126:

The number of people who die in an hour from Heart Disease & Stroke.  

Untold Stories of the Heart

One woman dies almost every minute from heart disease. Yet studies show that only 21% of women view heart disease as their greatest health threat. The TV special, Untold Stories of the Heart, which premiered in 2008 and featured Marie Osmond, hosted by Hoda Kotb, raises awareness through the personal stories of women living with heart disease. Because for every heart there is a story, and these stories are at the heart of Go Red.

(above from the American Heart Association/Go Red For Women)

I've Been Wearing My Seat Belt All Along Thanks to My Cardiologist!

I have been extremely happy with the cardiologist who saved my life and continues to see me as a patient (insert big happy smile HERE!). Over time, I have realized that "my" cardiologist keeps very up to date with all things heart related. So it is no surprise to me to read the article below. A statin prescription has been in my daily regimen post heart attack. At first I was confused by the need for cholesterol prescription because I knew the lab results taken by the emergency room determine all of my cholesterol levels to be "good". My cardiologist explained that the statin was being prescribed because it was shown to help heal the heart (given that I had 10% damage/die off of my heart during my heart attack).

Regretfully, I have visited many doctors for various reasons and found advocacy to be a quality found few and far between. No fault of the doctor; I can't begin to imagine the amount of patients they see and the ongoing problems with insurance companies. So, three cheers for my awesome doctor being not only a phenomenal doctor/surgeon, but also an advocate for his patients!!!

Another doctor I see has recently suggested a vitamin supplement since I am taking a statin. I'll share why and what in the future.

Statins cut heart problems after artery surgery

Inexpensive drug that lowers cholesterol also decreases risk of dying

The Associated Press

updated 7:48 a.m. PT, Thurs., Sept . 3, 2009

NEW YORK - Score another victory for the cheap, cholesterol-lowering wonder drugs known as statins. People getting an artery unclogged or repaired were much less likely to die or have a heart attack afterward if they took preventive doses of the pills before and after their operations, a Dutch study showed.

Patients given Lescol had half the risk of having a heart attack or dying of a heart problem in the following month compared to those given dummy pills, the study found.

“You get a bonus with the treatment of statins,” said Dr. Don Poldermans, who led the study at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The results are in Thursday’s New England Journal of Medicine.

Statins are widely prescribed to reduce cholesterol and prevent heart disease. Doctors wanted to see if statins could also protect against heart problems that are a common complication of blood vessel surgery — operations like repairing a bulging abdominal artery or unclogging arteries in the neck.

The stress of surgery on arteries can destabilize plaque buildup, causing it to rupture and blood clots to form, particularly in heart arteries. Statins are thought to help by reducing inflammation and stabilizing the plaque.

The researchers enrolled nearly 500 patients who were not on statins and were going to have operations on their aorta or leg or neck arteries. For about a month before and a month after their surgery, half the patients took a statin; the rest got a dummy pill.

Within a month of the operation, 12 patients in the statin group, about 5 percent, had died or had heart attacks, compared to 25 patients, or 10 percent, of those who took a dummy pill. Other signs of heart damage also were less common among those who had taken statins. There was no difference in side effects between the two groups.

When the study began in 2004, Poldermans said, statins were not as widely recommended as they are today for people with peripheral artery disease — stiff and narrow arteries, often in the legs. The patients in the study probably weren’t on statins before their surgery because their cholesterol levels were normal or near normal, he said.

“There’s no reason whatsoever to withhold statins anymore” from these patients,” Poldermans said.

Current guidelines recommend the drugs for everyone with peripheral artery disease, regardless of the need for surgery.

The Dutch study was partially funded by Swiss drug maker Novartis, which makes and supplied Lescol, also known as fluvastatin. Poldermans has received grants and consulting fees from Novartis; two other researchers have received fees and grants from medical companies.

Other statins on the market would likely achieve a comparable effect, said Dr. Alan T. Hirsch, director of the vascular medicine program at the Minneapolis Heart Institute and a spokesman for the American Heart Association. He said statins aren’t being used enough in people with peripheral artery disease, and he hopes the study draws attention to their benefits at the time of surgery, as well as throughout the lifetime of the patient.

“A statin is a seat belt when you drive a damaged artery,” he said.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32661411/ns/health/

Bank Day!

I thought today was the final day to turn in any additional money collected, however, I have until Saturday (the day of the Santa Barbara North Heart Walk).  I'm looking forward to seeing people from cardiac rehabilitation on Saturday (nurses and patients). In the mean time, I am trying to finalize what I will say on Saturday.
I was asked to speak about my heart attack experience; I'm getting very nervous.  I screeched by with a C grade in Public Speaking/Speech in college ;o  The instructor jokingly told me to dance at the end of one speech as I had talked too fast (I missed my target time by 1.5 minutes)!  Hope my talking isn't faster than my walking this weekend!

Thank you again for all of your support!!!

Here is How All of You Are Making a Difference:

 $25 could give 50 people educational materials on the risks of heart diseases and stroke

$50 could give an early career scientist an AHA/ASA one-year professional membership that offers access to the latest in cardiovascular and stroke research.

$100 could give one hospital resources to educate patients, the public and health professionals about stroke.

$200 could deliver our innovative 30-minute CPR program to 10 community residents, who can pass the lifesaving skill to others.

$300 could provide our 'Recipes for the Heart' cookbook to 75 people.

$500 could teach more than 1,200 children how to avoid obesity and live longer, stronger lives through our nutrition and exercise materials.

Your life saving support makes a difference in the fight against heart disease and stroke.  It is greatly appreciated!