Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy survivor Elias Soto. (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Galeana) Lea en español After Cecilia Galeana gave birth to her second child, Elias Soto, a pediatrician performed standard newborn tests. Listening to his heart, the doctor heard a whooshing and swishing sound. Elias had a heart murmur. It could be hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, the…
(FatCamera/E+ via Getty Images) Lea en español Although the heart and lungs are neighbors in your chest, people may think of them as separate entities with unrelated problems. But a growing body of evidence suggests that asthma – one of the most common lung disorders – is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Asthma is…
Cindy Allen-Stuckey was one of the first children to have heart defect surgery in the 1950s. (Photo courtesy of Cindy Allen-Stuckey) From the time his daughter Cindy was diagnosed with a heart defect in the 1950s until the day he died more than half a century later, Kenneth Winn carried in his wallet a special…
Terrianne Zonca survived a cardiac arrest and was later diagnosed with a rare condition called long QT syndrome. (Photo courtesy of Boivin Photographe) The morning of Terrianne Zonca’s grandfather’s funeral in Honolulu, she was so busy getting ready that she forgot to eat breakfast. Before going to the mortuary, Zonca’s family gathered at her parents’…
(Ponchai Soda/EyeEm via Getty Images) Early diagnosis and treatment of peripheral artery disease is key to preventing amputations and other cardiovascular complications, according to new guidelines that also emphasize the importance of coordinated care from a multispecialty team. “Because of the complexities of PAD, to improve outcomes and reduce the risk of limb loss for…
Stroke survivor Joyce Moty at the community garden she helped start at Bradner Gardens Park in Seattle. (Photo courtesy of Joyce Moty) Like most days, Joyce Moty was planning to visit Bradner P-Patch, the community garden she helped start at Bradner Gardens Park near her home in Seattle. Moty is a fixture there – and…
(chanida_p2/iStock via Getty Images) For a quick summary of the fight for clean air over the past century, look out of any office window. Odds are your view won’t be obscured by dangerous smog – or by clouds of cigarette smoke. For much of the past century, that would have been unthinkable. “Even since just…
(PeopleImages/E+ via Getty Images) Over the years, people with a genetic condition causing thickening of the heart muscle, known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, have received confusing advice on exercise. New guideline revisions aim to clear things up. They spell out that not only is exercise important and healthy but that some people with the condition, if…
Dax Serbin (left) with his younger brother, Xander. Dax – now 5 – was born with a combination of heart defects known as tetralogy of Fallot. (Photo courtesy of Gretchen Whitehurst) Amber Noggle’s first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. After that, it was a struggle for her and Dustin Serbin to conceive again. So when…
(VladGans/E+ via Getty Images) Lea en español For many people, Mother’s Day celebrates special relationships, reinforces family bonds or evokes fond, poignant memories. But not for everyone. In some circumstances, the day of flowers and hugs and tributes to Mom can spark sadness, stress or even resentment. “Lots of people might struggle with the holiday,”…