Congenital heart defect survivor Andrianna Acosta has a chest scar from surgery she had as an infant. (Photo courtesy of Jessielyn Palumbo) Lea en español For as long as she can remember, Andrianna Acosta went out of her way to hide the 8-inch scar that stretches from near her collarbone down to her belly button….
At 6 weeks old, Lily Davis was in the hospital with a dangerously fast heart rate. (Photo courtesy of Gaby Davis) Last Thanksgiving, Lily Davis was 6 weeks old and on a ventilator in the hospital. Her mother, Gaby, spent her favorite holiday in a neonatal intensive care unit. “We saw so many pictures on…
Shauna Planck learned she carried a gene mutation that can cause a condition known as dilated cardiomyopathy and sudden cardiac death. (Photo courtesy of Shauna Planck) When Shauna Planck was in college, her father got so sick that he received a heart transplant. Doctors told David Kennedy that his condition was not genetic, so none…
(Pekic/E+ via Getty Images) Grade school-age children with better cardiovascular health may have better cognitive function, according to new research. Scientists are increasingly looking at the mind-body connection, including how heart health might affect brain function. Past studies of adults have linked poor cardiovascular health to a higher risk of cognitive decline, but there’s been…
(Luis Dafos/Moment via Getty Images) Lea en español When his father died about two decades ago, Dr. Mathew Sandoval built a colorful altar in his honor and decorated it with flowers, candles and personal items. The altar, part of the ancient Día de los Muertos tradition, helped the then-21-year-old cope with grief. “Essentially, it gave…
(adamkaz/iStock via Getty Images) Lea en español High blood pressure – sometimes referred to as “the silent killer” because it can do serious heart and brain damage before symptoms appear – is common in adults. But what about children? Among U.S. children and adolescents, up to 5% have high blood pressure – also known as…
(La Lumiere/E+ via Getty Images) Black and Hispanic children with Type 1 diabetes are more likely than their white peers to develop stiffened arteries – a precursor to heart disease and stroke – during the first decade of their diabetes diagnosis, new research finds. All of the higher risk for Hispanic children – and one-fourth…
From left: Dylan’s parents, Gus and Lisa Dorrell, and brother, Jake Dorrell, with the AED that was placed in the park where Dylan collapsed. (Photo courtesy of the Dorrell family) Dylan Dorrell fell in love with running when he was in kindergarten and ran a 5K with his mom on Mother’s Day. As a 17-year-old…
(Ridofranz/iStock via Getty Images) Women and men born with simple or moderate heart defects who choose to have children are no more likely than others to experience infertility as adults, a study in Denmark suggests. The researchers said it is the first study to examine the risk of infertility among women and men with congenital…
(Francesco Carta fotografo/Moment via Getty Images) Childhood trauma, especially physical abuse, might increase the risk of heart failure later in life, according to new research. Past studies have found a connection between traumatic experiences in childhood and cardiovascular disease and other health problems. But there’s been little research on a specific link to heart failure,…