Poor sleep takes a toll, and catching up on the weekends just won't fix it, researchers report.

A small new study showed that heart rate and blood pressure, important measures of cardiovascular health, worsen as the week goes on when someone sleeps only about five hours a night.

Catching up on sleep over the weekends didn't return those health measures back to normal.

"Only 65...

Whether knocking back a little alcohol or a lot, daily drinking is tied to higher blood pressure, a new research review warns.

Compared with not drinking, just one alcoholic drink a drink a day is associated with higher blood pressure over time, even in people who previously had normal blood pressure levels, according to researchers who analyzed the results of seven prior studies.

Many women are not being counseled about heart disease after giving birth, a new study finds.

Only 60% of at-risk women said they were advised about heart health at their postpartum checkup, researchers say.

About 90% of U.S. women have a doctor visit during what is referred to as the "fourth trimester."

"We need to find ways to take advantage of this prime opportunity when w...

It doesn't matter if you exercise every day or squeeze it all into the weekend. If you do the recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week, you'll get heart benefits, a new study finds.

Both regimens protect you from atrial fibrillation (a-fib), heart attack, heart failure and stroke, compared with inactivity, researchers reported in the July 18 issue of the <...

Patients could find lifesaving benefits in using a home blood pressure cuff.

New research finds that home blood pressure monitoring saves lives and cuts costs. It also reduces health care disparities in racial and ethnic minorities and rural residents.

Furthermore, regular self-testing better controls high blood pressure, especially in underserved patients, reducing the risk o...

A new blood test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration can predict imminent preeclampsia, helping pregnant women who are at risk of this severe and sometimes deadly form of high blood pressure.

The test can identify with 96% accuracy which women with sometimes-vague symptoms will develop preeclampsia within the following two weeks, The New York Times reported this wee...

One in 10 people with high blood pressure suffer from a treatment-resistant type of hypertension, yet these patients aren't always getting the right medication, a new study finds.

"Apparent resistant hypertension [aRH] is more common than many would anticipate," said researcher Dr. Joseph Ebinger

Women who use estrogen to ease menopause symptoms may see their blood pressure rise -- but the way they take the hormone may determine that, a large new study suggests.

The study, of over 100,000 menopausal women on estrogen therapy, found that pills seemed to have a greater effect on blood pressure than estrogen delivered via skin patch, gel or vaginal preparation.

Experts stressed...

Women who've had certain pregnancy complications have significantly higher odds for a stroke than women with uncomplicated pregnancies, new research shows.

Moreover, these strokes may occur at a relatively early age, according to investigators at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Also, compared to women with a single uncomplicated pregnancy, w...

Could an electronic chest "tattoo"-- wireless, lightweight and razor-thin -- upend heart monitoring and lower the odds of heart disease for folks who are at high-risk?

Just possibly.

The clear patch in question is not quite 4 by 5 inches in size, weighs less than an ounce, and is powered by a battery no bigger than a penny and just like a temporary tattoo sticker, it's designed to ...

If you're longing for a nap, try to keep it short.

Researchers found that siestas of 30 minutes or more in Murcia, a region of Spain, where it's common to nap, were linked to a higher risk of obesity, a group of conditions called metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure.

"Not all siestas are the same. The length of time, position of sleep and other specific factors can affect t...

Dealing with discrimination at work -- from bosses or coworkers -- may be enough to send your blood pressure through the roof, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among more than 1,200 U.S. workers, those who felt they often faced on-the-job discrimination were 54% more likely to develop high blood pressure, versus workers with little exposure to such bias.

Over eight year...

Maintaining tight control of your blood pressure could help your brain, potentially reducing your risk of stroke, a new study says.

When blood pressure was intensively managed in adults over age 50, patients had fewer lesions in the brain's white matter, according to researchers.

Having this consistently controlled blood pressure significantly reduced the risk of stroke, they found...

Be forewarned: High blood pressure in your 30s may lead to poorer brain health in your 70s.

A new study suggests that treating the condition in young and middle-aged adults may help prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease later on, especially in men.

For the study, researchers examine...

A potentially dangerous complication of pregnancy might be prevented by carefully screening women late in pregnancy and planning a timed delivery for those at high risk, a new study reports.

More than half of all preeclampsia cases that occur late in pregnancy could be warded off through induced labor or cesarean section provided to high-risk women, according to an analysis published onli...

It can be downright discouraging to work hard to lose 10 pounds, only to regain a few later.

But don't be downhearted -- a new evidence review says the important heart health benefits of weight loss are sustained even if some of the weight comes back.

People who drop some pounds still have lower blood pressure and better cholesterol and blood sugar numbers even if they regain a litt...

Even modest weight gain above the average puts kids at risk for high blood pressure, new research shows.

"Hypertension during youth tracks into adulthood and is associated with cardiac and vascular organ damage," said lead study author Corinna Koebnick of Kaiser P...

In yet another example of the mind-body connection, people with depression symptoms may face an increased risk of having a stroke, as well as a worse recovery afterwards.

A new international study, published online March 8 in the journal Neurology, found about 18% of those who had...

Young adults in the United States carry an increasing burden of heart health risk factors, making it more likely they'll suffer a heart attack and stroke as they age, a new study warns.

More adults ages 20 to 44 are obese and diabetic than a decade ago, and they are more likely to have poorly controlled blood pressure, according to the study published March 5 in the