Articles by Ng Peng Hock on ArticleSnatch.com

Are Cardiac CT Scans Suitable For Everyone?

Fri, 08 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400

How do doctors determine whether their patients have developed heart problems? In the past, invasive angiogram used to be the common and unavoidable procedure doctors will employ. But now, more and more doctors are switching to cardiac computed tomography (CT) scans. It is known that there are at least 16 different types of CT scanners available nowadays in public and private hospitals. But doctors do caution that while these scanners promise a clear picture of the heart through non-invasive technology, they are not suitable for all heart disease patients. According to one cardiologist, "people with heart-related symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath and who have got abnormal or unclear results from stress test will benefit from these cardiac CT scans." Cardiac CT uses X-ray imaging to take images of the heart timed to the heartbeats to avoid motion blurring. It can provide information about the extent of blockages by detecting the amount of plaque build-up in the arteries. Compared with invasive angiography, the CT coronary angiogram is highly accurate. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) and treadmill tests are not very useful for preventing heart attacks, pointed out by another heart specialist. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> heart attack]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

How Much Do You Know About Heart Attack?

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

We may hear about heart attack all the time. And most of us will probably know that it is a very serious medical condition that could end the life of the victim. But, how many of us really have a good understanding of this condition? Heart attack results when a blood clot completely blocks a coronary artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. It will cause death of part of the heart muscle. It is found that the site of blood clot formation during a heart attack is usually a cholesterol plaque on the inner wall of a coronary artery. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure and electrical instability of the heart. The electrical instability of the heart can then cause life threatening abnormal heart rhythm (also known as arrhythmia). Normally, some warnings can be observed for a potential heart attack victim. A person with chest pain will not necessarily be qualified as a victim of heart attack, but chest pain or pressure is indeed a common symptom of heart attack. Cardiac chest pain is often vague or dull and may be described as a pressure or band-like sensation, squeezing, heaviness or other discomfort. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> heart attack]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Are Women Spared From Heart Disease?

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400

People always have the impression that heart disease only affects men. Women are less likely to have heart disease. This is definitely a common misconception. Most women are not aware that heart disease is the leading killer of women in United States and many developed countries. But, the following unexpected incident experienced by a young lady may change your mind! Being a non-smoker and very conscious of her eating habits, an active woman who has kickboxing classes twice a week to keep fit will never imagine that she could be at risk of heart disease. But in reality, she had fatal heart attack struck on her unexpectedly. One evening, Mary (not her real name) felt giddy and breathless after her regular kickboxing workout. She did not suspect anything else so she proceeded to the back of the studio to have a rest. She could feel tightness in her chest and before she knew it, she went into cardiac arrest which is identified by sudden loss of heartbeat and cardiac function and nor normal breathing. Fortunately, her husband was around and he suspected it could be due to something more serious than fatigue. So, he called for ambulance without any hesitation. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> heart attack]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

A Weight Loss Alternative For Obese Teens

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Obesity can lead to a number of medical issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney failure that could eventually lead to heart disease. As such, one cannot ignore this if he or she is going to live a full and healthy life especially young teens. A 17-year-old girl weighing more than 100 kg has very low self-esteem and finds every way to hide herself away from people because of her bulky body. She has joined weight-loss program, trying everything from slimming pills to dieting and exercise. However, nothing seems work for her. Her BMI was dangerously high, between 33 and 34, comparing to the healthy BMI for Asian of 18.5 and 23. It seems that surgery is the last resort, so she decided to go for a lapband surgery, an operation in which part of the stomach is sectioned off with silicone band. After a 3-day stay at the hospital, she was discharged and she managed to lose over 30 kg after the operation. Her life has been changed and she is much happier now. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> diabetes]]> high blood pressure]]> obesity]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Can Aspirin Really Keep Heart Attack Away?

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0500

According to the new guidelines issued by American Heart Association (AHA) and published in the Feb 20, 2007 issue of Circulation, Journal of AHA, all women of 65 and older should consider taking a daily dose of aspirin. In contrast to 162 mg previously, AHA recommends women with no heart disease to take a low dose of 81 mg daily while those at high risk to take 325 mg daily. It is reported that women account for nearly half of all deaths resulting from heart attack. But compared with men, they are less likely to believe that they are having a heart attack, and they are also more likely to delay getting emergency treatment. If we look at the statistics, deaths from heart attacks have steadily decreased for men during the past 20 years yet the death figures remained the same for women. Aspirin is a non-steroidal painkiller that is capable of thinning blood and it has already been given to women who are at high risk of heart attack. Although American doctors helping in formulating the guidelines felt that age was definitely a factor in causing more deaths of women than men in hospital after a heart attack. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> heart attack]]> aspirin]]> overweight]]> blood pressure]]> exercise]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Can Everybody Go For A Heart Scan Now?

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Blocking of arteries in hearts can lead to heart disease. In the worst scenario, it may even cause fatal heart attack that could lead to death. Hence, when patient's heart shows some sorts of unhealthy signs, his or her doctor will usually recommend or ask the patient to go for a heart scan to see if the arteries are blocked before the doctor can decide what action to take on the patient. In the past, patients who needed a heart scan would have to take a drug to slow down their heartbeat to 65 beats per minute so that a clear image could be produced using a conventional computed tomography (CT) machine. Hence, the patients would be required to take the drug known as beta-blockers and wait for an hour for it to take effect. Unfortunately, not all patients can take beta-blockers. For instance, it is not suitable for asthmatics and those who have chronic bronchitis. Hence this group of patients cannot be scanned by CT machine. Instead, they will have to rely only on other tests such as electrocardiogram (ECG) to gauge if they had blocked arteries. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> heart attack]]> heart scan]]> CT]]> ECG]]> beta-blocker]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Fiber Is Good To Prevent Heart Disease Too

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

It is unarguable that fiber may provide many healthy benefits to our body, many of us have in fact tried to avoid as far as possible. Why is this so? We all know that, fiber has no flavor or color and it hides in many of the foods that we eat. People choose to stay away from it simply because it is not tasty to eat and rather hard to chew. Fiber is good for our gut because it helps clear unwanted wastes from our body. It also helps maintain intestinal health, lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels as well as boost the immune system. In addition to its ability to help women protect against breast cancer, research also showed that it reduces the likelihood of heart disease and soothes inflammation in the body. It was found that people eating the most fiber, 21g per day, had 12 percent less heart disease than those eating the least, 5 g daily. This was reported by a study that observed the eating habits of 10,000 American adults. For those who ate the most soluble dietary fiber, they fared even better with a 15 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> fiber]]> cholesterol]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Can Fiber Help Diabetics?

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Fiber forms an important part of our diet. Unfortunately, many of us ignore this either intentionally or unintentionally. Some people will find fiber hard to chew or rather not tasty at all. So they simply keep fiber away from their meals. Others may eat less fiber simply because of their eating habits. These people are mostly not aware of the benefits that fiber can bring to their bodies. There are two categories of fiber. Insoluble fiber acts like a broom in the gut while soluble fiber is more sponge-like in its actions. When both are paired together, they resist digestion by the body and do not contribute to calories. Fiber can not only help our gut but also prevent other diseases. For example, a new study showed that pre-menopausal women who eat a high-fiber diet (30 g per day) are strongly protected against breast cancer. As we all know, diabetic may develop other medical complications or even heart disease if his or her condition is not managed properly. This group of people usually needs medication and in serious cases, injection of insulin may be prescribed by doctors. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> diabetes]]> fiber]]> blood sugar]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

The Risk Of Drug-coated Stents Can Be Managed

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Despite the recent negative news that patients with drug-coated stents have higher risk of blood clots than those with bare metal stents, a pioneer of the drug-coated stent has said that with proper medication, that risk can be managed. According to Professor Patrick Serruys from Netherlands' University Hospital in Rotterdam, drug-coated stents are as safe as bare metal stent in the first year after they are implanted, as long as patients take two blood-thinning drugs. The risk of blood clots occurring in subsequent years is actually very low, at 0.6 percent. In contrast, the risk of blood clots for those who had undergone a procedure to clear a clogged artery without implanting any stent are at a higher risk, 3 to 5 percent, of developing blood clot. Without stent, about 40 percent of patients will have their arteries clogged up again. The bare metal stent will cut the rate to between 20 and 30 percent. For some patients, however, the artery would still narrow as a result of excessively scarring of its walls. Therefore, drug-coated stents was introduced in 2000. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> heart attack]]> diabetes]]> blood clot]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

What So Great About GL Diet?

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

GL stands for glycemic load. It is believed by many health professionals that low GL diet will be more popular than low-fat, low-carbohydrate (carb) or low-calorie. The low-fat and low-calorie diets do not stop obesity epidemic in countries like Britain and United States despite the fact that the average number of calories and percentage of calories from fat went down. To the contrary, the obesity epidemic has in fact accelerated. Obesity will cause us gets higher risk of developing into many medical health issues including heart disease. Dr Atkins realized that it was the carbohydrate that increases the blood sugar and hence the weight. In order to prevent the body from converting carbs into fat, a high-protein, high-fat and low-carb diet was proposed. It works but it does not really make one healthier. In 1980s, people started measuring GI (glycemic index) of foods, which is a measure of how fast the sugar in food increases one's blood sugar level compared with glucose. GI diet suggests limiting high-GI foods but does not restrict the quantity of carbohydrates. GL means the quantity of carbs (the Atkins factor) multiplied by the quality (the GI factor). **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> GL diet]]> obesity]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Does Salt Matter Your Heart Health?

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

We add salt into our food to make it tasty. Occasionally, we also put salt into our mouth if we have ulcer because it can make the ulcer healed faster. In older time when we do not have refrigerator, salt was used to preserve our food for longer period of time. Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is a mineral that is needed by our body everyday. Our body requires a certain amount of salt to regulate our blood circulation and balance the tissue fluids which transport oxygen and nutrients to various parts of our body. Salt also helps the electrical charges to move in and out of our cells, allowing our body to control tactile processes like taste and smell. It is also essential for the contraction of muscle, particularly the heart muscle. It seems that salt is one thing that we cannot live without. However, our body needs only 1 teaspoonful or 6g of salt daily while the amount consumed by most people is well above the minimum required level. The excessive salt will harm our body in the long run. **End Summary** Topics: coronary heart disease]]> hypertension]]> salt]]> sodium]]> osteoporosis]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

What Are Designer Eggs Related To Heart Disease?

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

We all have heard about designer fashions, designer watches, or designer bags. But, have you heard about designer eggs? When you shop around supermarkets, you will probably come across eggs tagged with labels such as Omega 3, Low Cholesterol, Organic Selenium, Beta-carotene, and more. They also cost very much more than the normal eggs. Perhaps that is why they are termed as designer eggs. These Designer eggs are not new at all. They have been in the market since early 1990s, and they are already a booming business in the West. A 2004 Associated Press report from Loa Angeles indicated that designer eggs account nearly 5 percent of the US$3 billion egg market in the United States. They are none other than those produced by feeding egg-laying hens with a special diet rich in certain vitamins and other nutrients. The special diet usually includes kelp, flax seeds, canola oil and marigold extract. Different categories of designer eggs serve different purposes. For example, Omega-3 eggs are claimed to be heart-healthy, and Carrot eggs are high in luteins, which play a role in preventing eye disease. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> designer eggs]]> luteins]]> triglyceride]]> cholesterol]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

What If You Have A Fatty Liver?

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

A fatty liver is one that has build-up of fat in the liver. It may not cause any harm to the liver, if mild. However, if the condition gets worse, the liver can become inflamed and over time, this might even result in severe liver damage. Diabetes and high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are often associated with a fatty liver. This means that there is a great chance of developing into complex medical complications such as hypertension, stroke and even heart disease. An over-stress liver usually gets un-noticed since it has the capacity to regenerate. However, an over-stress liver can have symptoms such as digestive disturbances, aches and muscle stiffness. So watch out for these! A therapeutic diet may be able to help and it usually consists of 2 parts: first to remove what is harmful and then to replace what is needed. To remove what is harmful, you need to lower the overall intake of fats, which includes saturated animal fats and even the healthier vegetable fats. The only exception is omega-3 fatty acids. This is because these can help the liver process fats better and reduce the production of triglycerides. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> fatty liver]]> hypertension]]> stroke]]> triglyceride]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Does Heart Grow Older With Age?

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Your age does not determine how young or old your heart really is. A heart of a 40-year-old person may have the vitality of a 30-year-old while a much younger person's heart could behave as one twice the chronological age of the person. Sound unbelievable? So how can one determine one's heart's well being? One way is to find out the blood pressure and heart rate. For adults in an urban society, the normal blood pressure is 130/80 and the heart rate is between 60 and 90. Nevertheless, the ideal level is closer to 110/70, level of which corresponds to persons in their 20s and 30s. Everybody stands an equal chance of contracting heart disease if one neglects the health. Cardiovascular disease is largely preventable through adopting a healthy lifestyle program from young. According to a cardiologist, the 4 foundation pillars of maintaining good heart health include a balanced diet; adequate exercise; abstaining from smoking; and limiting alcohol consumption and emotional balance. Our hearts suffer when we keep poor dietary habits. A diet rich in foods of high GI (glycemic index) and GL (glycemic load) accelerates damages to the heart's arteries. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> healthy lifestyle]]> bad cholesterol]]> free radical]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Sporting Only On Weekend May Not Benefit The Body

Tue, 06 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

In addition to a balanced healthy diet, exercise also forms an integral part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. However, sporting, especially those high intensity exercises, only over weekend will do more harm than good to the body. High intensity exercises such as soccer and ruby will increase cardiovascular risk and rate of orthopedic injuries to the bones, muscles, tendons and joints, than low or moderate intensity exercises. In contrast, people who perform regular exercise spreading over the entire week, tend to achieve a higher level of aerobic fitness, strength, endurance and flexibility. The risk of injuries is also reduced. A simple warm-up exercise is a must as it helps prevent injury by increasing blood flow and oxygen to the muscles of the body, thus getting them up to a good working temperature. It also increases the speed of nerve conduction (improving one's reflexes) and improves the range of joint movement to reduce the chances of tearing a muscle or ligament. Generally, there are 3 types of exercises for general health and fitness: aerobics for cardiovascular fitness and endurance; resistance (for example weights training) for strengthening; and stretching for flexibility. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> exercise]]> diabetes]]> brisk walking]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Why Do People Eat Vegetables?

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

When talking about healthy diet, you cannot ignore fruits and vegetables, which are good sources of fiber that are required by our body. Fiber is good at lowering blood cholesterol, which will in turn reduce the risk of heart disease. However, people eat vegetables for different reasons. For instance, George, a 54-year-old man, has his wonderful reasons for eating vegetables. He chose to be vegetarian since he was 28 not because of health or religious issues. Why he does not eat meat is that he felt that eating meat is very inefficient because human beings have to feed lots of plant food to the other animals which we later eat. Plant-based diets are more efficient since we eat plants directly. This also means that more food available for people without enough food. Is his argument valid? It is up to you to judge. Nevertheless, he does admit many studies have linked animal-based foods to most of the health problems like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis and some cancers. For example, research showed that vegetables like red onions, chili peppers, carrots, cruciferous vegetables, berries, garlic, and turmeric are anti-cancer vegetables. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> diabetes]]> high cholesterol level]]> high blood pressure]]> vegetarian]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Things You May Not Know About Sugar

Fri, 02 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Sugar taste good and is something that people like to have but dare not because of various health issues especially for diabetics and obese. We like sweet, chocolate bar or candy since our childhood. They have been used as rewards by parents to persuade their children to behave the way they want them to. We usually view sugar as some white crystalline stuff that usually attracts ants if we do not keep them properly. But in reality, it is more than just that; it is really a type of carbohydrate which our body will need to keep ourselves going. Glucose, a form of sugar, is actually our primary source of fuel, with the body converting other carbohydrates into it. Sugar exists in many sources including white, brown and icing sugar, maple syrup, honey, and molasses. It is also hidden in foods like candy and soft drinks, as well as sweetened desserts. One can easily have too much sugar in the diet because sugar can be found in almost everything, even in milk and tobacco. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> diabetes]]> sugar]]> carbohydrate]]> glucose]]> overweight]]> obesity]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

How About A No Starve Diet?

Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Glycemic index (GI) is a ranking system for foods (specifically the carbohydrates contained therein) based on their effect on blood sugar levels in the first two hours. The concept was invented in 1981 by Dr. David J. Jenkins of the University of Toronto. Foods with a high GI tend to raise quickly the blood sugar level in the body while foods with a low GI will slowly increase the blood sugar over a longer period of time. Foods with a high GI value require less energy to be converted into glucose and will rapidly break down and raise the blood sugar. People who eat high-GI foods will feel hungry very soon. If this pattern is frequently repeated, one may end up with gaining in weight as a result of constantly overeating. On the other hand, foods with a low GI value break down slowly and release sugar gradually into the blood stream. The body will digest and absorb the sugar and starches in the foods at a slower rate. It will help control appetite and delay hunger as people will feel fuller for longer and are less prone to snack. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> GI]]> glycemic index]]> diabetes]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Can Diet With Supplements And Exercise Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

It is believed by most people that adult-onset diabetes is irreversible. Once you become diabetic, medication seems to be the only way to help you manage the condition to prevent you from getting into more health complications, for example, becomes a possible candidate of heart disease. However, some health professionals and experts do believe that a low-glycemic load diet, coupled with multivitamin, chromium and cinnamon, plus moderate amount of exercise usually can reverse this condition. This strategy does not seem to be accepted by many qualified dietitians. They argue that, for the management of diabetes, there is no clear evidence to support the benefits from vitamin or mineral supplementation in people without any underlying nutrient deficiencies. So, whom should we listen to? The diabetes experts, Dr Fedon Lindberg also recommends the aforesaid strategy. His vast experience with Type 2 diabetes patients is that a balanced low-glycemic load diet coupled with a healthy lifestyle can reverse the disease. His many patients who came for injecting as many as 200 units of insulin daily manage to quit insulin and medication for blood pressure and other conditions. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> diabetes]]> diet]]> exercise]]> cinnamon]]> chromium]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

How Is Brugada Syndrome Related To Sudden Death?

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

People die suddenly are mostly caused by heart conditions, though people can also die in their sleep from an asthmatic attack, a stroke, the rupture of an enlarged blood vessel or sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition when one's breathing stops due to an obstruction in the airway. For a very small portion of these cases, the cause of death cannot be identified. While unexplained sudden death of apparently healthy young men in their sleep is rare in the West, it is more common in South-East Asian countries and Japan. These men are called lai tai in Thailand, bangungut in Philippines and pokkuri in Japan. Back in late 1980s and early 1990s, doctors cannot find out the cause of these deaths. They postulated various causes of death, such as heart rhythms going awry in some unspecified way, and they identified these as cases of Brugada syndrome, a mysterious condition that kills victims in their sleep because of spontaneous abnormal heart rhythms. Nevertheless, it seemed that most of these populations were quite inaccurate. **End Summary** Topics: Brugada syndrome]]> stroke]]> heart rhythms]]> exercise]]> palpitations]]> heart disease]]> sudden death]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Does Racing 42 km Put A Heart At Risk?

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

In 2005, 382,000 people completed a marathon in the United States, an increase of more than 80,000 since the year of 2000, according to marathonguide.com. Mathematically, the risk is very small: Runner dying from a heart attack during marathon is about 1 in 50,000. But, does racing 42 km put a heart at risk? Let's take a look of a new study published in the Nov 28, 2006's issue of Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association. 60 entrants (41 men, 19 women) from the 2004 and 2005 Boston Marathon were tested before and after the race. Each was given an echocardiogram (ECG) to find abnormalities in heart rhythm and was checked for blood markers of cardiac problems, in particular for troponin, a protein found in cardiac muscle cells. If the heart is traumatized, troponin can show up in the blood. Its presence can determine whether there has been damage from a heart attack. The runners had normal cardiac function before the marathon, with no signs of troponin in their blood. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> heart attack]]> troponin]]> marathon]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

Is Having Fast Food Restaurant In Kid's Hospital A Wise Choice?

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

A United States research, published in Dec 2006's issue of Pediatrics, suggested that having fast-food restaurants in children's hospitals may encourage young patients' families to eat fast food and to think that it is relatively healthy. Parents of children who received outpatient treatment at Children's Memorial were much more likely to buy McDonald's food on the day their youngsters were treated than parents of children treated at Chicago-area hospitals without McDonald's. Parents of children treated at Children's Memorial also were twice as likely to rate McDonald's food as a relatively healthy choice than those whose children were treated elsewhere. In view of the prevailing concerns about the childhood obesity, this may be a troubling phenomenon. About 17 percent of US children are considered as obese. Heavy consumption of calorie-laden, fatty fast food is quoted as one of the possible causes. Obesity is a risk factor for health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke, high blood cholesterol, etc., which will ultimately lead to development of heart disease. Data collected showed that at least 59 of the United States' 250 children's hospitals have fast-food restaurants. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> diabetes]]> hypertension]]> stroke]]> obesity]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

How Needles Help A Stroke Patient To Recover?

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) is usually regarded as an alternative treatment. Patients will seek help from TCM physicians only when they cannot be treated by western medication. Lately, a growing number of western doctors have started to learn and use TCM to complement their western medical knowledge to treat their patients. Acupuncture is a major component of TCM to fight pain and illness. It has been practiced in China since 2500 BC. It involves inserting thin, metallic disposable needles into certain points of the body. These needles are then turned by hand or stimulated by machine. The aim is to balance of qi or life force in Chinese. TCM believes that qi flows in the body to keep us going, and it must be kept in good balance. Acupuncture can have any one of the six effects: - Relieve pain through raising the level of endorphins, a painkiller released by the body; - Give a feeling of sedation; - Adjust the body's homeostasis or the balance opposing systems such as a respiration rate and body temperature; - Enhance immune system; - Provide an anti-inflammatory result; - Furnish an anti-allergy effect. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> stroke]]> acupuncture]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

What Healthy Diet Is All About?

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Diet, as part of a healthy lifestyle, plays an important role in maintaining one's healthy body. It will help reduce chances of getting many health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, high cholesterol, etc that may ultimately lead to the risk of heart disease. Saying is easier than done! For working adults, maintaining a balanced and healthy is even more difficult because most of the time they eat out. Limited time available for meal and tight work schedule frequently cause workers to pick fast food or other convenient foods, usually not very healthy. Or, they simply skip the meal. Eating too little vegetables is one common phenomenon among working adults. Vegetables are great sources of vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Taking hardly any vegetables may result in deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the long run. Another problem for eating out is that the salt and saturated fat in the diets could be high. At least cooking and having meal at home means they can control this. In order to get sufficient vitamin A/beta carotene and vitamin C, one should eat a mix of bright and dark colored vegetables and fruits or citrus. **End Summary** Topics: heart disease]]> diabetes]]> hypertension]]> high cholesterol]]> healthy diet]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com

What Are The Causes Of Sudden Cardiac Death In Athletes?

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

As its name implies, sudden cardiac death is sudden and unexpected, with death occurring within minutes after collapse. It is more common in older folks with serious heart problems, but it can also happen to young and healthy people with no sign of heart disease. Nonetheless, sudden cardiac death is not common in athletes at all, according to research conducted in United States. Besides hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, scarring of heart and serious blockage of a few blood vessels supplying blood to the heart that can make athletes die instantly, there are also other rare causes including congenital abnormalities, congenital long QT syndrome, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, and commotion cordis. - Congenital Abnormalities These abnormalities are due to the heart arteries arising from the wrong position (right artery from the left sinus, or left artery from the right sinus). Detection of this condition is not easy unless with the help of echocardiography, angiogram, CT scan or MRI scan. Once detected, it should be corrected surgically before the athlete is allowed to participate in competitive sports. - Congenital Long QT Syndrome This occurs when the electrical activity in the heart that corresponds to the phase of muscle relaxation is too long. **End Summary** Topics: sudden cardiac death]]> heart disease]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included. Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com