Achy Hearts Are Breaky

Anger shown to cause irregular heartbeats with the potential for cardiac arrest

(NEWSER) - Anger really can kill you, a new study suggests. Researchers monitored the heart patterns of patients suffering from heart conditions and discovered that electrical instability in the heart increased when the patients were asked to relive angry episodes. Those who had the strongest reactions were 10 times more likely to later suffer the irregular heartbeats that can cause sudden cardiac arrest, Reuters reports. More»

Risk of dying during sex miniscule for most patients, study finds

(NEWSER) - Having sex is safe for the vast majority of heart patients as long as they use a little common sense, according to a report from the American Heart Association. Fewer than 1% of heart attacks are linked to sex and patients cleared for physical activity and capable of climbing two flights of stairs shouldn't fear that the next time they have sex will be the last, the report found. People with more severe or unstable symptoms should consult their doctors before resuming sex and all patients should avoid combining nitroglycerine with erectile dysfunction drugs. More»

Suffering in silence is bad for your health, study shows

(NEWSER) - The next time your boss makes you want to scream, go ahead and do it—sort of. A Swedish study shows that people who suffer in silence at work have twice the risk of a heart attack or heart disease compared to those who vent their anger. So-called "covert copers" are, quite literally, making themselves sick. More»

South Beach Diet guru shares his secrets

(NEWSER) - Arthur Agatston, the cardiologist who cooked up the South Beach Diet, takes no medications and embraces a philosophy of moderation—he's not starving himself or downing dozens of vitamins. He clues Prevention magazine in on his advice for keeping your heart in tip-top shape:

• Eat four times a day: Three meals plus a snack—"a mozzarella stick, fruit, wasabi-coated soy nuts, other nuts, or a high-fiber bar"—but not much starch.

Stress causes grays and wrinkles, but nobody agrees whether presidents die early

(NEWSER) - Four to eight years as leader of the free world gave George W. plenty of wrinkles and gray hairs—but just what are the presidency’s long-term aging effects? One doctor found that presidents generally have shorter-than-average lifespans, the Boston Globe reports, while another pegs two years for every one spent in the Oval Office. "For eight years in office, they age 16 years,” he argues. More»