Premature Aging May Indicate Heart Disease

Posted by: gilberterh287 Posted on: May 17, 2019

In research presented at a recent meeting of the American Heart Association in Los Angeles, Danish scientists presented their findings from a 35-year study that sought to determine whether visible signs of aging were a better predictor of heart disease risk than the presence of physical symptoms that could only be detected with scientific tests. When asked to explain why she and her fellow scientists were examining these things, senior study author Anne-Tybjaerg-Hansen said, “The visible signs of aging reflect physiologic or biological age, not chronological age, and are independent of chronological age.” The scientists’ working hypothesis was that indications of premature aging might reveal more about a patient’s heart risk than had previously been assumed.

In the study, the researchers examined of 10,885 subjects (all over 40 years old at the start of the study, and 45% female) for visible signs of aging, and found that 7,537 of them had receding hairlines (frontoparietal baldness), 3,938 of them had crown top baldness, 3,405 of them had fatty buildups that created “earlobe creases,” and 678 had fatty deposits around their eyes. As if these visible signs of aging weren’t bad enough in themselves, over the 35-year duration of the study 3,401 of these visibly-aging subjects developed heart disease, and 1,708 of them had heart attacks.

The study’s findings suggested that both individually and combined, these signs of aging predicted heart disease as accurately as traditional risk factors such as age, sex, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and a family history of heart disease. A buildup of fatty deposits around the eyes was seen as the strongest individual predictor, leading to a 35% increased risk of heart attack in both men and women. Men with a receding hairline had a 40% higher risk.

But the strongest overall predictor was a combination of several of these signs of aging. The more of them a person had, the higher their risk of heart disease. And this risk increased with age; subjects over 70 who displayed three or four of the aging signs had a 40% chance of contracting heart disease over the next 10 years.

To balance these findings somewhat, the researchers found that other signs of aging – such as wrinkles and gray hair – had no significant link to increased heart risk.

It is important to put this research into perspective. First, the research was presented at a medical conference and have not yet been submitted to the peer review process required before a study is submitted for publication. Second, the researchers themselves point out that their findings do not constitute a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between these signs of aging and heart disease. They merely point out that “looking old for your age is a marker of poor [heart] health,” and that doctors should take a patient’s physical appearance into consideration when examining them. As one reviewer of the study, a cardiac specialist herself, put it, “Sometimes, doctors are so busy putting the blood pressure cuff on, and so on, that we forget to step back and take in the patient’s overall appearance. When I do, I notice that people having heart surgery look old for their age.”

In other words, if you look old, your heart may feel old. So looking for the signs of premature aging could become a valuable addition to every doctor’s bag of diagnostic tools. As professor Anne-Tybjaerg-Hansen puts it, “Checking these visible ageing signs should be a routine part of every doctor’s physical examination.

Juliette Siegfried, MPH, has been involved in health communications since 1991. Shortly after obtaining her Master of Public Health degree, she began her career at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Juliette now lives in Europe, where she launched ServingMed(.)com, a small medical writing and editing business for health professionals all over the world.

Is Bradycardia Unhealthy?

Posted by: gilberterh287 Posted on: May 17, 2019

Bradycardia is a condition where the heart beats slower than normal. This reduction in the heartbeat can lead to a number of health problems and most of them are related to supply less oxygen rich blood to the various parts of the body. There are a number of reasons that can cause

bradycardia and most of these reasons can be corrected without the help of surgery. The symptoms of bradycardia are related to the lack of oxygen.

Bradycardia varies with the symptoms and severity. At time the condition is minor and there are no symptoms then there is no treatment required.

However, in case you are experiencing symptoms then some of them may include:

  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Continued fatigue
  • Falling short of breath
  • Loss of consciousness

Bradycardia can result from a number of factors that include:

  • Congenital defects like presence of irregular heartbeat at the time of birth.
  • The process of aging and degeneration results is the slowing of heartbeats.
  • There are also some medicines used for cold and also diet pills that often cause arrhythmia.
  • Also, any dysfunction in the electrical pathway of the heart can result in bradycardia.

Bradycardia can be of different types, but not all of them are considered to be life threatening. Some of the types of bradycardia include:

  • Sinus – The heartbeat naturally slows down when you breathe and increases when the air is exhaled.
  • Sick Sinus – A severe form of the sinus can lead to heart related illness. This is commonly called as flutter or arterial fibrillation.
  • Atrioventricular Nodal – This is indicated by a slow movement between the trough and the ascent on the ECG.
  • Ventricular – Heart rate is below 50 beats per minute.
  • Infantile – This is seen in infants that have a heartbeat below 100.

However, it is important that palpitation of the heart slower than normal and any variation in the ECG needs to be diagnosed officially. The treatment of bradycardia depends on the severity and also on the symptoms experienced by the person. The doctor might prescribe some medications and also would ask you to make some lifestyle changes. In some of the cases, the doctor might ask you to wear a heart rate monitor that would record all the conditions of the heart and also record the overall health and the effect of the treatment that is being given.

If the person sees a doctor immediately after experiencing the symptoms of bradycardia then the condition can be taken care of quickly. It can be much easier to identify the cause of the problem and the course of treatment can be started promptly and effectively. If the instructions of the physician are followed properly then it is possible to see an improvement in the heart rate and also alleviation in the symptoms of the condition. That’s why, it is important that you see a doctor as soon as you experience any symptoms related to bradycardia.

Knowing the Difference Between Good and Bad Cholesterol

Posted by: gilberterh287 Posted on: May 13, 2019

The word cholesterol is associated with mostly bad connotations, but what not everyone knows is that there are both good and bad types of cholesterol and getting the balance right is crucial to our well-being.

Good cholesterol, known also as HDL or “High-Density Lipo Protein”, is used by the body in order to clear other cholesterol and arterial plaques and carry them away from the major organs.

This then also clears blockages and improves blood pressure and lessens the likely hood of heart disease, heart attack or stroke. Good cholesterol is also used by the body in order to produce the crucial vitamin D as well as to digest fats. Some cholesterol is also required in order to give mammalian cells their density and consistency.

Bad cholesterol, on the other hand, also known as LDL or “Low-Density Lipoprotein”, has the opposite effect of blocking arteries. Over time excess cholesterol along with other waste products in the blood including fats can collect on the walls of the arteries causing them to become narrower and less flexible.

This can then obstruct the flow of blood and cause complications such as angina (chest pain). Eventually, these blockages can build up and form a clot which can cause either a heart attack or stroke.

There are also two other forms of bad cholesterol known as LD(a) and Triglycerides, these are less understood but are linked to LDL and correlated with heart disease, heart attack, stroke, diabetes and angina.

As there are many different types of cholesterol this must be taken into account when monitoring cholesterol levels; to completely eliminate cholesterol from the diet would be misguided. Furthermore, as the liver produces its own cholesterol, cholesterol levels can not be controlled by diet alone and have a genetic/familial aspect.

If your physician suspects you have high levels of cholesterol you will be subjected to a blood test or lipo profile which will indicate your cholesterol levels and exact ratio of LDL to HDL. Obviously here the aim is to have as high HDL as possible while maintaining low levels of LDL. Ideally, an individual should have a cholesterol level of 200 or below with 140 to 160 being made up of bad cholesterol and 40 to 60 consisting of good cholesterol.

Obviously the aim is to have as high HDL as possible while maintaining low levels of LDL. Ideally, an individual should have a cholesterol level of 200 or below with 140 to 160 being made up of bad cholesterol and 40 to 60 consisting of good cholesterol.

If it is found that a patient has undesirable high levels of bad cholesterol they will have to alter their diet and lifestyle accordingly. To reduce LDL, saturated fats and simple carbohydrates (such as sugar and sweets) should be limited. This includes butter, lard, oil, fries, burgers, takeaways, ready meals, cakes, biscuits and chocolate.

There are many small changes you can make to your diet such as removing the sugar from tea and oil from your cooking, which will immediately lower bad cholesterol. Other things that will exacerbate bad cholesterol include smoking, obesity, inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption. Thus losing weight and quitting smoking are fast ways to improve cholesterol as well as many other facets of health.

In addition to lowering bad cholesterol it is also important to focus on increasing good cholesterol which is often overlooked. One important diet change that will improve cholesterol is to increase consumption of fiber including citrus fruits, nuts, cereal bars, whole grain rice and bread, wheat’s and oats.

This lowers cholesterol by clearing out the intestinal and digestive tracts as well as improving bowel movements thus improving the body’s ability to dispose of excess cholesterol.

One of the most renowned foods for aiding cholesterol is garlic which works via both its high fiber content as well as its ability to combat bacteria. Diuretics and laxatives such as prunes, dried apricots’, tea, some mints and water, which again improve and encourage bowel movements. These diet changes will lower bad cholesterol and improve good cholesterol and affect the amount of each produced by the liver.

There are also various lifestyle changes that can increase HDL, exercise being one of the foremost. If after making recommended lifestyle changes high cholesterol levels still persist then doctors may advise a course in medications designed to help.

The most popular cholesterol medications are statins. Again these work to not only lower LDL but also to increase the liver’s production of HDL and have been shown to improve cholesterol levels by up to 60% making them the most effective form of prescription drug on the market.

Side effects include stomach cramps, stomach upsets, ab pain and nausea and in some rare instances statins can cause complications that damage the muscles and nerves. However, hopefully by adhering to the suggested alterations to your diet and lifestyle and focusing on raising good cholesterol as well as lowering bad cholesterol you should be able to make significant improvements naturally without pharmaceuticals.

How to Handle Emergency Medical Needs through Assistance

Posted by: gilberterh287 Posted on: May 7, 2019

Many medical emergencies can easily arise in a different environment hence the need to have established emergency medical assistance set to save different cases. Such emergency services are on the front line when it comes to handling life restoration process. Across the world, there is a different established nonprofit organization that has been set as EMA focusing on different matters. The specialization of the services that are offered makes an EMA work perfectly as they have all the expertise and right skills that the environment need.

Some of the emergency medical assistance are regionally based while others handle emergency cases across the world. Finding EMS is not difficult as there are a lot of them in the area you lived in, not just in medical issue also you can find emergency dentist near me or your area at.Their main purpose is to offer support for the people who are in need yet limited to get the right and timely medical health care.

Even though different groups of people may be entitled to some of the best medical care that they deserve, this may not be the case making EMA a great alternative. Since life is key, most of the services offered under EMA don’t have boundaries on what they offer but always have the focus to restore lives.

Who are the greatest beneficiaries’ of EMA?

Most of the EMA are established to focus on a specific group of people or region with clear services that they offer. They are known publicly to make it easy to refer to emergency cases that arise to potential clients. Some of the EMA services are meant for referral cases where the condition can’t be handled from any other health care centre.

How to set up an EMA.

Some of the EMA are established depending on the current conditions and requirements. They can be temporary to handle a specific type of condition or treatment after which they are dissolved once the medical condition is under control. There must be a clear guideline on how the emergency cases are received and handled by the centre including clear documentation.

The Importance of EMS Professional and How it Works

Posted by: gilberterh287 Posted on: May 7, 2019

The operation behind the EMS professional is diverse and requires a lot of training and passion as well. The abbreviation EMS has widely been used to handle emergency services and is fully known as emergency medical services. They are set in place to handle emergency services that require urgent response to different medical and emergency needs.

When they are perfectly designed, they offer services out of hospitals such as definitive care and transport to make sure effective delivery of emergency services. Any sickness or injury that can compromise the state of life requires an emergency response. In some environments, they are known as the first aid or the ambulance crew since they work closely with the ambulances to offer paramedic services.

How the systems work to handle emergency needs.

The direct contacts for most of the emergency medical services have been declared publicly and they can be contacted any time there is emergency need. Both the medical facilities and the public are free to contact any of the service providers to rescue a condition or an injury that can extremely affect life.

Managing emergency cases in a bigger population may require more resources and personnel to effectively manage the process. Most of the busy emergency medical services are designed with control centres where all the available services and resources are centrally managed.
Some of the emergency medical services can be delivered inside the ambulance to manage situations while heading to an appropriate facility. Depending on the nature of the emergency that has been reported, the right resource and personnel to manage the situation will be dispatched.

Importance of emergency medical services.

Just as the name suggests, emergency medical services help in managing emergency service as a result of accident, fire and injury among other possible cause. The services aren’t limited to emergency services but can be extended to normal operations to make them more effective. Resources such as boats, aircraft, motorbikes and cars have been designed to manage different emergency cases in different environments

Emergency Medical Center

Posted by: gilberterh287 Posted on: May 7, 2019

Medical emergencies are inevitable and experiencing one will prompt the patient to seek immediate medical care in an emergency medical center that operates 24 hours in the provision of quick medical care services. Emergency medical conditions requiring one to visit an emergency medical center include;

• Injuries as a result of accidents
• Animal bites such as a dog bite
• Unconsciousness
• Bleeding that is not controllable
• Shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing
• Allergic reactions
• Gunshot wounds
• Chest pains
• Sudden dizziness and weakness
• Vomiting and diarrhea that is severe
• Abdominal pain that is severe
• Poisoning
• Mental breakdown

An emergency medical center consists of an emergency medical team including doctors, paramedics and nurses that are trained on emergency medicine on how to provide emergency care to patients.
Emergency care provision in an emergency medical center involves a series of steps that include;

• Determining of patient condition

This involves accessing the severity of the patient’s condition by the emergency technicians and emergency nurses. A brief history of the medical health of the patient is also taken.
Treatment will be based on the severity of the patient’s condition whereby those requiring urgent attention are treated first.

• Registration

This involves the identification of the patient by the provision of vital information including contact details, previous medical history and approval to receive treatment. This will help the doctors to determine the best treatment option that the patient will receive and the type of tests to be run.

• Treatment

A physical exam is taken by the physician and various tests are run depending on the condition of the patient including blood tests, urine tests and imaging tests such as X-rays. This will help determine the type of treatment that the patient will receive. An IV fluid may also be administered during this stage where medications and fluids are directed into the patient’s system.

Based on the test results and condition, the patient might be admitted for further observation and treatment or just treated and then discharged to go home.

Medical emergency centers are important in that threats associated with medical emergencies such as heart attacks and stoke that can cost lives are prevented from happening by the provision of quick medical services.