Today's topic is about the Heart because The Heart Matters. Whether you're in business or you just want to keep living longer, you have to take care of the heart.
Heart disease is the number one killer in the world. One of every two men and one of every three women will develop heart disease. In addition, Americans spend over $28.5 billion on statins (cholesterol-lowering medication) like Lipitor and Zocor - making heart supplements a larger market than antidepressants or allergy medications. According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease is America's number one killer-someone dies from it every 33 seconds. In addition, nearly half of all adults have cholesterol levels above 200. Statin drugs are not always the best choice. In 2001, Bayer pulled their Statin drug off the market when 31 deaths occurred among patients due to side effects. The following year, CNN reported Statin drugs were known to cause nerve damage in one in every 2200 patients. Remember to consult with your doctor before starting or discontinuing any medication. There is a better way. Email me at empowerme@EmpowermeTeam.com
The following is some heart related information on heart attacks. A tickle in the throat could be a sign of a heart attack. Coughing as hard as you can, can get the heart back in rhythm Yes, I suffered a heart attack. I am writing this because I want you to know the symptoms.
Know not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
Mine were the silent ones. The ones you don't expect. The cardiologist said probably what saved my life was that I had lost weight, had my blood sugar and cholestrol in good shape and started coughing. I thought I was too young to have a heart attack, but the guy in the next room in the hospital was only 17! Because of stress, the toxicans around us and the way we eat, it can happen to anyone. Ask me little ways you can go green and improve your health and save you money.
I was one of the fortunate ones. Let's be careful and be aware. This is very lengthy because I want you to know more than I did and know what they are talking about when they start throwing words at you. Always go for a second or third opinion if you have the chance. The more we know, the better chance we could survived...A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this...It could save your life!! I want to keep my friends around for as long as possible.
Chest pain is a major symptom of heart attack. However, some people may have little or no chest pain. This is called a silent heart attack.
The pain, pressure or tingle may be felt in only one part of the body or move from your chest to your arms, shoulder, neck, teeth, jaw, belly area, or back.
The pain can be severe or mild. It can feel like:
Squeezing or heavy pressure
Tingle in the throat, arm or chest
A tight band around the chest
Something heavy sitting on your chest
Bad indigestion
Pain usually lasts longer than 20 minutes. Rest and a medicine called nitroglycerine do not completely relieve the pain of a heart attack.
Other symptoms of a heart attack include:
Shortness of breath
Nausea or vomiting
Anxiety
Cough
Fainting
Lightheadedness - dizziness
Palpitations (feeling like your heart is beating too fast)
Sweating, which may be extreme
Signs and tests
A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms of a heart attack, seek immediate medical help.
The health care provider will perform a physical exam and listen to your chest using a stethoscope. The doctor may hear abnormal sounds in your lungs (called crackles), a heart murmur, or other abnormal sounds.
You may have a rapid pulse. Blood pressure may be normal, high, or low.
Tests to look at your heart include:
Coronary angiography
CT scan
Echocardiography
Electrocardiogram (ECG) -- once or repeated over several hours
MRI
Nuclear ventriculography
Blood tests can help show if you have substances produced by heart tissue damage or a high risk for heart attack. These include:
Troponin I and troponin T
CPK and CPK-MB
Serum myoglobin
Just a few years ago, bypass surgery was considered the treatment of choice for severe heart disease. Things have changed.
Many patients now fare quite well with less invasive procedures. In some cases, coronary artery blockages can be successfully managed with medication. In others, minimally invasive procedures are effective.
No single approach is best for everyone. The right choice is one that fits the patient and the unique condition of his/her coronary arteries.
THE STATE OF THE ARTERIES
Most people first discover that they have heart disease when they seek medical care for chest discomfort (angina pectoris).
Some patients experience angina as pain. Others experience it as pressure or heaviness in the throat, arms or back or tickle... or simply shortness of breath.
Typically, these symptoms occur during exertion and are relieved with rest.
Angina is caused by fatty deposits in one or more coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart.
Patients who have angina are typically given a battery of tests, including an electrocardiogram (EKG) and a treadmill stress test.
Caution: While these tests are useful for helping the doctor formulate a diagnosis of heart disease, they do not necessarily show the location or severity of the coronary artery blockage.
For this, patients typically undergo a more invasive procedure known as coronary angiography. In this procedure, often performed on an outpatient basis, a narrow tube called a catheter is inserted into the femoral artery through a tiny incision in the groin. The catheter is threaded up the artery to the heart, where special dye is injected into the coronary vessel.
An X ray of the heart shows which of the coronary arteries are affected--and how badly they are affected.
Not everyone who has coronary artery disease needs a coronary angiogram. If symptoms are mild and the stress test suggests that the heart is functioning well, medication may be adequate.
Angiography is recommended if symptoms are worsening or are not controlled with medication. In addition, angiography often becomes necessary when bypass or another heart procedure is under consideration.
DRUG THERAPY
For many heart patients, the right mix of medications can relieve symptoms to the point that normal activity is possible. Typically, this mix includes...
Beta blocker to slow the pulse and lower blood pressure. Typical beta blockers include propranolol (Inderal) and atenolol (Tenormin).
Nitrate or sometimes called nitro to dilate the coronary arteries, so that blood flow to diseased heart tissue is increased. The best-known nitrate is nitroglycerin.
Aspirin to prevent clots that can cause a heart attack. It is not recommended for those under 65 on a regular base. See your medical help for more help
Cholesterol-lowering drug to help prevent the blockage from getting bigger (if cholesterol levels are elevated).
Of the many classes of cholesterol-lowering medication now in use, atorvastatin (Lipitor) and other so-called statins are most widely used.
In some cases, symptoms grow worse despite drug therapy. If so, a catheter-related procedure called percutaneous revascularization may be necessary.
There are non drug ways to lower cholestrol, ask me how I did. If you require medical proceedure, I want you to know your options before you have to take medicine or before they have to cut you open. Just because you have a heart attack, it doesn't mean you have to have an operation.
TYPES OF REVASCULARIZATION
There are three basic types of percutaneous revascularization...
Balloon angioplasty. In this procedure, a tiny balloon--which has been introduced into the blocked coronary artery via a catheter--is inflated to squash the fatty deposit against the artery wall and reshape the vessel.
This opens the center of the artery (lumen), permitting enhanced blood flow.
Stenting. Here, a tiny spring-like coil, called a stent, is placed inside the coronary artery to help keep the lumen open.
Rotoblation. Blockages that are heavily calcified and that involve long stretches of a coronary artery are hard to treat using angioplasty or stenting.
Today, such blockages can often be eliminated with the help of a catheter that is tipped with a tiny rotary blade. Using this device, called a rotoblator, a cardiologist shaves away the blockage bit by bit.
Each of these procedures involves a brief hospital stay--typically overnight. In most cases, the patient can resume normal activity within a week.
Percutaneous revascularization is often highly effective at controlling symptoms. But 30% to 40% of the people who undergo one of these procedures require the procedure again within a few months--because the blockage returns.
WHEN BYPASS IS BEST
Bypass surgery is known formally as coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG (often called "cabbage" by physicians).
CABG involves grafting a portion of a vein or artery taken from the chest or leg onto the coronary artery. This is major surgery. The chest is opened, and the patient typically spends five to seven days in the hospital. Full recovery takes four to seven weeks.
If a doctor recommends CABG rather than percutaneous revascularization, ask why. If you are not satisfied with the answer, get a second opinion.
CABG is most effective in individuals who have several severely blocked coronary arteries and whose heart muscle is already damaged.
Bypass surgery may also be the best option if repeated percutaneous revascularization has failed to keep affected arteries open--or is unlikely to do so.
Sometimes a "key hole" surgery is performed by minimally invasive robotic heart surgery into "key holes" in the chest leading to greater benefits for patients, compared to those offered by traditional open heart surgery.
These benefits include:
• Shorter hospital stay• Less pain and scarring• Less risk of wound infections• Less blood loss and fewer transfusions• Faster recovery• Quicker return to normal activities and lifestyles
WHERE TO GO
Revascularization procedures and bypass surgery are now available even in small hospitals. But CABG survival rates are higher--and complication rates lower--in hospitals that do a high volume of bypass operations.
Major teaching hospitals tend to have the most favorable rates. Such hospitals have a full team of specialists who can step in immediately--night or day--if complications arise.
LIFESTYLE FACTORS
In recent years, the role played by dietary change, stress reduction and other lifestyle strategies in the treatment of heart disease has received much media attention.
For the most part, these are adjuncts to drug therapy or surgery--not alternatives.
No treatment--not even bypass surgery--can always cure heart disease. The process that clogged your vessels in the first place may continue unless you make fundamental changes...
If you're overweight, lose weight. Doing so will ease the strain on your heart... and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Limit your intake of dietary fat. No more than 30% of the calories you consume should be from fat. No more than one-third of the fat you consume should be saturated fat.
Get regular exercise. Walking for 20 minutes at least four days a week is usually adequate.
Curb psychological stress. Identify aggravating situations, and make necessary changes.
Immediately call your local emergency number (such as 911) or go to the hospital emergency room if you have symptoms of a heart attack.
Prevention
To prevent a heart attack:
Keep your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol under control.
Don't smoke.
Consider drinking 1 to 2 glasses of wine or pomergrante juice each day. Moderate amounts may reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems. However, drinking larger amounts does more harm than good.
Eat a low fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat.
Eat fish twice to three times a week. Baked or grilled fish is better than fried fish. Frying can destroy some of the benefits.
Exercise daily or several times a week. Walking is a good form of exercise. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise routine.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Heart disease is the number one killer in the world. One of every two men and one of every three women will develop heart disease. In addition, Americans spend over $28.5 billion on statins (cholesterol-lowering medication) like Lipitor and Zocor - making heart supplements a larger market than antidepressants or allergy medications. According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease is America's number one killer-someone dies from it every 33 seconds. In addition, nearly half of all adults have cholesterol levels above 200. Statin drugs are not always the best choice. In 2001, Bayer pulled their Statin drug off the market when 31 deaths occurred among patients due to side effects. The following year, CNN reported Statin drugs were known to cause nerve damage in one in every 2200 patients. Remember to consult with your doctor before starting or discontinuing any medication. There is a better way. Email me at empowerme@EmpowermeTeam.com
The following is some heart related information on heart attacks. A tickle in the throat could be a sign of a heart attack. Coughing as hard as you can, can get the heart back in rhythm Yes, I suffered a heart attack. I am writing this because I want you to know the symptoms.
Know not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
Mine were the silent ones. The ones you don't expect. The cardiologist said probably what saved my life was that I had lost weight, had my blood sugar and cholestrol in good shape and started coughing. I thought I was too young to have a heart attack, but the guy in the next room in the hospital was only 17! Because of stress, the toxicans around us and the way we eat, it can happen to anyone. Ask me little ways you can go green and improve your health and save you money.
I was one of the fortunate ones. Let's be careful and be aware. This is very lengthy because I want you to know more than I did and know what they are talking about when they start throwing words at you. Always go for a second or third opinion if you have the chance. The more we know, the better chance we could survived...A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this...It could save your life!! I want to keep my friends around for as long as possible.
Chest pain is a major symptom of heart attack. However, some people may have little or no chest pain. This is called a silent heart attack.
The pain, pressure or tingle may be felt in only one part of the body or move from your chest to your arms, shoulder, neck, teeth, jaw, belly area, or back.
The pain can be severe or mild. It can feel like:
Squeezing or heavy pressure
Tingle in the throat, arm or chest
A tight band around the chest
Something heavy sitting on your chest
Bad indigestion
Pain usually lasts longer than 20 minutes. Rest and a medicine called nitroglycerine do not completely relieve the pain of a heart attack.
Other symptoms of a heart attack include:
Shortness of breath
Nausea or vomiting
Anxiety
Cough
Fainting
Lightheadedness - dizziness
Palpitations (feeling like your heart is beating too fast)
Sweating, which may be extreme
Signs and tests
A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms of a heart attack, seek immediate medical help.
The health care provider will perform a physical exam and listen to your chest using a stethoscope. The doctor may hear abnormal sounds in your lungs (called crackles), a heart murmur, or other abnormal sounds.
You may have a rapid pulse. Blood pressure may be normal, high, or low.
Tests to look at your heart include:
Coronary angiography
CT scan
Echocardiography
Electrocardiogram (ECG) -- once or repeated over several hours
MRI
Nuclear ventriculography
Blood tests can help show if you have substances produced by heart tissue damage or a high risk for heart attack. These include:
Troponin I and troponin T
CPK and CPK-MB
Serum myoglobin
Just a few years ago, bypass surgery was considered the treatment of choice for severe heart disease. Things have changed.
Many patients now fare quite well with less invasive procedures. In some cases, coronary artery blockages can be successfully managed with medication. In others, minimally invasive procedures are effective.
No single approach is best for everyone. The right choice is one that fits the patient and the unique condition of his/her coronary arteries.
THE STATE OF THE ARTERIES
Most people first discover that they have heart disease when they seek medical care for chest discomfort (angina pectoris).
Some patients experience angina as pain. Others experience it as pressure or heaviness in the throat, arms or back or tickle... or simply shortness of breath.
Typically, these symptoms occur during exertion and are relieved with rest.
Angina is caused by fatty deposits in one or more coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart.
Patients who have angina are typically given a battery of tests, including an electrocardiogram (EKG) and a treadmill stress test.
Caution: While these tests are useful for helping the doctor formulate a diagnosis of heart disease, they do not necessarily show the location or severity of the coronary artery blockage.
For this, patients typically undergo a more invasive procedure known as coronary angiography. In this procedure, often performed on an outpatient basis, a narrow tube called a catheter is inserted into the femoral artery through a tiny incision in the groin. The catheter is threaded up the artery to the heart, where special dye is injected into the coronary vessel.
An X ray of the heart shows which of the coronary arteries are affected--and how badly they are affected.
Not everyone who has coronary artery disease needs a coronary angiogram. If symptoms are mild and the stress test suggests that the heart is functioning well, medication may be adequate.
Angiography is recommended if symptoms are worsening or are not controlled with medication. In addition, angiography often becomes necessary when bypass or another heart procedure is under consideration.
DRUG THERAPY
For many heart patients, the right mix of medications can relieve symptoms to the point that normal activity is possible. Typically, this mix includes...
Beta blocker to slow the pulse and lower blood pressure. Typical beta blockers include propranolol (Inderal) and atenolol (Tenormin).
Nitrate or sometimes called nitro to dilate the coronary arteries, so that blood flow to diseased heart tissue is increased. The best-known nitrate is nitroglycerin.
Aspirin to prevent clots that can cause a heart attack. It is not recommended for those under 65 on a regular base. See your medical help for more help
Cholesterol-lowering drug to help prevent the blockage from getting bigger (if cholesterol levels are elevated).
Of the many classes of cholesterol-lowering medication now in use, atorvastatin (Lipitor) and other so-called statins are most widely used.
In some cases, symptoms grow worse despite drug therapy. If so, a catheter-related procedure called percutaneous revascularization may be necessary.
There are non drug ways to lower cholestrol, ask me how I did. If you require medical proceedure, I want you to know your options before you have to take medicine or before they have to cut you open. Just because you have a heart attack, it doesn't mean you have to have an operation.
TYPES OF REVASCULARIZATION
There are three basic types of percutaneous revascularization...
Balloon angioplasty. In this procedure, a tiny balloon--which has been introduced into the blocked coronary artery via a catheter--is inflated to squash the fatty deposit against the artery wall and reshape the vessel.
This opens the center of the artery (lumen), permitting enhanced blood flow.
Stenting. Here, a tiny spring-like coil, called a stent, is placed inside the coronary artery to help keep the lumen open.
Rotoblation. Blockages that are heavily calcified and that involve long stretches of a coronary artery are hard to treat using angioplasty or stenting.
Today, such blockages can often be eliminated with the help of a catheter that is tipped with a tiny rotary blade. Using this device, called a rotoblator, a cardiologist shaves away the blockage bit by bit.
Each of these procedures involves a brief hospital stay--typically overnight. In most cases, the patient can resume normal activity within a week.
Percutaneous revascularization is often highly effective at controlling symptoms. But 30% to 40% of the people who undergo one of these procedures require the procedure again within a few months--because the blockage returns.
WHEN BYPASS IS BEST
Bypass surgery is known formally as coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG (often called "cabbage" by physicians).
CABG involves grafting a portion of a vein or artery taken from the chest or leg onto the coronary artery. This is major surgery. The chest is opened, and the patient typically spends five to seven days in the hospital. Full recovery takes four to seven weeks.
If a doctor recommends CABG rather than percutaneous revascularization, ask why. If you are not satisfied with the answer, get a second opinion.
CABG is most effective in individuals who have several severely blocked coronary arteries and whose heart muscle is already damaged.
Bypass surgery may also be the best option if repeated percutaneous revascularization has failed to keep affected arteries open--or is unlikely to do so.
Sometimes a "key hole" surgery is performed by minimally invasive robotic heart surgery into "key holes" in the chest leading to greater benefits for patients, compared to those offered by traditional open heart surgery.
These benefits include:
• Shorter hospital stay• Less pain and scarring• Less risk of wound infections• Less blood loss and fewer transfusions• Faster recovery• Quicker return to normal activities and lifestyles
WHERE TO GO
Revascularization procedures and bypass surgery are now available even in small hospitals. But CABG survival rates are higher--and complication rates lower--in hospitals that do a high volume of bypass operations.
Major teaching hospitals tend to have the most favorable rates. Such hospitals have a full team of specialists who can step in immediately--night or day--if complications arise.
LIFESTYLE FACTORS
In recent years, the role played by dietary change, stress reduction and other lifestyle strategies in the treatment of heart disease has received much media attention.
For the most part, these are adjuncts to drug therapy or surgery--not alternatives.
No treatment--not even bypass surgery--can always cure heart disease. The process that clogged your vessels in the first place may continue unless you make fundamental changes...
If you're overweight, lose weight. Doing so will ease the strain on your heart... and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Limit your intake of dietary fat. No more than 30% of the calories you consume should be from fat. No more than one-third of the fat you consume should be saturated fat.
Get regular exercise. Walking for 20 minutes at least four days a week is usually adequate.
Curb psychological stress. Identify aggravating situations, and make necessary changes.
Immediately call your local emergency number (such as 911) or go to the hospital emergency room if you have symptoms of a heart attack.
Prevention
To prevent a heart attack:
Keep your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol under control.
Don't smoke.
Consider drinking 1 to 2 glasses of wine or pomergrante juice each day. Moderate amounts may reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems. However, drinking larger amounts does more harm than good.
Eat a low fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in animal fat.
Eat fish twice to three times a week. Baked or grilled fish is better than fried fish. Frying can destroy some of the benefits.
Exercise daily or several times a week. Walking is a good form of exercise. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise routine.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Two links I found particularly good. One from the American Government and the other from the American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3041996
Note: This information is not medical help but information you can talk with your doctor about. Only you can decide what's best for you after discussing it with your doctor.
Note: This information is not medical help but information you can talk with your doctor about. Only you can decide what's best for you after discussing it with your doctor.
2 comments:
This is very good!
I'm glad you liked it. Your heart is very important. I never knew the other symptoms of a heart attack. A tingle in my throat was all I had. I thought it was something in my throat. I posted it because I care about my friends and want them to know the warning signs. Too many people are dying before their time. Knowing the symptoms may save your life and when it does happen, you know the questions to ask your doctor.
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