients who already have had a heart attack or stroke. The task force guidance does not change that advice.

The task force previously said a daily aspirin might also protect against colorectal cancer for some adults in their 50s and 60s, but the updated guidance says more evidence of any benefit is needed.

The guidance was posted online to allow for public comments until Nov. 8. The group will evaluate that input and then make a final decision.

The independent panel of disease-prevention experts analyzes medical research and literature and issues periodic advice on measures to help keep Americans healthy. Newer studies and a re-analysis of older research prompted the updated advice, Wong said.

Aspirin is best known as a pain reliever but it is also a blood thinner that can reduce chances for blood clots. But aspirin also has risks, even at low doses — mainly bleeding in the digestive tract or ulcers, both of which can be life-threatening.

Dr. Lauren Block, an internist-researcher at Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, New York, said the guidance is important because so many adults take aspirin even though they have never had a heart attack or stroke.

Block, who is not on the task force, recently switched one of her patients from aspirin to a cholesterol-lowering statin drug because of the potential harms.

The patient, 70-year-old Richard Schrafel, has high blood pressure and knows about his heart attack risks. Schrafel, president of a paperboard-distribution business, said he never had any ill effects from aspirin, but he is taking the new guidance seriously.

Rita Seefeldt, 63, also has high blood pressure and took a daily aspirin for about a decade until her doctor told her two years ago to stop.

"He said they changed their minds on that,'' recalled the retired elementary school teacher from Milwaukee. She said she understands that science evolves.

Wong acknowledged that the backtracking might leave some patients frustrated and wondering why scientists can't make up their minds.

"It's a fair question,'' he said. ''What's really important to know is that evidence changes over time.''

Source: NPR Miami|South Florida

The following statement reflects the views of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association .

According to the Association’s volunteer President Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, M.D., Sc.M., FAHA, “As detailed in the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association’s 2019 primary prevention recommendations, recent large trials indicate that, in the current environment, the overall benefit of aspirin is small -- in most adults the benefit of protection against heart attacks and strokes is offset by the potential risk of bleeding caused by aspirin. As a result, aspirin should be used rarely to help prevent heart attacks and stroke among adults ages 40-70 without known cardiovascular disease.

“These recommendations do not apply to people who have had a heart attack or stroke, or have a stent in an artery – those patients should remain on aspirin as prescribed by their doctor. But in adults without known cardiovascular disease, we continue to urge clinicians to be very selective when prescribing aspirin. Aspirin should be limited to only those adults at the highest risk for cardiovascular disease who also have a very low risk of bleeding.

Lloyd-Jones, also the chair of the department of preventive medicine and the Eileen M. Foell Professor of Heart Research and professor of preventive medicine, medicine and pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, stressed the importance of healthy choices for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, “Eating healthy foods and beverages, getting physical activity and not smoking are key. More than 80% of all cardiovascular events may be prevented by making lifestyle changes. The science continues to show that healthy lifestyle habits and effectively managing blood pressure and cholesterol, including with medications if needed, are the top ways to prevent a first heart attack or stroke – as opposed to taking aspirin daily.”

2 New Studies Find Eating Walnuts and Drinking Coffee Can Help Lower Cholesterol

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 15:10:32 GMT

Dr. Jennifer Ashton also shares other good things people can do regularly to reduce the risk of strokes and help hearts work better.

Source: Good Morning America

Large increase of people with high blood pressure: Study

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 17:13:45 GMT

A study published in The Lancet found that the number of people with high blood pressure has doubled in the last 30 years, and more than half don’t even realize they have hypertension.

Increased Sedentary Time Associated With Higher Risk of Stroke

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 20:33:52 GMT

ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton breaks down a new study linking too much time being sedentary to a possible higher chance of a stroke.

7 Healthy Habits for Heart Care

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 21:07:11 GMT

The Heath Channel Talks about the 7 Healthy Habits for Heart Care

A while back, the Occupy Movement voiced its concern for the 99% of Americans who were not among the top 1% of income earners. There is another 99% (or 98.8% to be exact), however, who may be in a considerably worse position. This is the group of Americans who fail to adhere to the “7 Heart Healthy Habits” promoted by the American Heart Association.

The seven health factors that are associated with a lowered risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, such as heart failure and heart attack, are:

Not smoking

Being physically active

Having normal blood pressure

Maintaining normal blood glucose levels

Maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels

Having a healthy body weight

Eating a healthy diet

A study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association was designed to compare the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease with the number of these heart healthy habits that Americans practiced. A nationally representative sample of nearly 45,000 adults in the U.S. was surveyed for the study and participants followed for an average of 14 years.

Perhaps not surprisingly, adhering to a greater number of heart healthy habits was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular death. What was interesting, however, is that adhering to these seven practices was also associated with a reduced risk of death from any cause, including cancer. The study participants who met 6 or more vs. 1 or fewer of the heart healthy practices had a 51% lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 76% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

One of the most shocking statistics from this study was that only 1.2% of Americans in the group of participants drawn from 2005-2010 practiced all seven healthy habits. The other 98.8% of subjects from this study practiced six or fewer. While people can debate the benefits of being gluten-free, eating organic foods, or avoiding drinking sodas, these seven health habits have proven benefits that many fail to recognize. These are the factors that have the potential to make the biggest impact on the health of the U.S. population.

Learn more about the seven heart healthy habits at the American Heart Association’s site My Life Check . Assess how well you are doing currently by completing the Life’s Simple 7 Action Plan .

A Heart-Healthy Diet

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 21:02:07 GMT

Listen to this discussion with Health channel host Kathy Buccio and Armando Garcia a Cardiologist for Baptist Health South Florida speak about a heart-healthy diet what to eat and how to exercise!

Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease, Heart Attacks, and Stroke

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 20:58:09 GMT

Watch this Video to Find Out If You are at Risk for a Heart Attack

You might wonder, am I at risk for having a heart attack or stroke? It could be the result of urban living, even if you work out an hour a day! Before humans moved to urban centers, we moved our bodies more often, just to find food and survive. If you can't move back to the farm, find out how lifestyle choices can lower your risk for cardiovascular disease with health tips from Dr. Jonathan Fialkow of Baptist Health South Florida.

Start Thinking About Prevention

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 20:42:24 GMT

Tour of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 20:38:57 GMT

Get the Ultimate Tour of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital! We are so proud to be partnered with JDCH for Heart Month. Click Here to contribute.

Amy Grant gives health update after open-heart surgery for rare condition

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 15:10:23 GMT

GMA l

By Carson Blackwelder

One year after discovering she had a rare heart condition which required open-heart surgery to fix, singer Amy Grant said she feels "fantastic."

"I just have this feeling like this is going to be the best year yet. I love it," Grant told Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" Wednesday.

February is American Heart Month and cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer among all Americans. Women are impacted the most -- one in three die from the disease, according to the American Heart Association.

"My birth defect was an encroaching killer -- and I had no idea," Grant said. "So my advice would be take care of yourself. The world needs you. Even if you feel like everything is fine, you don't really know what's going on inside."

She urged women not to put their health "on the back burner" and to take care of themselves.

Grant helped raise awareness about heart health with a performance of "Every Heartbeat," a hit from her 1991 album, "Heart in Motion." It was her first performance since undergoing surgery. The album, which turns 30 years old on March 5, was nominated for album of the year at the Grammys and also spawned the hit, "Baby Baby."

Thirty years later, the Christian pop singer said "Every Heartbeat" is a song which "absolutely" has another meaning to her, especially after her health scare.

"I feel like I've been given a second chance," Grant said. "It feels like this crazy kaleidoscope that started 30 years ago that's just brought into focus the gift of gratitude, joy for the gift of each other, joy for music."

For the singer’s first performance since her open-heart surgery, Grant performs the hit song from her album “Heart in Motion,” which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

Grant had open-heart surgery last year to fix a rare condition called partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR). According to the Mayo Clinic, PAPVR is a congenital heart defect which causes a mixing of oxygen-rich blood and oxygen-poor blood as it flows into the heart's right atrium instead of the left due to incorrect placement of the pulmonary veins.

Last February, Grant revealed on Twitter that she had gotten a check at her doctor's suggestion due to her father's heart history and, after a "battery of tests," her condition was diagnosed.

"The first good news is that I am completely asymptomatic," Grant told fans at the time. "The second good news is that it's fixable, so instead of concerts and camping trips this summer, I am going to take care of my heart. Are you taking care of yours?! Please do."

In June, Grant successfully underwent open-heart surgery to fix her PAPVR. About a week after the procedure, the six-time Grammy winner said her recovery had felt "miraculous" and she credited "something supernatural" for helping her get through it.

Grant appeared on "GMA" in August to give an update on her health and to express how "grateful" she was to have caught this rare condition when she did, all thanks to listening to her doctor.

"If I have got something wrong, anybody could have something wrong," she told Robin Roberts. "My message would be, take a minute and take care of yourself. You don't know that something is wrong unless you make sure it's right."

Mom of Twins Diagnosed with Rare Heart Disease

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 01:42:09 GMT

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a deadly disease where the heart muscle weakens and can occur between the last month of pregnancy and up to five months post-delivery. Watch from ABC News .

February is American Heart Month

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 01:37:19 GMT

February is American Heart Month. It's a time to raise awareness of cardiovascular health.

The annual effort by the American Heart Association also comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly not been kind to our hearts.

For example, a recent survey by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association shows that U.S. adults are reporting the highest stress levels since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you have underlying heart issues, contracting COVID-19 is especially dangerous. In fact -- even for healthy individuals -- the virus may directly invade or inflame the heart muscle and potentially cause damage through lack of oxygen levels, according to doctors at Harvard Medical School.

And unfortunately, local health care professionals are seeing another side effect of the virus among the cardiovascular community.

New data from the American Heart Association shows more than 1 in 4 adults – about 28% – experiencing a heart attack or stroke would rather stay at home than risk getting infected with covid-19 at the hospital. The survey also shows adults who are at risk for cardiovascular disease or stroke are more worried about covid-19 than having a heart attack or stroke.

Dr. Carl Horton, a cardiologist for Texas Health Cleburne and Texas Health Physicians Group, said heart attacks and strokes don’t stop for COVID-19. He said heart attack and stroke symptoms are always urgent and the hospital is still the safest place to be.

“They should not delay or worry about contracting COVID-19 in the hospital or emergency room. You're still more likely to die of a heart attack instead of COVID,” he said. “In the cardiology field, we have a saying called ‘time is muscle’. So if you wait in going to the hospital when you have an acute event,

then you can suffer sudden death at home or suffer severe congestive heart failure and lose a lot of heart muscle.”

There's good reason why Horton says you should take your heart seriously, especially for women:

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the No. 1 killer of women, claiming the lives of one in three women. It claims more women’s lives than all forms of cancer combined.

Women, especially Black people and Hispanics, are disproportionally impacted by heart disease and stroke.

CVD kills one woman about every 80 seconds.

New data suggests younger generations of women, Gen Z and Millennials, are less likely to be aware of their greatest health threat, including knowing the warning signs of heart attacks and strokes.

Cardiovascular disease is the no. 1 killer of new moms.

Pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. are rising at an alarming rate — and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause.

More younger women than men are having heart attacks.

Doctors said awareness is critical. Starting at age 20, women should consider getting screening for cardiovascular diseases and learn about their family health history.

According to the American Heart Association, 80% of cardiac events can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes such as moving more, eating smart and managing blood pressure.

“With COVID, sometimes people eat more because they’re at home. Most patients that I’ve seen have gained anywhere between five and 15 pounds I would say since Covid started,” said Horton. “The food that we take in, it plays a bigger role in our health than a lot of people realize.”

Experts say it’s also important to know your numbers. Discuss the following personal health numbers with your doctor to help determine risk for heart disease:

Total Cholesterol

HDL (good) cholesterol

Blood pressure

Blood Sugar

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Data shows around 90% of women have one or more of those risk factors for developing heart disease.

To show support for these issues and to encourage women to be aware of the risk factors for heart issues, people are encouraged to wear red this Friday for National Wear Red Day.

Source: NBCDFW

Did You Know There is a Link Between Heart Disease and Mental Health?

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:54:02 GMT

What to know about the link between mental health and heart disease

A connection between mental health and heart health has been confirmed by the American Heart Association.

The AHA cites a "growing body of research" that shows good mental health can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and improve overall heart health in its statement, published Monday in the medical journal Circulation.

"There is increasing evidence that psychological health may be causally linked to biological processes and behaviors that contribute to and cause CVD [cardiovascular disease]," the statement reads, in part. "The preponderance of data suggest that interventions to improve psychological health can have a beneficial impact on cardiovascular health."

For those with cardiovascular disease, the AHA recommends mental health screenings done by health care providers and mental health as part of the treatment process.

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC News' chief medical correspondent, describes the types of mental health screenings that health care providers should provide as "a checkup from the neck up."

"Cardiologists should not just be listening to [a patient's] heart, but they should be looking at them and listening to their words and their feelings to see if they need intervention from a mental health or mental wellness perspective," Ashton said Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "But also, the primary care physicians, the health care providers that are seeing people before they have a diagnosis of heart disease need to be doing a checkup from the neck up."

"They need to ask how people are from a mental health standpoint," she said.

Ashton said that mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD, isolation, loneliness, pessimism and anger can have negative health risks, including heart complications.

MORE: Seasonal depression, pandemic combine for potentially dreary winter. Here's how to cope

Likewise, positive mental health conditions like optimism, mindfulness, emotional vitality and overall psychological well-being are good for the heart, according to Ashton.

"When we can’t see something we take it less seriously but we need to understand that mental health is not just the absence of something wrong," she said. "There are steps we can take to promote it and we need to get aggressive about that."

MORE: How to get free mental health help during the coronavirus pandemic

The AHA's statement on the link between mental health and heart health comes as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to have a negative effect on people's mental health.

Across the country, 45% of adults say the pandemic is having a negative effect on their mental health, a rate that increases for women, and Hispanic and Black adults, with those populations more likely to report a "major" mental health impact, according to a tracking poll released last year by the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing about one in four deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ashton recommends using mindfulness practices and meditation as well as journaling and therapy to help reduce anxiety, depression and stress.

"Journaling has been found by psychologists to be even as effective or sometimes more effective as talk therapy but again for those people who are suffering, mental health professionals are there for exactly this reason," she said. "There is no shame in asking for help."

If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.

Sean Llewellyn, MD, PhD, a resident in the ABC News Medical Unit, contributed to this report.

5 Things You Can Do Everyday to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:23:56 GMT

Follow These Simple Tips for a Healthier Heart!

You know that exercise and a good diet can keep your heart healthy. But what else can you do to keep your ticker going strong? Here, cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gillinov, MD, recommends five key things you need to do every day to help your heart work most efficiently. Incorporate these habits into your lifestyle and your heart health will be the best it can be for you.

1. Eat healthy fats, NOT trans fats. We need fats in our diet, including saturated and polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats. One fat we don’t need is trans fat, which is known to increase your risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke over a lifetime. This is because trans fat clogs your arteries by raising your bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowering your good cholesterol levels (HDL). By cutting them from your diet, you improve the blood flow throughout your body. So, what are trans fats? They are industry-produced fats often used in packaged baked goods, snack foods, margarines and fried fast foods to add flavor and texture. TIP: Read the labels on all foods. Trans fat appears on the ingredients list as partially hydrogenated oils. Look for 0 percent trans fat. Make it a point to avoid eating foods with trans fat.

2. Practice good dental hygiene, especially flossing your teeth daily. Dental health is a good indication of overall health, including your heart, because those who have periodontal (gum) disease often have the same risk factors for heart disease. Studies continue on this issue, but many have shown that bacteria in the mouth involved in the development of gum disease can move into the bloodstream and cause an elevation in C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation in the blood vessels. These changes may in turn, increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. TIP: Floss and brush your teeth daily to ward off gum disease. It’s more than cavities you may have to deal with if you are fighting gum disease.

3. Get enough sleep. Sleep is an essential part of keeping your heart healthy. If you don’t sleep enough, you may be at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease no matter your age or other health habits. One study looking at 3,000 adults over the age of 45 found that those who slept fewer than six hours per night were about twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack as people who slept six to eight hours per night. Researchers believe sleeping too little causes disruptions in underlying health conditions and biological processes, including blood pressure and inflammation. TIP: Make sleep a priority. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep most nights. If you have sleep apnea, you should be treated as this condition is linked to heart disease and arrhythmias.

4. Don’t sit for too long at one time. In recent years, research has suggested that staying seated for long periods of time is bad for your health no matter how much exercise you do. This is bad news for the many people who sit at sedentary jobs all day. When looking at the combined results of several observational studies that included nearly 800,000 people, researchers found that in those who sat the most, there was an associated 147 percent increase in cardiovascular events and a 90 percent increase in death caused by these events. In addition, sitting for long periods of time (especially when traveling) increases your risk of deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot). TIP: Experts say it’s important to move throughout the day. Park farther away from the office, take a few shorter walks throughout the day and/or use a standing work station so you can move up and down. And remember to exercise on most days.

5. Avoid secondhand smoke like the plague. Studies show that the risk of developing heart disease is about 25 to 30 percent higher for people who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work. According to the American Heart Association, exposure to tobacco smoke contributes to about 34,000 premature heart disease deaths and 7,300 lung cancer deaths each year. And nonsmokers who have high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol have an even greater risk of developing heart disease when they’re exposed to secondhand smoke. This is because the chemicals emitted from cigarette smoke promote the development of plaque buildup in the arteries. TIP: Be firm with smokers that you do not want to be around environmental smoke — and keep children away from secondhand smoke.

Follow these five tips and you’ll be doing your heart a favor. You’ll feel better and be able to stay active with a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/5-things-to-do-every-day-to-keep-your-heart-healthy/

Doctors said baby with heart defect wouldn’t live past 30, but Mom’s not giving up l GMA Digital

nancy@floridaheart.org (Nancy Cavalie) — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 16:51:01 GMT

Watch this touching video from Good Morning America to lift your spirit today.

Driven to Stop Heart Disease 2021 Campaign

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 16:25:12 GMT

The Drive to Stop Heart Disease 2021 Campaign is live!

Do you have your Florida Heart license plate yet? What are you waiting for! You can switch at NO COST today. Become "Driven to Stop Heart Disease" today by switching your plate to fund a better future. At Florida Heart Research Foundation, we are passionate about paving the way to better heart disease treatment and prevention. We fund research project initiatives, educational and prevention programs, nursing scholarships for students seeking advanced degrees in the cardiovascular arena, and much more. Florida Heart Research Foundation works with its supporting organization, Miami Heart Research Institute, which grants over one million dollars each year to the same mission: To Stop Heart Disease through Research, Education and Prevention.

Video courtesy of Drone Permission

Breaking Down Heart Health by Age Group

Sun, 25 Oct 2020 15:26:38 GMT

Dr. Jennifer Ashton shares ways to keep your heart healthy depending on your age on Good Morning America.

3 Things to Watch to Keep Your Heart Healthy

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 21 Sep 2020 17:58:43 GMT

(Good Morning America)

In honor of American Heart Month, Dr. Jennifer Ashton talks about a new technique to take care of your heart -- knowing your three S's, sleep, stress and social interaction.

#TBT to Florida Heart 2009 Segment

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 14:56:14 GMT

Check out this Florida Heart Segment from 2009!

Wow, talk about a throwback! What do you think about this old video? Our Stop Heart Disease specialty license plates have been funding our mission since 2003. We LOVE seeing our plates on the road! Don't have a plate? Send us an email at miamiheart@floridaheart.org !

Amy Grant Opens Up About Heart Surgery on GMA

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 19:40:17 GMT

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ABC News' Sam Champion opens up about recent health scare

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GROUNDBREAKING: Partial Heart Transplant Successfully Grows in Infant

"GMA" looks at a medical breakthrough of an infant who underwent the procedure at just 17 days old, and is healthy and doing well a year later.

WHO Sends Warning on High Blood Pressure Treatment

Are you receiving the right blood pressure treatment?

Mayo Clinic Hosts First Aid CPR and AED Training in Disproportionately Impacted Communities

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FDA recommends restaurants, food manufacturers cut back on use of salt

The new guidance hopes to reduce overall sodium intake by 12%.

New Guidelines on Taking Aspirin for Your Heart

Not everyone should be taking an Aspirin a day due to bleeding concerns.

2 New Studies Find Eating Walnuts and Drinking Coffee Can Help Lower Cholesterol

Large increase of people with high blood pressure: Study

A study published in The Lancet found that the number of people with high blood pressure has doubled in the last 30 years, and more than half don’t even realize they have hypertension.

Increased Sedentary Time Associated With Higher Risk of Stroke

ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton breaks down a new study linking too much time being sedentary to a possible higher chance of a stroke.

7 Healthy Habits for Heart Care

The Heath Channel Talks about the 7 Healthy Habits for Heart Care

A Heart-Healthy Diet

Listen to this discussion with Health channel host Kathy Buccio and Armando Garcia a Cardiologist for Baptist Health South Florida speak about a heart-healthy diet what to eat and how to exercise!

Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease, Heart Attacks, and Stroke

Watch this Video to Find Out If You are at Risk for a Heart Attack

Start Thinking About Prevention

Tour of Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital

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February is American Heart Month

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5 Things You Can Do Everyday to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Follow These Simple Tips for a Healthier Heart!

Doctors said baby with heart defect wouldn’t live past 30, but Mom’s not giving up l GMA Digital

Driven to Stop Heart Disease 2021 Campaign

The Drive to Stop Heart Disease 2021 Campaign is live!

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Dr. Jennifer Ashton shares ways to keep your heart healthy depending on your age on Good Morning America.

3 Things to Watch to Keep Your Heart Healthy

(Good Morning America)

#TBT to Florida Heart 2009 Segment

Check out this Florida Heart Segment from 2009!

Amy Grant Opens Up About Heart Surgery on GMA

In honor of Heart Health Month, we share the story of a mom who nearly died from a condition more commonly diagnosed in women while looking into the signs, symptoms and risk factors.
Goodmorning America