Posts Tagged ‘Heart’

Productivity in Heart Attack Treatments #1

January 28th, 2011

Health care spending is growing rapidly in the U.S. and, at 14% of GDP, is much larger than such spending in other industrialized countries.The increase in spending reflects not only changing U.S. demographics but also the use of new, and often costly, treatments, as well as institutional factors relating to health insurance and the structure of the health care industry.The question naturally arises, then, whether the increasing cost of treatments has been accompanied by more effective, or, equivalently, more productive, health care services.

This Economic Letter addresses this question by taking a detailed look at treatments for one particular condition, heart attacks. An economic analysis of this disease is important in its own right: in 1999, heart attack patients numbered around 829,000, with medical treatment costing an average of over ,000 per patient, and heart attacks accounted for around 199,000 deaths. Moreover, because heart attack treatments exhibit the same patterns of growth as the overall health sector, this analysis also can illuminate developments in the entire health sector.

Heart attacks and treatments Heart attacks occur when the arteries that supply blood to the heart are blocked.Without oxygen from the blood, part of the heart muscle can die within hours. Heart attack treatments have two goals: in the short run, to limit immediate damage to the
heart; in the long run, to reduce arterial blockage. Heart attack patients typically receive a combination of therapies, which may include both invasive (or surgical) and non-invasive treatments.The primary invasive treatments are heart bypass surgery and angioplasty, both of which are preceded by diagnostic surgical treatments.

Bypass surgery involves grafting an artery or vein around the blocked artery. Angioplasty involves using a balloon catheter to break up blockages in arteries. Non-invasive procedures include drug therapies such as clot-busting (thrombolytic) drugs and ACE inhibitors that reduce the pressure of blood flowing to the heart, as well as therapies to change lifestyles, such as exercise and smoking cessation programs.

You Can Read More Heart Attack Article at: HeartAttack.gooprice.com

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Maintaining A Healthy Heart

January 20th, 2011

Almost every minute, somebody dies of a heart-related cause in the United States of America.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in this country, killing more than 400,000 people a year.

“A healthy diet and an exercise program can significantly lower someone’s risk of developing heart disease,” Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Scott Moore, chief of cardiology for the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, told listeners during a “Dot Mil Docs” interview.

A heart attack is a unexpected blockage that forms in one of the blood vessels that supplies the heart. “It’s usually a clot that happens on top of existing plaque,” Moore said. This prevents oxygen from getting to the heart, he explained, and can cause failure of heart muscles or abnormal heart rhythms, which could potentially be deadly.

Diet is an essential part of having a healthy heart, Moore said. Consuming a variety of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis and choosing lean meat can help in preventing heart disease. Eating unrefined whole grains can help to reduce cholesterol, along with fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout and herring.

“If you do that twice a week, that can significantly lower your risk of death from a heart-related cause,” Moore said.

The American Heart Association also suggests 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week as a part of leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. Moderate exercise can include brisk walking, running, bicycling and the treadmill. “Getting 30 minutes of a brisk aerobic routine in really meets that need,” he said.

Risk factors for heart disease include a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and tobacco use.

“It’s important for all of us to continue to see our doctor on a regular basis to get screened for these so that these risk factors are appropriately being addressed.”

A diversity of symptoms alert when a heart attack is occurring. One of the main symptoms is chest discomfort that begins in the center of the chest, Moore said. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating and a radiating pain in the arm, neck, jaw or stomach. Women commonly have the symptoms outside of chest pain which sometimes make their diagnosis less straight-forward, he added.

When experiencing these symptoms, Moore said, the best thing to do is to call 911. “Time is very important in treating heart attacks,” he said. By calling the emergency medical service most patients receive life-saving treatment up to an hour sooner than someone going to the hospital by car, he explained.

Another advantage in calling 911 is that hospitals in many cities coordinate with the paramedics to initiate heart attack treatment teams before patients even leave their homes. In those cases, a team is waiting at the hospital when the patient arrives and can begin treatment immediately.

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Latest Discussion on Heart Health!

January 12th, 2011

Hearth health has become the biggest concern among people around the world these days. Now people are better informed and have gained information through various researches and clinical trials, they are more conscious about their heart health and have better control over their heart than their predecessors thus reducing risks of hearth related ailments to a large extent. 

Numerous researches have been conducted on heart health. The talk on ‘statins’ also figures prominently in discussion about the heart. Statins have been highly helpful in controlling cholesterol levels in the people suffering from heart disease. Statins act by effectively lowering the LDL (levels of bad cholesterol); though, they do slightly affect raising HDL (the levels of good cholesterol).

In the latest researches, it has been found that those who have had a heart attack or some other cardiac problem get more benefit by the immediate high-dose statin therapy.

Main advantages of statins are as follows:

Statin acts to reduce the risk of death, heart attack and it also minimizes the need for cardiac procedures.

Statin therapy proves beneficial for people with high levels of C – reactive protein (a substance in the liver, produced by the inflammation of arteries). It must be noted here that one can have low cholesterol but still s/he might be at the high risk of heart problem; if s/he has high levels of C-reactive protein.  

It has been found that statins are not only safe but also a well-tolerated in the majority of patients using it. 

In another research conducted in mice, it has been found that leafy greens can prove beneficial in reducing the chances of heart attack or stroke. It is due to the fact that nutrients in the veggies protect the heart from getting damaged. To reach at this conclusion, some mice were provided with the drinking water that contained nitrites or nitrates while others were given plain drinking water.

After a week’s time, the mice were given an induced heart attack to study their heart after the attack. It was found that the mice having nitrite or nitrate contained water had less heart attack damage compared to those mice that were drinking plain water. Diets comprising of cauliflower, spinach, collard greens, meat and broccoli are ideal.

In the ayurvedic approach to have good heart health, it has been pointed out that practicing transcendental meditation for 20 minutes twice in a day leaves a positive and considerable effect on the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries. It plays a vital role in reducing pain in a number of patients if practiced regularly. However, the experts have added that meditation is used only as a supplement, so it must not be taken as a substitute to the existing heart problem therapy.

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Edta Chelation Therapy Eases the Heart and Offers Peace to Patients

January 12th, 2011

When faced with a serious heart condition having options such as EDTA chelation therapy allows patients a wider variety of choices. Those who are choosing to go with a treatment round of EDTA chelation therapy have found that their results are better than expected and much improved over the time they spend with their physician. Of course, a heart condition is serious business and no one should spend their time and energy on a treatment that offers little to no hope of improvement, which is why EDTA chelation therapy is becoming such a popular choice. Many patients want to do more than take daily medication for the rest of their lives and live in the face of open heart surgery.

Many patients found themselves without their usual symptoms within a very short period of time, often within seven to twenty days of the beginning of treatment. When the ticker is struggling, the last thing any patient wants to do is take too much time determining what the best course of action might be. With such clear cut and obvious results no patient needs to wait more than a month to determine if positive changes are occurring. With such a rapid turn around time, patients feel rather confident that their health is under their control and that they have options that offer them immediate or near immediate feedback.

The majority of patients that entered EDTA chelation therapy over the past ten years were patients that were dealing with serious health issues related to their heart or related to heavy metal toxicity that had been undergoing more traditional methods of treatment. These patients often found that traditional medicine was slow, unpredictable, and often yielded results that were mottled at best and ambiguous when it came to determining the level of effectiveness. However, recent history has shown a different picture as the popularity of EDTA chelation therapy has increased. The health care industry is letting patients down and they are falling hard. Rather than try more invasive and risky procedures at the drop of a hat, patients are now seeking new and more personally accountable methods of finding the treatment that they need. By turning to EDTA chelation therapy, a very high number of patients are reporting the single largest indicating factor in determining health-they feel better. Feeling better is such an intricate part of managing health that it is invariably the highest of importance. When patients feel good, they take better care of themselves and they work toward health. When patients feel ill, they often travel toward illness and make decisions based on illness.

The patients who have benefited from EDTA chelation therapy will tell other patients without hesitation that the research, the effort, and the thirty days to know for sure whether there has been significant progression in health is absolutely worth it when compared with other options that cardiac patients face. When the cardiovascular system is in need of some attention EDTA chelation therapy is the path that is paved with healthy outcomes.

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Have a Healthy Heart

January 10th, 2011

Treating heart problem or preventing heart disease is not only possible, but also within your reach. Here are some natural remedies you will find in your very own kitchen.

High Fibre Food: High-fiber food like barley, oats, whole grains such as brown rice and lentils, and beans, such as kidney beans and black beans, will help keep your cholesterol levels in check.

Olive oil: According to the American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association, it is helpful to get most of your fat from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated sources. Use polyunsaturated oil (sunflower, safflower, corn and soybean oils) or monounsaturated fats (such as olive, canola and peanut oils) in place of other vegetable oils when cooking your veggies.

Whole-wheat bread and peanut butter: Some peanut butter on a slice of whole-wheat bread is a good snack that’s good to your heart. One slice of whole-wheat bread has 11 mcg of selenium, an antioxidant mineral that works with vitamin E to protect your heart. Peanut butter is one best source of providing you with your daily intake of 1/3 of vitamin E.

Wine. Research studies have shown that drinking a glass of alcohol a day may help in the battle against heart disease. Moderate intake of alcohol is helpful-moderate as one glass a day for women and two glasses of alcohol a day for men. What’s in one drink? Twelve ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of whiskey.

Broccoli. Calcium is another heart-healthy nutrient. Milk isn’t the only calcium-rich food. In fact, there are lots of non-dairy foods that are rich in calcium, such as salmon, kale, broccoli, figs, pinto beans, and okra. One cup of broccoli can supply you with 90 mg of calcium.

Chicken. Three ounces of chicken will give you 1/3 of your daily requirement for vitamin B6, a necessary nutrient for maintaining heart health.

Fish. Adding fatty fish to your diet is also a good idea. A good source of omega-3 fatty acids, three ounces of salmon meets your daily requirement for vitamin B12, a vitamin that helps keep your heart healthy. Fish intake lowers triglycerides and reduce blood clots that could potentially block arteries in the heart.

Fruits: Strawberries, Oranges, Amlas are Vitamin C rich fruits that act as an antioxidant vital to maintaining a happy heart. Daily use of lemon also prevents heart problems as it prevents the accumulation of cholesterol in the blood vessels. Being a natural source of vitamin C, Amla (Emblica myrobalan ) prevents all heart problems. Fresh grape fruits are highly beneficial in the treatment of heart disease as they tone up the heart. Apples have heart-stimulating properties. Apple juice and apple jam can be taken in liberal amounts. Watermelon is another fruit which can reduce high blood pressure.

Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a smart choice for fending off heart disease.

Garlic. Garlic lessens plaque buildup, reduce the incidence of chest pain, and keep the heart generally healthy. It is also a mild anticoagulant, helping to thin the blood.

Honey. This is considered as one of the excellent home remedies for heart care. Mix a tablespoon of honey and the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water, before going to bed.

Beet juice. It is considered as the most effective for heart ailments.

Tulsi. Take a spoon of tulsi juice with a spoon of honey on empty stomach every day as this is very effective home remedy for heart care.

CLASSIC WARNING SIGNS OF HEART ATTACK

Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or pain in center of chest Pain that spreads to shoulders, jaw, neck or arms Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating or shortness of breath

OTHER WARNING SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK

Unusual chest, stomach or abdominal pain Nausea or dizziness Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing Unexplained anxiety, weakness or extreme fatigue Palpitations, cold sweat or paleness

SOME IMPORTANT TIPS

A prolonged immersion bath at room temperature taken at bedtime on alternative days is also beneficial for the heart patients. Regular exercise, brisk walking are most important for healthy heart. Increase the intake of vitamin E as it improves the oxygenation of the cells. Stop smoking. Salt intake should be restricted. A well balanced diet for heart care containing fruits, vegetables and cereals with natural fibre is recommended. Excess intake of alcohol should be avoided. Regular check of high blood pressure and diabetes.

ADD ACTIVITY TO YOUR LIFE

Park your car in the back of the parking lot instead of near the entrance. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk at a mall or gym. Go dancing. Play with children or grandchildren.

For more info on natural remedies, please visit Home Remedies

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