Category Archives: Heart Disease

World Salt Awareness Week

Posted on by MaryO
How to understand and use the US Nutritional F...

How to understand and use the US Nutritional Fact Label (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke—

Everyone can:

Know your recommended limits for daily sodium intake.

Choose to purchase healthy options and talk with your grocer or favorite restaurant about stocking lower sodium food choices.

Read the Nutrition Facts label while shopping to find the lowest sodium options of your favorite foods.

Eat a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen fruits and vegetables without sauce.

Limit processed foods high in sodium.

When eating out, request lower sodium options.

Support initiatives that reduce sodium in foods in cafeterias and vending machines.

More at CDC – DHDSP – Salt: What You Can Do.

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How to Track Your Sodium

Posted on by MaryO

Did you know that a fast food sandwich or burger can easily contains more than 100 percent of the sodium you need in a day? If you’re like many Americans, you may be getting way more sodium than your heart can handle.

Most people consume about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day — more than twice the 1,500 milligrams recommended by the American Heart Association.

It’s easy to understand why. Sodium can be sneaky. It slinks into soups and sandwiches and cozies up to cold cuts and cured meats. It plants itself in your favorite pizza and poultry and burrows into breads and rolls. Learn more about the Salty Six and better alternatives (and see the tips at the end of this story.)

Read more at  How to Track Your Sodium.

It’s Pretty But…

Posted on by MaryO

snowstorm

 

 

No shoveling here!  We’ll tough it out somehow.

From Shoveling snow can be hard on the heart

Snow shoveling is a known trigger for heart attacks. Emergency rooms in the snowbelt gear up for extra cases when enough of the white stuff has fallen to force folks out of their homes armed with shovels or snow blowers.

What’s the connection? Many people who shovel snow rarely exercise. Picking up a shovel and moving hundreds of pounds of snow, particularly after doing nothing physical for several months, can put a big strain on the heart. Pushing a heavy snow blower can do the same thing. Cold weather is another contributor because it can boost blood pressure, interrupt blood flow to part of the heart, and make blood more likely to form clots.

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The Mixed Blessing of Heart Surgery

Posted on by MaryO
Three coronary artery bypass grafts, a LIMA to...

Three coronary artery bypass grafts, a LIMA to LAD and two saphenous vein grafts – one to the right coronary artery (RCA) system and one to the obtuse marginal (OM) system. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Angioplasty and heart bypass surgery are giants among medical procedures in America. They are performed more than a million times each year and together drive a $100-billion industry. But an article in the recent issue of Harvard Magazine explores a frightening truth: There’s no evidence that they improve life expectancy by even a single day. – See more at:

The mixed blessing of heart surgery.

Posted on by MaryO

A heart attack occurs about every 20 seconds with a heart attack death about every minute…

Dr. Michelle Capdeville's avatarDr. Michelle Capdeville, Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology

  • 1.5 million heart attacks occur in the United States each year with 500,000 deaths.
  • More than 233,000 women die annually from cardiovascular disease.
  • A heart attack occurs about every 20 seconds with a heart attack death about every minute.
  • Sudden death is more common among women with heart attack.
  • The National Registry of Myocardial Infarctions (New England Journal Med., 22Jul99) reports that women have a worse outcome than men after having a heart attack. Data showed that women under the age of 50 had twice the mortality of men after having a heart attack. Variances likely reflect increased severity of the disease in younger women.
  • Almost 14 million Americans have a history of heart attack or angina.
  • About 50% of deaths occur within one hour of the heart attack ––outside a hospital.
  • There is a 6% to 9% early mortality from heart attack for those who survive long enough to…

View original post 203 more words

How Blood Flows Through the Heart

Posted on by MaryO
Diagram of the human heart 1. Superior Vena Ca...

Diagram of the human heart 1. Superior Vena Cava 2. Pulmonary Artery 3. Pulmonary Vein 4. Mitral Valve 5. Aortic Valve 6. Left Ventricle 7. Right Ventricle 8. Left Atrium 9. Right Atrium 10. Aorta 11. Pulmonary Valve 12. Tricuspid Valve 13. Inferior Vena Cava (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

From http://www.interactive-biology.com

In this video, I go through the process of how blood flows through the heart. It shows blood entering via the vena cave to the Right atrium, then getting pumped into the right ventricle, to the pulmonary vein to the lungs, to the left atria, left ventricle and then via the aorta to the rest of the body.

Enjoy!

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG off-pump)

Posted on by MaryO
heart with coronary arteries

heart with coronary arteries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before we talk about treatment, let’s start with a discussion about the human body and about your medical condition.

Your doctor has recommended that you have coronary artery bypass surgery. But what does that actually mean?

  • Your heart is located in the center of your chest.
  • It is surrounded by your rib cage and protected by your breastbone.
  • Your heart’s job is to keep blood continually circulating throughout your body.
  • The vessels that supply the body with oxygen-rich blood are called arteries.
  • The vessels that return blood to the heart are called veins.
  • Like any other muscle in the body, the heart depends on a steady supply of oxygen rich blood. The arteries that carry this blood supply to the heart muscle are called coronary arteries.
  • Sometimes, these blood vessels can narrow or become blocked by deposits of fat, cholesterol and other substances collectively known as plaque.
  • Over time, plaque deposits can narrow the vessels so much that normal blood flow is restricted. In some cases, the coronary artery becomes so narrow that the heart muscle itself is in danger.
  • Coronary bypass surgery attempts to correct this serious problem. In order to restore normal blood flow, the surgeon removes a portion of a blood vessel from the patient’s leg or chest, most probably the left internal mammary artery and the saphenous vein.
  • Your doctor uses one or both of these vessels to bypass the old, diseased coronary artery and to build a new pathway for blood to reach the heart muscle.
  • These transplanted vessels are called grafts and depending on your condition, your doctor may need to perform more than one coronary artery bypass graft.

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Heart Attacks and Depression

Posted on by MaryO

Studies show that 48 percent of people can develop depression following a heart attack. But experts say this depression may not be purely psychological. After a cardiac event, the heart may be unable to pump blood as efficiently—causing patients to lose energy.

In addition, chemicals are released in the brain that can work to physiologically cause mood changes. Interestingly, the same study showed that women who suffer heart attacks are 20 percent more likely to develop depression.

The good news: most of these cases can be treated with anti-depressant drugs.

7 Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure Without Medication

Posted on by MaryO
Blood pressure check

Blood pressure check (Photo credit: Army Medicine)

Whether you’re among the 1 in 3 Americans with high blood pressure or have so far avoided this deadly disease, these tips will help prevent becoming a statistic.

Heart disease and stroke rank among the top five causes of death in the U.S. They’re also both commonly caused by one condition: hypertension.

One in three Americans suffer from this often symptom-less condition, also known as high blood pressure and the silent killer.

“You can have it for years without knowing it,” say the National Institutes of Health. “During this time, though, HBP can damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.”

The ideal blood pressure reading is generally 120/80, with higher readings considered pre-hypertension or, if over 140/90, hypertension.

If you don’t know what your blood pressure is, step one is finding out by checking with your doctor. In the long run, that visit will cost less than letting the problem remain undiagnosed – and uncontrolled. Even if you require medication, it’s cheaper than the long-term costs and complications of untreated high blood pressure.

In some cases, high BP can be managed or prevented by low-cost lifestyle changes alone. So in honor of Heart Month, we’ve rounded them up…

  • Pass the salt. Limiting sodium helps control high blood pressure in those who have it and helps prevent it in those who don’t. According to government dietary guidelines, adults should limit their daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg. But for people with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic liver disease; children; adults over age 50; and African-Americans – about half the U.S. – the limit is 1,500 mg. Beware especially of processed and packaged foods, fast foods, and canned foods – all common sources of excessive salt.
  • Eat enough potassium. This mineral helps lower blood pressure. The recommended daily intake for adults is 4,700 mg. Bananas average 451 mg – foods with even more include cantaloupe, avocados, dates, raisins, dried apricots, prune juice, baked potatoes (with the skins), yogurt, sardines, and flounder. Check out the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s downloadable list of Sources of Dietary Potassium for more.
  • Change your diet. The DASH diet, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, helps fight high blood pressure by emphasizing fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean sources of protein. U.S. News & World Report also recently ranked it the No. 1 best diet overall, No. 1 best diet for healthy eating, and even the No. 1 best diabetes diet. Check out Dr. Oz’s recent segment about the diet to learn more.
  • Watch your weight. Blood pressure tends to increase as weight does. Last year, a University of Illinois study found that even among hearty college students, a weight gain of as little as 1.5 pounds was enough to raise BP. Fortunately, it’s also true that BP tends to drop as weight does.
  • Relax. The connection between stress and high blood pressure isn’t fully understood. But researchers do know that (1) stressful situations can cause temporary BP spikes and (2) stress management and stress-lowering activities can help lower BP, according to the Mayo Clinic. Getting enough sleep, deep breathing, meditation, yoga, and exercise can help reduce stress. Check out 7 Cheap Ways to Relieve Stress for more ideas.
  • Avoid alcohol. According to the Mayo Clinic, not only does too much alcohol raise blood pressure, repeated excess drinking can lead to long-term BP increases. Women should limit themselves to one drink, men to two.
  • Indulge in dark chocolate instead. An Australian study published last year found that a daily dose of dark chocolate or other cocoa products rich in natural compounds called “flavanols” helped to lower blood pressure. Just don’t overdo it and gain weight.

From MoneyTalksNews

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Coronary Artery Bypass (CABG) Surgery

Posted on by MaryO
Three coronary artery bypass grafts, a LIMA to...

Three coronary artery bypass grafts, a LIMA to LAD and two saphenous vein grafts – one to the right coronary artery (RCA) system and one to the obtuse marginal (OM) system. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Your doctor has recommended that you have coronary artery bypass surgery. But what does that actually mean?

Your heart is located in the center of your chest. It is surrounded by your rib cage and protected by your breastbone. Your heart’s job is to keep blood continually circulating throughout your body.
The vessels that supply the body with oxygen-rich blood are called arteries.

The vessels that return blood to the heart are called veins.
Like any other muscle in the body, the heart depends on a steady supply of oxygen rich blood. The arteries that carry this blood supply to the heart muscle are called coronary arteries.

Sometimes, these blood vessels can narrow or become blocked by deposits of fat, cholesterol and other substances collectively known as plaque.
Over time, plaque deposits can narrow the vessels so much that normal blood flow is restricted. In some cases, the coronary artery becomes so narrow that the heart muscle itself is in danger.

Coronary bypass surgery attempts to correct this serious problem. In order to restore normal blood flow, the surgeon removes a portion of a blood vessel from the patient’s leg or chest, most probably the left internal mammary artery and the saphenous vein.

Your doctor uses one or both of these vessels to bypass the old, diseased coronary artery and to build a new pathway for blood to reach the heart muscle. These transplanted vessels are called grafts and depending on your condition, your doctor may need to perform more than one coronary artery bypass graft.

Of course, operating on the heart is a complex and delicate process and in the case of bypass surgery, your doctor will most likely need to stop your heart before installing the graft.

During the time that your heart is not beating, a special machine, called a heart-lung machine, will take over the job of circulating and oxygenating your blood.

By using this machine, your doctor is able to repair the heart without interfering with the blood flow to the rest of the body.

Following surgery, your heart will be restarted and you will be disconnected from the heart-lung machine