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Heart attack

Feature: Heart attack

Heart attack. People are quick to picture an "executive" stereotype: too much stress, smoking too much, eating too much. But that is far short of the reality. Although it is true that an unhealthy lifestyle increases the risk of a heart attack. But a heart attack is not just a typical problem for stressed men: heart attacks are one of the most common causes of death in women in industrialised countries - more women die of heart attacks than breast cancer, for example. Read more about the signs of a heart attack and test your heart attack knowledge in our new quiz.

Research summaries

Depression after heart attack: Is there a link between depression and heart problems?

Many people become depressed after having a heart attack, and depression can make heart problems worse. Treating depression could improve the quality of life in people who are depressed after a heart attack. more...

Heart disease and diabetes: Is there a difference between the statins?

All of the five different statins that are licensed for use in Germany can lower the cholesterol level in the blood. But the deciding factor for patients is how well the medicine can prevent heart attacks and other coronary artery problems. From this point of view, simvastatin (marketed under various brand names) is the best tested. It has been shown to lengthen life expectancy of people with diabetes and particular heart diseases. more...

Menopause: What are the effects of longterm hormone therapy?

Longterm hormone therapy for healthy women after the menopause causes more health problems than it prevents. This is particularly so for oestrogen combined with a progestogen. This might reduce the risk of bowel cancer and osteoporosis, but it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and breast cancer. more...

After a heart attack: How do clopidogrel and prasugrel compare?

Treatment with prasugrel and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) aims to lower the risk of complications for people after a heart attack and associated intervention. Prasugrel and ASA seem to lower especially the risk of having more non-fatal heart attacks better than clopidogrel and ASA. But prasugrel does more often lead to serious bleeding. more...

Angina pectoris and heart attack: What are the advantages or disadvantages of ticagrelor?

Ticagrelor was approved in Germany in late 2010 for use in people with unstable angina pectoris or heart attack. It is taken in addition to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and aims to lower the risk for further heart and blood vessel disease. more...

Cardiovascular diseases: How do ASA and clopidogrel compare?

In people who have blood circulation problems in their legs, clopidogrel can lower the risk of complications somewhat more effectively than ASA can. more...

High cholesterol levels: Can ezetimibe lower the risk of complications?

There is not enough research on whether people with high cholesterol levels have a benefit by taking ezetimibe in addition to a statin. There is not enough data on adverse effects of ezetimibe. more...

Hypertension: Which drugs are best at preventing complications?

People with hypertension have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Drugs designed to work against high blood pressure can lower this risk. Compared with the different drug classes, diuretics can usually be seen as the first line treatment. Which drug is then used in an individual case will also depend on other aspects, for example whether someone has other diseases. more...