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It has long been acknowledged that what we eat and drink affects our health, but with so many different diets out there it can be hard to know which, if any, to follow. For people with cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high levels of the unhealthy cholesterols, physical inactivity, use of tobacco

Back in January 2021 we cautioned patients with pacemakers and ICDs about the risk posed to them from smartphones, particularly if stored in a pocket over the cardiac device site (see here). Now it’s time to turn the spotlight on smart watches. Smart watches and some either types of wearable technology such as fitness trackers

Back in December 2019 we were very excited by the results of the Hygia Chronotherapy Trial, which suggested that taking blood pressure medication in the evening instead of the morning led to better blood pressure control, and, better still, a lower risk of heart attack and stroke. However, a more recent study, the Treatment in

Updated – July 2023 The British Heart Foundation estimates that 1.4 million people in the UK today have survived a heart attack. It also estimates that some 30,000 people a year suffer a heart attack outside of a hospital setting (known as OHCA, or an “out-of-hospital cardiac arrest”), and of those 30,000, only 1 in

For many people Christmas doesn’t officially begin until the first sip of gingerbread latte from a paper cup festooned in festive cheer. This time of year the coffee shops really go to town with their indulgent Christmas offerings, some of which sound more like drinkable desserts, such as the “Iced Sugar Cookie Almond Milk Latte”

We may have missed Dysautonomia Awareness Month by a few days (October is considered to be the month when autonomic dysfunction is in the spotlight, with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) given a day of its own, this year 25th October), but there can never be a bad time to highlight this umbrella term for

If you have ever thought about quitting smoking, why not sign up to Stoptober? Research has shown that if a person can stop smoking for 28 consecutive days, they are 5 times more likely to give it up for good. When it comes to smoking and the heart, there is really nothing positive to say

Many people add artificial sweeteners to their tea and coffee thinking that it is healthier than adding sugar, but results from a recent study are suggestive of a direct link between consumption of artificial sweeteners and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Artificial sweeteners are not only found in the tablet or granular form

A recent study has shown that patients, and particularly women, who consume a lot of salt can lower their blood pressure by consuming potassium-rich foods such as bananas, avocados, salmon and spinach. High blood pressure has long been known to be a risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, and in this study the blood pressure lowering

At the time of writing we are in the midst of a heatwave in London, with temperatures of up to 40°C threatened over the next few days. Quite understandably a big topic of conversation at the moment is how impossible it is to sleep in such heat, and how weary everyone is feeling as a

When you have a blood test to check your cholesterol the total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and non-HDL cholesterol elements are generally measured. However cholesterol metabolism is highly complex and there are many other elements that can also be measured. One element called lipoprotein (a) is currently hitting the headlines. Lipoprotein (a) was first identified in

The NHS recommends that adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week to help protect against heart disease. Whilst some people benefit from the exercise-focussed environment of a gym, others prefer to incorporate exercise into their daily regime such that it does not feel like exercise at all. We