Archive for the 'Heart Diseases' Category

Aortic stenosis or aortic valve stenosis is a disease of the heart valve where the aorta joins the heart.

This aortic valve controls the flow of blood from the left ventricle of the heart into the aorta, which is the main artery leaving the heart to take blood around the body.

The valve allows oxygenated blood to flow freely from the heart, closing only to stop the blood going back into the heart.

In the case of aortic stenosis, the valve is narrower than usual which impedes the free flow of blood.

The prevalence of aortic stenosis in North America and Europe, where the general population is aging, is increasing. It has become quite a common disease and is considered a major health problem in these countries.

The condition may exist in a person without displaying any noticeable symptoms for years; but because the degree of blockage can worsen in time, symptoms will start to show as the person ages.

These symptoms are similar to other heart problems and include dizziness, general fatigue, palpitations and shortness of breath.

In people who have aortic stenosis, the heart has to work harder to keep the blood flowing through the narrow valve.

Heart disease causes a number of deaths each year, and even more hospital stays.

Everyone is looking for ways to improve the health of their heart.

The humble blueberry can be an important part of your healthy heart plan.

Blueberries, like any fruit or vegetable with a dark pigment, has a high level of naturally occurring antioxidants.

These particular antioxidants are called anthocyanins, and diets high in anthocyanins have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart diseases.

In studies, overweight rats were fed blueberry powder made from freeze-dried berries, along with either a low-fat or a higher-fat diet. Researchers looked at total body fat in the animals as well as fat around the abdomen, lipid levels, and how well the animals were able to control their blood sugar.

While results were more pronounced when the blueberries were a part of a low fat diet, they were still present even when a higher-fat diet was consumed. This means that while you are working toward making your overall diet healthier, adding blueberries now can make a difference.

The rats who received the blueberry powder also had overall lower blood sugar levels, and their bodies did a better job of using insulin and processing sugar for energy.

Imagine you are having a quiet evening at home, reading a book.

You decide to get up and have a drink of water, but when you stand, you feel dizzy.

You give yourself a moment, but the dizziness doesn’t pass. You try to walk, but you have trouble, and feel uncoordinated, unbalanced.

If you are experiencing these symptoms, you may be having a stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, strokes are the third leading cause of death in America.

Here are the key warning signs of a stroke. If you or anyone you know experience these symptoms of a stroke, you should call 9-1-1 (or the emergency telephone number in your area) immediately.

• Weakness or numbness in the face, arms or legs, especially if it comes on suddenly, and is primarily on one side of the body
• Trouble talking or understanding which comes on suddenly
• Trouble seeing from one or both eyes that occurs suddenly
• Sudden trouble with your balance, coordination, or the onset of dizziness and trouble walking
• Severe headache that occurs suddenly with no known cause

In the last twelve months there has been an array of research carried out by various bodies that are all indicating the same thing, which is that vitamin D can not only assist in overcoming infection but it also provides protection from heart diseases and certain cancers.

In Canada, and many other countries researchers are thinking along similar lines, the Canadian Cancer Society is recommending that all citizens have an intake of one thousand units of vitamin D especially in the fall and winter period.

The Framingham Heart Study is renowned and has studied the lives of thousands of Bostonians since the nineteen fifties. These are average, everyday men and women, just getting on with the daily grind and are recognized as a good sample for any data produced.

Cardiologist James O’Keefe from the Kansas City’s Mid America Heart Institute appreciates that the deficiency vitamin D is becoming a factor in the risk assessment for cardiovascular disease.

Therefore it needs to be considered when screening and treating the problem especially, as vitamin d supplements are both, perfectly safe and readily available.

A study that had been carried out over a ten year period, has found that Americans that eat more processed and red meat will die before those that eat less.

Heart disease and cancer are much bigger risks for those who over indulge in beef.

The National Cancer Institute had a large number of half a million subjects who filled out questionnaires detailing all aspects of their lives.

From the amount of exercise, diet [Healthy heart diet], whether they smoked or not, the group aged between fifty and seventy were tracked.

Over the ten years of the research all deaths were noted and examined against the data held on each individual. Consumption of red meat varied greatly between well below one ounce per day to a more hefty four ounces.

Fifty years ago eating red meat was a luxury for most of the population of the United States but since then its consumption has increased by 100 %.

Alarmingly this new study has discovered that a million and a half citizens’ deaths could have been prevented if their diets had been different.

For someone to be told by their doctor that they have any problem with their heart can be quite scary.

Often we forget to ask the right questions to get the answers we need and many doctors don’t automatically provide the information.

Here is some basic information about an Enlarged Heart and what you can do to help the condition yourself.

An enlarged heart is exactly what it sounds like – the heart has increased in size. This is not a disease in itself, but usually a symptom of an underlying condition.

Often it is picked up during examination for an unrelated problem, which is why it might come as a complete surprise for some patients.

A thickening of the heart muscle is caused by the heart being over-worked, because of problems with the heart valves or high blood pressure. An enlarged heart can also show as an expansion of the heart itself because of damage that has weakened the heart muscle and made the walls thinner. Your doctor will ask for an x-ray, scan or echocardiogram to see the exact condition of your heart.

Cardiologists have been studying a new drug called polypill, which could see the risk from heart disease greatly decreased with its combination of aspirin and statins.

Preventative medicine is a key area in the lowering of this global health problem.

The research was undertaken over a twelve month period and looked at over two thousand people grouped to cover the combination of different medications typically used in the area of preventative area.

Salim Yusaf, who led the team, explained the main reason for the study was to try and develop a single pill to replace the multitude that can be taken by a single patient.

The resulting data seems to indicate that what is often referred to as a ‘super pill’ is possible and is likely to be very effective.

Researchers found that the polypill reduced blood pressure just as well as a combination of up to three different medicines. Furthermore, the reduction of LDL cholesterol was higher than in almost every other group.

A leading cardiologist from Harvard University, Dr Christopher Cannon proclaimed that it was taking the world of medicine a step closer to the major issue of beating heart problems. Of the total case of the disease, over eighty percent is treated in third world countries.

Cardiomyopathy is a serious condition in which the heart muscles become inflamed and don’t work properly.

There are various causes of cardiomyopathy including viral infections.

Cardiomyopathy is classified as primary or secondary. Causes of primary cardiomyopathy, though hard to pinpoint, include heart valve disease, high blood pressure, congenital heart defects or artery diseases.

On the other hand, there are specific causes for secondary cardiomyopathy, including diseases of the heart and other organs.

Types of Cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy: Also known as congestive cardiomyopathy, in which the heart becomes dilated or enlarged due to weak heart muscles.

Sometimes, abnormal heart rhythms or heart arrhythmia can be observed in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, as the heart cannot pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood to various other parts of your body.

A change in heart structure with cardiomyopathy affects the manner that electrical signals regulate the heartbeat, thus causing tachycardia, a condition of rapid heartbeat or bradycardia, a condition of decreased heartbeat.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: An abnormal thickening of the muscular heart wall. This can lead to obstruction of blood flow from your heart, which is known as hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Heart disease is the number one killer disease in America, so, in order to prevent its onset, it is essential to know the symptoms as well as risk factors.

Undergoing simple screening tests helps to pinpoint any complications before any symptoms appear.

The most common risk factors of heart disease include: high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood sugar, obesity, smoking, lack of physical activity, poor nutrition and family history.

Here are eight screening tests, which can be conducted during regular check-ups, to identify the risk factors of heart disease:

1.Blood pressure screening

Monitoring blood pressure is essential throughout your life. Recommended blood pressure levels: systolic blood pressure should be less than 140 and diastolic blood pressure should be under 90.

However, your practitioner may set higher or lower limits depending on your personal risk factors.

2.Lipid screening

This test is also known as cholesterol screening. As the presence of high cholesterol doesn’t show any symptoms, the only reliable method to find if you have high cholesterol is the lipid screening test.

People over 35 years of age should have regular lipid screening, particularly younger people who are at high risk. Like blood pressure, cholesterol levels can also depend on other risk factors.

A recent study carried out by the US National Cancer Institute has discovered that people who eat more red and processed meat face a greater risk from cancer and heart disease.

The research was done on more than half a million individuals and concluded that white meat eaters had a reduced risk of death.

Some people studied were eating as much as a daily six ounce steak and those at the lower end of the red meat intake were consuming only 25 grams per day.

It was calculated that between 10 to 15 percent of deaths could be prevented if the big processed meat eaters changed to white. There is already a growing amount of evidence pointing to the risks of a high saturated fat diet, of which red meat is a big source.

Researchers further discovered that meat cooked at high temperatures such as frying, formed more cancer causing components than alternative cooking methods.

UK research in this area has already displayed that cutting down on these foods can make a big difference and that once the public are aware of the facts they do respond and make significant changes to their daily diets.