The People's Perspective on MedicineArticles categorized as Stroke
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The People's Perspective on Medicine© 2026 The People's Pharmacy
All Rights Reserved
The People's Perspective on MedicineLoading articles..
The People's Perspective on Medicine© 2026 The People's Pharmacy
All Rights Reserved
Common infections–colds, flu, COVID, UTIs and SHINGLES–are linked to heart attacks and strokes. Could a shingles vax reduce the risk of AD?
Which People's Pharmacy podcasts did listeners download most often in 2025? You won't want to miss any of these crucial health conversations.
New research challenges long-held prohibitions—how long until nutrition experts start rethinking saturated fat restrictions? What about you?
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) is a hot drug because of weight loss. It doesn't help dementia. What are the heart benefits for Wegovy?
Humans have only been living with a lot of light at night for about 100 years. Does light exposure contribute to heart disease and stroke?
Suboptimal risk factors mean you could die of a heart attack; learn which ones are relevant for you and bring them under control.
Research links pathogens to heart attacks, strokes, and cognitive decline. Rethinking heart disease prevention could start with vaccination.
The non-nutritive sweetener erythritol is popular, but is it safe? Studies show it increases the risk for cardiovascular complications.
We have plastic in our brains? How does it get there? Research suggests we breathe in microplastic particles. They're also in our arteries.
Studies suggest people drinking more sugar sweetened beverages are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart failure.
Could "bad" cholesterol serve a function in the body? A meta-analysis finds low LDL cholesterol may increase the risk for bleeding strokes.
Elevated Lp(a) levels are a leading cause of heart disease and strokes. Why aren't doctors measuring it? Have you been tested for Lp(a)?
CT scans have made diagnosis easier. They also expose patients to ionizing radiation (X-rays). Could there be an increased risk of cancer?
People who consume the most vegetables, apples, tea and cocoa tend to have lower blood pressure and less atherosclerosis.
Following a Mediterranean diet with lots of veggies, fruit and fish can help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and many cancers.
A large study in China monitored people's tea-drinking habits and their health. Those who sip green tea several times a week seem to live longer.
If you can control your blood pressure, you reduce your chance of a brain attack. Learn what other risk factors deserve attention.
Can diet help prevent stroke? The Mediterranean diet can cut the risk of stroke significantly, and new guidelines recommend it.
People in pain should be told that ibuprofen triggers atrial fibrillation, as do other NSAIDs. Home remedies may be safer for relieving pain.
Can you sip your way to a healthier heart? Can caffeine from coffee and tea reduce your risk for heart attacks, strokes and type 2 diabetes?
Diuretics such as HCTZ or chlorthalidone are frequently prescribed for high blood pressure. Which drug performed better after heart attacks?
Medicare Part D will now pay for Wegovy (semaglutide) to help millions of overweight people reduce their risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The composition of the gut microbiota influences the likelihood of severe strokes. A healthy digestive ecology also reduces the risk of AD.
People relying on diets high in refined grains are more likely to suffer strokes. A regular B-complex vitamin could help.
Research indicates that high-intensity training and acupuncture can help people recover from a stroke. It takes time to make progress.
Is aspirin a wonder drug or has it been overhyped? Does stopping aspirin suddenly increase the risk for blood clots? What about Eliquis?
Diagnostic mistakes are common, often leading to permanent disability and death. A study says nearly 1 out of 5 patients are misdiagnosed.
Adopting a healthy eating pattern over the years reduces your chance of a heart attack or stroke by about 20 percent.
Inflammation is more important in heart disease than people realize. Could colchicine, a VERY old drug, prevent heart attacks and strokes?
It can be difficult to get the warfarin dose just right all the time. Even people who managed it most of the time sometimes had a dangerous deviation.
New research shows the shocking dangers of misdiagnosis, with some 795,000 Americans suffering disability or death each year as a result.
Most people think of the coronavirus as a respiratory illness, but the cardiac effects of COVID-19 are also very worrisome.
A Swedish study demonstrates that dog owners are less likely to die soon after a heart attack or a stroke. A meta-analysis reinforces that conclusion.
A rigorously conducted, multi-year experiment with cocoa compounds vs placebo showed that they may reduce cardiovascular mortality.
Do you avoid saturated fat? The AHA tells you to shun dairy fat! Olive oil contains 14% sat-fat. Why are dairy fat and olive oil good for you?
The FDA wants food companies to cut back on salt. AHA guidelines are much stricter. Are the low-salt targets practical? Are they healthy?
Is hard water high in dissolved magnesium good for your cardiovascular health? Swedish researchers suggest it can reduce the risk for strokes
Is it worthwhile to take aspirin for your heart? The experts weigh in with new recommendations. How will you make the right decision?
Staying active, even by simply walking farther or faster, helps older adults avoid heart attacks and strokes.
The US Preventive Services Task Force says millions of people should stop taking aspirin to prevent a heart attack. Better be careful!
A big study in the UK found that people who go to sleep between 10 and 11 pm have the lowest likelihood of cardiovascular problems.
Data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study show the type of fat is important. Vegetable sources rock.
People who have high blood pressure in the doctor's office may need to confirm that it is sustained throughout the day with home blood pressure measurement.
Studies demonstrate that lowering systolic blood pressure under 130 mm mercury can reduce cardiovascular complications.
To sidestep a diet killing you, eat your vegetables and fruits, choose fish instead of processed meats and shun sugar-sweetened beverages.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a neuroanatomist who gained exceptional insights into the function of the whole brain from her stroke and recovery.
Getting a timely, accurate diagnosis is crucial for treatment. What questions should a patient ask to prevent diagnostic disasters?
The latest research demonstrates that every minute counts when you are having a stroke. To save your brain, know the symptoms of a stroke!
Learn how COVID-19 affects your heart and what you should do to keep your heart as healthy as possible during the pandemic and afterwards.
Hard-to-diagnose conditions include sepsis and stroke. They can be extremely dangerous, even lethal. Learn what signs could be red flags for fast action.
It's surprising to learn that even after a century aspirin remains highly controversial. Should people take aspirin to prevent heart attacks and cancer?
No one knows quite how many diagnostic errors doctors make each year, but the number is high. Some have serious or deadly consequences.
A meta-analysis of 15 studies finds that optimists are less likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes. They are also less likely to die prematurely.
Vegetarians have a lower risk for heart disease than meat eaters. However, they have a slightly higher chance of suffering a stroke.
A careful study shows that smokers benefit from quitting. It may be more than a decade, though, before their risk of heart attacks drops to normal.
A meta-analysis in JAMA Cardiology shows no benefit from vitamin D supplements for heart disease. This is the latest in a series of such disappointments.
Evidence from a Finnish study shows you could probably eat an egg a day without increasing your risk for stroke or heart disease.
Fruit juice seems like a healthful choice, but it is high in fructose. People who drink a lot of juice are at risk of premature death.
Data from the Women's Health Initiative suggests that heavy diet soda consumers are more likely to suffer strokes and heart attacks.
The VITAL study looked at fish oil to prevent heart attacks. The results were mostly disappointing, but fewer people taking fish oil died of heart attacks.
Do you buy low-fat or no-fat yogurt? Why? Do you like the taste or do you fear the saturated fat in whole fat dairy products? A new study says dairy products are good for the cardiovascular system.
Aspirin can work for preventing heart attacks, but it can also cause excessive bleeding. People need to weigh the benefits and risks before taking it long-term.
A study of low-risk individuals that ran for more than a quarter of a century found that even in these people, high LDL cholesterol can shorten life expectancy.
Aspirin prevents clots but it also increases the chance of bleeding. So deciding whether to stop taking aspirin before a procedure is a tough call.
a meta-analysis of 18 large studies found multivitamins no help in preventing heart disease and other cardiovascular problems such as stroke.
A trial testing aspirin vs Activase for treating acute mild strokes found that they worked equally well, but aspirin resulted in fewer serious side effects.
In a head to head comparison of aspirin plus Plavix vs aspirin to prevent stroke, the combination was better at prevention but also twice as likely to cause a serious bleed.
Anyone who has had a stroke must try very hard to prevent a recurrence. A new study asked the question: is Xarelto better than aspirin or is aspirin better than Xarelto. Learn the surprising answer.
Have you ever gone sauna bathing? This reader says he thought it was a lazy indulgence. Now he knows there are proven health benefits of a sauna bath.
Finnish researchers report that people who use a sauna bath nearly every day are much less susceptible to strokes, heart attacks and dementia.
Do you wonder whether garlic has earned its reputation as a heart-healthy flavor? Studies suggest that garlic may lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, at least a bit.
If a crowded emergency room forces doctors to examine patients in the hallway, there is a risk of missing or delaying the correct diagnosis.
A Chinese study shows that stroke survivors who take both ginkgo and aspirin fare better cognitively than those taking aspirin alone.
Coffee drinkers had lower chances of heart failure or stroke with every cup they drank during the week.
A diet with plenty of potassium rich foods can help prevent hardening of the arteries. Potassium prevents calcium build-up in artery walls.
Have you been horrified by the hurricane's destruction of Puerto Rico? This disaster may seem far away but drug shortages from Puerto Rico could affect you.
Low-dose aspirin is frequently prescribed to heart patients to prevent blood clots. Can stopping aspirin suddenly increase the risk for heart attacks?
A new study including more than 135,000 adults shows that a high-carb diet is linked to a higher risk of premature death–the bread IS worse than the butter.
Drinking a daily diet soda triples the risk for stroke or dementia. Would you like a glass of water instead of a soft drink?
Eating magnesium-rich foods like nuts and dark green leafy vegetables can cut your chance of heart failure, diabetes or stroke.
In crowded emergency rooms, health care personnel are slower to get patients with suggestive symptoms in for brain imaging.
People who engage regularly in moderate to vigorous physical activity are less prone to chronic health problems such as heart disease or diabetes.
A new study found that rehab hospitals are dangerous places where mistakes are common. Anyone entering such a facility needs vigilance and help from family.
Doctors have been taught that so-called bad LDL cholesterol is a killer. When high, statins are almost always prescribed. New data challenge that idea.
People who experience a TIA have a greater likelihood of a stroke, but taking aspirin after a TIA can lower the stroke risk significantly.
You've been told to avoid eggs, cut back on cholesterol and stay away from saturated fat. The Finnish Heart Study Turns that advice upside down.
A clot busting drug tPA was used to treat bleeding in the brain, though usually that is a bad idea. The results were very promising.
Praxbind is now available as a way to reverse the anticoagulant action of dabigatran (Pradaxa) in a bleeding emergency.
People taking SSRI antidepressants may have better success with stroke rehabilitation than those taking old-fashioned tricyclic or no antidepressants.
Controlling blood pressure with multiple medications does not work as well for stroke prevention as keeping blood pressure low naturally.
In older people, cholesterol-lowering drugs can also lower the likelihood of suffering a stroke, though they may not help prevent heart attacks.
Adding a folic acid supplement to a blood pressure pill lowered the risk of stroke among adults with hypertension.
New research does not support salt restriction as a way to help older people avoid strokes, heart attacks and death.
A new technique for removing a large blood clot from the brain gives stroke victims better chances of recovering function.
Can cholesterol levels go too low? Most health professionals worry about high cholesterol. But low cholesterol can also pose unexpected risks.
