Medical therapy is better for late treatment. People who arrive at the hospital a day or more after experiencing a heart attack might expect to receive an artery-opening angioplasty. But they shouldn’t, according to guidelines issued in 2007 based on evidence that angioplasty was no more beneficial than medical treatment in such cases.

New research indicates that older people who fall are more likely to have foot pain, bunions, or other foot problems. Everything from slippery throw rugs to poor lighting to side effects from medications has been implicated as contributing to the growing tendency to fall and hurt ourselves as we get older according to the Harvard Health Letter. Foot pain and problems? They get mentioned but are usually way down the list, according to the November 2011 issue of the Harvard Health Letter.

You may think the home just needs an extreme makeover, but hoarding is a mental health problem that can be complex and hard to treat. The problem of hoarding used to be largely out of sight. Compulsive hoarders typically avoid visitors and rarely seek help. But television shows such as Hoarders and Hoarding: Buried Alive have increased public awareness by presenting vivid pictures of hoarding to millions of viewers. Mental health professionals are also taking a fresh look at the problem, reports the November 2011 issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

Early diagnosis is key to preserving hearing. Hearing professionals recommend an annual hearing test. All eyes are on our ears in October, as both Audiology Awareness Month and Hearing Protection Month are observed by the hearing healthcare community.  According to Hearing-Aid.com, anyone who suspects they may have a hearing problem is encouraged to make an appointment for a hearing test in October, when many hearing specialists will be offering free hearing evaluations.

Nutrition for the elderly is among the most important aspects of aging. But mealtime challenges such as loneliness, lack of companionship and cooking for one can threaten an older adult’s health and well-being. The Home Instead Senior Care® network has launched the Craving CompanionshipSM program to promote healthy aging through nutrition and companionship so family caregivers can rest assured that their seniors are not in jeopardy.

Another reason to avoid foods made with a lot of sugar. Fructose, also called fruit sugar, was once a minor part of the American diet. A century ago, the average person took in about 15 grams a day (roughly half an ounce), mostly from eating fruits and vegetables. Today, we get more than triple that amount, almost all of it from the refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup used to make breakfast cereals, pastries, soda and fruit drinks, and other sweet foods. Given the way the body breaks down fructose, that increase may be contributing to liver and heart disease, reports the September 2011 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter.

New ACSM study finds energy expenditure persists for 14 hours after high-intensity workout. When it comes to lasting calorie burn, vigorous-intensity exercise could be the gift that keeps on giving. New research published today by the American College of Sports Medicine reports that a 45-minute bout of vigorous exercise can boost a person’s energy expenditure for up to 14 hours.

TheBeatingEdge heart blog was developed as a trusted heart health and research information resource.  In a continued effort to provide patients and physicians with the latest information about cardiovascular health, Cleveland Clinic’s Heart and Vascular Institute has launched TheBeatingEdge heart blog, offering free and timely content related to heart, vascular and thoracic health topics. The regularly updated blog will explore current topics related to research, Cleveland Clinic physician perspectives on breaking news stories and offer an outlet for Cleveland Clinic heart patients to share their story with readers.

Whether it is best to aim for "normal" or float a bit above remains to be determined. For years, experts have been dancing the limbo with blood pressure and cholesterol, routinely lowering the bar in the quest to prevent heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and other cardiovascular conditions. Two articles in the August 2011 Harvard Heart Letter explore healthy targets for blood pressure and harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Special Learning, Inc. Launches a New Applied Behavior Analysis-based iPhone App for Children with Autism Called "Communicating Basic Needs" - Special Learning, Inc. has launched a new and exciting Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) based App called Communicating Basic Needs. This App is geared towards non-verbal children, especially those that are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.