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Chronic stress greatly enhances your risk of cardiovascular disease by raising blood pressure, promoting inflammation in arterial walls, and triggering stress hormones that make your heart work harder. Research shows prolonged stress is a factor for heart attack and stroke, and persistent psychological stress can cause lasting damage. However, with proper stress management techniques and […]

While diet and exercise are important for maintaining or improving heart health, sleep plays an equally vital yet often overlooked role in protecting your cardiovascular system. The connection between sleep and heart health goes beyond simply feeling rested; poor sleep directly impacts your heart’s function and raises your risk for serious cardiovascular problems, such as […]

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an irregular heart rhythm that disrupts the heart’s ability to pump blood efficiently, sometimes causing palpitations, fatigue, or shortness of breath, and sometimes causing no symptoms at all. This irregular rhythm can allow blood to pool in the heart and form clots, which is why AFib significantly increases the risk of […]

Silent heart attacks are more common than many people think, often accounting for up to half of all heart attacks because their symptoms are mild, vague, or easily mistaken for everyday fatigue, indigestion, or stress. They’re especially likely to go unnoticed in people with diabetes, adults over 65, women with non-traditional symptoms, those with multiple […]

Proper hydration is critical for heart health because it helps keep your blood thin enough to pump easily, supports healthy blood pressure, and maintains the electrolyte balance your heart rhythm depends on. Too little fluid thickens your blood and strains your heart, while overhydration can dangerously dilute sodium levels. Most adults need about 11.5–15.5 cups […]

When most people think about heart disease, a few usual suspects come to mind: high cholesterol, smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise. And while those are certainly major players, they don’t tell the full story. Heart disease is far more complex, and many underlying causes often fly under the radar, quietly increasing risk without drawing attention until it’s too […]

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most common health challenges in the United States—and one of the most underestimated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly half of U.S. adults live with high blood pressure, yet only about one in four has it under control. That means millions […]

Heart disease is a broad term for a group of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, valve disorders, and congenital defects. While many cases stem from plaque buildup in the arteries, genetics also play a key role by influencing factors like cholesterol processing, blood pressure regulation, […]

Taking care of your heart doesn’t stop when you leave the doctor’s office. In fact, some of the most valuable information about your cardiovascular health can come from monitoring it in your own home. Keeping track of key health numbers, like your blood pressure and pulse, can help you spot early changes, understand your progress, […]

After living with severe leg and hip pain for more than three years, Ponca City resident Sylvia Urioste finally found answers—and relief—thanks to a diagnosis and procedure performed by Dr. Jim Melton, Peripheral and Endovascular Surgeon at Cardiovascular Health Clinic. Urioste’s pain had become so debilitating that she could barely walk half a block without […]