By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Light to moderate exercise -- just walking a few blocks or even dancing -- can help prevent the abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation in those most vulnerable to it -- older people, a new study finds.

WEDNESDAY, July 9 (HealthDay News) -- A gene mutation linked to one family's hereditary form of atrial fibrillation may help researchers find better ways to predict, prevent and treat the heart rhythm problem, according to a new report.

The mutation -- a flaw in the DNA sequence -- was discovered by Mayo Clinic researchers studying a large family with an inherited form of atrial fibrillation in 11 relatives. Collaborators at the University of Iowa later confirmed the mutation's role in altering the electrical properties of the heart through an animal model.

By Ed Edelson
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- The procedures used to open narrowed heart arteries work just as well in women as in men, and the results for both genders have improved steadily in recent years, new research finds.

MONDAY, June 9 (HealthDay News) -- Taking good care of teeth and gums may be crucial in preventing heart valve infection, a U.S. study finds.

Researchers examined whether daily dental activities such as brushing were as likely as major dental procedures such as tooth extraction to cause infective endocarditis (IE), a dangerous infection of the lining of the heart or heart valve that can occur when bacteria enter the bloodstream.

Prevention

In the popular imagination, strokes happen at senior centers, not motorcycle rallies. They're certainly not supposed to befall a woman like Sandra Thornburg.

In 2001, she was a vibrant, 43-year-old exercise fanatic attending nursing school in Phoenix. Newly divorced, she embraced singlehood by meeting new people and trying new things, Harley-Davidson bikes included.

Read full story

MONDAY, June 2 (HealthDay News) -- While 89 percent of Americans say they're willing and able to help if they witness a medical emergency, only 21 percent are confident they could perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and only 15 percent believe they can use an automated external defibrillator.

THURSDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Stroke patients who suffer seizures are more likely to die within 30 days than stroke patients who don't have seizures are, a new study shows.

By Steven Reinberg
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Stroke victims often succumb to depression in the months following their attack, but taking an antidepressant may reduce that risk, a new study finds.

To a lesser degree, problem-solving therapy also lowers the chances of depression among stroke victims.

TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Stroke victims often succumb to depression in the months following their attack, but taking an antidepressant may reduce that risk, a new study finds.

To a lesser degree, problem-solving therapy also lowers the chances of depression among stroke victims.

TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half the patients with a history of heart disease are unfamiliar with the symptoms of a heart attack and don't see themselves being at increased risk for one, a new study finds.