Take any three of elevated blood pressure, excess abdominal fat, high triglycerides, high blood sugar or low “good” cholesterol and what you have is a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome. With that diagnosis, you are at greater risk for heart attack, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and stroke. The U.T. Health Science Center’s Dr. Patti Olusola talks about diagnosing, treating and preventing metabolic syndrome.

What is metabolic syndrome? (first question)

What are the risk factors for metabolic syndrome? (skip to 1:20)

Why is having metabolic syndrome so alarming? (skip to 1:58)

Are there signs or symptoms to look for? (skip to 2:20)

How is metabolic syndrome diagnosed? (skip to 3:11)

How is metabolic syndrome treated? (skip to 4:17)

Are children at risk for developing metabolic syndrome? (skip to 5:19)

Why is metabolic syndrome becoming more common? (skip to 5:47)

If you lose weight, what effect will it have on the risk factors for metabolic syndrome? (skip to 6:26)

Can metabolic syndrome be reversed? (skip to 7:23)

We’re generally told to cut down on the amount of fat in our diets but there are some fats that are actually essential. One such fat is Omega-3 fatty acids. In this post to HealthConnection.TV, U.T. Health Science Center Cardiologist Dr. Dudley Goulden talks about Omega-3 and how to get it in your diet for the benefit of your heart.

What are Omega-3 fatty acids? (first question)

Doesn’t fat cause heart disease? (skip to 0:39)

What is the connection between Omega-3 fatty acids and heart health? (skip to 1:08)

Are there other health benefits to Omega-3 fatty acids? (skip to 1:46)

What foods contain Omega-3 fatty acids? (skip to 2:16)

Do we get enough Omega-3 fatty acids in what we eat? (skip to 3:11)

Are fish oil supplements that contain Omega-3 effective in improving heart health? (skip to 3:44)

Should we take fish oil supplements? (skip to 4:25)

Are all fish oil supplements created equal? (skip to 5:16)

How much fish oil supplement should one take? (skip to 6:11)

How much is too much? Are there dangers to having too much Omega-3 in your system? (skip to 6:53)

If one carefully follows the recommendations regarding Omega-3 fatty acids, how effective will such a regimen be in reducing the risk for heart disease? (skip to 7:29)

Although we might not immediately think of it as such, the heart is a muscle and like all muscles, it needs regular exercise and good nutrition in order to stay healthy. U.T. Health Science Center at Tyler cardiologist Dr. Dudley Goulden talks about ways to maintain a healthy heart.

We don’t usually think of the heart as a muscle like the muscles in our arms and legs. Why is the heart called a muscle? (first question)

What actually happens to the heart muscle during a heart attack? (skip to 1:03)

How does congestive heart failure affect the heart muscle? (skip to 1:50)

What does the term “weak heart” mean? (skip to 2:50)

What do things like high blood pressure and high cholesterol actually do to the heart muscle itself? ( skip to 3:24)

How does cigarette smoking or other nicotine exposure affect the heart muscle? (skip to 4:50)

How does aerobic exercise change the heart muscle? (skip to 5:46)

What aerobic exercise do you recommend? (skip to 6:34)

What changes in nutrition will help bring about a more healthy heart muscle? (skip to 7:13)

As many as 40 percent of fourth grade children are now clinically defined as either overweight or obese. This is leading to an explosion of problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, Type II diabetes and other conditions that were once thought to be mainly adult health concerns. Dr. Jonathan MacClements discusses childhood obesity, including its treatment and prevention.

How much of a problem is childhood obesity? (first question)

Why is childhood obesity considered a health problem? (skip to 0:39)

How do I know if my child is considered obese? (skip to 1:00)

Can a child actually develop heart disease, Type II diabetes, high blood pressure or sleep apnea as a result of being overweight? (skip to 1:45)

Can being overweight affect when a child reaches puberty? (skip to 2:10)

What is the single most important thing to be done to reduce the likelihood of my child becoming obese? (skip to 2:32)

How can I involve my child in overcoming a weight problem without undermining self-confidence? (skip to 3:18)

Doctors today have an array of safe and effective medications for the treatment of heart disease. Each medication has a specific purpose and care must be taken when using them in combination. Dr. Dudley Goulden discusses heart medications in this post to healthconnection.tv from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler.

What are the differences between beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors and statins in the treatment of heart disease? (first question)

How successful are these drugs in treating heart disease? (skip to 0:55)

Are there side effects to be concerned about in connection with these heart medications? (skip to 01:26)

Is there any one medication that has proved better than others in treating heart disease? (skip to 02:05)

If I have high blood pressure, is it a given that I should be taking a diuretic? (skip to 02:42)

Are heart disease medications like statins, aspirin and beta blockers underutilized in treating heart disease in women? (skip to 03:20)

With respect to adults over age 50, what percentage of them suffer with high blood pressure? (skip to 04:12)

What is your opinion concerning a daily aspirin regimen with respect to preventing or treating heart disease? (skip to 04:46)

Are there potential problems with the long-term use of heart disease medications that could outweigh the benefits? (skip to 05:36)

Are there any promising new heart disease medications on the horizon? (skip to 06:23)