Posts Tagged ‘cardiac arrest’

• High-dose statins lower heart attack risk

  Date: 2007.04.03 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

  If you suffer from stable heart disease, a higher dose of the class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins might decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes for you, a new study shows.

  The study, funded by Pfizer, and called Treating New Targets, or TNT, showed that the top dose of Atorvastatin calcium decreased the risk of heart attacks and strokes in people with stable heart disease, compared to the lowest dose of the same drug.

  “Atorvastatin calcium is a prescription medicine used with diet to lower cholesterol,” said Dr Graham Jackson, a British-based consultant cardiologist, who was in Kuala Lumpur last week. “Lowering cholesterol levels is a proven strategy in reducing the risk of heart attack and heart disease but it is not certain what the appropriate target for lowering cholesterol should be in individuals with known heart disease. This study helped determine that. The results could potentially change the standard of care for patients with CHD.”

  The five-year Treating to New Targets Trial (TNT) involved 10,000 patients with established coronary heart disease and elevated LDL, or “bad” cholesterol levels. The study assessed whether patients on high-dose Atorvastatin calcium who aggressively lowered their LDL-cholesterol levels to well below the current guidelines (100 mg/dL) would experience additional cardiovascular benefits compared to Atorvastatin calcium patients who maintained their LDL-cholesterol at recommended levels.

  Patients who received 80 ma doses of Atorvastatin calcium had 22 per cent fewer cardiovascular events, including CHD death, non-fatal heart attacks, resuscitated cardiac arrest, and fatal or non-fatal strokes compared to patients who took 10 mg of Atorvastatin calcium. In addition, patients treated with high- dose Atorvastatin calcium had 25 per cent fewer fatal or non-fatal strokes compared to those treated with just 10 mg of Atorvastatin calcium.

  Dr Sim Kui-Hian, head of both the department of Cardiology and the Clinical Research Centre at the Sarawak General Hospital, said that the average cholesterol levels of the Malaysian population have been increasing since 1961 and the majority of Malaysians with elevated cholesterol are not at their recommended goal levels.

  “This is despite the fact that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in Malaysia,” said Dr Sim.

  “Everyone hates taking medicine,” he said. “But this drug is generally well tolerated. Adverse reactions usually have been mild and transient, with the most frequent adverse effects of atorvastatin being constipation, flatulence, dyspepsia and abdominal pain.”

  “The mainstay of treatment; besides medication, is exercise, diet and maintaining a healthy body weight,” said Dr Sim. If patients are on a higher dosage of atorvastatin coupled with exercises, not smoking, maintaining correct blood pressure and controlling diabetes, coronary vascular diseases can be remarkably reduced by 80 per cent.

  About the Author

  www.medical-explorer.com

  Written By: Anonymous

• Heart Disease Is More Than A Chest Pain

  Date: 2006.10.10 | Category: Heart Tips | Response: 0

  There are many reasons by which people can be affected by heart disease. By knowing these reasons one can start taking precaution before reaching such dire state. Reasons for having heart disease may be very common but the repercussions of the same are very bad for your health.

  Age can be a major factor for you to suffer from heart disease. If statistics is anything to go by then it has come to notice that more than 83% of people who suffer from heart disease or any ailments relating to heart is either 65 or older. Being of male gender also causes heart problems as they are prone to die of heart attack in an early age. After menopause the women chances of having heart attacks increases but this is not the same with men.

  Heredity plays a very important in determining your chances of having a heart problem. Children’s whose parents suffer from heart disease is more likely to be affected by this disease if proper care is not taken. The different races that are around this world among them African American suffers the most due to high blood pressure than Caucasians with higher risk of heart disease. As obesity also causes heart disease, major Americans suffer from it which causes the problem.

  Smoking is not good for your health as it causes problems which can lead in a cardiac arrest. Passive smoking is also unhealthy as you are inhaling the fumes from the cigarette which are root cause of the problem. Cholesterol is also an important culprit in causing heart diseases as it gets affected with age, sex, heredity and your diet too.

  Blood pressure and lack of physical activity also causes problems. High blood pressure leads to over loading of work to the heart which leads to thickening of heart and chance for stroke, heart attack and heart failure is expected. Stress, diabetes, alcohol are all part in causing the heart problems to you.

  About the author:

  Kevin Pederson has been managing a number of natural home remedies websites which have information on the some of reasons for having heart problems and how to avoid it .

  Written By: Kevin Pederson