WEDNESDAY, Aug. 17, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Maintaining excellent cardiovascular health may lower the risk for abnormalities in the small vessels of the brain, a new study suggests. Scientists aren’t sure what causes the condition, known as cerebral small vessel disease, or CSVD. Previous research shows CSVD contributes to about half of dementia…  read on >  read on >

A smartphone video could detect a blocked blood vessel in your neck that could cause a stroke, a new study suggests. The American Heart Association says videos may provide a non-invasive way to screen people who are at risk of stroke. Nearly 87% of strokes are the ischemic type, which happens when fatty deposits build…  read on >  read on >

Methamphetamine is driving an epidemic of drug overdoses in rural America, a new study concludes. Researchers attribute the surge to meth laced with fentanyl or combined with an opioid that contains fentanyl. “Methamphetamine is increasingly contaminated or adulterated with fentanyl, which is 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin,” said lead researcher Dr. Todd…  read on >  read on >

When it comes to taking your blood pressure at home, smart devices with lots of bells and whistles are no better than old-school monitors, which happen to cost much less. This is the main finding of a new study that compared high-tech devices that link to your smartphone and provide other useful health information with…  read on >  read on >

TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Fatima Mathews knew something wasn’t right. She was more tired than she’d ever felt in her life. “You just had a baby,” her doctor reminded her. “It’s normal to be tired.” She’d been feeling tired – and bloated and swollen – since the last few months…  read on >  read on >