Doctors warn that overindulgence during the holidays, including alcohol and salty foods, can lead to 'holiday heart syndrome,' increasing the risk of heart rhythm disturbances and failure, especially in those with pre-existing conditions. Maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and being alert to symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath are crucial for heart health during the festive season.
A 79-year-old woman with Lynch syndrome is uncertain about continuing colonoscopies due to her age and cardiac risks. Dr. Roach explains that the decision to stop screening depends on individual health and risk factors, noting her lifetime colon cancer risk is about 20%, but her risk decreases with age. Both risks are low, so stopping is reasonable if she prefers, but continuing is also acceptable.
A study shows that replacing just 30 minutes of sedentary time with either light exercise, moderate-vigorous activity, or sleep can significantly reduce the risk of cardiac events and death, highlighting the importance of staying active and getting restorative sleep for heart health.
An analysis used by Florida's surgeon general to caution young men against getting the COVID-19 vaccine omitted information that showed catching the virus could increase the risk of a cardiac-related death much more than getting the mRNA shot. The nonbinding recommendation made by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo last fall ran counter to the advice provided by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The early drafts of the analysis obtained by the Tampa Bay Times showed that catching COVID-19 could increase the chances of a cardiac-related death much more than getting the vaccine, but that information was missing from the final version put out by the Florida Department of Health last October.
