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May 23, 2019
Foundation honors CHD patient Noah Bella Michaelis with gift to UCLA
By uclahealth 
Noah Bella Michaelis spent 13 years living with health challenges from being born with complex congenital heart defects (CHD) and heterotaxy syndrome. The syndrome involves an abnormal arrangement of internal organs in the chest and abdomen. On January 3, 2017, Noah succumbed to a life-threatening condition she developed, known as plastic bronchitis. “Noah was unlike […]
Tags: cardiology, Daniel Levi MD, featured, heart, noah michelis, pediatric cardiology, pediatric lymphatic program, UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
October 17, 2018
Former Bruin football player tackles life following heart transplant
By Amy Albin 
A lifelong athlete, Michael Coulter shares advice on getting through a major health hurdle As a defensive back on UCLA’s 1976 Rose Bowl championship football team, Michael Coulter went on to play professionally with the Oakland Raiders. Later, after leaving football, he would rejoin his alma mater and begin a 20-year career with the UCLA […]
Tags: atrial fibrillation, Bruin football, congestive heart failure, Dr. Eugene DePasquale, Dr. Mario Deng, exercise, heart transplant, hospitalization, surgery, UCLA Bruins
September 11, 2018
Is swimming in cold water good for you?
Dear Doctors: Our family visits a lake in the mountains every summer where the water almost never gets above 60 degrees. I dislike swimming in cold water but my husband and dad insist that it’s good for you. It won’t get me into the water but I just want to know – are they right? […]
Tags: adrenalin, Ask the Doctors, blood flow, cold shock, cold-water swimming, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, nervous system, stress hormones, swimming safety
June 26, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Could coconut oil lower my cholesterol?
Dear Doctor: I’m 75, healthy, and want to stay that way in spite of a bad family history regarding hearts and arteries. I have taken 10 milligrams of Lipitor for several years, but am wondering if I should try coconut oil to lower my cholesterol. We seem to be seeing a sudden rise in the […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, canola oil, cholesterol, coconut oil, coronary heart disease, Dr. Robert Ashley, lauric acid, LDL, olive oil, palmitic acid, saturated fat
June 20, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Does niacin help lower cholesterol?
Dear Doctor: I’ve been taking niacin for years to lower my cholesterol. Do you think it really helps? First, let’s look at niacin and its role in the body. Niacin is a B vitamin that the body needs to create the compounds NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) and NADP (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate), both of which are […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, C-reactive protein, cholesterol, Dr. Robert Ashley, heart attacks, niacin, research, simvastatin, statins, strokes, vitamin B3
June 15, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Is it normal to be depressed after a heart attack?
It has been six weeks since my husband, who is 57, had a heart attack, and I’m afraid he’s depressed. His doctors say he’s doing really well but he’s getting more quiet and withdrawn. How can we help him? Unfortunately, depression following a heart attack is not uncommon. Up to one-third of people who have […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, cardiac rehabilitation, depression, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, heart attack
May 16, 2018
Ask the Doctors – I take fish oil every day, but does it help?
Dear Doctors: I’ve been taking fish oil capsules daily over the last 5 years. Is there any benefit in doing this? Small studies have shown that fish oil may be linked to a slight reduction in the formation of plaque in the arteries that supply the heart, but evidence of its ability to reduce the […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, Dr. Robert Ashley, fish oil capsules, nutrition, supplements
April 23, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Is my love of coffee genetic?
Dear Doctors: Everyone in my partner’s family loves coffee but I’m like the rest of my family – we can take it or leave it. Is it possible that a love of caffeine is in their genes? According to the National Institutes of Health, caffeine is the most widely used stimulant on earth. Found in […]
Tags: adenosine, Ask the Doctors, coffee, DNA, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko
April 19, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Who really needs to take a daily aspirin?
Dear Doctor: If you don’t have risk factors for having a heart attack, should you be taking aspirin every day? Let’s consider the risk factors, how aspirin works and the numbers. The risk factors for having a heart attack include diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, high LDL cholesterol (the so-called “bad” cholesterol) and age. Aspirin […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, aspirin, colon cancer, daily aspirin, Dr. Robert Ashley, heart attack, low-dose aspirin
April 18, 2018
Ask the Doctors – Do I need to give up sugar to protect my heart?
Dear Doctors: I read that sugar might be worse for your heart than fat. Should I give up sweets? If you’re one of the millions of Americans with a sweet tooth, there’s some good news. According to current guidelines from the American Heart Association, eating a modest amount of added sugar each day – six […]
Tags: Ask the Doctors, blood cholestorol, blood glucose levels, Dr. Eve Glazier, Dr.Elizabeth Ko, heart disease, heart health, heart healthy diet, sugar, triglycerides
