The Elimination of Heart Attack – Is it Possible?

Date: 2007.09.25 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

Heart disease is the largest killer of Americans — more people in the United States die from diseases of the heart and blood vessels than all other diseases combined. Despite the fact that our country has the best heart hospitals and the finest cardiovascular specialists in the world, the heart attack rate here is not substantially different than the heart attack rate in any other country.

The most common culprit in this deadly scenario is atherosclerosis — premature plaque build up, which clogs the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle with vital oxygen and nutrients.

Seventy percent of heart attacks take place in coronary blood vessels that are not severely blocked enough to require balloon, stent, or bypass. These small, unstable plaques that are barely visible at angiography are often the culprit lesions where heart attacks occur.

For one-third of patients with atherosclerosis, death is their first symptom. Another third experience heart attack and almost half of those are dead in one month.

We now have the tests and drugs to abolish coronary heart disease in the first quarter of the 21st century. Lifestyle intervention with exercise, nutrition, weight control, smoking elimination, and stress management would likely reduce by more than 50 percent the expression of premature cardiovascular disease through control of risks such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and the sedentary life.

Fortunately, we are now living in an era blessed by the promulgation of incredible pharmacologic advances that allow us to actually ponder the extinction of atherosclerotic heart attack. Four drug classes now exist that if prescribed appropriately and aggressively could eliminate atherosclerosis. These four classes include: aspirin, statin, ACE and niacin. Heres how they work:

1) Aspirin: The drug inhibits the platelets that form the clot that adheres to the unstable, fractured plaque, which could potentially block blood flow down the coronary artery and cause a heart attack. Research has consistently shown the benefits of aspirin therapy to generally reduce vascular events by about 20 percent for those suspected of having atherosclerosis (Physicians Health Study, 2003).

2) Statin: There are several of these plaque drugs on the market, which are often mistaken for cholesterol drugs. This distinction is important: 30 to 50 percent of patients with atherosclerotic plaque have relatively normal cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that even patients with normal cholesterol profiles have fewer cardiovascular events when taking a statin drug.

3) ACE Inhibitors: These medicines have traditionally been used to treat heart failure and high blood pressure. However, recent trials have shown them to be highly beneficial to those with coronary artery disease even if blood pressure is normal, reducing heart attack death by an additional 26 percent in the heart outcome prevention education. Therefore, the benefits of the ACE inhibitor seem to extend beyond the lowering of blood pressure. This should encourage us to clamor to receive such medication even if our blood pressure is normal.

4) Niacin: The vitamin niacin has long been known to benefit the heart. As early as 1975, the Coronary Drug Project showed that high doses of niacin contributed to a 27 percent reduction in coronary events when compared with placebo.

For prevention to work, each person must take control of their health and proactively take steps towards a healthier heart. A good place to start is by becoming a more informed and educated healthcare consumer. I encourage people to get all the information they can, by talking to their doctor, researching on the Internet, and reading.

Another avenue for education is healthcare seminars. Houston is going to be hosting Cardeo, a consumer education event, Feb. 12 to15, 2004. This Medical Conference & Consumer Expo will bring together an estimated 20,000 healthcare professionals, patients, insurers, vendors and the general public to discuss the complete eradication of heart disease, which is an extremely achievable goal. The event will move the community towards true prevention.

In reality . . . the patient has to be the one to decide to take control and then the healthcare system will move in that direction.

About the author:

Courtesy of ARA Content

Written By: ARA

Dealing With Pregnancy And Heart Disease

Date: 2007.09.20 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

Do you have a heart problem and you’re pregnant? Cardiovascular diseases complicate approximately one percent of all pregnancies. Usually, a pregnant woman with a heart problem would entail the care of a health care team that would include an internist, an obstetrician and a nurse.

During pregnancy, the heart exerts more effort because both blood volume and cardiac output increases. This generally occurs in the first 28 weeks of pregnancy and is sustained throughout the pregnancy. These changes result in detections of abnormal heart sounds, such as murmurs, and heart palpitations during pregnancy. Both of which are just the bodys response to the increased demand due to the presence of the infant.

The pregnant woman is in danger because of this increase in circulatory volume. The pregnant womans heart may become overwhelmed that it may not delivery blood properly. When this happens, oxygen and nutrients (both of which are carried by the blood) are not delivered to the cells and the fetus adequately. This condition may endanger the life of both the mother and the infant.

The type and extent of the heart disease determines if the woman can successfully undergo a complete pregnancy. This could be roughly classified as uncompromised, slightly compromised, markedly compromised and severely compromised.

o Women who are uncompromised are those who have no limitations in physical activity, no cardiac insufficiency and no anginal pain.

o Women who are slightly compromised are those who have slight limitation in physical activity and who experience palpitations, shortness of breath and anginal pain during physical activity.

o Women who are markedly compromised are those who have a marked limitation of physical activity and experience palpitations, shortness of breath and anginal pain during less than an ordinary physical activity.

o Women who are severely compromised are those who are unable to carry out physical activity.

Women who are uncompromised and slightly compromised usually undergo normal pregnancy. Women who are markedly compromised are advised to maintain bed rest during pregnancy. While, women who are severely compromised are described to be poor candidates of pregnancy.

The pregnant woman with a heart problem, be it mild or severe, should visit her obstetrician or family physician once she finds out that she is pregnant. The doctor would evaluate the clients condition and establish baseline data of the client. The doctor and the other members of the health care team can also advise steps to attain a successful pregnancy. Prenatal care should be stressed and close assessment of the pregnant mother should be instated to monitor both the mothers health and the growth and development of the fetus.

The following steps could help the pregnant woman with a heart problem:

1. Get enough rest
A woman with cardiac disease needs more rest than the average pregnant woman. Rest lessens the strain of the increased burden of the pregnant womans heart. Promotion of rest can include discontinuation of work and reduction of heavy physical activity like certain household work.

2. Eat healthy.
Nutrition is essential even to the average pregnant woman. Weight gain should be watched carefully because additional cells entail additional demand from the heart. It is also essential to monitor for anemia.

3. Be informed.
Like any condition, the pregnant woman should be informed regarding her specific heart condition. She can help herself be searching other alternatives that may help her during her pregnancy.

Heart problems are nothing to be lax about especially during pregnancy. Although a lot of new technologies have been established in dealing with heart problems, the woman with the heart problem should be extra careful during pregnancy. The essential course of action is of course through prevention and early detection of possible problems. These can be achieved through regular visits to the doctor and religiously following the doctors orders.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR’S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

About the Author:

For up to date links and information about Pregnancy, please go to: http://PregnancyClue.com

Written By: Elysiana Canlas

Target Heart Rate and the Mature Exerciser

Date: 2007.09.15 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

Anyone who has ever become involved in exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has probably heard the term “target heart rate” or “target heart range” or THR. This is a very important concept for anyone who is involved in an exercise program or someone who wants to start a program. Unfortunately, some exercise professionals gloss over this concept and don’t let people know just how important it is. My wife belongs to a Jazzercise group and she tells me that the instructors hardly bring up the need for monitoring your THR during an exercise session (my wife wears a heart rate monitor to keep checks on her THR all the time, so I guess I’ve had a positive influence on her in that respect). I sure am glad that I’m not the insurance company handling the liability insurance for this group. You see, not monitoring your THR can actually be dangerous. And, not only can it be dangerous for mature people, but it can also be dangerous for younger people too.

So, let’s look at the concept of THR and why it is so important. Under normal circumstances, the human heart can only beat so many beats per minute. If it goes above or below these certain parameters, it usually means that something is wrong, and that’s one of the reasons we need to know what it is. For the average person, a simple rule of thumb to determine your maximum heart rate (MHR) is to subtract your age from 220 (women can use 210). Example: a 60 year old male can calculate his MHR by taking 220 – 60 = 160, so his MHR is 160. A 60 year old female would take 210 – 60 = 150, so her MHR is 150. Keep in mind that this is just a rule of thumb. If you want to find out what your exact MHR is, you will need to have a doctor put you through an aerobic exercise test to exhaustion (a “max test”), which isn’t usually worth while for most of us. When I was in graduate school they would put me through a “max test” about once every other week to give the other students a chance to see how all the equipment worked and what they needed to do to run everything properly. They used me because I was a well conditioned triathlete and a little stupid too. Believe me, those tests are tough, and you don’t want to go through one unless you absolutely have to.

The reason you need to know your MHR is that it is used to determine your THR for different exercise goals. What do we mean when we say “different exercise goals”? Some people are going to exercise just to stay or get healthy. Others will want to exercise to lose weight. And, still others may be exercising to increase their aerobic or anaerobic capabilities for a certain sport (swimming, sprinting, marathons, etc.). Whatever these goals are, the THR to achieve them is going to be different. If someone just wants to use aerobic exercise to help become or stay healthy, a good THR for them might be 65% – 80% of their MHR. Using our 60 year old male whose MHR is 160, his THR for staying healthy would be 160 x 65% = 104, 160 x 80% = 128, so his range would be 104 – 128 heart beats per minute (this is measured by taking your pulse). If he wants to lose weight, he might use a THR of 60% – 70% of his MHR because this level will burn more fat. And, don’t forget, monitoring your heart rate isn’t only to achieve your exercise goals. It is important that you keep track of your heart rate so that if anything unusual starts to happen while you’re exercising you will be able to stop.

A really convenient way to keep track of your target heart rate is with a heart rate monitor. These can cost anywhere from about $60 up to $250 and more depending on how many bells and whistles you want. You can also just take your pulse at your wrist or neck (how to do that is food for another article), several times during an exercise session to make sure you stay within your range.

Knowing your THR and MHR is very important, both for safety and for appropriate exercise goal setting. Learn what they are, and monitor them regularly.

2005 Thomas D. Manfredi, MS

About the author:

Online fitness coach Tom Manfredi is the creator of the site fitness-after-50.com. He has a master’s degree in exercise physiology and over 20 years of practical exercise experience.

This site is designed with the mature adult in mind. Learn more by going to fitness-after-50.com

Written By: Thomas D. Manfredi, M.S.

Acai Berry Making for a Healthy Heart

Date: 2007.09.10 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

Acai is a new fruit from Brazil that offers vital nutritional benefits for people over 40 years of age. The Acai contains 33 times the cholesterol fighting anthocyanin than a glass of red wine, a Daily Value (DVS) of calcium, twice the DVS at the antioxidant ‘Vitamin E and a substantial amount of dietary fiber (2)

Cardiovascular Maintenance, Anthocyanins are cholesterol regulating compounds with well researched data (indicating their value in Cardiovascular support Elevated blood cholesterol is one of the major modifiable risk factors for coronary heart disease (5) and the leading cause of death in the US The fact is that 490,000 Americans die of Coronary Heart Diseases each year (3) with cost of over $60 billion annually in medical expenses and lost productivity ( 4) Therefore, regulating and reducing cholesterol through dietary means can contribute to prolonging life and reducing medical expenses.

Low cholesterol foods and exercise are only a part of the natural program to prevent and mitigate cardiovascular diseases. The consumption of foods rich in compounds that reduce cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and carry antioxidant protection completes the program. Acai is an excellent example of such a functional food that is now accessible to food, beverage and supplement markets in an economical and convenient form.

Calcium rich Acai also provides several cardiovascular health benefits. According to a research summary by the Just-Food.com editorial team. More than maintaining skeletal strength and reducing the impact of osteoporosis, studies have shown that people who suffer from high blood pressure often also have diets low in calcium, When calcium is added to their diet, blood pressure drops. Some research also suggest that calcium may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. Also the lower risk of stroke, found in a study of 86,000 women, was attributed to calcium. Diets rich in calcium have also been linked to reduced occurrences of colon and breast cancer in various laboratory studies.

The generous amount of Vitamin E in Acai, twice the D.V., (Daily Value), is essential for regeneration of damaged tissue and as a protective antioxidant. Cancer prevention and Intestinal function: “Acai” high fiber content is very favorable to the consumers proper intestinal function, ” reports Dr. Herve Rogez , “Fiber accelerates the intestinal processes and has a very important role in avoiding colon cancer, The D.V. is 35g of fibers/adult a day, Acai consumers reach this dose very easily,” (2)

References (1)Claire Madden, VP Marketing at MarketResearch.com, (2) “Biochemical and Technical Studies on Acai” by Dr. Herve Rogez 2, Sofia Pascal 2, Jesus N.S. de Souza, Arlete R. Aquino & Raphaele Buxant Dept.. de Engenharia Quimica – Centro Tecnologico, Diaouiweir ria I niinnin, Beligica) (3) National Contor for Health Statictice. Annual summary of births, marriages, divorces, and deaths United States, 1993, Monthly vital statistics report-, vol 42 no 13. Hyattsville, MD: Public Health Service, 1594. (4) American Heart Association. Heart and stroke facts 1995 statistical supplement. Dallas, TX: American Heart Association, 1994, (5) National Cholesterol Education Program. Second report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults Adult Treatment Panel II). BeM6sda National Heart, Lung

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Mike Law is also CEO of www.wealthontap.com whose mission is to better peoples lifestyles by substantially improving their health and or their financial status.

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Written By: Mike Law

Women and heart disease

Date: 2007.09.05 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

How do you start to transform the long ingrained opinions that heart disease affects primarily men? Most people are surprised when told that not only is heart disease the #1 killer of women, but that more women die from heart disease than breast cancer. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 500,000 women die each year from heart disease.1 And although today’s advances in cardiology are many, 38% of women will die within one year of a first heart attack. Clearly, we can and should do a better job at treating women with heart disease. These facts haven’t gone unrecognized by the healthcare community, who produces a wealth of educational literature, websites, and symposiums focusing on women’s heart care. Additionally, new and established heart centers are beginning to concentrate on cardiac issues specific to the care of women. These efforts do demonstrate favorable steps for progress, but more is needed to reduce the alarmingly high mortality rate. Recent research reveals a disparity between the cardiac treatments given to females vs. males. The dramatic improvements in pharmaceuticals, time to treatment, interventional cardiac catheterization, and cardiovascular surgery aren’t consistently applied to both genders. Resolving inequities The following organizational steps can be useful in resolving cardiac care inequities: ? Begin at the organizational level by providing educational programs to your nursing staff and physicians with topics such as: –the prevalence of heart disease among women –identification of cardiac symptoms in women –primary prevention methods This fundamental intervention that is a vital foundation to affect a change in medical practice that can save women’s lives. ? Formulate a community awareness program to address issues on the following: –risk factor identification specific to women –risk factor reduction methods specific to women –identification of cardiac signs and symptoms specific to women –discussion topics with your physician –cardiac screenings. Hospitals offering these programs report capacity attendances and waiting lists for sessions, supporting evidence that there’s need and interest. The programs serve two objectives: providing a needed educational opportunity for the women in your community and showcasing your cardiac services. Developing a program Since cardiac disease is a chronic condition, a disease management model proves suitable. Develop organizational strategic initiatives to provide continuous services that will significantly impact this condition. (See “Sample outline.”) Trendsetter programs are paving the path for others to follow by providing proof of the clinical and financial benefits to offering a cardiac program specific to women. Research on the profitability of women’s cardiac programs demonstrates a favorable bottom-line impact. Additional non-cardiac diagnostic testing is reported to increase as a result of these programs. This research provides the evidence of the value of directing organizational efforts toward provision of women’s cardiac services.3 For many years it has been known that women are the primary decision makers in healthcare. Hospitals have responded to this by developing women’s health centers that address OB/Gyn needs, screening for osteoporosis, and breast care. These programs were developed to meet what was considered to be the most pressing health issues for women, but by continuing to offer only these services they fail to address heart disease. Seize the opportunity to become a “full service” women’s health program by providing women’s cardiac services. REFERENCES 1. American Heart Association: Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics-2003 Update. Dallas, Tex.: American Heart Association, 2002. 2. Heartwire: Women with heart disease are “substantially undertreated,” Theheart.org; Jan. 20, 2003. 3. The Advisory Board Company: Cardiovascular Roundtable. Enterprise in Transition, National Membership Meeting, Washington, D.C., 2002.

About the Author

Cynthia Havrilak has frontline experience in the initiation and management of medical cardiac programs. Her health care background includes clinical experience in medical intensive care, cardiovascular surgical care, and peripheral vascular angioplasty.

Cynthia Havrilak is a senior consultant for Health Care Visions, Ltd., Pittsburgh, PA. (412) 364-3770 orwww.hcvconsult.com

Written By: CYNTHIA J. HAVRILAK, RN, MSN

Take Heart on Cholesterol

Date: 2007.08.31 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

Take Heart on Cholesterol.

Cholesterol can be both good & bad, so it’s important to learn what cholesterol is, how it affects your health and how to manage your blood cholesterol levels. Understanding cholesterol will help you take better care of your heart, so you can lead a healthier life and reduce your risks of heart attack and stroke.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft, white, waxy substance found in the bloodstream and in all the body’s cells. Despite its reputation, cholesterol is essential to life! The body needs cholesterol for digesting dietary fats, making hormones, building cell walls, and other important processes.

However, our liver makes all the cholesterol our body needs. Consuming fatty foods can lead to a high level of cholesterol in the blood which is easily deposited in the arteries and narrowing the diameter and impeding blood flow to the heart and other organs, creating a major risk factor for coronary heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease is still Australia’s greatest health problem affecting over 3.6 million Australians. One Australian dies every 10 minutes of heart disease, stroke or blood vessel disease. According to the National Heart Foundation more than 6 million adults aged 25 and over have high cholesterol levels.

Certain risk factors increase your risk of developing heart disease – factors such as being over weight, smoking, excessive alcohol intake, diabetes, insufficient physical activity and high blood pressure.

What can we do to improve our heart and overall health?

The good news is that cholesterol can be brought under control by lifestyle changes – such as diet, losing weight, and an exercise program.

* Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight – The more you weigh, the more your body stores fat and cholesterol.

* Eat more fruit & vegetables. Include soy products into your diet. Eat more seafood (omega 3 fats are very healthy and good for your heart). Choose wholegrain breads and cereals.

* Be more active – walk for 20 minutes a day

* Dairy products are a good source of calcium, while meat, fish and poultry are a good source of iron. Ensure you choose low fat dairy products and lean meat cuts.

* Avoid take-away foods high in fat.

(Some risk factors, eg heredity, cannot be controlled & need medication to manage.)

As we cut down our intake on foods with saturated fats, some gaps appear in our nutritional intake, resulting in the need to add high quality nutritional supplements to our diets. Also, cutting back on our red meat intake can lead to a diet deficient in protein. Including some soy protein in our diets will help protect against heart disease as well as help to maintain healthy protein consumption.

If you need to lose some weight, look for a program that has adequate daily protein without the high calories and saturated fats associated with animal products. Ongoing personal support from a coach will help you achieve your goals and helps to keep you on track.

If you need to add some more exercise into your day – try simple things like using the stairs, parking further from the supermarket and walking to the local shop for your daily newspaper. Key point here is to add more activity into your day and not put yourself under the pressure of a formal exercise program at a gym. If you need or want something more formal, then by all means, join a gym or a sporting team. You could take up golf, get together with a couple of friends and go for a 20 minute walk a couple of times a week – great time to catch up and get more active! Find something that interests YOU. Make exercise fun!

And finally, make a commitment to yourself to improve your health. After all that is what truly dictates the quality of life we experience. Without our health, we are consumed with doctors visits, medications and restrictions. Take control, take heart, and live a full and healthy life.

About the author:

Dee Britton is a Health & Wellness Coach specialising in weight management & nutrition. Personal support, recipes, hints & tips, newsletters + lots more to help you reach your goal weight. Online health profile & free weight loss consultation at http://www.weightloss-2day.net

Written By: Dee Britton

American Heart Association Recommendations

Date: 2007.08.26 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

The American Heart Association recommends that you eat a variety of foods from the different food groups. In order for women to lose one to two pounds a week, they should consume between 1200 and 1500 calories a day. Men should consume between 1500 and 1800 calories a day if they want to lose one to two pounds a week. Let’s examine the different food groups the American Heart Association suggests you consume. Meat, Poultry, Fish – You should consume no more than 6 ounces of meat, poultry, and fish per day. Lean cuts of poultry and fish have fewer calories than fatty red meat, but you can find lean cuts of red meat in your supermarket.

Breads, Cereals, Starches – This food group includes bread, cereal, pasta, rice, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. You can have six servings from this food group a day. A serving size is 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal, and 1cup of rice, pasta, or to cup of starchy veggies. So, if you eat Remember here, that whole grain is best. When you can, choose whole-grain bread, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta instead of their white counterparts that have been stripped of nutrients and fiber.

Vegetables and Fruits – Fruits and vegetables are essential parts of your diet because they contain a variety of vitamins and nutrients. You can have five or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables. A serving size is cup to 1 cup of cooked and raw vegetables, cup of fruit juice, or one medium piece of fruit. Aim to choose a variety of colors in your diet because they have different vitamins and minerals. Let’s examine the colors you should include in your diet every day.

Red – Red fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that help keep your heart and urinary tract healthy. They also help with your memory and lower your risk of some cancers. When it comes to red, choose from apples, cherries, strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers, and radishes, to name a few.

Yellow/Orange – Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that keep your heart, vision, and immune system healthy. Some yellow and orange fruits and veggies include apricots, lemons, peaches, cantaloupe, yellow squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.

Green – Green fruits and vegetables help lower your risk of some cancers and keep your bones and teeth strong. Choose foods like green grapes, broccoli, avocados, spinach, green apples, and limes.

Blue/Purple – Blue and purple fruits and vegetables lower the risk of some cancers and keep your urinary tract healthy. They also help maintain your memory function. Some delicious blue and purple foods are blackberries, blueberries, raisins, plums, eggplant, and purple cabbage.

White – White foods promote your heart health, and if you already have healthy cholesterol, they’ll help maintain those levels. Bananas, pears, cauliflower, mushrooms, and garlic are tasty options you can fit into your meal plan.

Milk Products – If you love dairy products, the good news is that you can still eat them and lose weight. However, choose low-fat or fat-free products. They contain the same vitamins and minerals, taste good, and lower your cholesterol all at the same time. Adults aged 19-50 should have three servings of milk products per day. A serving of dairy is 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat milk, 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt, 1 ounce of low-fat cheese (stay away from fat-free cheeses–they have too much sodium) or a cup of low-fat cottage cheese.

Fats – You should have no more than five servings of fats a day in the form of oil, nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, and mayonnaise. Fat servings include one teaspoon of oil, three teaspoons of nuts or seeds, 5-10 olives, 1/8 of an avocado and two teaspoons of mayonnaise. If you love the taste of butter on your vegetables, use a fat-free imitation butter spray. It really doesn’t taste that much different.

About the Author

Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville, TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more great nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and comments on popular diets.

Written By: Kirsten Hawkins

Understanding Heart Disease

Date: 2007.08.21 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF YOUR HEART AND HEART DISEASE

Understand the basics associated with your heart and blood vessels. Here you will get an understanding of all the different types of cardiovascular disease that can be confusing. Get a basic overview of cardiovascular disease and the conditions that can affect your heart and blood vessels.

You probably hear a lot about preventing heart disease. But maybe you’re not sure what heart disease is. Is it the same thing as cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease or other heart terms you sometimes see?

With many medical terms related to the heart and blood vessels, it’s no wonder you may be puzzled or confused. Here you will have a chance to brush up on some basic terms about cardiovascular disease (CVD) that can help you stay more informed. This can then help you when you’re watching the news or meeting with your doctor.

The first term to know is Cardiovascular Disease or CVD. CVD is a broad term. CVD is a large collection of diseases and conditions.

If you want to be technical, CVD refers to any disorder in any of the various parts of your heart system. Your cardiovascular system consists of your heart and all the blood vessels throughout your whole body.

Cardiovascular disease has two main mechanisms:

Diseases of the Heart (cardio)

Diseases of the Blood Vessels (vascular)

Everything from an aneurysm to a heart attack to varicose veins are all types of CVD. You may be born with a type of CVD (congenital) or you may acquire others later on in life possibly from a lifetime of unhealthy habits, lack of exercise, smoking, and other factors.

Here’s a closer look at the two mechanisms of cardiovascular disease.

Diseases of the Heart

The diseases and conditions that affect the heart are in a group known as heart disease. The heart consists of a muscle that pumps blood. Arteries supply blood to the heart muscle, and the valves make sure that the blood within the heart is pumped in the right direction. Problems can occur in any of these areas.

Just like CVD, Heart Disease is a broad term.

Here are the specific types of heart disease:

**Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)

**Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

**Cardiomyopathy

**Valvular heart disease

**Pericardial disease

**Congenital heart disease

**Heart failure (CHF)

Diseases of the Blood Vessels

Blood vessels are in basic terms hollow tubes that carry blood to the organs and tissues throughout your body.

There are 4 basic types of blood vessels:

Arteries. These blood vessels carry oxygenated blood to all parts of the body

Veins. These blood vessels carry deoxygenated blood back to your heart. That is why they have a bluish cast to their color

Capillaries. These are tiny vessels that connect your arteries and veins.

Lymphatics. Fluid that leaks out of your capillaries in order to bathe your cells.

Here are some types of blood vessel disorders:

**Arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis

**High blood pressure (HBP) or Hypertension (HTN)

**Stroke

**Aneurysm

**Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) and claudication

**Vasculitis

**Venous incompetence

**Venous thrombosis or blood clot

**Varicose veins

**Lymphedema

Heart Disease is a serious condition. Watch your fatty food intake, smoking, as well as your sweet tooth intake. Both can cause serious heart problems.

It is best to start out slow when changing your diet. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is a great way to start.

About the author:

F. Kuhn, RN specializing in cardiac and diabetic teaching

http://www.heartnewscenter.com

http://www.diabetestestingcenter.com

Written By: F. Kuhn, RN

Exercise for a Healthy Heart

Date: 2007.08.16 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

Do you exercise every day? If you want to live a long, healthy life, maybe you should.

A recent study by Timothy Wessel, a physician at the University of Florida, indicates one of the strongest risk factors for developing heart disease is inactivity even more so than being overweight. During the four-year study of 906 women, Dr. Wessel documented those who were moderately active were less likely to develop heart disease than sedentary women, no matter how much they weighed. The study concluded: These results suggest that fitness may be more
important than overweight or obesity for cardiovascular risk in women.

In January, the updated U.S. Dietary Guidelines strongly urged that everyone should take part in at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days, above whatever activities they do at home or work. To loose weight or to avoid gaining weight as we age, 60 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous exercise is recommended. And those who have already lost weight and are attempting to keep weight off need 60 to 90 minutes of daily exercise.

A study of 9,611 adults by the University of Michigan Health System, found that people in their 50s and 60s who participated in daily exercise were 35 percent less likely to die within the next eight years than their inactive couch potato counter parts.

Convinced that its time to add exercise to your day?

The Basics — Make Exercise a Life Priority:

- If youre not use to exercising, check with your doctor before beginning any strenuous fitness routine.

- Start slow. If 30 minutes of exercise is too much, start with 15 minutes and add a few minutes each day.

- If you dont have time for 60 minutes of exercise, break it up into two 30-minute sessions throughout the day.

- Schedule a specific time to exercise everyday then keep to your schedule!

- Take part in more intense activities that can improve your heart health, such as: running, dancing, swimming, cycling, and climbing stairs.

- Find exercise that you enjoy. You will be more likely to continue and improve your daily performance if you look forward to a favorite activity.

- Wear proper clothing and footwear. This has two functions. Clothing and shoes that are suited to your activity will enhance performance and offer the right kind of support for your body and feet. They will also place you in a better frame of mind for exercise. When you wear your favorite running outfit and slide into your special running shoes, your mind says its time to get out the door and put my feet in motion!

- Add everyday activities to increase your overall fitness level, such as gardening, housework, walking to the store, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and raking leaves.

- Always drink lots of water.

- If you feel discomfort or pain after an activity, use ice therapy immediately to reduce swelling and numb pain. Always have a cold pack in your freezer, ready and waiting. Most aches and pains attributed to exercise respond well to icing and will melt away within 24 hours after applying ice for several 20-minute sessions. Using cold therapy reduces down time, getting you back on schedule fast. (If the pain does not lessen within 48 hours after using ice therapy, is intense or becomes worse, see your doctor.)

Exercise every daytake care of your heartlive long!

Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury

About the Author

About the Author: Louise Roach: health and fitness editor,
marketing specialist, product development consultant. Helps others find pain relief through the use of SnowPack Cold Therapy products. Learn more about the benefits of cold therapy at http://www.snowpackusa.com/ Sign up for *free* health/fitness e-newsletter at: http://home.netcom.com/~newsflash/

Written By: Louise Roach

What you need to know about heart diseases

Date: 2007.08.11 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

Heart is the most significant organ of the body. It controls and regulates the entire body. An individual can survive the loss of other organs of body but not of a heart. The moment heart ceases pumping blood to the body, it results in a heart stroke and there are chances that the person may die.

But people are often negligent in taking care of this undeniably crucial organ of their body. This is made evident by the studies that reveal the escalating deaths due to cardiac arrests every year. It is not just the elderly who are gripped by cardiac seizures due to their age, which implicates a declining health but also young children, and even infants who are inflicted by heart ailments.

The purpose of this article is to make its readers aware of some of the most common cardiac problems, few possible preventions and cures to them and the measures one should adopt to enjoy a healthy heart.

1.Heart diseases- human heart starts malfunctioning due to many reasons. In other words there are different diseases that affect human heart.

Congenital Heart Disease is a very common one. It leads to malformation of heart during prenatal development and other severe complications. Chromosomal abnormalities, transfer of infected genes and environment are the main attributed causes to congenital heart disease.

Coronary Artery Disease is one where heart simply stops pumping blood to the arteries. The blockages or difficulty in the blood flow to the main source of oxygen to the heart muscle i.e. coronary arteries is deemed to be the primary factor that results in this disease. Apart from this the thickening of the arteries called arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure and other problems like asthma, diabetes etc. are the causes of CAD. CAD produces a heart attack and so even the death of the concerned individual.

A viral infection that attacks the pericardium pouch enveloping the heart is the ground for the Pericardial heart disorder.

2.The Roots of Heart Ailment- in most of the cases the individuals themselves are responsible for their cardiac troubles.

Over stress is the biggest threat to a healthy life so much so that it affects even ones heart.

Faulty food habits i.e. eating more of junk and fattening food rich in cholesterol is the primary reason for a heart attack.

Obesity and lack of physical labor also accentuates cardiac problems.

Heart problems are also hereditary.

Blood pressure patients are more prone to heart attacks.

Alcoholics, smokers and drug addicts have acute possibilities of heart failure.

3.Some Common Cures- it is not likely to prevent every heart problem especially those malformations or diseases that are innate or since the time of birth. They can at best be treated with the aid of surgeries.

Watch your eating and drinking habits. Avoid cholesterol abounding food like butter, cheese, creams, cakes and pastries etc.

Aspirin is deemed to be a potential medicine to ward off cardiac snags. According to physicians aspirin thins the blood and aids in its transfer from heart to other parts of the body.

Pregnant women are advised to keep away from hard drinks, cigarettes and narcotics. Negligence in this regard can be a source of incurable congenital heart disease to the baby.

If you are a sedentary worker, make it a point to exercise daily in order to maintain a healthy living.

Endeavor your best to have a nutritious and balanced diet.

If you suffer from diabetes, blood pressure, asthma or any such disease, go for regular medical check ups to know about the functioning of the internal organs of your body.

Last but not the least, avoid doing things that petrify you and do not favor your health. For instance if altitude or great height scares you, it is not a prudent choice to go for mountain climbing.

About the Author

Mansi gupta writes about heart diseases topics.

Written By: Mansi gupta