About 4 in 10 stroke survivors who were smokers still puff away after their stroke, which puts them at increased risk for another stroke or heart disease, a new study shows.

"If you told a stroke neurologist that 40% of their patients don't have their blood pressure controlled or weren't taking their aspirin or their cholesterol-lowering medication, I think they would be very disappointed...

Low-dose aspirin neither reduces nor increases the risk of dementia in adults with type 2 diabetes, a new study finds.

"This is reassuring that an increase in the risk of dementia is unlikely for the millions of people worldwide who regularly take aspirin to protect against the risk of heart attack and stroke," according to study author Jane Armitage, of the University of Oxford in Englan...

A few cups of your favorite brew -- coffee or tea -- each day might help keep stroke and dementia at bay, a large new study suggests.

For close to 14 years, scientists stacked up coffee and tea consumption against the risk of stroke and dementia among nearly 366,000 healthy Brits between 50 and 74 years of age.

The researchers -- led by Yuan Zhang of Tianjin Medical University in Ti...

A fatal heart attack or stroke is often the first indication of heart disease in middle-aged smokers, according to a new study.

It also found that heart disease is the leading complication among smokers when compared with deaths from other causes -- including lung cancer. In addition, smoking is associated with developing heart disease at a younger age and shortening a person's life by as...

People suffering from dangerous abnormal heart rhythms can take matters into their own hands and figure out what is triggering their episodes, researchers report.

Folks with atrial fibrillation (a-fib) were able to reduce their episodes of the irregular heartbeat by 40% by identifying and then avoiding the substances or activities that caused their heart to go herky-jerky, according to fi...

Your daily cup of joe might be a quick pick-me-up, but it comes with a mixed bag of good and not-so-good effects on your health, a new study reports.

Drinking coffee helps people stay more active, but it also significantly robs some of sleep, researchers say.

And while java doesn't seem to cause irregular rhythms in the upper chamber of the heart, it can cause the lower chamber...

Adults who vape could suffer a stroke at least a decade younger than those who smoke tobacco, a new study has found.

E-cigarette users have a 15% higher risk of stroke at a younger age than traditional tobacco smokers, according to preliminary findings.

"The median age to have a stroke was 48 years of age for e-cigarette users compared to 59 years of age for traditional tobacco smok...

People who get their dietary fat from olive oil rather than steak may help reduce their risk of suffering a stroke, a preliminary study suggests.

The study, of more than 100,000 health professionals, found that those who favored vegetable oils and other plant foods as their source of fat generally had a lower risk of stroke over the years.

Overall, the 20% of people with the highest...

All body fat is not the same.

And a new study suggests that folks who have more of what's known as brown fat may have a lower risk of weight-related health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

"Brown fat has long been thought to benefit metabolism because, unlike the much more common white storage...

ADHD medications are increasingly being prescribed to older adults, and they may cause a short-term spike in the risk of heart attack, stroke and arrhythmias, a large new study suggests.

Stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall, are commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But they are also increasingly being prescribed "off-label" to ol...

Men still outnumber women in stroke therapy clinical trials, which means women may end up receiving less effective treatment, researchers say.

For the new study, investigators analyzed 281 stroke trials that included at least 100 patients each and were conducted between 1990 and 2020.

Of the nearly 590,000 total participants, 37.4% were women. However, the average rate of stroke amo...

Most people shouldn't bother taking daily low-dose aspirin to reduce their risk of a first heart attack or stroke, the nation's leading panel of preventive medicine experts announced Tuesday.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued a draft recommendation that essentially backs off its previous advice urging many folks to consider taking low-dose aspirin to prevent heart di...

Clot-busting drugs may be safe for certain stroke patients with brain aneurysms that haven't ruptured, researchers say.

An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of a blood vessel. In the new study, patients had suffered an ischemic stroke, which is caused by blocked blood flow in the brain.

Even though clot-busting drugs are the main treatment for ischemic stroke, they're often not given ...

The size and shape of the blood vessels in your brain may help predict your risk of an often-fatal type of stroke, called an aneurysm, a new study finds.

An aneurysm is a bulge in an artery wall.

"A subarachnoid hemorrhage is the most dangerous type of stroke and occurs when a brain aneurysm leaks or ruptures, causing bleeding into the brain, killing more than 50% of affected people...

Last October, Katherine Romano was cleaning her house when her neck started to hurt. She kept going, trying to complete her chores, until the pain shifted to her upper back.

"It was so terrible, it took my breath away," she said.

Resting didn't help. The pain moved to her left arm. She began to feel nauseated. The day before, her stomach hurt. She thought it might be diverticulitis....

Black women with high blood pressure may benefit from classes where they learn and practice skills to manage the condition, a small study finds.

In the United States, nearly 58% of Black women have high blood pressure compared to about 41% of white and Hispanic women, according to American Heart Association statistics. For Black women, death rates from high blood pressure-related causes a...

Treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) -- the most common hormone disorder in women of child-bearing age -- is costly.

In 2020, diagnosing and treating this disorder cost an estimated $8 billion in the United States, according to a new economic ana...

It's known that sexual assault affects a woman's physical and mental health. Now, researchers say these traumatic incidents may also harm her brain health.

A new study found that traumatic experiences, including sexual violence, may be linked to greater risk of dementia, stroke and other brain disorders.

"Identifying early warning signs of stroke and dementia are critical to providi...

After a stroke, the best time to work on regaining hand and arm use is 60 to 90 days later, according to a new clinical trial.

Starting intensive rehab at less than 30 days can be helpful, too, but waiting until six months can be too late for maximum benefit, said researchers from Georgetown University and MedStar National Rehabilitation Network.

Nearly two-thirds of the 750,000 ind...

Diseases that can rob you of vision as you age also appear to be tied to an increased risk for dementia, a new study finds.

Specifically, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetes-related eye disease were linked with a higher likelihood of dementia, researchers in China said. However, one other common eye ailment, glaucoma, was not linked to dementia risk.

The new stu...

Every second counts after having a stroke, and rapid-response mobile stroke units can start clot-busting drugs quickly, potentially staving off lasting damage, new research finds.

Mobile stroke units are special ambulances equipped with imaging equipment and staffed by experts who can diagnose and treat strokes in the moments before arriving at the hospital. Typically, people who may have...

One of the keys to good health could be in the hands of those who decide zoning policies for their communities.

Inclusionary zoning policies that provide for affordable housing were associated with lower rates of heart disease for those who benefited from these dwellings, according to a new U.S. study.

"Many cities around the country are facing a severe shortage of affordable ...

Nicotine-laden e-cigarettes raise a user's risk of blood clots, damage small blood vessels and can also raise heart rate and blood pressure, a new study finds.

The effects are similar to those caused by traditional cigarettes, and raise the concern that long-term vaping could help cause heart attacks or strokes, the Swedish research team warned.

"Our results suggest that using e-cig...

Along with other dangers, the aftermath of Hurricane Ida could pose significant heart health risks.

Stress and trauma from the storm that slammed into Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other states could increase heart risk, and the impact may be more significant for heart disease and stroke patients, the American Heart Association (AHA) warns.

For example, it may be more difficul...

The greener your neighborhood, the lower your risk of heart disease.

That's the takeaway from a new study, which reported that adding to a neighborhood's green space can have a big payoff for public health.

"For the cost of one emergency room visit for a heart attack, trees could be planted in a neighborhood with 100 residents and potentially prevent ten heart diseases," said study ...

A first-of-a-kind nerve stimulation treatment for people who have problems moving their arms after a stroke has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"People who have lost mobility in their hands and arms due to ischemic stroke are often limited in their treatment options for regaining motor function," explained Dr. Christopher Loftus. He is acting director of the FDA's ...

New research offers further evidence of a link between gum disease and heart disease.

The ongoing Swedish study previously found that gum disease ("periodontitis") was much more common in first-time heart attack patients than in a group of healthy people.

In this follow-up study, the researchers examined whether gum disease was associated with an increased risk of new heart problems...

Do you have an implanted defibrillator or pacemaker? Try keeping your smart watch or smart phone a few inches away from them.

New research from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration finds that your phone or watch could interfere with implanted heart devices.

Based on the new findings, heart patients and health care providers should be aware of potential risks, the research team...

The arteries of young people who drink stiffen sooner in their lives, which could increase their risk for heart disease and stroke later on, a British study reports.

People's arteries naturally become less elastic with age, but certain factors -- including alcohol and tobacco use -- can speed up the process. This study included more than 1,600 people in the United Kingdom. Their alcohol u...

You've heard the warnings about kids who are forever glued to their screens, but all that screen time can have devastating health effects for grown-ups.

If you're under 60, too much time using a computer, watching TV or reading could boost your risk for a stroke, Canadian researchers warn.

"Be aware that very high sedentary time with little time spent on physical activity can have a...

After a stroke, survivors can greatly increase their odds for many more years of life through activities as easy as a half-hour's stroll each day, new research shows.

The nearly five-year-long Canadian study found that stroke survivors who walked or gardened at least three to four hours a week (about 30 minutes a day), cycled at least two to three hours per week, or got an equivalent amou...

In a study conducted in Scandinavia, loss of height among middle-aged women was linked to an increased risk of early death from heart attack and stroke, researchers report.

Some loss of height goes along with aging, and previous studies have suggested it may boost the odds of death from heart disease.

While women tend to shrink more than men with age, height loss in women has not be...

Dispatching rapid-response medical teams to perform an emergency procedure on stroke patients significantly improves their chances of survival and a good recovery, according to a new study.

Researchers assessed a pilot program in New York City where a mobile interventional stroke team (MIST) raced to ischemic stroke patients to perform a surgical procedure called endovascular thrombectomy...

Women are less likely than men to get the most effective treatment for a serious type of stroke, new research shows.

Emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) is a type of ischemic stroke caused when blockages in large blood vessels cut off significant blood flow to the brain.

The most effective treatment to prevent long-term disabilities from this type of stroke is a minimally invasiv...

Death rates from Alzheimer's disease are particularly high in the rural United States, a preliminary study finds, highlighting a need for health care resources in traditionally under-served areas.

Researchers discovered that over the past two decades, rural areas in the Southeast have seen the highest death rates from Alzheimer's, at 274 per 100,000 people. That's about twice the rate as ...

It is often said that stroke affects men and women differently. Now, scientists say the location of the stroke's damage in the brain may help explain why.

Women have more strokes, and are more likely to have symptoms such as fatigue and mental confusion rather than classic indications such as paralysis. Women also tend to have more severe strokes, according to the authors of a new study.<...

Here's a reason to not feel guilty about drinking a glass of wine every evening: A new study suggests that people who drink moderately may have lower risks for both heart attack and stroke than teetotalers -- even when they have a history of heart issues.

The researchers found that among over 48,000 people with previous cardiovascular trouble, those who drank the equivalent of a single dr...

About one in 20 kids hospitalized with COVID-19 develop debilitating brain or nerve complications that could haunt some for a long time, a new British study reports.

Children with severe infections can suffer from brain inflammation, seizures, stroke, behavior changes, hallucinations and psychosis.

About one-third of the stricken kids had symptoms that didn't resolve in the short te...

A pregnant woman's diet and other lifestyle factors may change how her baby's genes work in a way that can affect the child's cardiovascular health by age 8 or 9, new research has found.

Nearly half of U.S. adults have some form of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and high blood pressure, according to American Heart Association statistics. Ea...

The heart benefits of cholesterol-lowering statins in people without heart disease far exceed the risks of any side effects, a new review finds.

Statins are widely prescribed to people with heart disease, and recent guidelines recommend greater preventive use of the drugs even before heart issues are diagnosed. But it hasn't been clear whether the benefits outweigh the risks in people wit...

A flu shot might offer some protection against severe effects of COVID-19, a new study suggests.

If you are infected with COVID-19, having had a flu shot makes it less likely you will suffer severe body-wide infection, blood clots, have a stroke or be treated in an intensive care unit, according to the study.

"Our work is important," said study co-author Dr. Devinder Singh, noting l...

Aspirin has long been taken by heart patients to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack, but a new study suggests that it can also guard against cardiovascular trouble in pneumonia patients.

Such complications are common in pneumonia patients and strongly associated with a long-term risk of death.

The study assessed whether aspirin could reduce the risk of heart attack and ische...

Poor quality sleep can shave years off your life, and these effects may be magnified if you don't get enough physical activity.

That's the bad news. The good news is that getting more exercise may help counter some of the health risks known to accompany poor quality sleep, new research shows.

Folks who scored low in both sleep and exercise categories were 57% more likely to die from...