Since the 1980s, doctors have been prescribing aspirin to help prevent heart attacks and strokes, especially in individuals at high risk. But in recent years, studies have shown that aspirin, which is often prescribed because it helps inhibit blood clot formation that can block your arteries, may create other risks especially for people 60 and older.

Chances are, your doctor is already screening you for atherosclerosis risk. They are probably keeping track of your cholesterol, blood pressure and your blood sugar levels. But even if these numbers are perfect, you may still have fatty deposits in your heart arteries, according to a new study. 

If you like walnuts, you’re going to go nuts over this: They may help lower your risk for heart disease.

Coronary artery disease, the most common form of cardiovascular disease, when plaque builds up in your arteries. Elevated levels low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol, are a major contributor. 

Sad, struggling, down, depressed. These are the words we use to describe our lousy, low moods. We use them interchangeably – and that’s just fine. 

One word that doesn’t belong there: depression. 

Would you be able to identify clinical depression in yourself? Could you identify it in a loved one? 

You may think you can. After all, the telltale signs seem pretty hard to miss: ongoing sadness or hopelessness, loss of interest in normal activities, fatigue, sleep problems. 

Since late 2019, COVID-19 has been circulating and evolving. It’s infected countless people and claimed an estimated 4.5 million lives — nearly 700,000 in the U.S. Each time a major outbreak tamped down by social distancing, vaccination and other public health efforts, the virus finds a way back – changing so that it evades some of the countermeasures against it. This has led to a number of new strains or variants of the original virus. 

By now you’ve probably heard lots about booster shots for the COVID vaccines. In August, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorization for third shots for people with compromised immune systems – patients receiving chemotherapy and transplant recipients, among others. 

At the same time, the White House also announced a plan to begin offering boosters to vaccinated individuals in late September, citing evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness against infections wanes over time and doesn’t provide as much protection against the Delta variant. 

Type 2 diabetes has been an epidemic in the U.S. for more than a decade — 13 percent of American adults have diabetes and almost 35 percent are considered prediabetic, according to JAMA. Type 2 diabetes is more common in older adults -- the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S. -- and raises the risk for heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, nonalcoholic liver diseases, falls, urinary incontinence, dementia, depression and hearing loss. 

Since early 2020, COVID-19 has been the center of attention. However, as fall approaches, you’ll hear more and more about the flu.

When Does Flu Season Start?

Flu season typically starts in November and runs through March, but it can start as early as October and last through May. 

“Influenza is a serious virus, responsible for many hospitalizations and deaths every year,” says Bernard Kaminetsky, MD, medical director, MDVIP. “Last year’s season was quiet; however, experts are concerned that this year will be tough.”

COVID-19 is still a relatively new, and scientists learn more about it every day. For example, your DNA may affect how vulnerable you are to contracting a COVID-19 infection and how severe that infection may be, according to a study published in Nature.