Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.


It’s the time of year when hearts are everywhere, from card displays to boxes of chocolates. It’s also a good time to think about the health of your own heart. This week on Health Watch, we’ll offer some tips for keeping your heart healthy.

One thing doctors at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say you don’t need to worry about is how stressful your job is. Risk factors like smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes and lifestyle choices like diet and exercise are far more relevant to your chances for having a heart attack. In fact, Dr. James de Lemos, a UT Southwestern cardiologist, says that busy people with stressful lives tend to be organized enough to fit exercise into their schedules, which reduces their risk for heart attacks.

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