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Recent studies have shown that as many as 65% of people who have a heart attack feel depressed. Women who have been depressed before and people who feel alone, without emotional support are at a higher risk for feeling depressed after a heart attack. Two new studies have shown that women are more likely to experience chronic depression after suffering a heart attack and lead lives of poorer quality following their treatments.

Being depressed can make it harder for a patient to recover. People that are quickly able to get back to their usual routines seem to experience less depression.

Can heart disease trigger depression or depression trigger heart disease?

Either of the above may be true, one thing seems clear. The two often go hand in hand, therefore controlling one may help control the other.

According to The American Academy of Family Physicians, research has shown that people who are depressed and have pre-existing cardiovascular disease have a 3.5 times greater risk of dying of a heart attack than patients with heart disease who are not depressed. As well, in a recent study, depression was shown to be associated with an increased risk of developing coronary heart disease in men and women. Depression was shown to increase mortality related to coronary heart disease in men but had no effect on mortality in women.

Ask your doctor about using lifestyle changes like avoiding alcohol, illegal drugs, smoking, starting a regular exercise program, eating a balanced diet, reducing stress and getting sufficient rest to fight heart disease and depression.

Tagged with: chronic depression • coronary heart disease • depression • heart attack • Heart Disease

Medical studies are not needed to tell us that anger raises our blood pressure, causes our hearts and heads to pound, makes us sweat and shake, and can make us unreasonable.

Is the answer then to suppress our anger? Anger is an emotion that, when not contained and channeled, can be harmful to the body, especially the heart.

Should you hold anger in, or express it outwardly? Research suggests that either extreme puts you at risk for heart disease.

Anger is hard on your heart! So what is the answer? Try not to get angry in the first place (easier said than done). Failing that suggestion, you can develop your emotional intelligence, and get smart about it.

A study of how men coped with anger revealed that those who were rigid in the way they handle anger, either always holding it in, or always expressing it , had higher total cholesterol and higher bad LDL cholesterol levels than those who were more flexible.

The answer is to be flexible. Sometimes anger should be kept in, and sometimes expressed. If you always hold it in, or always express it, you may be damaging your heart. Practice makes perfect, and it starts with self-awareness.

Tagged with: anger • bad LDL cholesterol • blood pressure • damaging your heart

Heart disease is the number one killer of people in the US. So, one should to be concerned about what is needed to avoid being a victim of heart disease.

You might be wondering if there is a natural remedy that can serve as a preventative or relieve or reduce the symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Is there some natural remedy that can lower LDL, reduce angina, reduce congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, prevent and reduce the fat on your artery walls and lower high blood pressure?

Yes there is. It’s an herb called Arjuna. Arjuna comes from the Terminalia Arjuna tree, located throughout India.

In all of the clinical studies that have being performed it has shown significant improvement in patients tested. In tests for LDL cholesterol, it reduced LDL by 25% after 30 days of use with a dose of 500 mg per day.

People who suffered from angina attacks were put on Arjuna. During a 12 week period, these people had a 30% reduction in angina attacks.

Arjuna is also affordable. Most herbal remedies or supplements that can really do something for are expensive. Arjuna is quite a bit less at your health food store or when purchased through mail order.

Of course, before beginning any supplement, talk to your doctor first.

Tagged with: angina • Arjuna • cardiovascular disease • healthy heart beat • heart failure • heart healthy

Chelation therapy is a process that cleans the arteries by using intravenous chelating agents along with dietary supplements. Lifestyle changes that focus on diet, exercise and stress reduction are also implemented.

The term ‘Chelation’ means “combining with metal.” The major chelator used is ‘EDTA’, a synthetic amino acid, which removes toxic heavy metals from the body by stuicking to them and removing them through the kidneys. ‘EDTA’ is non-toxic when used properly and according to the guidelines of the American Board of Chelation Therapy. ‘EDTA’ also sticks to calcium which builds up as plaques on the walls of the arteries.

Chelation therapy is a world-recognized treatment for heart arrythmias as well.

Chelation therapy can treat and reverse degenerative illnesses also. However, Chelation therapy is mainly used to treat heavy-metal toxicity and cardiovascular disorders like hardening of the arteries and high blood pressure.

Chelation therapy involves intravenous injection of ‘EDTA’ into the blood in sessions that last three to four hours. A series of chelation treatments usually include twenty to thirty treatments.

There are severl products and programs available for Chelation therapy such as :Carrdio Renew and Angioprim. Ask your doctor which products he recommends.

Make sure you find a practitioner qualified by the American Board of Chelation Therapy for your therapy.

Tagged with: Angioprim • cardiovascular disease • Carrdio Renew • Chelation therapy • EDTA • Heart Disease

A pacemaker is a small, battery operated medical device designed to electrically stimulate the heart in order to restore normal heart rhythm.

A pacemaker has two main parts: the pulse generator and pacing leads. The pulse generator is where the battery and electronic circuits are located. These circuits contain timers that regulate how often the pacemaker sends impulses to the heart.

Pacemaker surgery complications:
The most common complications of the pacemaker surgery are blood loss, infection, and lead dislodgement. However, the percentage of any of these complications occurring is very low.

The patient is given a single dose of antibiotics during the surgery to prevent infection. Antibiotics may also be given after the operation in selected cases.

If blood loss is excessive, which is very rare in pacemaker surgery, a blood transfusion may be necessary.

If a pacemaker lead moves from its proper position (highly unlikely), a second surgical procedure may be needed to reposition the displaced lead.

Restrictions for pacemaker patients:
Following the procedure, the patient will have certain restrictions for days or weeks. All patients with pacemakers are asked not to participate in contact sports. This restriction may be life-long.

In addition, patients will be asked to avoid interaction with certain electronic devices that may interfere with the pacemaker’s proper function.

Ask your doctor to give you all your post surgery instructions for your new pacemaker and be sure that you understand them.

Tagged with: • cardiovascular disease • Heart Disease • heart failure • pacemaker • pacing leads • pulse generator

A normal heartbeat comes from the heart’s natural pacemaker called the “sinus node.” When the sinus node sends signals, a wave of electricity then moves across the upper chambers of the heart causing the upper chambers to contract.

The electrical impulse then moves to the lower chambers of the heart resulting in contraction there.

These contractions allow for blood to be pumped to the body. This blood supplies the body with oxygen and nutrients, as well as eliminates waste products.

When the hearts natural pacemaker doesn’t function normally, an artificial pacemaker may be needed.

Some people are born with sinus dysfunction as a result of some congenital heart defects. As well sinus misfiring can also be the consequence of certain surgical procedures.

Many other patients may need a pacemaker with conditions such as abnormally fast heart rates, patients who pass out, patients on medications that slow the natural heart rate, patients with heart valves that leak, patients with an abnormally thick heart and patients with poor heart function.

An artificial pacemaker helps to restore the heart rhythm towards a normal rhythm. This improves the heart’s ability to circulate blood through the body and the wear and tear on the heart it self.

Ask your doctor for more information about on pacemakers.

Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • Heart Disease • irregular heart beat • normal rhythm • pacemaker

The normal function of a heart includes two main blood vessels leaving the heart: the aorta carrying blood to the body and the pulmonary artery that delivers blood to each lung.

In patients with truncus arteriosus there is only one great blood vessel or trunk leaving the heart, which then feeds the blood vessels that go to the lungs and the body.

A patient with truncus arteriosus usually begins to have problems in the first week of life. Their oxygen levels are usually lower than normal.

Because of the excessive amount of blood flow to the lungs with this malformation, congestive heart failure develops very quickly. With an X-ray, the heart looks enlarged and the lungs look hazy.

Indications of congestive heart failure included rapid breathing, shortness of breath, wheezing, grunting or very noisy breathing, nasal flaring, and restlessness.

The liver may be enlarged; neck vein distention, poor feeding, and facial swelling are also seen.

While truncus arteriosus may be suspected, an echocardiogram will confirm the presence of the disorder.Initial treatment begins with stabilizing the patient. Medications to control congestive heart failure such as diuretics are often started.

The use of a feeding tube or intravenous feeding may be needed. Surgical correction is typically carried out in the first few weeks of life after the infant is stabilized and the surgical repair of truncus arteriosus requires the use of heart-lung bypass machine.

Currently over 90 percent of patients survive repair of truncus arteriosus. As the patient grows, they will need to be followed by their cardiologist.

Tagged with: • cardiovascular disease • congestive heart failure • Heart Disease • heart failure • truncus arteriosus

Lycopene is a red pigment that is found in tomatoes and other red fruits. Lycopene has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant.

This natural, healthy substance is an unsaturated carotenoid pigment, similar to Beta-Carotene and has shown it to be one of the most potent antioxidants produced today.

The Lycopene in tomatoes can be used to protect the cardiovascular system more efficiently in the form of juice, sauce, paste and ketchup. As well, Lycopene has shown promise with reduced risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin.

Lycopene, which is a fat soluble substance, is mostly stored in blood and tissues such as the testis, adrenal glands, liver, prostate, breast, colon, and lungs.

If you are on a low fat diet you may not absorb Lycopene as well as some others. Lycopene also reduces the oxidation rate of lipids, suggesting a decreased risk of Cardiovascular Disease.

Some of the benefits of Lycopene are listed for easy reference below:

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

Reduced risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

Reduced damage to skin by regenerating new skin cells.

Reduced risk of macular degenerative disease.

Tagged with: antioxidant • cardiovascular health • coronary heart disease • lipids • lycopene

There are many things one can do to bolster heart health naturally. Below are some tips to do just that.

1. Avoid as much processed food as possible such as; cooked oils, white flour, red meat, white sugar, and any foods, which have been over processed or have chemical additives.

2. Eat lots of whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits.

3. Occasional juice fasting helps to purify the blood vessels. Fasting on grapes is considered one of the most effective ways to purify the blood. (ask your doctor first)

4. Vitamins and antioxidants help with heart health: A, C, E, and Lecithin, B complex (especially B3, B2).

5. Reflexology massage has been shown to bring circulation to organs, which cannot be affected by other means. By massaging the reflex point on the bottom of the foot we are able to bring blood flow to the various interior organs, so as to revitalize them.

6. All forms of movement and activity are helpful. Yes, exercise is always on the list for heart health. (ask your doctor first)

7. Deep breathing facilitates the return of the blood through the veins to the heart and reduces stress. When we breathe deeply and slowly, we help the blood to return to the heart an also move the lymph through the system.

These are just a few of the suggestions to naturally promote heart health. Your doctor will be able to provide you with more ways to keep your heart healthy.

Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • Heart Disease • heart health • irregular heart beat • pulmonary arteries • pulmonary hypertension

EKGs are used as a preventative measure for people who have a family history of heart disease.If a patient complains of chest pain or irregular heart beat the doctor will probably do an EKG.

An abnormal EKG is determined by comparing the results of the EKG ordered for you with a normal EKG. Normal EKG’s show a slight flat-dip in between beats. If these flat-dips are missing this is not normal.

Myocardial defects, heart valve disease, enlargement of the heart, inflammation of the heart, coronary artery disease, and past, pending or future heart attacks are only a few of the problems that EKG will find .

Some patients are surprised to find out that they have had an abnormal EKG. As well, even more surprising is when presented with abnormal EKG results, some physicians do not seem concerned. This doesn’t mean they are inadequate physicians; it is more likely they believe something else has caused the abnormal reading.

Most doctors will want to check further by doing another EKG. Sometimes something as simple as low blood sugar can alter EKG readings.

When you have an EKG done, ask your doctor to explain the results to you and ask questions if you don’t understand.

Tagged with: abnormal EKG • cardiovascular disease • ekg • Heart Disease • heart healthy • irregular heart beat