120/80 is commonly recommended blood pressure for healthy people. In India, 100-130 Systolic and 70-85 diastolic blood pressure is most common. Doctors generally give precautions to heart disease and diabetic patients when systole crosses 130. But, according to a research study published in the July 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, systolic blood pressure of 130-140 is actually good for patients suffering from Coronary artery disease and diabetes. According to this research study conducted by University of Florida scientists, systolic pressure of less than 120 and diastolic pressure of less than 80 is actually not good for these patients. But, when systolic blood pressure crosses 140, such diabetic patients are more prone (50% increase in risk) to heart attack and death. For Diabetes and Coronary Heart Disease patients: Good Systolic blood pressure: 130-140 Bad: Less than 120 Worst systolic blood pressure: More than 140 So, Systolic Blood pressure of 130-140 is actually good for diabetic and heart disease patients. But, blood pressure of more than 140 is very harmful for such patients. Heart disease (especially myocardial infarction) is the most common cause of death in diabetics. Advice: When a patient comes with a systolic blood pressure of more than 140, try to reduce it to 130-140 levels. But, doctors should not concentrate on intense reduction to 110-120 levels. … [Read more...]
Anxiety worsens heart patient prognosis
Anxiety patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) will have worst prognosis as they are likely to get heart attack and death. Anxiety will worsen outcome by 70% according to a research study which was published in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. According to previous research studies, depression and stress worsen prognosis for heart disease patients. Now, anxiety is the new psychological factor that can seriously impact coronary heart disease patients. Diagnosis of heart disease is enough to develop anxiety, stress and depression in the patients which will further wosen outcome. We should educate patients on this crucial aspect. Researchers conducted research in 1,015 CHD patients with similar risk profiles except in anxiety. But, researchers failed to provide mechanism of relationship between anxiety disorder and coronary heart disease. So, counselling plays vital role in the treatment of heart disease patients. Anxiety, stress and depression play vital role not only in prognosis but also in the way patient deals with the disease. … [Read more...]
September 27: World Heart day
September 27th, 2009 is World Heart Day. According to the figures just released by WHO, cardiovascular diseases stands first as the world’s number one killer, accounting for nearly 17.1 million lives last year, a staggering number indeed. But how often do we acknowledge what the human heart does for us? Most of us take its function of working non-stop 24/7 as granted. We do not care at all until disaster strikes in the form of heart disease, raised blood pressure, high cholesterol and more. On this day of such great importance, let us dedicate ourselves to help our hearts function better by looking again at the following: • Is your blood pressure showing unsteady readings lately? Talk to your doctor if you are having heaviness in your chest and unreasonable fits of anger. Your blood pressure will vary according to your age. A healthy heart will show a reading of 120 – 130 and the diastolic pressure will read between 80 – 90. • Eat a low fat diet. Your diet should include plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. Wherever possible eat the fruits with the outer skin. Do not fry the fish and chicken; instead, grill or roast them. Use less oil. And have plenty of garlic every day. • When did you last check your weight? Those unusual extra pounds will only increase your cholesterol levels, your blood pressure and increase the risk of coronary heart disease and even strokes. • Quit smoking! If you’ve been postponing the desire to quit cigarettes for years, now is the time to do it. Tobacco will only increase the formation of plaque in the blood vessels, leading to clots that can cause heart attacks. • Are you diabetic? If you are, then you are more prone towards coronary heart disease. Take measures regularly to keep your blood sugar levels safe. • Reduce the drinking of alcohol. Excess can only increase your blood pressure and result in irregular heart beat and a diseased heart muscle. • Does your family have a history of heart disease? How about your parents? It has been seen that diabetes, obesity and other risk factors are generally passed on to the children. • Last, but not the least, exercise regularly. Most people do not realize this, but the human heart is also a muscle just like any other – it must be exercised. Exercise reduces the blood pressure and widens the blood vessels to improve circulation. It also raises good HDL cholesterol. There is not one single medication that can alternate with the advantages of exercise. There is no need to allocate 2 hours every day at the gym. All you need is a moderate activity like walking briskly along the beach or side road every morning for 20 minutes a day. Or you could ride a plain bike. Walk down the stairs instead of using the elevator, park your car at the back of your building and walk the stairs to your flat. Walk to the market to do your groceries. Whatever it is, try to get more steps into your daily routine. They all will add up to give your heart a smiling look. A daily routine of 10,000 steps should do wonders for your heart! Exercising for a healthy heart should be as important as keeping an appointment with your hairdresser or facial at the Taj or Sheraton, or maybe even that game of bridge with your pals at your favourite club. On 26 and 27 September a health awareness program is planned in many main cities of the states in India as part of the World Heart Day celebrations. The activities will be held under the combined supervision of the Cardiological Society of India and the Heart Care Foundation. The programme includes free medical check-ups and seminars addressed by leading doctors from all over the country. You can log on to http://www.world-heart-federation.org/ for more information. Written by Mr. Sunder Venkataram, Thane (Maharashtra) … [Read more...]
Snoring linked to heart diseases
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...]
Heart diseases are again rising
Incidence of heart diseases which has been declining due to preventive measures is again rising especially among the young, according to several studies in Western countries. Obesity and Diabetes are also major culprits for this rise in heart diseases. Heart diseases are occurring at an alarm rate especially in 35-54 age group due to their lifestyle, smoking and junk food habits. But deaths due to heart diseases are declining in old age people due to better health care services and diagnostic methods. According to an article published in the medical journal “Archives of Internal medicine”, post-mortem reports of people who died due to other causes are showing high incidence of Coronary heart disease (unknown to them). How to prevent Heart disease epidemic: 1. Regular health checkups for everyone aged above 35 years. 2. Stay away from smoking and tobacco chewing. 3. Junk food restaurants are your route to hell. Don’t eat refined foods and fat rich diet. 4. Old age people should take preventive drugs like Statins and aspirin. 5. Control your blood pressure and blood sugar and cholesterol levels. 6. Obesity is the major cause for chronic lifestyle diseases. It also causes cancers. 7. Don’t neglect warning signs like chest pain and breathlessness. Consult your doctor immediately. Governments need to educate people on the harmful effects of smoking and junk food habits. They should ban advertisements on these products. … [Read more...]
Heart disease risk rises due to bad marriage
People who lack emotional support and supportive partner have 34% increased risk of heart diseases, according to a London University college study. The scientists observed 9,000 people for 12 years before revealing their findings. People in most negative relationships are at 1.34 times more at risk of getting heart attack than normal people. This research study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Bad relations among family members will rise stress levels and thereby increase heart attack risk. These people will frequently argument and criticize among themselves which will dampen heart health. These emotional imbalances disturb hormonal balance and induce negative biological reactions. They suffer from depression, low self-esteem and other mental health disorders. According to previous studies, people in relationship enjoy good health when compared to singletons. But bad relationships are worse than not having any relationship. Couples who are in unhappy relationships are at very high risk of heart diseases. What kind of partner you have is more important in determining your heart disease risk. Psychological counseling for the people who are in bad relationships will help to decrease heart disease risk to some extent. Another interesting study which was published in the Psychosomatic Medicine journal found that women who silenced themselves during disputes with their partner were 4 times more likely to die than those who argue with their husbands. Researchers discounted age, sex, social status and economical condition before coming to conclusion. Think twice before selecting your partner. … [Read more...]
Good Cholesterol and heart disease risk
Good cholesterol (HDL, High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol) plays crucial role in reducing risk of heart diseases irrespective of amount of bad cholesterol (LDL Cholesterol). Higher the patient’s HDL; lower the risk of stroke or cardiovascular disease. Even if you can reduce LDL to low levels, it is of no use if you don’t have sufficient HDL. This was revealed in a research study by Sydney Heart Research Institute on 9,700 patients who are on Lipitor (Atorvostatin, cholesterol lowering drug) medication. The research study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Image courtesy: Kansas School of medicine. But researchers failed to give proper details on the protective mechanism of HDL cholesterol irrespective of LDL cholesterol. But it is very difficult to raise HDL levels. Niacin is the only drug that can raise good cholesterol levels but it has serious side effects. Statins can reduce only bad cholesterol levels but have minor effect on good cholesterol levels. Reducing bad cholesterol (LDL Cholesterol) levels reduce heart disease and stroke risk by 50%. If we can develop a magic that can elevate HDL Cholesterol without side effects, we can cut heart disease risk by 90%. It is good to keep LDL Cholesterol level under 100 mg/dl and HDL cholesterol level above 50 mg/dl. Smoking, uncontrolled blood pressure, unhealthy diet habits and stressful life are other major risk factors. Physicians should now concentrate on HDL levels otherwise patients are still at risk of heart diseases even though their LDL levels are under control. … [Read more...]
Heart Diseases world’s largest killer
Heart disease and stroke are responsible for largest number of deaths in the world. Heart diseases kill 17.5 million people in the world. This report was released by World Heart Foundation on September 30, World Heart Day. In India, 70 million people are suffering from heart diseases. Biggest concern is most of these deaths are preventable. Image courtesy: Wellness Evolution. Obesity, Diabetes, uncontrolled blood pressure, Smoking, lack of physical activity and unhealthy diet habits are major causes for heart diseases. Obesity is gradually attaining epidemic proportions especially in urban areas due to lack of physical activity and junk food habits. Obesity is the major factor for causing type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure. Heart attack is the number one cause of death in diabetic patients. Brisk walking for 35-40 minutes alone saves millions of deaths from heart diseases. Smoking is the number one causative factor for heart diseases and stroke. Fast foods are another major risk factor for heart diseases by increasing bad cholesterol thereby causing clotting in the blood vessels. Contrary to popular belief, 80% of deaths from chronic diseases occur in low and middle class families due to increased health awareness among rich families. Decrease in deaths due to heart ailments is mainly due to better medical treatment and rising health awareness. Increase in physical activity, consuming diet rich in vegetables and fruits and abstaining from smoking will prevent 80% deaths from heart diseases. Please share your opinion on this article. … [Read more...]
World Heart Day: September 30, 2007
2007 “World Heart Day” slogan is “Team Up for Healthy Hearts”. Its aim is to encourage people to join together and create hearty-healthy communities. World Heart Federation, World Health Organization and other organizations are taking active part in propagating this message. Heart diseases statistics: Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death globally. An estimated 17.5 million people died from cardiovascular disease in 2005, representing 30 % of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 7.6 million were due to heart attacks and 5.7 million were due to stroke. Around 80% of these deaths occurred in developing countries. If appropriate action is not taken, by 2015, an estimated 20 million people will die from cardiovascular disease every year, mainly from heart attacks and strokes. Heart role in life: 1. Physically: It beats 70times/minute and in a day, it beats more than one lakh times in a day. Even though it is small in size (compared to liver), it plays vital role in the bodily functions. 2. Mentally and socially: we call a particular person as ‘’heart-less fellow”. Here heart means-kindness, sympathy, generosity, loving others, etc. in nature. 3. Spiritually: The golden quotation is “those who are pure at heart, they are blessed and shall see God one day”. That means God is residing in our heart in the form of “Soul”, and reminding us always to do good only. It clearly shows that the heart is not a simple, innocent, physical (muscular) organ but more than that, playing greater role in our day to day activities. Hence it is our duty to protect our heart in every aspect and respect. Heart diseases causes: Heart attacks and paralysis are the main causes of death among the population. 175 million people are dying due to these two diseases only, every year in the world. 1. Obesity: At present 155 million children are suffering from obesity, all over the world. It is a very dangerous situation. We have to be very careful about the food habits and physical exercise in them. Otherwise these habits become stabilized and remain in the later life also. If the children are obese, the chances of getting heart attacks before reaching the age of 65 years are 3-5 times more, than normal weight persons. Many of them are prone to diabetes. 2. Tobacco-smoking: The incidence of smoking is increasing year after year, especially among the youth, who constitute 50% of the population, in spite of the anti-smoking propaganda, undertaken by the governments and other private organizations. 3. Food habits: More intake of fatty, junk foods (high cholesterol diet), leads to heart troubles. 4. Stress and strain, lack of exercise, etc are other factors. 5. Heart diseases in Women: Previously the notion was that only men suffer from heart attacks. Now the trend is changed and 50% of deaths among women are due to heart attacks only. More over the signs and symptoms in females are a little different compared to males. The pain in chest during the heart attack is more felt in men, than the women. But women feel more “tiredness” and it is misunderstood for general weakness. So women are to be more enlightened on these matters. 6. Low intake of fruit and vegetables is estimated to cause about 31% of ischemic heart disease, 11% of stroke worldwide and 19% of gastrointestinal cancer. Overall, 2.7 million deaths are attributable to low fruit and vegetable intake. 7. Physical inactivity is estimated to cause, globally, about 10-16% of cases each of breast cancer, colon and rectal cancers and diabetes mellitus, and about 22% of ischemic heart disease. Overall, 1.9 million deaths are attributable to physical inactivity. How to prevent heart attacks? 1. Heart attacks and strokes are major killers in all parts of the world. But they can often be prevented. 2. You can protect yourself from heart attacks and strokes by investing a little time and effort. 3. Tobacco use, an unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity increase the risk of heart … [Read more...]
Heart diseases and sleep correlation
Sleep plays a vital role in increasing the risk of death from heart diseases. British Researchers found that cutting sleep time by 2 hours (optimal 7 hours to 5 hours) will double the death risk from heart diseases. Increased sleep duration from 7 to 8 hours a night will also increase the mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases. Short sleep is a risk factor for weight gain, Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. But researchers failed to find the mechanism by which long sleep will increase heart attack risk. A person generally needs 7 hours of sleep for ideal functioning of the body. Sleep will prepare the body for healthy functioning by physiological restitution and recovery. Lack of sufficient sleep will alter the dynamics of body metabolism and cause lifestyle diseases. This research was done by scientists from the University of Warwick and University College London and was published in the "Sleep" journal. This extensive study was done on 10,308 civil servants over 17 years to understand the correlation between sleep and heart attack risk. They adjusted for a range of factors such as age, sex, marital status, body mass index (BMI), smoking status, employment grade, physical activity, alcohol consumption; self rated health, blood pressure, cholesterol, illnesses, and others. Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for 25% of deaths in Britain. 30% British adults sleep less than 5 hours or less. Persons in low stressful jobs may not need 7 hours of sleep but busy executives should need 7 hours of night sllep. … [Read more...]
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