An Alarming Trend: A Rising Incidence of Heart Attacks in Younger Adults

Apart from the chitter and chatter of the pandemic, these days, every other person speaks or knows of some young adult experiencing a Cardiac Arrest. The media often highlights a young actor suddenly dying of a Cardiac Arrest or a Heart Attack – the latest one being reality TV star Sidharth Shukla. Haven’t you ever wondering why the number of Heart Attack cases is rising among young and active people? Why do younger people, who work out six days a week, fall among the percentage of Indians under age 40 stricken by heart attacks each year?

Dr Haresh G. Mehta, Consultant-Interventional Cardiologist,  says that there are several reasons to worry. “Not enough young people take their risk factors seriously. Firstly, it is important to note that looking fit or going to the gym does not mean you are healthy or living a healthy lifestyle. Many young adults these days usually indulge in an unhealthy lifestyle. For instance, excessive stress, lack of sleep, alcohol intake, smoking, drug abuse, unnecessary and unsafe supplements, slimming pills, and over-exercise.” 

Dr Mehta says that these are not only unhealthy but cause multiple health complications. Now, the problem is most people come in with a sudden Heart Attack causing death. Therefore, being informed about the risk factors is of significant importance. Some key risk factors of having a heart attack at a young age include: 

• Substance abuse or excessive alcohol use
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels
• Lack of physical activity
• Diabetes
• Poor diet
• Over-exercising

Now, the only way to avoid these health complications at an early age is a lifestyle change. Here are a few recommendations

• It is best to avoid over-the-counter supplements without consultation of a medical expert
• Stop smoking and alcohol intake
• Avoid addiction of any kind
• Try to practice meditation and Yoga to reduce stress
• Speak to your doctor for proper guidance on diet, supplements and exercises

At the end of the day, it’s essential to understand your risk factors – high blood pressure, waist circumference, unhealthy BMI, and work to correct them early. Start managing your health in your early 30s, watch your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and ensure regular health check-ups. Also, check for any genetic risk factors and align your lifestyle in consultation with your doctor. Whatever we can do early on, the better. We must set good habits for ourselves and for our children. It is also paramount that we become aggressive about risk factor modification, or the Heart Attack rate in young people will keep rising.

It is also vital that the general public learns CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) for the well being of society at large. Lastly, it is advisable for most public spaces like housing societies, gyms, malls, parks to have defibrillators that can act crucial to save people from sudden cardiac death.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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The Health Benefits of Brisk Walking

It's bizarre to think this, but these days people just don't walk enough, or even stand, for that matter. It's easy to let ourselves move from one comfortable seat to another, and get used to a sedentary lifestyle. But the act of walking isn't just a chore, it's something our bodies are made to do. When we do walk, the body benefits in many great ways. You won't believe how healthy it is to go on regular walks.

 

Hydroxychloroquine use may lead to irregular heartbeats, low blood sugar

The drugs chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, being used to treat and prevent COVID-19 despite weak evidence for their effectiveness, may have adverse side effects on patients like irregular heartbeats and reduced blood glucose levels, a new study says.

The review research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, provides an overview of potential harms associated with these drugs as well as their management based on the best available evidence. 

 Physician and patients should be aware of several rare but potentially life-threatening adverse effects of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine," said David Juurlink, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and a senior scientist at ICES.

According to the scientists, the potential adverse effects of these drugs include irregular heartbeats, reduced blood glucose levels, neuropsychiatric effects, such as agitation, confusion, hallucinations, and paranoia.

They said some people's bodies process chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine poorly, and a small percentage metabolise them rapidly, affecting their response to treatment.

Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, the scientists said, are highly toxic in overdose and can cause seizures, coma, and cardiac arrest.

 The researchers added that indescriminate use of hydroxychloroquine may make it unavailable to patients with autoimmune disorders -- such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other chronic diseases -- who are mainly prescribed the drug. 

According to the review, the evidence that these treatments might be beneficial in patients with COVID-19 is of poor quality,  and it is possible that the drugs could worsen the disease. 

"Despite optimism (in some, even enthusiasm) for the potential of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19, little consideration has been given to the possibility that the drugs might negatively influence the course of disease," said Juurlink. 

"This is why we need a better evidence base before routinely using these drugs to treat patients with COVID-19," he added.

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What is tachycardia, and when a high heart rate is dangerous

  Tachycardia is when your heart rate is faster than normal. 

    Sinus tachycardia is a normal increase in heart rate, like when you're exercising, and it is not generally considered dangerous. 

    Other types of tachycardia, like atrial fibrillation, cause a prolonged or recurring high resting heart rate — these types are considered dangerous and doctors will recommend treatment.
    
Tachycardia is a type of arrhythmia when your heart rate is faster than normal. A healthy resting heart rate for most adults is between 60 and 90 beats per minute (bpm), but adults with tachycardia usually have a resting heart rate greater than 100 bpm.

Here's what you need to know about what causes the different types of tachycardia and when the condition is considered dangerous. 

What is tachycardia

There are multiple types of tachycardia, which are categorized by where they originate in the heart. Some are not considered a danger to your health while others should be monitored closely. These include:

    Sinus tachycardia is a normal increase in heart rate, which can happen when you're exercising, scared, or anxious. It originates from the heart's sinoatrial node, commonly known as the heart's natural pacemaker. Sinus tachycardia is not usually considered dangerous because your heart is still beating properly.

    Supraventricular tachycardia occurs in the upper chambers of the heart. It's the most common type of tachycardia in children and also more common in women than in men. Some people experience no symptoms, but in extreme cases, you may lose consciousness and, very rarely, have cardiac arrest.

    Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of tachycardia. It happens when chaotic electrical impulses in the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) lead to rapid, uncoordinated contractions. Researchers estimate that 2.7 million to 6.1 million US adults have AFib. It's associated with 1 in every 7 strokes, tends to cause more severe disability from stroke, and contributes to more than 150,000 deaths annually.

    Ventricular tachycardia occurs in the lower chambers of the heart. It is dangerous: the National Library of Medicine classifies it as a "major cause of sudden cardiac death." Some 300,000 deaths a year in the US are attributed to this type of tachycardia.

    Ventricular fibrillation is a similar process in the lower chambers, where the ventricles quiver instead of pumping necessary blood to the body. The most serious form of tachycardia, v-fib is a medical emergency and leads to sudden cardiac arrest.

Who's at risk of tachycardia

Many types of tachycardia can lead to emergency medical events, like sudden cardiac arrest, a heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. But according to Solomon Sager, MD, a cardiologist and electrophysiologist at the Chicago Cardiology Institute, you might not even know you have it.

While those with tachycardia won't always notice, there are a few common symptoms. The first indicator is a heartbeat that feels too fast, which you can check by taking your pulse. Other symptoms may include heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness.

You're more likely to develop some form of tachycardia as you age. That's because structural changes in the heart may cause these abnormal heart rhythms over time, Sager says.

Patients who have a family history of tachycardia or congenital conditions at birth are at a higher risk. Certain health conditions are also associated with an increased risk, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea, and anxiety disorders.

With the help of wearable health trackers like the Apple Watch, more people are discovering they have tachycardia, even when they don't experience symptoms. Sager says you should take this kind of data seriously and follow up with your physician if anything is out of the ordinary.
How to treat tachycardia

Physicians treat tachycardia in a variety of ways, often involving critical lifestyle changes. Sager says people diagnosed with AFib are encouraged to exercise, eat a healthy diet, and treat underlying health issues, such as sleep apnea or diabetes. They should also cut down on alcohol and quit tobacco.

People with ventricular tachycardia more often require medication, surgery, or ablation. Doctors may prescribe antiarrhythmic medications to prevent arrhythmias from coming on, beta blockers to slow heart rate, and blood thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots.

Patients who still have tachycardia despite medication may undergo catheter ablations. During this two- to four-hour procedure, a cardiologist guides a flexible wire into the heart that burns affected heart tissue using radiofrequency energy. This stops abnormal electrical signals with a 90% success rate in some types of tachycardia.

If you experience a prolonged or recurring high resting heart rate, along with other symptoms of tachycardia, you should go to the emergency room or call 911.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
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Tragic pet owner dies after catching rare infection from his dog’s saliva that left him with gangrene and blisters

A PET owner has died after catching a rare infection from his dog's saliva which left him with gangrene and horrific blisters.

The 63-year-old, who has not been named, was completely healthy before being struck down with the devastating disease, doctors said.

The 63-year-old was completely healthy before being struck down with the devastating disease.

He spent more than two weeks suffering in hospital with a string of serious health conditions including pneumonia, gangrene and a fever of 41C.

The man was infected with Capnocytophaga canimorsus, a bacteria which is normally transmitted by bites - but can be spread through just a lick.

DEADLY INFECTION

When the man first went to hospital he had had flu-like symptoms for three days, a fever and had difficulty breathing.
His devastating story was reported in a medical journal by doctors from the Rote Kreuz Krankenhaus in Bremen, Germany.
Once medical treatment was underway, the man was already diagnosed with sepsis, and the man needed intensive care to try and save his life.
In the first four days while he was in hospital his condition got significantly worse, beginning with a rash on his face and nerve pain and bruises in his legs, reported recently.

What is Capnocytophaga canimorsus?

Capnocytophaga Canimorsus, a bacterial pathogen, is typically found in the saliva of cats and dogs.
It has the rare ability to cause disease in healthy individuals but has been known to cause severe illness in people with pre-existing conditions or compromised immune system.

The bacteria's transmission can occur through bites, licks or even close proximity to the animals.
Symptoms usually appear within one to eight days of exposure, but mostly on the second day. They can range from flu-like symptoms to sepsis.

Infection can usually be treated effectively with antibiotics and is recommended for a minimum of three weeks.

But there can be long-term side effects include amputation from gangrene, heart attack, and kidney failure.

The faster the infection is diagnosed the better the chance of survival. About 30 percent of all those infected die.

This then progressed to his kidneys and liver shutting down and blood clotting in his blood vessels, starting to rot his skin away.

These horrific effects then tragically led to a cardiac arrest.

The deadly infection he contracted is most often triggered by bites, according to doctors.

Medics were surprised it happened after licking alone, as the bug is rare and, according to one study in the Netherlands, affects only one in every 1.5million people. 

It is fatal in around 28 to 31 per cent of cases.

The man did not even have an open wound to begin with, which they said could have explained the more serious illness.

The team, led by Dr Naomi Mader, wrote: "Pet owners with flu-like symptoms should urgently seek medical advice when their symptoms exceed those of a simple viral infection, which in this case were (breathing problems and rash).

"Physicians confronted with such patients should ask about contact with dogs and cats."


this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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