People who snore have higher chances of getting heart attack than those who do not snore. According to a study by Hungarian researchers, heavy snorers have 67% increase in risk of getting strokes and 34% increase in risk of getting heart attacks than non-snorers. Scientists conducted research on 12,000 patients to find the relation between snoring and heart diseases. These research findings were published in the journal “Sleep”. Heavy snoring acts as a trigger for rise in blood pressure which can cause heart diseases. Quiet snoring is not associated with any heart disease risk in men but in women it causes hypertension. Snoring incidence is 24% in women and 40% in men. Snoring increases with age but declines after the age of 70. Snoring habit is high in obese people and it is a sign of some obstruction in the air pathway. Snoring shows familial incidence. Snoring and cardiovascular disease risk is high during pregnancy. Bad habits like smoking and drinking increases snoring occurrence. Snoring is a side effect of muscle relaxants. If you are a male aged more than 50 with snoring habit, check your heart regularly with doctor. … [Read more...]
Calcium supplements increse Heart attack risk
Calcium supplements which are generally prescribed by doctors for bone health can cause heart attack, according to a research study by University of Auckland. This research study is more significant as Calcium supplements are using by millions of osteoporosis patients especially women. Regular intake of Calcium will reduce risk of broken bones by 25% but Calcium supplements increase heart attack risk by 40%. Doctors should think twice before prescribing calcium supplements routinely. One should cut their daily calcium intake from 1200mg to around 500mg a day. Whether patients want broken bones or heart attack? It is better for older women not take calcium at all. Build-up of calcium in the blood vessels and heart valves increases heart attack risk, according to researchers. This study was conducted on 1500 postmenopausal women by Auckland University with the belief of calcium might decrease heart attack risk. Results surprised not only researchers but entire medical community. Calcium functions in the body: 1. Regulation of heartbeat. 2. Conduction of nerve impulses. 3. Stimulation of hormone secretions. 4. Clotting of blood. This research was done on elderly women but we need more studies on the impact of calcium supplements on young women. Postmenopausal women should try other risk free drugs for their brittle bones. … [Read more...]
Atherosclerosis – Pathology and prevention
Atherosclerosis Pathology: Atherosclerosis means there is an obstruction to the flow of blood in big and medium sized vessels walls in the human body due to accumulation of fat patches or plaques. Usually the inner layer of blood vessel is smooth and slippery in nature. If there are creaks in this layer, then fat accumulation beings to form. Blood vessels last their elasticity and become hardened. Body has got its own mechanism for repairing any damaged part in the body. Here the monocytes become active and begin to repair the damaged inner walls and removes the accumulated fat particles. Some times the fat particles have the upper hand over the monocytes. Then these hardened fat particles separate themselves from the wall of the blood vessels and travel in the blood circulation and forms round balls called embolus. It forms at the junction where the blood vessels divide into two branches and obstructs the blood flow. If the obstruction occurs in the coronary blood vessels, the heart-attack occurs. If it occurs in the brain –paralysis (stroke) occurs.Atherosclerosis statistics: The deaths due to Atherosclerosis are 2 times more than the cancer especially in western countries. Risk Factors: 1. Smoking 2. Rise in Blood Cholesterol Level 3. High blood pressure 4. Diabetes 5. Obesity 6. Sedentary life 7. High levels of Homo cysteine in the blood. How can we know this condition of Atherosclerosis? Usually these symptoms appear when the blood vessel is closed up to 70% only. If the blood vessels of heart (coronary vessels) - closes partially – the person gets heart attack. If the openings in the vessels closed completely, there is heart attack or heart failure or changing in the rhythm of heart beatings. If the vessels in the legs are totally closed-we get severe pain in the legs (called intermittent claudication). In the persons beyond 50 years of the age-if the blood flow does not go to kidneys, kidney failure occurs.If there is less oxygen supply to the muscles-we call it as “muscle cry”. How to prevent Atherosclerosis? 1. Avoid smoking, Alcohol and meat. 2. Control Blood cholesterol level and take fat free diet. Stay away from fast foods. 3. Avoid stress and strain. 4. Take soya beans, oatmeal, brawn, Garlic, fish and more vegetables. 5. Garlic: It is called as “old doctor”. It does more benefit of health to the humans. It prevents thickening of blood and blood clots and thus prevents heart diseases. It contains “Alison” a chemical which prevents cancer. Garlic decreases the high blood pressure. It is better to take it in raw form rather than cooked product. 6. Fish: It contains omega-3 fatty acids and also cad liver oil which prevents heart diseases, joint pains and it increases brain activity. The omega 3 fatty acids increase the good cholesterol (HDL), and decreases bad cholesterol (LDL) and thus prevent heart diseases. Most of the heart attacks are preventable with simple measures like diet control and regular exercise. Meditation and Yoga reduce the stress levels. Please share your preventive measures. … [Read more...]
Best diet for healthy heart
The major triggers of heart diseases are obesity and hypertension. Heart attack signs and symptoms: 1. Chest discomfort: You can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.2. Pain or discomfort in the arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. 3. Shortness of breath 4. Cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness. Cardiac arrest signs and symptoms: 1. Sudden loss of responsiveness. No response to gentle shaking.2. Blood pressure and pulse rate drop3. No signs of circulation. 4. No movement or coughing. Dietary control is the first step and perhaps the best approach to a “healthy heart” and change a life style can reduce risk of heart disease significantly. Diet recommendations for a healthy heart: 1. A well-balanced diet like plenty of fiber, fresh fruits (apple etc) and vegetables can save arteries and prevent heart diseases. Foods rich in the antioxidants like beta –carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium that fight free radicals. Foods like tomatoes, sprouts, raw nuts (except peanuts), garlic etc help to reduce serum cholesterol levels. 2. Avoid foods like coffee, tobacco, alcohol, sugar, butter, red meat, hydrogenated oils, fried fruits, soft drinks, and white flour products etc as they damage the arteries and cause heart attack. 3. Consume no more than 20 to 22% of daily calories from fat per day. 4. Life style modifications: Modify some of those important risk factors which predispose you to develop angina and ultimately leading to heart attack. 5. Smoking: Smokers carry a 3-6 times greater risk of developing heart attack than non smokers. Smoking causes injury to the walls of the arteries and increases cholesterol level and other substance which gradually narrowly the arteries. 6. Obesity: Obese people have excess of harmful cholesterol. Fat deposits causing body weight to be more than 20% normal weight constitutes obesity. Obesity places a strain on the heart. 7. Alcohol: Regular intake of more than moderate quantity of alcohol leads to hypertriglyceridemia which in turn raises bad cholesterol and lead to the increase in abdominal weight. 8. High Blood Pressure: Increase in blood pressure can damage the delicate inner lining of the arteries and allow excess cholesterol to creep into walls of the arteries and cause narrowing of blood vessels. 9. Exercise and Stress: Regular exercise reduces blood cholesterol levels and slows down the process of atherosclerosis and decreases the body weight. It also promotes mental relaxation and reduces strain and stress. Future stress on cardiac diseases is not about treatment but prevention through healthy diet, regular exercise and disciplined lifestyle. … [Read more...]
Heart attack and Monday
Heart Attack and Monday relation: Those who are doing jobs are prone to get heart attacks more on Monday, compare to other days in a week. 33% more chances of getting on Monday than on normal working days. Saturday morning ranks the second. As per article published in British medical journal, there is 20% increase in heart attack cases on Monday. Early morning is the most common period during which people suffer heart attack. As per another research, Blood pressure increases on Monday. So, Monday morning is the most dangerous period for heart patients. Causes of Heart attack on Monday morning: - Usually the employees spent joyfully weekends and are more relaxed. - When they start to go to job on Monday, there is more stress physically and mentally. - Another cause is change in hormone levels. - Less heart attack cases are reported in employees who are enjoying their work life. It is better to prepare mentally for tomarrow's (Monday) work life. … [Read more...]
Heart disease and Personality
Heart Attack and personalities: Personality of a person shows direct relationship with occurance of heart disease. Type A Personality or High risk group: Ambitious personalities. They always want to challenge or contest with others even if there is no necessity. They interfere while others talking. They show more anger. - Type A personalities are of - chronic incessant struggle to achieve more with in a short period of time - personalities. - They are more prone to heart diseases. Type B personalities: Appears always happy and are in relaxed mood. They will not run for success. They allow it to come in usual manner. - Heart diseases are very rare in this group. Blood Pressure and Diet: Blood pressure can be controlled with diet restriction. - Salt restriction (Sodium restriction). - Reduction of saturated fat. - Adequate dietary calcium intake. - Supplementary Potassium intake. Some Stats: Normal Heart beats 1, 03,680 times per every 24 hours. ECG is invented by William Iyen Dhoven. … [Read more...]
Coronary Heart Disease and Angina
Coronary heart disease leads to heart attack. The coronary arteries have to become reduced in size upto 70% before the signs and symptoms appear in the patient. This disease becomes more advanced in hypertensive and Diabetic patients. Even the obstruction to blood supply occurs up to 60% - 70% in coronary arteries, Heart gets blood supply through collateral routes. This collateral blood supply compensate to some extent. Stages: 1. Dyspnoea (Breathlessness): It is the first stage in heart patients.2. Orthopnoea: Second stage – breathlessness occurs while lying in bed. 3. Dyspnoea in nights: Patient suddenly sits on the bed from sleep due to sudden breathlessness in the middle of the nights. This stage subsides within minutes or continues for few hours. This is called Cardiac Asthma. Angina: There is compressed pain in the chest of the patient. The pain in angina is present in the centre of the chest and behind the bone closely to it. This pain radiates to neck, lower jaw, shoulder, arms, especially to fingers of left hand. Nature of pain:There is feeling of pulling some weight on the chest or sometimes, very light pain. Upper limbs develop numbness and the hand is heavy. Patient is in helpless condition. Angina pain develops while doing labor work and subsides after stopping the work (rest). Angina generally occurs: 1. Cold air 2. After taking meals. 3. after sexual act. 4. In emotions In the early morning – Body unable to start its work. Angina pain may subside in 1-2 minutes or continues for 30 minutes. In heart attack, The pain in chest continue for more than one hour. … [Read more...]
Heart attack – Signs, Symptoms and prevention
Heart attack means death of heart muscle due to loss of blood supply to that heart part mainly due to obstruction in the blood vessel. One million americans are suffered by heart attack every year. Coronart heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in america. Heart attack control is of two types: 1. Possible Control methods: Possible for persons. -Smoking, High blood pressure, High cholesterol level in the blood, Sedentary life style, Irregular and uncontrolled diet habits. 2. Beyond our control: Difficult to avoid. - Males, Age beyond 60 yearsand hereditary. The main cause of obstruction for the free flow of heart is Atherosclerosis – in which fat particles get accumulated in the blood vessels. It takes long time for it to become severe. How to prevent Heart Attacks: Reduce body weight to optimal lavel. Exercise for at least 45 minutes daily. Control your blood pressure and sugar levels. Take fat free diet at regular intervals. Meditate and keep calm under stresful conditions. Checkup your body annually. If Atherosclerosis affects blood vessels, the signs and symptoms of heart disease develop. If the inner gap in the coronary blood vessels is decreased to 30% of the normal size, there is a big obstruction to the blood circulation. It gradually leads to heart attack. Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease:1. Angina – Pain develops in the chest after exercise and subsides at rest. It occurs in the middle of the heart. It is “Constricting” type. Patient feels heaviness in the chest and somebody bends on their chest and feels as if the chest is breaking away and cries bigger. Pain may radiate to back, checks and left arm. 2. Dyspnoea - Difficulty in breathing. 3. Patient becomes pale with severe sweating in the body. 4. If the above signs may not appear, we may call it as a “Silent heart Attack”. Remember: First 30 minutes are very essential. First 6 hours are crucial. As time progresses, Heart muscle gradually necroses (dies) and irrecoverable. Relatives of cardiac patients should learn about Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Aspirin and Sorbitrate drugs are life savers in this crucial period. Take them immediately after you feel pain. To prevent heart attacks, daily exercises and control in dietary habits are must for every one. If we can reduce the level of Cholesterol by 1%, the danger of occurring of heart attack becomes less by 2%. Every one should check their cholesterol levels annually after 40 years. Type A mentality persons (Highly ambitious people) are at risk for heart attack. Best Diagnostic test to find blocks in the blood vessels is Cardiac CT. It will show blocks in some patients, even though their ECG and ECHO are normal. Please share your experiences. … [Read more...]
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