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Blood pressure is defined as the force that is pushed along the arteries every time the heart beats. Therefore, blood pressure is a measure of how hard the heart has to work to pump blood.

The pumping action is known as systolic pressure. When the heart is at rest, between beats and the blood pressure falls, is known as diastolic pressure. Blood pressure is measured using a blood pressure cuff and recorded as systolic pressure over diastolic pressure. The top number indicates the systolic pressure and the bottom indicates the diastolic pressure. Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80. Blood pressure in children is much lower than in the adults since pressure rises as a person ages.

The systolic and diastolic reading of 140/90 or higher indicates high blood pressure. This can result in a faster heartbeat as the heart tries to pump the blood. This could lead to stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems.

Severe medical problems can cause blood pressure to rise. Arteries may become hardened and narrowed with cholesterol plaque and calcium, resulting in the heart having to pump harder.

Blood pressure is important to pay attention to as high blood pressure is linked to hypertension, which leads to heart attack.

Ask your doctor about your blood pressure.

Tagged with: blood pressure • diastolic pressure • heart attack • hypertension • systolic pressure

An implantable cardioverter defibrillator is a device designed for individuals with certain forms of heart disease or defects that put them at recurring risk of sustained ventricular fibrillation, or cardiac arrest. They are a sort of pacemaker. The device is implanted either within the chest itself, or more recently, within the blood vessels which eliminates the need for open chest surgery.

An implantable defibrillator, or ICD, uses leads positioned near the heart to deliver electronic pulses when it is detected that a cardiac rhythm is out of sync. The device can also, if necessary, stimulate a consistent pace or beat if the heart is unable to do so on its own.

Internal defibrillators are only used in cases where a patient has shown consistent, recurring risk of cardiac arrest or attack do to fibrillation. As with any invasive surgery, an ICD is not to be taken lightly, but they have been extraordinarily useful in preventing sudden deaths among patients who elect to have them implanted.

If you are wondering if you are a candidate for an ICD, check with your regular doctor or cardiologist. Only they can determine whether you are in need of an internal defibrillator. However, if you have been found to be at recurring risk for rhythm interruptions, an ICD may be a treatment option for you.

Consult your doctor for more information about whether an ICD is right for you.

Tagged with: ICD • implantable cardioverter defibrillator • internal defibrillator • pacemaker

Red yeast rice is a natural product native to China that’s been used in Asian traditional medical since approximately 800 AD. Red yeast rice extract is carefully produced to avoid the presence of citrinin, a sometimes toxic by-product of the fermentation process. This product is further enhanced with the addition of CoQ10 to support healthy cardiovascular and immune system function, Milk Thistle Extract to support healthy liver function, and Alpha Lipoic Acid to provide antioxidant support.

Red yeast rice also contains several compounds collectively known as Monacolins, substances known to inhibit cholesterol formation.

Red yeast rice extract has a number of heart-healthy benefits: It seems to help reduce total cholesterol levels, lower levels of LDL termed as “bad” cholesterol, increase levels of HDL termed as “good” cholesterol, and lower levels of unhealthy fats called triglycerides. It seems to accomplish this by restricting the liver’s production of cholesterol.

Red yeast rice extract helps to prevent heart disease and some of its complications.
Red yeast rice helps in lowering cholesterol and triglycerides and has been used as a traditional medicine to promote circulation and heart health, but also used as a food flavoring agent.
Red yeast rice helps to prevent atherosclerosis - a condition that can lead to the “silent killer”-coronary heart disease
Red Yeast Rice helps to improve circulation by its cholesterol regulating action.

Ask your doctor before adding red yeast rice to your diet.

Tagged with: HDL • Red yeast rice • Red yeast rice extract • Triglycerides

Until recently, doctors have focused on the ratio of our good cholesterol (HDL) to our total cholesterol but today it is felt that a closer look at bad cholesterol (LDL) is our best management tool.

Total Cholesterol contains good cholesterol that protects our heart, known as High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and bad cholesterol that is harmful to the heart, known as Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL).

Cholesterol, although a fat, is an essential nutrient for the body. It is made in the liver. The liver produces cholesterol in the necessary quantities for health. When the liver cannot efficiently dispose of the cholesterol excesses of a high fat diet, the excess cholesterol becomes bad cholesterol (LDL) and travels to the arteries of the heart and forms plaque. As the plaque accumulates, the walls of the arteries narrow and blood flow to the heart is restricted and is eventually blocked.

The theory that “a higher ratio of something good to something bad is always better” is especially true for a healthy heart. This new standard compares our bad cholesterol (LDL) to our good cholesterol (HDL), rather than our good cholesterol to our total cholesterol.

If you do not know your cholesterol numbers: total cholesterol, HDL and LDL, make an appointment with your physician and request his recommendations for cholesterol management.

Tagged with: bad cholesterol • good cholesterol • HDL • LDL

There are successful PAD, public access defibrillator, campaigns that are currently running in the US. Good examples of offering public access to defibrillators can be found in Indianapolis International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Colorado Springs Airport, Nashville International Airport, St. Louis International Airport/Lambert Field, Tampa International Airport and Tucson International Airport.

Only 10 months after the se programs were initiated, the survival rate of patients has risen to 75%. Even though the automated external defibrillators are very easy to use, it is necessary that people benefit of some basic AED training in order to avoid negligent use of this device and make the AEDs fully effective. The basic training must consist of at least 3 or 4 hours of training.

After having completed the AED course, one must be able to determine the state of a patient and whether the use of an AED is needed. The AED trainee should to be able to assess the state of the patient after the shock delivery. The trainees also have to know what precautions are needed in order to perform a safe defibrillation.

Presently, there are several automated external defibrillator training courses provided by the American Heart Association (AHA) or the Red Cross on request.

Tagged with: AED course • external defibrillators • heart attack • PAD • public access defibrillator

High cholesterol tends to cause the narrowing and hardening of the arteries, which in turn can lead to heart disease or stroke. What does blood cholesterol level depend on? Many people would say it depends on the kind of food we eat but this is not the whole truth when it comes to high cholesterol. High cholesterol can also be caused in part to how cholesterol is made in your liver.

There are two kinds of cholesterol - the good HDL cholesterol, and the bad LDL cholesterol. HDLs are transporters that carry excess cholesterol to the liver where it can be broken down. LDLs cause the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries leading to high blood pressure and risk of heart attack.

Vitamin C has been found to be a very effective treatment for high cholesterol. Pectin from fruit and vegetables seems to help in fighting high cholesterol by flushing out the excess from the system. Two or three carrots a day is said to be beneficial in lowering high cholesterol. Strawberries, apples, spinach, potatoes and tomatoes are also useful in the treatment of high cholesterol. Vitamin E prevents the oxidation of cholesterol and can therefore prevent hardening of the arteries.

Garlic, turmeric and cinnamon are also very beneficial natural treatments of high cholesterol. Ask your doctor which foods will work best for you.

Tagged with: heart attack • Heart Disease • high blood pressure • lowering high cholesterol • stroke

Cardiac rehab begins with learning to take your pulse, oxygen usage and rhythm monitoring guidelines. You will also be given a personal exercise worksheet to track your gentle progress forward in a customized program. In addition, numerous classes (stretching, therabands, free weights) and support groups (smoking cessation, stress management, osteoporosis and diet education) may be available.

Some may be asked to wear a wireless heart monitor during exercise with someone at a computer screen monitoring your rhythm. Although physically challenging at times, the cardiac rehab environment can make for a positive, confidence-returning experience after an episode with your heart.

There is a book, Heart Attack: Advice for Patients by Patients (Yale University Press, 2002), where most of the eleven contributors go out of their way to rave about their cardiac rehab program experience. As well there are programs and support groups available for cardiac rehab. The social and emotional support received from these groups and programs can be priceless.

Rather than returning to one’s previous gym or yoga class, many heart patients take advantage of ongoing membership in their cardio-directed program with great results. Of course, the ultimate decision on what cardiac rehab is best suited for any one patient will come from their health care professional.

Tagged with: Cardiac rehab • groups and programs • heart monitor • Yale University Press

Lycopene is a Carotinoid (a red pigment) that is found in tomatoes and other red fruits and is a powerful antioxidant. This natural substance is an unsaturated carotenoid pigment, similar to Beta-Carotene. While Lycopene has no vitamin A, research has shown it to be one of the most important natural antioxidants produced today.

Lycopene in tomatoes is absorbed better if processed into juice, sauce, paste and ketchup. Lycopene has been connected to the reduced risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that may also help to encourage the health of the heart and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Lycopene Benefits:

* A potent antioxidant helps to neutralizes free radicals which can damage cells in the body.

* Reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke.

* The Lycopene helps to reduce the damage to skin by regenerating new skin cells.

* Lycopene is associated with reduced risk of macular degenerative disease.

* Helps to promote the health of the heart.

Ask your doctor before using this product. As well, if you’re on a low fat diet for heart health it can harm the body’s ability to absorb Lycopene. Also, certain cholesterol-lowering medications, margarines enriched with synthetic plant sterols such as Benecol, and fat substitutes such as Olestra can also decrease the body’s ability to absorb Lycopene, so talk to your doctor.

Tagged with: Benecol • coronary heart disease • health of the heart • lycopene • Olestra

African Americans have a heart disease rate of over 36%. Millions of African Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease and the numbers are nearly one in five.

African Americans have a higher rate of heart disease due to three of the risk factors: high blood pressure, being overweight and higher rates of diabetes.

As well, the statistics for African-American women are alarming.

Lack of physical activity is a major concern. Physical inactivity is more prevalent for women, African Americas and Hispanics. For African American females age 18 and older, over 50% are inactive, compared to fewer than 40% of Caucasian females.

A prominent professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School warns the “there is a critical need for greater awareness about the risk of heart disease among African-American women” and adds that “all women need to be conscious of their own personal health risk, and the statistics for heart disease”.

The American Heart Association wants to address this. The ADA offers information to help African Americans understand why their risks are higher and shares information on what you can do to stay heart healthy.

As well, consult your physician for information on keeping your heart healthy.

Tagged with: African Americans • African-American women • Heart Disease • statistics for heart disease

Studies indicate that a drastic change in diet and exercise can reverse or even cure heart disease. This suggests that the same methods used to prevent heart disease can possibly be a way to cure heart disease.

One program that boasts if these changes is the Dean Ornish Program. It is based on a whole food and a plant-based diet which is a very regimented. According to this program, there are a number of steps that are necessary to reverse or cure heart disease.

Step #1 in the Dean Ornish Program is to lower the fat intake to 10% of your total daily calorie intake. Doing this has been shown to lower cholesterol and lower high blood pressure. This plan also requires a lowering of dietary and an increase in soy protein to 15% of your total daily calories.

Step #2 for the program is to have at least 30 minutes of strenuous exercise every day to help maintain a healthy weight. Combine theses things along with quitting smoking and drinking in small amounts appears to be very promising for ways to cure or reverse heart disease.

Managing stress with meditation, anger management, and even being among friends are great ways to keep heart disease at bay.

Vitamin C has been shown to reduce cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Within a few hours after receiving vitamin C patients showed a sharp decline in the cholesterol levels of the blood.

If you are at risk for heart disease ask your doctor before starting any treatment.

Tagged with: Dean Ornish Program • exercise • lower cholesterol • lower high blood pressure • soy protein