Dos and Don'ts for cardiac patients during winter

With the cold conditions continue to grip the northern states, peaople with heart diseases are more prone to complications of precautions are not taken by them says a cardiologist.

The Dr. said, definitely the winter and low-temperature are not good for the patients who are having underlying coronary artery diseases. They've  a high incidence of an acute coronary syndrome, that means heart attack and unstable angina, which are common in the winter season.

A higher dise of medication during winter is suggested by the Dr. for the patients who are hypertensive and who are taking BP-lowering medications.

patients having arrhythmia problems like rhythm disorder, atrial fibrillation also have a higher incidence of the problems, feels the Dr.

The caring measures suggested by the doctor for the patients with slow heart-pumping include avoid smoking and consumption of alcohol, control the intake of fat-rick food items, which is more of a tendency during winter. Keeping a count on your blood pressure is a must.

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Frequent sauna use may cut stroke risk

People in Finland who regularly take saunas may face a far lower stroke risk than those who go less often, said a study Wednesday.

The report is the first to assess the relationship between saunas and strokes, and was based on more than 1,600 people who were followed for an average of 15 years.

Those who spent time in the sauna four to seven days a week showed a 61 per cent lower risk of having a stroke than people who went just once a week, it said.

A benefit was also apparent for those who took saunas two or three times a week, with a 14 percent lower stroke risk than those who took saunas once per week.

Researchers found the benefits persisted even after adjusting for other factors that could affect stroke risk, including exercise, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.

"These results are exciting because they suggest that this activity that people use for relaxation and pleasure may also have beneficial effects on your vascular health," said study author.

"Saunas appear to have a blood pressure lowering effect, which may underlie the beneficial effect on stroke risk."

Researchers cautioned that the study was observational in nature. Since it was based on questionnaire answers, it stopped short of proving cause and effect.

Previous studies have linked sauna use to a reduced risk of high blood pressure, dementia and death from cardiovascular disease.

The study enrolled people aged 53 to 74 years in the eastern part of Finland.

Since so few participants never took saunas, researchers could not compare sauna-goers to people who did not use them at all.

In Finland, saunas are so common that many people have them in their homes. Their relative humidity is usually 10-20 per cent.

Experts say some people should avoid saunas, including those who recently had a heart attack, those with unstable angina, and elderly people with low blood pressure.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                                                                                                                                                                                        PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/  

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Immunotherapy cuts heart disease risk in arthritis patients

Immunotherapy has the potential to reduce the risk of heart disease in patients suffering with rheumatoid arthritis, finds a study.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFI) and interfero-gamma (IFN), which normally protect the body, attack healthy cells.
The findings showed that the combination of two anticytokines containing extra-low doses of antibodies against TNFI and IFN could improve the efficacy of standard rheumatoid arthritis therapy and decrease heart disease risk. 

 "In rheumatoid arthritis, patients have painful and inflamed joints. They are also at increased cardiovascular risk, particularly if their rheumatoid arthritis is not controlled," said a Professor.

 
Further, the patients taking the combination of anticytokines had a lower rheumatoid arthritis disease activity score, as measured by the DAS28,2 and more dramatic decreases in IL-1, IL-6 and TNF alpha than the group on standard therapy alone.
The incidence of cardiovascular events (unstable angina, severe hypertensive crisis, and deterioration of chronic heart failure) was more than double in the group on conventional disease-modifying drugs alone (37 per cent) compared to those also taking the combination of anticytokines (13 percent).
"Our findings suggest that the decreased rheumatoid arthritis disease activity with the combination of anticytokines translates into decreased cardiovascular risk," Prof. said. 

 Rheumatoid arthritis is also associated with dysfunction of the blood vessel lining (called endothelium), which leads to lipid accumulation in the artery wall, plaque formation and atherosclerosis.

"Thus, decreasing disease activity may also reduce cardiovascular risk by slowing down or halting these processes," he added.
For the study, the team included 68 patients who had suffered from active rheumatoid arthritis for at least five years.
Patients were randomised to receive the combination of anti-TNF alpha and anti-IFN gamma plus standard disease-modifying therapy (38 patients) or placebo plus standard therapy (30 patients). 

 We recommend this new approach for preventing cardiovascular events in patients with moderate disease activity who are not receiving the standard biologics and who do not have severe complications."

The research was presented at the Frontiers in CardioVascular Biology (FCVB) 2016 in Italy, recently. 

 this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.
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IS IT ANGINA OR A HEART ATTACK?

Chest discomfort/chest pain, also known as angina, is a major symptom of heart disease. Angina occurs when the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen due to critical narrowing of coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart. This makes your heart cry out for more blood. And this cry is symptomised as chest pain. However, all chest pain is not angina.

HOW TO TELL
A different sensation: Classic angina is manifested with progressive tightness mid-chest, commonly described as a band around the chest or weight in the centre of the chest. Less commonly, there is pressure or squeezing. Some may also complain of suffocation, choking or breathlessness. The discomfort is diffused and deep-seated, best described as clenching a fist over the breastbone. Stabbing, pricking or other sharp and well-localised and transient chest pains are rarely due to angina. These could be due to indigestion or a muscle spasm. Anxiety may cause a dull aching, persistent pain around the left nipple, alternating with attacks of sharp, lancinating stabs lasting a few seconds. But it doesn't bear any relation to heart disease

It has triggers: Typically, angina has a regular pattern, and is brought upon by physical activity. This is stable angina. It is precipitated by physical exertion, developing gradually and increasing progressively as the activity is continued. Angina may also be aggravated by emotional stress and excitement. This is because suddenly your heart muscle requires more blood flow than can be supplied through the obstructed artery. Angina may appear more easily in the morning soon after waking up for the same reason. Rest relieves angina within a few minutes. It is rare for stable angina to persist beyond 30 minutes.The trigger is an important way to decode angina. Why? Because occasionally, discomfort or pain may be localised to sites of radiation such as the inner left arm, shoulders, lower jaw, teeth, neck or upper back without chest pain. Also, there may be other angina equivalents such as breathlessness, nausea, belching, heartburn, sweating and dizziness on physical exertion. More common in seniors and diabetics, the relation of physical activity helps to detect angina in them. Apart from activity, heavy meals and exposure to cold weather and cigarette smoke also seem to precipitate angina.Do keep in mind that as the coronary artery blockage advances, chest pains may occur more easily, more frequently and may last longer than before. Pains may persist despite rest or may even occur during rest or sleep. This is called unstable angina.

Nitroglycerine helps: Stable angina generally subsides within 10 minutes of keeping a nitroglycerine tablet under the tongue. Chest pain that is relieved after more than 10 minutes is either not angina or unstable angina. Unstable angina requires hospitalisation and measures to minimise the risk of heart attack. Sometimes, chest pain due to inflammation or spasm of the food pipe may be relieved by nitroglycerine; but this kind of pain has a burning sensation and may be aggravated by meals and lying down and relieved with milk, antacids or even light physical activity.

IS IT ANGINA OR A HEART ATTACK?
Heart attack occurs when there is complete cessation of blood flow across a coronary artery, making the heart scream with pain. Typically, the character of chest pain during a heart attack is quite similar to angina. But here's how to tell the difference between the two and take action immediately. Severe chest pain or discomfort that is becoming worse or lasts longer than 20 minutes. Pain or discomfort accompanied by profound weakness, nausea, profuse sweating, giddiness or fainting.  Pain or discomfort that does not go away even after several (>3) nitroglycerine tablets.

 THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.







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HEART DISEASES AND ANGINA PECTORIS

The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is 

angina or "angina pectoris," also known simply as chest pain. 

Angina can be described as a discomfort, heaviness, 

pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing, or painful feeling 

due to coronary heart disease. Often, it can be mistaken for 

indigestion.

Angina is usually felt in the chest, but may also be felt in the 

shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw, or back.

If you experience these symptoms, take notice. If you've never 

been diagnosed with heart disease, you should seek treatment 

immediately. If you've had angina before, use your angina 

medications as directed by your doctor and try to determine if 

this is your regular pattern of angina or if the symptoms are 

worse. 

What Causes Angina?

Angina is caused when blood flow to an area of the heart is 

decreased, impairing the delivery of oxygen and vital nutrients 

to the heart muscle cells. When this happens, the heart muscle 

must use alternative, less efficient forms of fuel so that it can 

perform its function of pumping blood to the body. The 

by-product of using this less efficient fuel is a compound called 

lactic acid that builds up in the muscle and causes pain. Some 

medications used to treat angina work by inhibiting the use of 

this fuel source.

What Are the Types of Angina?

The types of angina are:

• Stable angina. The pain is predictable and present only 
• during exertion or extreme emotional distress, and it 
• disappears with rest.
• 
  
• Unstable angina. This may signal an impending heart 
• attack. Unstable angina is angina pain that is different from 
• your regular angina pain or pain that occurs while at rest. The 
• angina may occur more frequently, more easily at rest, feel 
• more severe, last longer, or come on with minimal activity. 
• Although this type of angina can often be relieved with 
• medication, it is unstable and may progress to a heart attack. 
• Usually more intense medical treatment or a procedure is 
• required.

• 
  
• Prinzmetal's angina. This is when angina occurs at rest, 
• when sleeping, or when exposed to cold temperatures. In 
• these cases, the symptoms are caused by decreased blood 
• flow to the heart muscle from a spasm of the coronary artery. 
• The majority of people with this type of angina also have 
• coronary artery disease. These spasms occur close to the 
• blockage.

Can Angina Occur Without Coronary Disease?

Angina can occur in the absence of any coronary disease. Up 

to 30% of people with angina with a heart valve problem called 

aortic stenosis, which can cause decreased blood flow to the 

coronary arteries from the heart. People with severe anaemia 

may have angina because their blood doesn't carry enough 

oxygen. People with thickened heart muscles need more 

oxygen and can have angina when they don't get enough.

How Is Angina Evaluated?

To evaluate your angina, your doctor will first ask you a series 

of questions to determine what your symptoms are and what 

triggers them. After examining you, your doctor will order one or 

more of a series of tests to determine the underlying cause of 

the angina and the extent of coronary artery disease, if present. 

These tests include:

• Exercise Stress Test
• 
  
• Electrocardiogram ( ECG/ EKG)
• 
  
• Stress imaging tests, such as nuclear tests or stress 
• 
  
• echo-cardiography, to accurately localize the part of the heart 
• 
  
• that has decreased blood flow
• 
  
• Echocardiogram
• 
  
• Cardiac catheterization

How Is Angina Treated?

Your angina treatment depends on the severity of the 

underlying problem, namely, the amount of damage to the 

heart. For most people with mild angina, a combination of 

drugs and lifestyle changes can control the symptoms. Lifestyle 

changes include: eating a heart-healthy diet, lowering 

cholesterol, getting regular exercise,quitting smoking, and 

controlling diabetes and high blood pressure.

Some drugs used to treat angina work by either increasing the 

amount of oxygen delivered to the heart muscle or reducing the 

heart's need for oxygen. These medicines include:

• Beta-blockers
• 
  
• Nitrates
• 
  
• Calcium channel blockers
• 
  

Other angina drugs work to prevent the formation of blood 

clots, which can further block blood flow to the heart muscle. 

These medicines include:

• Antiplatelet medications

For people with more serious or worsening angina, your doctor 

may recommend treatment to open blocked arteries. These 

include:

• Angioplasty
• 
  
• Stenting
• 
  
• Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery
• Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP)

What Should I Do if I Have Angina?

With any type of angina, stop what you are doing and rest.

If you have been prescribed a medication called nitroglycerin to 

treat your angina, take one tablet and let it dissolve under your 

tongue. If using the spray form, spray it under your tongue. Wait 

five minutes.

If you still have angina after five minutes, take another dose of 

nitroglycerin. Wait another five minutes and if angina is still 

present, take a third dose.

If you still have angina after taking a third dose of nitroglycerin 

and resting for 15 minutes, call for emergency help (dial 911 in 

most areas) or have someone take you to the local emergency 

room.

If you think you are having a heart attack, do not delay. Call for 

emergency help right away. Do not drive yourself to the 

hospital. Consider taking an aspirin. Quick treatment of a 

heart attack is very important to lessen the amount of damage 

to your heart.

Why Shouldn't I Drive Myself or Have Someone Drive Me 

to the Hospital?

When the ambulance arrives, the emergency personnel can 

begin to give you heart-saving care right away. They can start 

an IV to give you important drugs and give you oxygen to help 

improve the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Should 

problems occur, they are there to provide life-saving help as 

well.

Something to Remember About Angina

If you have angina, carry nitroglycerin with you at all times; you 

never know when you will need it. Nitroglycerin must be kept in 

a dark container. Keep it away from heat or moisture. Check 

the expiration date on the container. Once the container of 

nitroglycerin tablets is opened, it must be replaced every three 

months. The spray form has a longer shelf life and should be 

replaced every 2 years.