Blog
Let your Heartbeat to the Rhythm
Written by: Zanub Husain Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD Exercise is important. In fact, the Department of Health and Human Services encourages everyone to get “at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week...
Subtle Connections between Depression and Cardiac Health
Written by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD Ancient Egyptians regarded the heart as the center of both spiritual and intellectual activity. This belief dominated medical thinking until the time of Galen when the importance of the brain in cognition began to be generally...
Air Pollution and Heart Health
Written by: Zanub Husain Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD While April 22 is Earth Day, the entirety of April is Earth Month. The purpose of this month is to emphasize the importance of the environment, the planet we live in, sustainability, and how you...
Taxes May Be Taxing on Your Heart Health
Written by: Zanub Husain Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD Tax season is almost over, ending this year on April 18, 2022. However, if you’re like a third of Americans, you may have waited until the last minute to file your taxes. According to a survey...
Heart Disease is a Women’s Health Problem that Deserves More Attention
Written by: Meesha Dogan, PhD Women make up one-half of the population in the United States and according to the US Department of Labor, are responsible for about 80% of health care decisions. Yet, for the longest time, women’s health has merely been about...
One Body, Two Outputs: The Connection between Cardiovascular and Mental Health
Written by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD There is an old folk tale from India about three blind men who attempt to describe an elephant based on one touch. Each man touches a different part of the elephant, such as a foot, a tusk, or a tail, and thereby comes to a different...
Spring into Heart Health
Explore Heart Healthy Activities This Spring Written by: Zanub Husain Reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD Ph.D. The Department of Health and Human Services encourages everyone to get “at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per...
Is it Time for a “Super” Heart Healthy Diet?
Written by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD Let’s be honest. If you are like me and millions of other Americans, you probably did not have the most heart-healthy diet while watching the Super Bowl. That is okay. As I tell my patients, “if you can tolerate an imperfect doctor, I...
Can Heart Disease Show Us a New Avenue for Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease?
Written by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD Frederick Nietzsche famously stated, "that which does not kill us makes us stronger.” Frequently, this saying is used by individuals ranging from parents to physicians to rationalize the...
Study Finds Career with Lowest Heart Health Score for Women
The job may surprise you! Written by: Emily Lind Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD No matter what your job is, there are always days when it feels like the work is killing you. But did you know that your job might literally be increasing your risk of heart...
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms: What Makes You You
What are they and why do they matter? Written by: Emily Lind Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD How often have you heard someone say “it’s in my genes”? Everyone knows that genes are the building blocks for our hearts and minds. But how genes shape us is...
How to Set Heart Healthy New Year’s Resolutions – and Keep Them!
Use the Power of SMART Goal Setting Written by: Emily Lind Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD New Year’s Resolutions are a popular way to kickstart goal setting. Some of the most common resolutions are to exercise more, lose weight, and quit smoking....
Top Tips to Keep Active During the Holiday Season
Written by: Emily Lind Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD The holiday season is one of the most anticipated times of the year. But in the hustle and bustle of the Season of Giving, it’s easy to lose track of personal fitness goals. Exercise is...
Heart-Healthy Additions For Your Thanksgiving Feast
Written by: Emily Lind Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD Mark your calendars, because Thanksgiving 2021 is shaping up to be the return to pre-pandemic level celebrations! It’s estimated that 1 in 6 Americans will be travelling for Thanksgiving this...
What Are Epigenetics and Why Should You Care?
Genetic testing alone can’t tell you your real risk of disease. Written by: Emily Lind Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert, MD PhD There is an overwhelming number of genetic testing services available, all of which claim to give you important information about...
Aspirin No Longer Recommended as Preventive Cardiovascular Disease Treatment
Why have recommendations changed, and what should you do? Written by: Emily Lind Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD On October 12, 2021, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released a draft recommendation statement on taking aspirin to...
Effect of Aging on Cardiovascular Health
Written by: Ibani Kapur Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD The body undergoes macro- and microscopic changes throughout its lifetime starting at birth and lasting until death in a process referred to as aging. But what exactly is aging? To systems biologists,...
Vaping and Cardiovascular Risk
Written by: Ibani Kapur Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Prior to the pandemic, perhaps the greatest controversy in American Public Health was the effect of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) on adolescent and adult health. There are two commonly...
Era of Telehealth: Innovative Solutions for Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease
Written by: Ibani Kapur Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD “Virtual” or telemedicine healthcare visits have become the new norm for many patients. Telehealth (TH), which includes health services provided through telecommunication and digital technologies, is...
Preventive Healthcare in the Employee Wellness Industry
Written by: Ibani Kapur Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Employee wellness programming is an older concept that has recently gained more traction and has become an $8 billion industry. According to a report in 2019, 84% of large employers (200 or more...
Is Glycemic Index a Major Player in Cardiovascular Disease?
Written by: Ibani Kapur Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD WHAT ARE CARBS? Recently, you may have come across the term “macro” being used by people who wish to lose weight or eat well. But what exactly is a “macro”? The term “macro” is an abbreviation for...
Better Heart Disease Prevention through Precision Epigenetics
Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD In order to be truly effective, coronary heart disease (CHD) risk prevention should start early, perhaps as young adulthood. This is particularly true for patients with mental disorders. However, for many, in particular...
Alcohol’s Effect On The Heart
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD There have been a number of studies that suggest that light to moderate levels of alcohol use are correlated with a lower risk for heart disease. However, the rationale or “cause and effect” for...
The Role of Gut Health in Heart Disease
Written by: Irene Euodia Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD The gut microbiome is the middleman between diet and metabolic health. In particular, the gut biome moderates our risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and hypertension. Many recent...
Long-Haul COVID and Heart Health
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Although 80% of patients with COVID will experience mild symptoms that can be resolved in a few weeks, the remaining 20% will potentially experience continuing symptoms that can remain for weeks...
The Link Between Dementia and Heart Disease
Written by: Madison Estrella Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD The brain is one of our most vital organs as it controls our ability to breathe, eat, move, and to some extent, to live. Like all other organs, the brain is highly dependent on the wellbeing of...
Heart Healthy Benefits of Owning a Pet
Written by: Madison Estrella Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Owning a pet has several emotional and physical benefits that can help you live a happier and healthier lifestyle. Recent studies show that owning a pet, especially cats and dogs, can improve the...
Not So Sweet: Artificially Sweetened Drink’s Heart Implications
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Introduction For several years, evidence of the detrimental health consequences of consuming sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been building. From carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks to...
Heart Disease and Pregnancy Complications in Expecting Mothers
Written by: Madison Estrella Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Pregnancy naturally comes with physiological changes to an expecting mother’s body. These changes, such as increases in blood volume, cardiac output, heart rate and decrease in blood pressure,...
Financial Stress and Coronary Heart Disease
Written by: Irene Euodia Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD The past 18 months have been remarkably stressful for most of us. The pandemic has caused many people to lose their jobs. Many of those who did not lose their jobs outright have lost considerable...
10 Healthy-heart Food Swaps
Written by: Irene Euodia Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD Ph.D When it comes to heart attack recovery or prevention of heart disease, a nutritious diet can make a significant impact on your future well-being. Along with regular exercise and avoiding smoking,...
Why Laughter is Good for Cardiovascular Health
Written by: Madison Estrella Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD The impact of emotional well being on physical health is an increasingly interesting topic. There are a number of existing studies that have identified the negative impact of negative emotions on...
Tips For Caring For Your Elderly Parents
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD As we grow older, our loved ones, including our parents, grow older along with us. From your perspective as the child of your parents, you may be worried about their health and safety and how you...
Types Of Exercise That Boost Heart Health
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD The idea of a positive association between regular physical activity and the human body is not an unfamiliar one. In 2003, Jonathan Myers reviewed the extant literature and suggested that...
The 5 Healthy Heart Numbers You Need to Remember
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Coronary heart disease (CHD) is common and most of us are vulnerable to it. Therefore, being committed to regular exercises and proper nutrition is important to almost everyone for lowering your...
Heart Disease and Wearables
Written by: Irene Euodia Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD Ph.D “Wearables” are non-invasive devices that measure and collect data (such as intensity, time, and distance) that can be used to make healthcare decisions. Many people use them to track and...
Here’s Why You Should Know Your Family History
Written by: Irene Euodia Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD During your doctor’s visit, you may be asked about your family history of potentially heritable conditions, current diagnoses, treatments, or procedures. It is essential to find out your family’s...
What to Consider Before Taking Heart Healthy Supplements
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert There are a seemingly endless number of supplements currently available on the market that claim to benefit heart health. In fact, about half of the U.S. population claims to use some variation of a...
Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease
Written by: Madison Estrella Medically reviewed by: Rob Philibert MD PhD Sleep is necessary for our everyday function, but conditions like sleep apnea can disrupt our normal sleep patterns. These disruptions may have adverse implications on our cardiovascular system....
Mental Health Patients Need Better Cardiac Risk Screening
An Interview with Dr. Donald W. Black by Dr. Robert Philibert, Chief Medical Officer at Cardio Diagnostics Inc One of the more sobering facts I’ve learned during my career is that while the ratio of men to women with schizophrenia at age 21 is around 1:1, the ratio...
Heart Health and Oral Health
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD Brushing your teeth in the morning and night has been a ritual that has been ingrained in our heads to avoid cavities and gum disease. Although doing so can help you maintain a healthy mouth,...
Epigenetic Guidance for Heart Disease Prevention
Written by: Rob Philibert MD PhD (Chief Medical Officer) Women’s National Health Month White Coat Syndrome is real. Many, if not most, adults have considerable anxiety about seeing their physicians. One of the principal reasons for that low level of dread is that very...
Physical Inactivity and Coronary Heart Disease
Written by: Irene Euodia Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD How Much Movement Is Enough? The New York Department of Health estimates that 35% of the ~700,000 coronary heart disease deaths in the United States each year are due to physical inactivity. The...
What Women Over The Age Of 50 Should Know About Coronary Heart Disease Prevention
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD As you get older, it becomes increasingly more important to take the necessary steps to maintain a healthy heart. Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity rates in...
The Interplay of Socioeconomic Status and Risk for Heart Disease
Written by: Robert Philibert MD PhD Socioeconomic status (SES) is a complex construct that combines variables such as education, income and occupation into a single variable. Although researchers can parcel SES into dozens of distinct levels, for most purposes, SES...
Breast Cancer and Heart Health
Written by: Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD The American Cancer Society (ACS) predicts that in the United States, 13% of women will develop breast cancer. Fortunately, over the past two decades the survival from breast cancer has...
Questions You Should Ask Your Primary Care Physician
Written by:Cameron Rosario Medically reviewed by:Robert Philibert MD PhD As time goes by, maintaining and monitoring health becomes increasingly important. Making sure you are fully informed regarding your current overall health and treatments can be difficult in the...
Medical Devices for the Heart
Written by: Pooja Kasarapu Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD For select patients, the use of an implanted device to help the heart function properly is often viewed as the best solution for their heart condition. The reasons for this choice of therapy...
Heart Attack Warning Signs
Written by: Pooja Kasarapu Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD The CDC reports that in the United States, someone suffers from a heart attack every 40 seconds. In fact, by the time you finish reading this article, there will be several new cases of heart...
Heart Disease and Diabetes
Written by: Pooja Kasarapu Medically reviewed by: Robert Philibert MD PhD In one of our past blog posts, we mentioned how being diagnosed with diabetes is a risk factor for developing heart disease ( National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases )....