News and tips for the heart-conscious

No butts about it
Supporters of smoking bans in the workplace and other public areas have more ammunition for their cause: During a six-month indoor smoking ban in Helena, Mont., the city's number of heart attacks dropped by more than 50 percent. These results show promise for the increasing number of U.S. cities adopting the no-smoking policy, according to the American Heart Association. Of the more than 440,000 Americans who die from smoking-related diseases each year, about 35,000 are victims of secondhand smoke.

No warning for Asian Americans?
Asian Americans are at higher risk of “silent” heart disease, say researchers at Stanford University . Before a heart attack, many people have the classic warning symptom: chest pain. But the Stanford study showed that seven in 10 Asian-American patients with decreased blood flow to their hearts—known as myocardial ischemia—felt no pain. So what can you do if you are of Asian-American descent? If you are over 45 years old and you get tired or lose your breath easily, see your doctor, especially if you have a history of high blood pressure or diabetes. He or she can test you for silent heart disease and help you take charge of your health.

Killer combo
Patients who mix aspirin with ibuprofen, an over-the-counter painkiller, may double their risk of cardiac death, reports The New England Journal of Medicine. The study compared 7,107 patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and found that those who took aspirin with ibuprofen showed a significantly higher mortality risk than patients who took aspirin either alone or with a different NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug). The findings suggest ibuprofen blocks aspirin's ability to prevent an attack. If you are taking both drugs, talk to your healthcare provider about the possible risks involved. He or she may suggest a different painkiller.

‘Thanks, Doctor. I needed that'
Giving people evidence that their lifestyles have already harmed them can sometimes spur healthy changes, according to the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle. The organization reviewed eight studies of biological health indicators, also called biomarkers, such as elevated cholesterol, diminished breathing capacity and other conditions triggered by smoking, overeating or not exercising. Biomarkers allow doctors to show patients how continuing risky behavior could lead to catastrophic illness. For example, smokers who underwent a biomarker profile and learned they had abnormal carbon monoxide levels as well as a genetic predisposition to lung cancer were twice as likely to try quitting cigarettes than others who didn't undergo a profile.