Recession Makes Us Healthier

Side effects may outweigh benefits for some

(NEWSER) - The blanket advice that middle-aged people should take low-dose aspirin every day to ward off a heart attack or stroke is too broad, warn medical experts. For those who have a history of heart disease or have already suffered an ischemic stroke, the advice is sound. But for others in good health, the latest guidelines say doctors and patients must give more weight to the risk of side effects, such as bleeding ulcers. More»

(NEWSER) - Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate after recovering are much less likely to suffer a recurrence than people who abstain, AFP reports. People who eat at least two servings a week are three times less likely to die from heart disease than those who don’t consume chocolate. And the more chocolate, the greater the benefit. “It seems that antioxidants in cocoa are a likely candidate,” the co-author of a recent study says. More»

It doesn't seem to cut heart risks in major new study

(NEWSER) - If you've been diligently working to raise your levels of "good cholesterol" to maintain a healthy heart, a study in the Lancet has some sobering news: You might be wasting your time. It's true that high levels of the cholesterol, called HDL, are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. But the study calls into question that all-important principle of "causal effect"—HDL itself may not be a cause of the lower risk, just a reflection of it, explains the New York Times . 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»

Loss at the big game associated with increase in heart deaths

(NEWSER) - Whether you’re a Steelers fan or a Packers fan, try not to get too excited about the Super Bowl—or you could end up … dead. Scientists found that a Super Bowl loss is associated with a spike in heart-related deaths, while a win is associated with a decrease in such deaths, Time reports. Sure, the Super Bowl may not seem like a life-or-death event, but researchers note that any stressful event can trigger a heart attack. And they theorize that the more stressful the game—and the more emotional fans get—the higher the risk might be. More»