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Heat and Your Heart

7/8/2012

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As most of us already know, the extreme heat of summer can pose potential health hazards. Beyond those that are already assumed, such as heat stroke, dehydration, heat exhaustion, etc., the heat can also be extremely dangerous to heart health, especially for those who are already at risk for heart problems.

When a person’s body temperature rises above its normal 98.1 degrees Farenheit, the body tries to cool itself down by sweating and dilating blood vessels. Due to the increased blood vessel size, the heart beats at a faster rate and blood pressure is lowered. For those with heart conditions, the faster heart rate may cause serious problems, or even death, if the heart cannot handle the situation. People with heart failure have to be especially careful as well, because the heart may not be able speed up or pump any harder than it already is. As a result, the body would not be cooled down sufficiently, and could reach dangerous temperatures. In addition, many medications taken by those with heart conditions can cause other problems.  For instance, a diuretic, taken to reduce fluid retention, can cause dehydration; and beta-blockers can limit how fast the heart can beat, reducing the body’s ability to cool down.

It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illness, especially for those with heart conditions. Some symptoms include dizziness, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, headaches, weakness and fainting. A person with any sort of heart condition or high blood pressure should seek medical attention if any of these symptoms are experienced. More drastically, if a person is experiencing heat stroke, the most severe heat-related illness, emergency treatment should be provided immediately. Symptoms may include high body temperature, rapid pulse, nausea, dizziness, throbbing headache, confusion and red, hot, dry skin. Anyone suffering from these symptoms should be cooled off immediately by being moved into the shade or immersed in cool water while waiting for emergency medical assistance to arrive.

The best thing a person with a heart condition can do during hot weather is to avoid overheating. It is recommended to stay inside during the hottest part of the day and seek air conditioning, wear loose, light clothing, limit activity, stay hydrated, and be sure to have someone check on you periodically. While these precautions are of extreme importance for a person with a heart condition, everyone should be careful during the heat of summer, as heat-related illness can affect anyone.

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Men and Heart Attacks

5/29/2012

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When you think of heart disease in men, usually people think of coronary artery disease (narrowing of the arteries leading to the heart), but coronary artery disease is just one type of heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease includes a number of conditions affecting the structures or function of the heart. They can include:

·         Coronary artery disease (including heart attacks)
·         Abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmias
·         Heart failure
·         Heart valve disease
·         Congenital heart disease
·         Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
·         Pericardial disease
·         Aorta disease and Marfan syndrome
·         Vascular disease (blood vessel disease)

If you have heart disease, a heart-healthy diet begins by paying close attention to what you eat. You can reduce your chance of developing atherosclerosis, the blocked arteries that cause heart disease, with a heart-healthy diet. If the artery-clogging process has already begun, you can slow the rate at which it progresses. While this is very important for everyone at risk for atherosclerosis, it is even more important if you have had a heart attack or a procedure to restore blood flow.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. It is important to learn about your heart to help prevent heart disease. And, if you have heart disease, you can live a healthier, more active life by learning about your disease and treatments and by becoming an active participant in your care.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is atherosclerosis, or hardening, of the arteries that provide vital oxygen and nutrients to the heart.

The heart is an amazing organ. It beats in a steady, even rhythm; about 60 to 100 times each minute (that's about 100,000 times each day!). However, sometimes your heart gets out of rhythm. An irregular or abnormal heartbeat is called an arrhythmia. An arrhythmia (also called a dysrhythmia) can involve a change in the rhythm, producing an uneven heartbeat, or a change in the rate, causing a very slow or very fast heartbeat.

The term "heart failure" can be frightening. It does not mean the heart has "failed" or stopped working. It means the heart does not pump as well as it should.  Heart failure is a major health problem in the U.S., affecting nearly five million Americans. About 550,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure each year. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in people older than sixty-five.

Your heart valves lie at the exit of each of your four heart chambers and maintain one-way blood-flow through your heart.  Examples of heart valve disease include mitral valve prolapse, aortic stenosis, and mitral valve insufficiency.

Congenital heart disease is a type of defect in one or more structures of the heart or blood vessels that occur before birth. It affects about 8 out of every 1,000 children. Congenital heart defects may produce symptoms at birth, during childhood, and sometimes not until adulthood.

In most cases scientists don't know why they occur. Heredity and genetics may play a role as well as exposure to the fetus during pregnancy to certain viral infections, alcohol, or drugs.

Cardiomyopathies, also called an enlarged heart, are diseases of the heart muscle itself. People with cardiomyopathies have hearts that are abnormally enlarged, thickened, and/or stiffened. As a result, the heart's ability to pump blood is weakened. Without treatment, cardiomyopathies worsen over time and often lead to heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.

Pericarditis is inflammation of the lining that surrounds the heart. It is a rare condition often caused by an infection.

The aorta is the large artery that leaves the heart and provides oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. These diseases and conditions can cause the aorta to dilate (widen) or dissect (tear), increasing the risk for future life-threatening events:

·       Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
·       Hypertension (high blood pressure).
·     Genetic conditions, such as Marfan Syndrome, which causes the aorta to be weakened as it leaves the heart. This can lead to an aneurysm or ripping (dissection) of the aorta. Both can be repaired with surgery if caught early.
·         Connective tissue disorders (that affect the strength of the blood vessel walls) such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, scleroderma, osteogenesis imperfecta, polycystic kidney disease, and Turner's syndrome.
·         Injury.

People with aortic disease should be treated by an experienced team of heart specialists and surgeons.

Your circulatory system is the system of blood vessels that carry blood to every part of your body.  Vascular disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system. These include diseases of the arteries and blood flow to the brain.

Information provided by Inland Heart Doctors



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Heart Attacks Different for Women

4/10/2012

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It’s easy to miss heart attack symptoms at the initial stages because symptoms show up differently in women than in men. In fact, the top four symptoms are often misdiagnosed. Immediate intervention can mean life or death, so it’s a good idea for all women to be aware of the warning signs of heart attacks.
Most heart attacks start slowly with mild pain or discomfort. Here are the symptoms of heart attack in women:
  • Shortness of breath. It may occur with or without chest discomfort.
  • Nausea and light-headedness.
  • Flu-like symptoms, including chills and cold sweats.
  • Heart palpitations.
  • Chest discomfort (angina): pain, tightness or pressure in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back.
  • Discomfort in other areas, including pain or discomfort in: one or both arms (especially the left arm), the back, between the shoulder blades, neck, jaw or stomach.
  • Heartburn or indigestion.
  • Extreme fatigue.
Heart disease often occurs along with inflammation. Monitoring any inflammation symptoms you might have is a helpful way to assess your risk of heart attack or stroke. Here are some of the symptoms to look for:
  • Elevated levels of CRP, homocysteine, or LDL.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Insulin resistance or diabetes.
  • Joint pain or arthritis.
  • Headaches.
  • GI distress, bloating, constipation/diarrhea.
  • Ulcer/heartburn.
  • Food and other allergies/sensitivities.
  • Chronic respiratory difficulties, asthma, or bronchitis.
  • Dry, itchy skin, rash, psoriasis or eczema.
  • Weight gain/obesity.
  • Fever or chronic infection.
Other autoimmune diseases
Among the 515 women studied, 95-percent said they knew their symptoms were new or different a month or more before experiencing their heart attack. The symptoms most commonly reported were unusual fatigue (70.6-percent), sleep disturbance (47.8-percent), and shortness of breath (42.1-percent).

Surprisingly, fewer than 30% reported having chest pain or discomfort prior to their heart attacks, and 43% reported to have no chest pain during any phase of the attack. Most doctors, however, continue to consider chest pain as the most important heart attack symptom in both women and men.

If you have any questions or concern, you should seek the advice of a heart specialist.

Information provided by Inland Heart Doctors

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Tips to Eating "Heart Healthy"

4/9/2012

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Eating well is easier than you might think. Add these simple healthy eating habits to your daily life over the next few weeks and you'll see just how easy it is. By making small changes like these over time, and taking them one at a time, not trying to rush into all of them at once, the changes are more likely to stick.
Eat more fruits and vegetables; aim for four or five servings each of fruits and vegetables every day, if you consume a 2,000 calorie diet. Eat more whole-grain foods, which are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in fiber. Whole-grain foods include whole-wheat bread, brown rice and whole-grain cereal.

Use olive oil as your main kitchen fat:  Limit how much fat or oil you use in cooking, and use liquid vegetable oils in place of solid fats.

Eat more beans. Vegetable proteins (such as beans) are lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than meats.

Read food labels to help you choose healthy foods. Food labels provide information to help you make better food choices. Learn what information to look for (for example, sodium content) and how to find it quickly and easily.

When dinning out be sure to choose a restaurant that offers a variety of delicious meals that are low in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol or make sure your food may be prepared to order. This will ensure that meals you eat away from home are in keeping with your healthy heart diet.  It’s really important to understand what is on the menu when you eat out. The good news is there are plenty of great choices if you know what to look for.

Keep the following in mind when ordering:  Foods served as, au gratin, crispy, scalloped, fried, sautéed, buttered, creamed, or stuffed are all high in fat and calories. Instead look for foods served as steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached or roasted foods. If you’re not sure based upon the menu descriptions ask your server how the meal is prepared and what ingredient it contains. Choose an entree that features seafood, chicken or lean meat and avoids fatty options. If you order meat remove all visual fat and ask the chef to remove the skin from the chicken.

Keep in mind salt contains sodium in the chemical form of sodium chloride. About 40 percent of salt is sodium. Eating a lot of sodium can make more work for your heart, especially if you have high blood pressure or heart failure.

Salt is just one source of the sodium you consume every day. About 75 percent of sodium in the typical American diet comes from processed foods and beverages. Many foods contain sodium in other forms, too. Some medicines are high in sodium. Be aware of all your sources of sodium and aim to eat less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

You shouldn't give up your favorite foods at all. However, if your favorites aren't very healthy, save them for special occasions, such as birthdays and holidays. Have a small portion and savor it! Then return to your usual healthy habits.
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Tips for a Healthy Heart

3/25/2012

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Stop Smoking- This is one of the most important changes you can make to improve your health and prolong your life. Smokers are twice as likely to have a myocardial infarction, or heart attack, than non-smokers. The good news is that once you stop smoking, your risk begins to decrease.
Exercise Regularly- Exercising 30 minutes most days of the week will improve your overall health, as well as your cardiovascular health. Women who exercise regularly reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease 30 to 40 percent. Additional benefits include improving your quality of life, helping to maintain a healthy weight, reducing cholesterol levels, and demonstrate to children the importance of being active.

Reduce Salt Intake- Approximately 90 percent of Americans are eating more than the recommended amount of salt every day. Too much sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, which leads to heart disease and stroke. Surprisingly, most of the salt we eat is not from the shaker on the table, but from processed foods, such as breads, pastas and processed meats. By eating foods that are less processed and closer to the source, we can both decrease our salt intake and improve the overall quality of the foods we eat.

Eat Heart-Healthy- A healthy diet is one of the best ways to prevent cardiovascular disease. Ensuring that your diet is low in fat, cholesterol and salt and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains decrease your risk of heart disease. Decreasing sources of saturated and trans-fats in your diet is a big step in making your diet heart healthy. Major sources of these cholesterol-raising fats include red meat, dairy products, fried foods and packaged snacks. By avoiding these sources and adding at least five servings of fruit and vegetables, your diet will be a building block in your goal of heart health. Unfortunately though, a recent study found that more than 90 percent of Americans fail to consistently eat a heart-healthy diet. These poor eating habits increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and obesity.

Weight Management- Maintaining a healthy weight throughout adulthood decreases the risk from cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol and diabetes. This is especially important in the US today, as 2/3 of the US population is overweight. A Body Mass Index (BMI) >25 is directly associated with an increase with many risk factors of heart disease, including increased cholesterol and diabetes.

Limit Alcohol Intake- Excess alcohol intake can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and lead to weight gain. If you do drink alcohol, do so in moderation-limiting intake to 1-2 drinks per day.

Get Regular Check-Ups- Regular visits to your primary-care physician can help control blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood sugar. Chronic, untreated high blood pressure can lead to an increased risk of both stroke and heart attack and a shortened life expectancy. High levels of cholesterol can lead to an increase in fatty deposits in the blood vessels that supply your heart, which can result in a myocardial infarction. Obesity and dietary insufficiencies can increase the risk of Type II diabetes, which is a risk factor.

Decrease Stress- While the connection between stress and heart disease is unclear, it is clear that chronic stress leads to an increased likelihood of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as smoking, drinking and eating an unhealthy diet. By decreasing stress in your life, you will increase the quality of your life and may decrease your risk of heart disease.

Know the Warning Signs of a Heart Attack-A heart attack is a medical emergency where every second counts. The sooner a heart attack is recognized; the sooner medical attention can be sought. Today, heart-attack victims can benefit from new medications that can be given as soon as a heart attack is identified. The sooner these medications are given, the greater the benefit. The most common symptoms of a heart attack are chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body, shortness of breath and sweating or nausea. For women, these symptoms may differ. One in three women will not experience chest pain while having a heart attack. Nearly three-fourths of women experience flu-like symptoms in the weeks leading up to a heart attack. The greater the awareness of the signs of a heart attack, the sooner medical attention can be sought.

Educate Your Loved Ones About Heart Health-Not only can you decrease your risk factors for heart disease, you can help your loved ones decrease their risk. By incorporating exercise and a healthy diet into your family’s lives, you can keep your heart healthy.

For more tips and information visit: www.CardioSmart.org

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    For more tips and information visit: www.CardioSmart.org

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