How low-impact activities can improve heart health

New research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation found middle-aged adults who regularly engage in leisure-time physical activity for more than a decade have better heart health than counterparts who do not.

More than 4,200 participants between age 45 and 55 reported to researchers on how often and how long they took part in physical activities such as brisk walking, vigorous gardening, cycling, sports, housework and home maintenance.

“It’s not just vigorous exercise and sports that are important,” said Mark Hamer, Ph.D., study lead author and associate professor of epidemiology and public health at University College in London, U.K. “These leisure-time activities represent moderate intensity exercise that is important to health. It is especially important for older people to be physically active because it contributes to successful aging.”

The if middle-aged people followed these guidelines, they could expect far fewer visits to the cardiac center Panama City FL. At the baseline assessment in 1991-1993, researchers analyzed two key inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Researchers again assessed physical activity and inflammatory markers in 1997-99 and about 11 years later.

Physically active participants at baseline had lower CRP and IL6 levels. The difference remained stable over time compared to participants that rarely adhered to physical activity guidelines during 10-year follow-up.

“Inflammatory markers are important because we have shown they are a key mechanism explaining the link between physical activity and the lower risk of heart disease.” Hamer said. “The people who benefited the most from this study were the ones that remained physically active.”

Heart Disease Vaccine May Soon Be A Reality

Heart disease may soon go the way of typhoid, polio and hepatitis, if researchers at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology have their way. The school recently published a study showing that we are closer than ever to stopping, once and for all, the cardiovascular disorders that develop throughout people’s lives.

The idea of a heart disease vaccine would be groundbreaking for cardiac center panama city FL. In the United States, cardiovascular diseases top the charts for leading causes of death. But soon there may be relief as La Jolla researchers from believe they be able to create a vaccine that can combat heart disease.

This will all be possible through the creation of a tolerogenic vaccine that will function by inducing tolerance in the body to halt any inflammatory attack may soon be conceivable. Researchers have singled out CD4 T-cells, which orchestrate the inflammatory attacks on the artery wall, and plan to direct the vaccine directly on their hazardous activity.

According to researchers, it wasn’t previously known that antigen-experienced T cells existed in the vessel wall. The experiment points some experts towards the possibility of building a vaccine for heart disease.

Yet health experts are warning that creating a vaccine is a time-consuming and difficult process that may take several years to develop. Regardless, the meer posibility of such a vaccine is exciting many with the possibility of saving more lives than ever imaginable.

Antigen is a conventional protein that the body detects as a foreign source, and consequently launches an immune system attack, resulting in inflammation in the arteries. According to researchers, the attacks is what causes the inflammation among the vessels in the wall persistent. The inflammation cells join the fat and cholesterol form artery-clogging plaque that eventually blocks the blood flow and triggers a heart attack.

If the researchers at La Jolla can target the source of these inflammation attacks, they might make heart attacks, like polio, a thing of the past.

Obesity increases probability of surgical complications

“Everything you do in these patients is different and more difficult” comments Dr. Alexander Rosemurgy when talking about the increased risks in performing surgery on obese patients. Numerous studies have demonstrated the risks that surgery poses for the obese, predominantly as a result of the increased healing time for fat due to the lack of blood supply to the region.

Florida cardiologists among other specialists recognise that patients in some instances have to lose weight prior to surgery as the potential risks of proceeding with a morbidly obese patient are too great. A study by journal of ‘Obstetrics and Gynecology’ found that obese women, following Caesarean sections experienced infections at a significantly higher rate than women of normal body mass.

With obese patients more likely to develop blood clots in the lungs following surgery, the physician’s tasks increase as it becomes essential to monitor oxygen levels to reduce the possibility of a pulmonary embolism. Other complications such as airway maintenance pose significant problems as obesity adds extra weight meaning it becomes more difficult for the diaphragm to function properly.

Rosemurgy highlights other factors such as a patient’s lack of mobility following an operation can lead to blood clots, and the challenge for doctors in providing an adequate dose (as certain drugs get absorbed by fat). With an ever growing number of cases of obesity and heart disease in general, the Florida cardiologist can develop a plan to assist in the recovery from or approach to treatment for many cardiovascular problems.

The increased risks associated with obesity mean the cure can ultimately create more complexities.

Increased screening to protect against SADS

It is quite evident that the number of incidents of sudden adult death syndrome (SADS) is on the increase, with athletes across the globe suffering frequently. There exist a number of causes including genetic or, more commonly, a structural defect in the heart – hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). With an estimated young athlete suffering cardiac arrest once every three days in the United States, the need for improved screening is pressing, with electrocardiogram (EKG Florida) considered the most effective in terms of cost and time.

EKG is considered less effective than an echocardiogram which provides a 3-D image of the heart, but it is considerably cheaper, meaning greater feasibility of widespread adoption by schools, universities and sports clubs. It can cost in the region of $100 with the possibility that insurers will cover 80%-100% of the cost.

At present sports clubs actively perform physical examinations on athletes, but with such high numbers of young athletes suffering from heart conditions it appears a new approach is required. While adversaries to the introduction of EKG into amateur sport frequently highlight its imperfections, the alternative, physical examinations at present appear to have more flaws when detecting heart conditions. Dr. Matthew T Wheeler of Stanford University claims that widespread EKG adoption would create “a large benefit in a small number of individuals” he continues “saving enough lives to be cost effective”.

There is a need for greater protection for competitive athletes as they suffer from three times greater a risk of a heart condition than non-competitive sporting individuals. The widespread implementation could prove costly, but the results would be worth it, not only on a ‘cost effective’ basis but to the hundreds of families who lose a child every year through competitive sport. While preventative measures can also be taken by families as visits can be made to clinics such as the Florida cardiologist to check whether any heart abnormalities exist.

Cardiologists and the famous flying doctors of America

The Flying Doctors of America help impoverished communities anywhere from Bhutan to Bolivia, with the former the subject of this blog. Bhutan is surrounded by leviathans such as China and India, with Bangladesh and Nepal nearby and due to its relative isolation it can be quite a challenge reaching the State. With a population of 800,000 (greater than only four States in the US!) and only one cardiologist, access to top medical care similar to that provided by Florida cardiologists only arrives with the Flying Doctors.

Bhutan sounds like a fascinating place, with smoking widely prohibited and plastic bags outlawed, rules that were imposed by an environmental and health conscious king. According to John Davis Cantwell, MD, the country first opened to outsiders in 1972 and although it is not much bigger than Switzerland in size, 50% of its population is under 21 years of age. There existed no television until 1999, while no road, school or hospital existed until 1962. It remains a devout Buddhist State with murders unheard of and quality of life measured by Global National Happiness (rather than Global National Product).

The Flying Doctors of America play an important role in assisting the under-funded hospitals and doctors in this small State which is surrounded by giants. Founded in 1990 by Allen Gathercoal, they comprise of a team specialists who include: doctors, dentists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and pharmacists, who strive to provide care and hope to those who need it most.

The Flying Doctors show selflessness in their mission. Stories exist of people travelling for four days to see an American doctor. It is easy to take things for granted when there exists considerable ease of access to top medical practices such as Florida cardiologist.

A sign entering a town within Bhutan reads: “when the last tree is cut, when the last river is emptied, when the last ﬁsh is caught, only then will man realize that he cannot eat money”, a lack of access to adequate medical assistance does not deter this small and interesting State from maintaining a positive and environmentally conscious outlook.

The benefits of curry…

The emergence of Indian cuisine on the international stage has not surprised me as its fantastic combinations of different spices and herbs give astonishing flavours from the first to the last bite. I’ve been aware for some time of the food spice – turmeric (curcuma longa) protecting against cognitive impairment, but I was unaware of the overall health benefits of the Indian speciality – curry. It serves to protect against cardiovascular diseases, however, curry alone will not be sufficient to deter the onset of such diseases.

The American Heart Association has highlighted that due to specialists at EKG Florida the death rate in the State resulting from cardiovascular diseases has decreased by 26.4% (when comparing the periods 1999-2001 to 2005-2007) second only to New Hampshire with 26.9%. The cardiovascular services can be thanked for the improvements, but they have occurred also in large part thanks to significant dietary changes.

The effects of an improved diet are ample, as curry is a prime example of a healthy food which assists in the fight against heart disease, with ingredients such as:

- Cinnamon: helps regulate sugar levels

- Ginger: associated with relieving pain and inflammation

- Garlic: expands blood vessels – managing blood pressure, lowers cholesterol and triglyceride levels and finally exhibits anti-clotting properties

- Cayenne peppers: contains antioxidants which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

The spices mentioned above are only a few of the basic ingredients which can be included in curry as the dish can be customized to incorporate fish and many other vegetables. The brief list demonstrates that curry is not only tasty but it is in fact incredibly healthy.

The promotion of foods like heart healthy foods will hopefully reduce the pressing need for the Florida cardiologist to play a pivotal role in tackling the long-term effects of a sustained fast-food diet. With Florida ranked somewhere in the middle of the number fast-food stores per State, one has to hope that the curry craze will catch-on eventually becoming a substitute for the cholesterol packed diet.

Curry with its delicious combination spices and vegetables is not only effective in staving off hunger, but evidently increased consumption can have significant health benefits also.

Correlation between unemployment and heart attacks

The recession of 2007 has created more than just financial destruction across the highly integrated global economy, with a study by Oxford University finding that there exists a correlation between increasing unemployment and heart attacks. The study servces to demonstrate the need for regular cardiovascular checks (similar to those provided by cardiologists in Dearborn MI which consists of a team of skilled surgeons who have experience coping with a number of different cardiovascular diseases).

Michigan has been one of the worst hit States by the recession as its heavy reliance on the automotive industry which came to a halt in 2007 increased unemployment rates to 16% in 2008, reducing to 8.5% as of May 2012 thanks in part to government incentives. With unemployment figures still quite high the study by Oxford University states that a 3% rise in unemployment is associated with a 2.7% rise in heart attacks among men aged 30-44.

Over the past decade the number of heart attacks have reduced due to fewer people smoking, improved treatment and quicker ambulance response times. Interestingly though, the number of heart attacks which was in decline in London stalled in 2008 and 2009 then they continued declining, suggested to be a direct consequence of the recession.

Even though the study claims that an extra 2,000 deaths occurred as a result of the crisis, the suggestion is that the heart attacks were brought forward and not as a result solely of the crisis.