Strokes are a huge cause of long-lasting disability, and the fifth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every forty seconds an American has a stroke; every four minutes one of these leads to death. Who is most at risk? A wide swath of the population can benefit from awareness and prevention.  Anyone 55 or older, and anyone with a history of strokes or mini-strokes, called ischemic attacks, is at risk. Those with a family history of stroke should be mindful. While men are more likely to die from strokes,...

Adopting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern improves heart health, with or without reducing red meat intake, if the red meat consumed is lean and unprocessed, according to a new Purdue University nutrition study. "This study is important because it shows that red meat can be part of a heart-healthy eating pattern like a Mediterranean-style eating pattern," said Wayne W. Campbell, professor of nutrition science. "This study was not designed to promote red meat intake, and we are not encouraging people who otherwise consume a vegetarian-style eating pattern to begin consuming red meat."  The study - published online at the American Journal of...

Most of your body's cholesterol is produced by your liver, but blood cholesterol levels can rise if you eat the wrong foods every day. Blood contains both high-density lipoprotein (HDL), referred to as "good cholesterol," and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also called "bad cholesterol." Too much bad cholesterol over time can lead to the build-up of fatty substances in arteries that can cause blockages as part of cardiovascular disease, and in the worst cases, heart attack or stroke. Unfortunately, potentially dangerous high cholesterol levels do not always have symptoms. For this reason, everyone is urged to get their cholesterol levels checked...

Written By Kevin Kerfoot / Reviewed By Ray Spotts As chief of cardiovascular medicine and executive director of the Heart and Vascular Center at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, David Zhao, M.D., still brings a decidedly low-tech instrument a stethoscope with him when he sees patients. And he stresses that traditional qualities such as expertise and teamwork are essential in making the most effective use of what technology can provide. These days, having access to new technologies and treatments is essential to provide enhanced or improved care to the community, Zhao said. But skill, knowledge and experience, collaboration and technology...