Heart Disease
Cardiologist, author, and heart health expert Dr. Sarah Samaan offers advice on how to live a heart smart life.
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Jan 09 2012
In Praise of Pomegranates
Native to Iran and the Himalayas, pomegranates have been grown and cultivated in the U.S. since the 1700’s. Although the pomegranate flourishes in California, Arizona, and even Texas, for many of us, this gorgeous fruit with its jewel-like inte...
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Jan 05 2012
More Good News About Statins
Over 20 million Americans use statins to help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. With long-term use, these drugs, including such common brand names as Lipitor, Zocor, Pravachol, and Crestor, can reduce heart attack and stroke risk by 2...
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Jan 02 2012
Holiday Heart: Too Many Glad Tidings Can Land You in the ER
At least a couple of times every holiday season, I am called to the emergency room (ER) to see a patient with what we doctors euphemistically call “Holiday Heart.” This condition may afflict folks of any age, including otherwise healthy young t...
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Dec 29 2011
Thinking About Hormone Replacement? Ask Your Doctor About the Patch
The history of estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for menopausal woman is long and very complicated. Indeed, there is still considerable uncertainty when it comes to who should get therapy, how long a woman should take ...
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Dec 27 2011
Eat Like a Cardiologist: A Few of My Favorite Things
My patients often fret that eating a heart smart diet will be too expensive, too time consuming, too complicated, too confusing, or too dull. The truth is that eating a healthy diet, like almost everything else, can be as simple or as complex a...
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Dec 22 2011
Fast Food for Lunch? Better Think Again
Obesity is a fast-growing problem in the U.S. and around the world, affecting one in three American adults. There is no question that obesity may cause quality of life to suffer, in part due to its contribution to many chronic diseases, includi...
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Dec 15 2011
Soft Drinks, Violence, and Teens
New study suggests there’s truth to the “Twinkie defense” You’ve probably heard of the “Twinkie defense,” a term coined in 1979 to explain a murder defendant’s mental state. As the story goes, the guilty party had suddenly veered away from a ...
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Dec 12 2011
Global Leaders in Healthcare
The upcoming Global Leaders Conference will focus on the future of healthcare As a healthcare blogger, I am thrilled to have been invited to participate in the second annual Global Leaders in Healthcare forum, to be held January 10, 2012 in ...
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Dec 05 2011
Should You Be Tested for PLAC?
Doctors and scientists are racing to find the perfect test to predict heart disease. We know that high LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels are associated with heart disease risk. So is C-reactive protein, which is linked to inflammation in ...
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Dec 01 2011
Strawberries Show Promise in Heart Disease Prevention
Strawberries are a sweet addition to any heart smart diet. They contain a chockfull of nutrients including vitamin C (one cup contains about 150% of our daily requirement), fiber, and a wide range of important antioxidants. Since antioxidants h...
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