Dr. Ahmed: Three cases illustrate the importance of communication skills in health care and the role of decision tools in facilitating treatment discussions. 

Dr. Hossain: Decision handout an invaluable tool to support clinician-patient conversations and help overcome health literacy, language barriers. 

Dr. Erickson: Being open to a give-and-take of information helps patients make choices that align with their values and preferences. 

Dr. Shabbir: Tools support discussions to ensure patients understand their risk.

Dr. Mendoza, chief cardiology fellow at Erlanger Heart and Lung Institute in Chattanooga, TN, shares insights from using a CardioSmart decision aid with a 72-year-old woman with severe aortic stenosis. 

Here are key points for patients about new recommendations to restore blood flow to the heart.

For the first time, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have released a comprehensive guideline for the evaluation of chest pain.

Chest pain is the most common sign of heart trouble. Know what a heart attack can feel like so you can call 911 in an emergency.

American College of Cardiology expert consensus decision pathway offers practical guidance to help patients manage hypertriglyceridemia. 

The study is the first to track objective, real-time alcohol consumption and heart rhythm changes.

New data reinforce long-term benefits of exercise and healthy food choices. 

Researchers call for future dietary guidelines to differentiate between healthy, not-so-healthy proteins based on study findings. 

Researchers said the findings add to urgency of assuring access to vaccines for at-risk groups.

Psychological distress doubles the risk of subsequent cardiac events in younger adults.

Many people with high blood pressure are taking another medication that could raise it.

Researchers call for stepped up preventive care and lifestyle changes for women under age 40.

Women with possible heart attack get less care in emergency departments, study finds.

Measuring coronary calcium is useful to identify people without heart disease who could benefit from treatment, findings suggest. 

Minding your mental health may be a key part of taking care of your heart and should be a part of overall care, experts urge in report.

Researchers say quitting at any age has heart benefits but sooner is better.

ACC offers patients timely information about how to care for their heart health during the pandemic. 

Mended Hearts hosted a webinar about COVID-19 and patients with heart conditions. Martha Gulati, CardioSmart's Editor-in-Chief, was the speaker.

Scientific statement calls attention to potential dangers and important gaps in research. 

Large study confirms eating 5 servings a day is best for a healthier, longer life.

Findings are cautionary tale for people using e-cigarettes combined with cigarettes to reduce heart risks. 

Nearly one-third of patients receiving this combined intervention lost 5% or more of their weight, new study finds.

Women with a history of gestational diabetes are more likely to have plaque in their heart’s arteries by middle age.

American College of Cardiology statement outlines levels of risk for severe COVID-19 based on underlying cardiovascular conditions. 

Cardiac rehabilitation, a three-month supervised exercise program, improves fitness, strength and outlook after stroke, pilot study suggests.

But more research is needed to fully understand differing results in recent trials. 

Psychosocial well-being may be more important in promoting heart health than where people live, study finds, but more research is needed.

World Health Organization guideline emphasizes regular physical activity and importance of limiting time spent sitting. 

Intermittent fasting alone isn’t an effective way to lose weight, study shows.

What you should know about new recommendations on how to treat patients with heart valve disease.

Research suggests some medications to lower blood pressure may even protect against developing depression.

Findings are a timely reminder of the importance of getting an annual flu shot to help prevent complications—especially in people with heart disease.

Stable chest pain due to angina is best managed first with medications and lifestyle improvements, recent research suggests.

New recommendations update previous guidance about exercise and stress the importance of shared decision-making.

Research suggests need to raise awareness about treatment guidelines for PAD.

Perspective: While healthy habits are important throughout life, some people younger than 50 might benefit from earlier interventions to lower their lifetime risk of heart attack or stroke.

Intervening earlier may help prevent future cardiac events among 40- and 50-somethings, study suggests.

Report calls for new dietary recommendations to provide clearer guidance about which food sources are heart protective and which are harmful. 

Perspective: There is not enough evidence to cancel fall sports over concerns about increased risk of myocarditis and COVID-19.

Results from long-term study of women highlight the need to curb consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

This summary of the guidelines addresses the standards your doctor should follow in the initial evaluation and treatment of heart failure.

This is a summary of the guidelines addressing the standards that doctors should follow in treating blood cholesterol to reduce cardiovascular risk in adults.

This is a summary of the guideline addressing the standards that doctors should follow in providing care for adults with heart valve disease.

These guidelines were created to reflect the latest research when it comes to treating atrial fibrillation—an irregular heart rhythm affecting 2.6 million Americans.

This summary of the guideline highlights the latest evidence on supraventricular tachycardia, or SVT, and provides recommendations for diagnosis and treatment.

This is a summary of key changes experts recently made to guidelines addressing the use of PCI in patients with STEMI heart attacks.

This is a summary of guidelines on peripheral artery disease of the lower extremities issued in December 2016.

This is a summary of guidelines about treating patients with syncope issued in March 2017.

Taking an aspirin every day might not help you prevent cardiovascular disease, and for some, it may even be more harmful than helpful. But if you’ve already had a heart attack or stroke, aspirin is still an important part of treatment.

New report sheds light on the ways housing may influence cardiovascular disease and the need to include it as part of overall care.

Taking these medications was also tied to a lower likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Researchers tracked 1,845 participants in Mississippi for more than a decade to examine disparities in heart health.

Data show wearing masks is linked to lower infection rates.

This is a summary of key changes experts made in May 2016 to guidelines on drug therapies for patients with heart failure.

This is a summary of key changes experts made in March 2017 to guidelines for treatment of patients with heart valve disease.

New guidelines change how high blood pressure is defined. Find out what you need to know about the latest update. 

Study reveals differences in the way some cardiovascular drugs are prescribed depending on the sex of the patient.

Hispanic women carry greater risks of some cardiometabolic markers despite less time sitting, study shows.

Focus on healthy eating behaviors instead of rigid rules about what and how a child should eat, research suggests.

New guidelines for managing adults with congenital heart disease are a major update to recommendations released in 2008.

Bradycardia means your heart beats very slowly. What you need to know about new guidelines to manage this condition.

Key points for patients regarding new recommendations about how to prevent heart disease.

What you need to know about new guidelines on managing cholesterol, the fat-like substance found in your blood.

This is a summary of key points experts made in an update to guidelines for the management of heart failure in April 2017.

This guideline summary addresses the standards your doctor should follow in the initial evaluation and treatment of stable ischemic heart disease.

This summary of the guideline addresses the standards your doctor should follow in the treatment of heart attack. 

A summary of key points for patients to know about how to manage patients with ventricular arrhythmias and to prevent sudden cardiac death.

Here are key points about the guidelines on managing atrial fibrillation updated in 2019.

Early smoking also makes it less likely that someone will kick the habit, study finds.

Face coverings and masks also help protect against the new coronavirus.

Study also suggests that music may help with motivation to exercise and exercising longer.

Study links brisk walking for 40 minutes several times a week to reduced risk of heart failure.

Study debunks the theory that being overweight is associated with increased longevity.

Only half of patients with a dangerous cholesterol disorder are receiving proper treatment, shows U.S. study.

Used with exercise stress tests, the new calculator better predicts mortality risk for both women and men.

For patients with high genetic risk for heart disease, healthy lifestyle choices nearly cut risk in half, finds study.

It’s unlikely that HDL cholesterol is an independent risk factor for heart disease.

Chronic inflammation of blood vessels leads to clogged arteries and increased cardiovascular risk.

Despite mixed findings, experts offer guidelines on calcium intake for adults without heart disease.

The key to improving one’s diet lies in adapting recommendations based on cultural, economic and taste preferences.

Spikes in blood pressure at the doctor’s office are not directly to blame for increased cardiovascular risk, finds study.

Studies explore why women are less likely to receive lifesaving CPR when collapsing in public.

Global study finds that consumption of milk, cheese and yogurt helps reduce cardiovascular risk, regardless of fat content.

Maintaining good health reduces risk for heart attack, stroke and death, shows Korean study of 6.7 million adults.

Five-year study finds vitamin D and omega-3 supplements do not reduce risk for heart events and cancer in healthy adults.

Gum disease may make it harder to treat high blood pressure, finds study of 3,600 U.S. adults.

Study links 2015 Chicago crime surge to increased risk for high blood pressure, even in low-crime areas.

Study finds that healthy, middle-aged adults with poor fitness had up to twofold greater risk of death than those who were physically fit.

Study adds to growing concerns about prescription opioid use and heart health.

E-cigarettes pose an increasing health threat to America’s youth, shows survey study of California teens.

Incentives that encourage better management of high cholesterol appear cost-effective, based on expert models.

A health promotion series highlights the role of physical activity in staying heart-healthy.

Managing blood sugar should be a key goal for patients with type 2 diabetes, explain experts.

Obese patients should be routinely referred to potential weight-loss programs, experts recommend.

Health programming delivered in New York City churches shows promise for black adults with high blood pressure.  

Eating earlier in the day could be better for heart health, finds study of Hispanic adults.