Jeffrey B. Ritterman MD

Experts are of the opinion that phytosterols improve the body’s ability to lower cholesterol levels. Like other cholesterol-lowering foods, including salmon and oats, phytosterols are supposed to lower the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, LDL. Phytosterols, or plant sterols and stanol esters, are...

Many women in United States is having peripheral artery disease (PAD), out of which, many are not diagnosed. The American Heart Association has called for a ‘Go Red for Women’ campaign to have increased participation to identify and diagnose this disease in women. The association also invites...

IntroductionNicotine is an alkaloid stimulant that comes from the nightshade family of plants, particularly from the leaves of tobacco. The type of nicotine found in tobacco plants is called Nicotiana tabacum. Nicotine can also be synthetically produced. Thousands of chemicals are contained in...

A study published in, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, shows that people who commute long distances to work tend to have poor health. People who traveled more than 15 miles a day were more likely to be obese and had more belly fat, when compared to people who traveled less than 5 miles to...

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, refers to the increased pressure exerted on the walls as blood passes through arteries. Normal blood pressure is measured as 120/80 mm Hg. Pressure in the range of 120/80 and 139/89 mm Hg is referred to as pre-hypertension, and those above the higher...

As men age, their risk of heart attack rises, especially if they are prone to anxiety. In a 12-year study, anxiety was found to increase the risk of heart attack by 30% to 40% in men who are anxious when compared to men who are calmer, irrespective of other personality and risk factors. In this...