Pssst... Tell 5, Pass It Along!

Today is the day! April 7th: National Start! Walking Day!!!!!

Wherever you are, sometime before the clock strikes midnight, get out and walk for  thirty minutes today - even twenty minutes if it comes down to squeezing it in while you're at work (on your morning or afternoon break?!).  Start walking for a healthier lifestyle (yup, I stole that last phrase from the American Heart Association website, but it's soooo true and simple).  You have to make the time for yourself.  Your well-being and health are priceless; you'll even feel a little less stressful after going for a thirty minute walk (I can pretty much guarantee it).  The American Heart Association even has a nifty online tracker, if you're like me, and prefer to see your progress in the days and months to come.  There is no time like the present!  I'll be doing the same thing today - I confess, I've slacked off ;-)  Begin the change today.  

More Reasons To Walk, Not Only For Your Heart, But For Your Brain! From HealthDay News

With the American Heart Association's (AHA) National Start! Walking Day fast approaching this Wednesday (just two days away!), read the article below to learn about another great reason to start walking regularly.   Participate in National Start! Walking Day wherever you are this April 7th!  Check out the details here.  When it really comes down to it, all you need is yourself, 30 minutes and a pair of comfortable shoes!!! 

Exercise May Stave Off Mental Decline

Monday,January 11, 2010 (Healthday News)

FRIDAY, Jan. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Exercise appears to help prevent and improve mild cognitive impairment, two new studies show.

Researchers found that people who did moderate physical activity in midlife or later had a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment and that six months of high-intensity aerobic exercise improved cognitive function in people with mild cognitive impairment.

Mild cognitive impairment is an in-between state between the normal changes in thinking, learning and memory changes that come with age and dementia, one of the studies explained. Up to 15 percent of people with mild cognitive impairment develop dementia each year, compared with 1 percent or 2 percent of the general population.

The first study included 1,324 dementia-free volunteers taking part in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. The participants completed a physical exercise questionnaire and were assessed and classified as having normal cognition (1,126) or mild cognitive impairment (198).

Those who said they did moderate exercise -- such as swimming, brisk walking, yoga, aerobics or strength training -- during midlife were 39 percent less likely to have mild cognitive impairment, while those who did moderate exercise later in life were 32 percent less likely to have the condition.

The Mayo team said exercise may guard against mild cognitive impairment through production of nerve-protecting compounds, increased blood flow to the brain, improved development and survival of neurons, and decreased risk of heart and blood vessel diseases.

The second study included 33 adults, average age 70, with mild cognitive impairment. Some were randomly assigned to do high-intensity aerobics for 45 to 60 minutes a day, four days a week. Others were put in a control group that had the same workout schedule, but did stretching exercises and kept their heart rate low.

After six months, the patients who did high-intensity aerobic exercise had improved cognitive function compared to those in the control group. The beneficial effects were more pronounced in women than in men, possibly because the body's use of and production of insulin, glucose and the stress hormone cortisol differed in women and men.

"Aerobic exercise is a cost-effective practice that is associated with numerous physical benefits. The results of this study suggest that exercise also provides a cognitive benefit for some adults with mild cognitive impairment," wrote Laura D. Baker, of the University of Washington School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, and colleagues.

The studies appear in the January issue of the Archives of Neurology.

More information

The Alzheimer's Association has more about mild cognitive impairment.

As a Patient, Advocate for Yourself!

Posted on Tue, Feb. 09, 2010

Cardiologist's advice about No. 1 killer of women

BY TERESA MEARStmears@mindspring.com

The leading killer of women isn't breast cancer or any other kind of cancer, but heart disease, which kills nearly twice as many women each year as die from all forms of cancer combined. During February, which is American Heart Month, many groups focus on women's heart health with screenings and the American Heart Association's ``Go Red'' movement to raise awareness. There was a time when women didn't respond well to treatment such as heart bypasses and stents, but that is changing, says Dr. Stratego ``Stacey'' Castanes, an interventional cardiologist who has been active in Miami-Dade heart health awareness events. ``One of the reasons we're doing better is patient education, women being advocates for themselves,'' says Castanes, who is in private practice and is also associated with the South Miami Heart Center. We talked to Castanes about women and heart disease. Her answers have been edited for space. Q: How is heart disease different in women than in men? A: The biggest difference is the symptoms, especially of heart attacks. The things that we classically describe to patients -- chest discomfort like an elephant sitting on the chest, radiation to the jaw and down the arm -- aren't quite the symptoms women feel. We still don't know how to describe the classic symptoms women feel. I've had women who were having a massive heart attack and they just felt as if all they needed to do was burp and it would get better. It fools everyone. My recommendation to women is if you're feeling bad enough to think that something's wrong and it's persistent and it continues to make you feel worse -- women still feel some kind of chest discomfort and some type of shortness of breath -- you should go to the emergency room. Q: What is the most important thing women can do to protect their hearts? A: The most important thing is exercise. Exercise can decrease your risk for breast cancer, treat depression, prevent heart attacks and strokes, control blood pressure, prevent adult-onset diabetes. The other important thing is having the same due diligence that women have for seeing their ob-gyn to seeing a cardiologist to determine their risk. Q: What are the risk factors for women? A: Smoking brings on heart disease, 10 to 20 years earlier. Strong family history of heart disease is a risk factor. Post-menopausal for women is a strong risk factor. Diabetes. High blood pressure. High cholesterol. The risk factors are basically the same for men. Q: Who needs cholesterol-lowering medication? A: There was an interesting study done in 2007 where they used criteria to determine if someone was low risk, intermediate risk or high risk for heart disease. Then they looked at patients who had reported a heart attack or stroke. The scariest part of the study was that 80 percent of the people, before their event, were considered low risk. Cholesterol is one of those things where there is no such thing as normal. Depending on the risk factors, you have to make the decision of whether to treat cholesterol. A cholesterol of 130 might be OK for one person but for another person who has a family risk of heart disease and is a smoker, that's not OK and that cholesterol needs to be treated. Q: Should women take a daily aspirin to lower their risk of heart disease? A: We have gone back and forth and been very confused throughout the years about what to recommend. For men it's very clear-cut. If you're in your 40s you should be on aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke. Women tend to get heart disease later in life and there's an increased risk of bleeding with the aspirin. We initially didn't have clear-cut guidelines. Now the guidelines say if you're above 60 with one risk factor for coronary disease you should consider aspirin. If you have two risk factors, you should definitely be on aspirin. Q: What is the link between diabetes and heart disease? A: Basically we consider diabetes equivalent to heart disease. Diabetics are three to five times more likely to have coronary disease than their counterparts with all the same problems but not diabetes. Blood pressure needs to be very tightly controlled, even tighter than usual. Cholesterol needs to be tightly controlled. It seems that a lot of heart disease is linked to an inflammatory process. Diabetes is a constant inflammatory process. The endothelium, the tissue in the lining of the arteries, needs to work a certain way for the heart to function normally. Inflammatory states such as diabetes cause dysfunction of that endothelium, which results in coronary artery disease. Q: Why is blood pressure important? A: Blood pressure is important because it's so closely linked to increased risk of heart attack or stroke. On a very basic level, the endothelium gets pounded with these high blood pressures all day, which results in inflammation and damage to the endothelium. Q: What's your advice about diet? A: Physicians are always asked about diet, and the sad thing is we take less of a month of it in medical school. Nutritionists know this much better. One of the simplest things is that you should have as much color on your plate as possible. Yellow all over the plate -- pasta, corn, potatoes -- is not good.

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© 2010 Miami Herald Media Company. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.miamiherald.com

Pay the Rent, Eat or Buy Medicine?

Years ago I recall seeing elderly persons at the pharmacy telling a pharmacist that they weren't taking their medications as prescribed because they couldn't afford to; my heart would go out for them.  Now it seems like everyone, including me, is faced with tough decisions if they find themselves unhealthy.  I've heard the comments from the "naysayers", 'they should have planned better for retirement' (in reference to the elderly who don't have the means to pay for proper medical care.  I don't buy it.  I don't buy how a person can be a warm blooded human being and feel that universal medical care is not a basic human right and need.  

Please visit Hearts for Healthcare to learn more about how the American Heart Association has become involved in making the United States Congress aware of the health care crisis faced by Americans.

Heart patients worry about health costs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The monthly mortgage payment is the heaviest expense facing the average U.S. family but for heart patient Frank Amend, an engineer from North Carolina, the biggest cost is healthcare.

That's why Amend and tens of thousands of patients with similar conditions find themselves at the center of debate over how to reform the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare sector -- and whether the country can afford it.

Amend, 48, has insurance through his employer but since suffering a heart attack in 2003, his monthly out-of-pocket costs for premiums and medications have grown to consume as much as 20 percent of his wages, and he has become a strong advocate for broad healthcare overhaul.

He says he would like to start his own consulting firm, but can't because the cost of obtaining health insurance for him and his family would be "financial suicide."

A survey of heart patients by the American Heart Association shows that Amend is not alone. Cost of insurance premiums and medication is the top concern of heart patients, said the poll, made available to Reuters before its release on Thursday.

The online survey of 1,105 adults who said they had a heart condition, stroke or high blood pressure showed that 56 percent had trouble paying for prescription drugs or other medical care in the past few years. It was conducted from December 29, 2009 to January 5, 2010.

Stroke patients -- 69 percent -- were most likely to report having trouble paying medical bills.

Almost two thirds of heart patients -- 64 percent -- said making healthcare costs more affordable was a top priority for them.

AHA officials say they hope the survey will help jumpstart the drive for a more comprehensive approach to healthcare reform.

"The problem has not gone away," association president Dr. Clyde Yancy said in an interview.

Nearly 10 percent of heart disease patients eventually file for bankruptcy, said AHA spokeswoman Suzanne Ffolkes.

'ENTITLEMENT EXPANSION'

But a push by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats to overhaul the sector to rein in costs and expand coverage to the uninsured has stalled in the face of Republican opposition and falling public support, denying Democrats victory on the top legislative priority.

Republicans say it is a mistake to expand the role of government in healthcare and oppose the roughly $1 trillion 10-year cost of expanding health insurance coverage at a time of record budget deficits.

"I don't know how you spend a trillion dollars to create a new entitlement ... That's not really reform, that's entitlement expansion," Representative Dave Camp said in an interview this week. He and other Republicans are pushing for less sweeping legislation that focuses on costs.

COSTS DISCOURAGE PATIENTS

About 46 percent of those who said they had trouble paying medical bills said they had to delay getting needed healthcare and 43 percent said they failed to fill a prescription because of the expense.

"The high cost of healthcare is forcing many of our patients to not take advantage of, or to forego, life-saving treatments and medications," Nancy Brown, chief executive of the Heart Association said in an interview. "They really are making life and death decisions because of the cost of healthcare."

The majority of those surveyed said they had some form of health insurance. About 16 percent of the non-elderly adults surveyed said they had no medical insurance.

Some 46 million people in the United States lack health insurance and many with coverage find it inadequate when it comes to preventive care or when struck by major illness.

"Everyone believes that if you have insurance, there's no issue here," Dr. Yancy said. "There is a big, big problem with the underinsured -- those who have insurance and are still having difficulty receiving care."

The Heart Association and other healthcare advocacy groups are pushing for broad healthcare reform.

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have passed sweeping reform measures but efforts to merge the two bills into a single piece of legislation stalled when Democrats lost their "supermajority" of 60 seats in the Senate after a special Massachusetts election last month.

The online survey conducted by research firm Synovate had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. It is available at www.americanheart.org/accesstocare.

(Editing by Matthew Bigg, Xavier Briand and Eric Walsh)

Women's Heart Disease Awareness Still Lacking

Women's Heart Disease Awareness Still Lacking

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

More than 40 percent of women don't know it is leading killer, survey finds

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Despite public awareness campaigns, almost half of all American women still don't know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, new research finds.

Even more concerning, only slightly more than half of women would call for emergency help if they were having heart attack symptoms, according to the latest survey for the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women public awareness campaign.

"We've made a lot of progress since 1997 [when the Go Red campaign first began], but we still have a long way to go," said lead researcher Dr. Lori Mosca, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

For example, she said, "Only about half of women knew what heart attack symptoms are."

Results of the study are scheduled to be published in the March issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

In 1997, when the survey was first conducted, just 30 percent of women realized that heart disease was the leading cause of death in women. In 2009, that number was 54 percent. However, that number is down slightly from 2006 when 57 percent of women said that heart disease was the biggest threat to their health.

Young women were more likely to believe that breast cancer was their biggest potential health threat. Thirty-four percent of women between the ages of 25 and 34 thought breast cancer was more of a threat than heart disease, compared to 22 percent of women over 65 who felt that way.

Racial disparities still exist, though the racial gap in awareness is narrowing, according to the survey. Just 43 percent of black women and 44 percent of Hispanic women correctly identified heart disease as the leading killer of women. However, those numbers were significantly increased from 1997, when the rates of awareness were 15 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Other important findings from the new survey include:

• 
  

  Eighty-five percent of women said they had seen, heard or read about heart disease during the past year.

• 
  

  Only 53 percent of women said they would call 911 if they were having heart attack symptoms.

• 
  

  Just over half of women said the biggest barrier to taking preventive steps against heart disease were family and care-taking responsibilities.

Women are taking important preventive steps such as seeing their doctors and having their blood pressure checked. However, many women are relying on unproven strategies to prevent heart disease, as well. For example, 82 percent said they believed that fish oil would help them prevent heart disease, and 29 percent said aromatherapy could be helpful, according to the survey.

"Although there may be some benefit to alternative and complementary therapies, they pale in comparison to turning off the TV and going out for a walk," said Dr. Pamela Marcovitz, medical director of the Ministrelli Women's Heart Center at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. "When people exercise even moderately most days of the week, they're incredibly more likely to be healthier and live longer."

Both Mosca and Marcovitz said that experts have to find new ways to get the message of heart disease prevention out to more people. Mosca said that having women tell their stories to other women at places like community centers could be helpful. She said it's also important to have information available in Spanish. Marcovitz said that social networking sites may also prove useful for spreading heart health messages.

Both doctors said that if you have chest pain -- and it may not always feel like pain; it could be pressure or a squeezing sensation -- that doesn't go away after a few minutes, you need to call 911. Women also may have more unusual symptoms, such as feeling nauseous or having jaw pain.

"If you're having symptoms, make the phone call," advised Marcovitz. "Take your symptoms seriously. Even if it's not a heart attack, you'll still get the right cardiology work-up."

Mosca echoed that advice. "Most women know something isn't right, but they don't want to bother anyone. We'd rather you called 911, even if it's a false alarm," she said.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!!!

Winter Weather Tips from the American Heart Association
Combo of colder temperatures and physical exertion increases the workload on the heart

The American Heart Association says that for most people, shoveling snow may not lead to any health problems. However, the association warns that the risk of a heart attack during snow shoveling may increase for some, stating that the combination of colder temperatures and physical exertion increases the workload on the heart. People who are outdoors in cold weather should avoid sudden exertion, like lifting a heavy shovel full of snow. Even walking through heavy, wet snow or snow drifts can strain a person’s heart. 

Click here for more information on how cold weather affects the heart.

To help make snow removal safer, the American Heart Association has compiled a list of practical tips.

• Give yourself a break. Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling so you don’t overstress your heart. Pay attention to how your body feels during those breaks.
• Don’t eat a heavy meal prior or soon after shoveling. Eating a large meal can put an extra load on your heart.
• Use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower. The act of lifting heavy snow can raise blood pressure acutely during the lift. It is safer to lift smaller amounts more times, than to lug a few huge shovelfuls of snow. When possible, simply push the snow.
• Learn the heart attack warning signs and listen to your body, but remember this: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1
• Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before or immediately after shoveling. Alcohol may increase a person’s sensation of warmth and may cause them to underestimate the extra strain their body is under in the cold.
• Consult a doctor. If you have a medical condition, don’t exercise on a regular basis or are middle aged or older, meet with your doctor prior to the first anticipated snowfall.
• Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia. Heart failure causes most deaths in hypothermia. To prevent hypothermia, dress in layers of warm clothing, which traps air between layers forming a protective insulation. Wear a hat because much of your body’s heat can be lost through your head.

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the “movie heart attack,” where no one doubts what’s happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff is also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room. If you can’t access EMS, have someone drive you to the hospital right away. If you’re the one having symptoms, don’t drive yourself, unless you have absolutely no other option.

For more information, visit your physician or call the American Heart Association at 800-AHA-USA1 or visit online at www.americanheart.org. 

Macy's Goes Red For Women!

Go Red For Women is the American Heart Association's nationwide campaign to wipe out heart disease, the #1 killer of women. This effort celebrates our power to band together and fight back. One in three women dies from cardiovascular disease—and that number is simply too high. The good news? There's something we can do about it. It's time to take charge and give your heart the love it deserves!

• red is the color that saves—especially at our Wear Red Sale
• join Go Red For Women! sign up now
• take heart health to heart
• watch the Go Red For Women public service announcement
• read personal stories & share yours
• for more information, check out GoRedForWomen.org
  or en espanol GoRedCorazon.org