Search Library for "stroke"
Cholesterol
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
Cholesterol is related to but not the direct cause of arteriosclerosis, heart disease, and strokes. We cannot live without cholesterol, we must have it to make cell membranes, vitamin D, many hormones, and bile salts. Yet it is related to heart disease. In general, the higher the cholesterol the worse the risk for heart disease. But it is not the total that is...
Low HDL Cholesterol Does Not Cause Heart Attacks
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
Even though there is abundant evidence that people with low protective HDL cholesterol are at risk for heart attacks, a large new study refutes this myth. People with high HDL in this study of 70,000 people had a much lower incidence of heart attacks, but people with a genetic defect in producing HDL and had a low level in this study did not have an...
What Determines Arterial Stiffening
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
Apolipoprotein E (apoE) plays a major role in maintaining arterial softness by supressing production of a network of connective tissue in the body according to an article published in the November 2012 issue of Cell Reports. This work suggests that it may be the apoE-containing HDL that confers the main benefit of HDL cholesterol by promoting arterial...
HDL Cholesterol is Not Always Protective
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
The Framingham Study showed that for every rise of 1 mg/dL of HDL cholesterol, there was a 2% drop in the risk of an MI. However, not all HDL cholesterol is protective. HDL's protective effect depends on the environment in which it exists. In premenopausal women, generally HDL is protective. However, in postmenopausal women who have the metabolic syndrome...
New Ultra-bad Cholesterol
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
A new ultra-bad very sticky form of LDL cholesterol that is small and dense has been identified and found to be present in both type 2 diabetes and in the elderly. It may be the reason why the risk of heart attack and stroke is eleveated in these groups. The cause is suspected to be related to glycation (damage to proteins by high levels of glucose) and is more...
All About Cholesterol
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
Dr. Len and Nurse Vicki present everything you need to know about cholesterol. What it is, what the fractions mean, what they predict, and what we can do to deal with elevated levels. Statins, how they work, what they do, and their side effects are reviewed. The role of inflammation, oxidized cholesterol, and why it should not be lowered too much are explained....
Pradaxa: a New Breakthrough in Anticoagulation?
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
Pradaxa is currently the only FDA approved drug that inhibits factor Xa and seems to have significant advantages over Coumadin. Early studies have shown a 21% less likely risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation, a 31% lower risk of bleeding, and an 11% lower mortality rate. Two drugs under study by the FDA now include Xarelto, and Eliquis.
If...
NSAIDs Linked to Atrial Fibrillation
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
NSAIDs have now been linked to an increased incidence of atrial fibrillation and flutter. The association was strongest for new users. The risk is increased by 40% for COX-1 inhibitors and 70% for COX-2 inhibitors such as Celebrex. This translates to 1 in 250 taking COX-1 drugs and 1 in 140 taking Celebrex. The risk is highest for the elderly, those with rheumatoid...
Atrial Fibrillation
submitted by: admin on 02/19/2015
Atrial fibrillation occurs when the top part of the heart, called the atria, beats at around 300 beats per minute and leads to ineffective contraction of the atria. This predisposes to clots forming in the left atrium that can break off and travel to the brain and block circulation and result in strokes. Anticoagulation is the treatment of choice but...
Does Aspirin Save Lives?
submitted by: admin on 02/18/2015
Despite a lot of excitement about aspirin, scientists can't seem to agree on whether it helps healthy people live longer and suffer from fewer heart attacks and strokes. Published studies in the mainstream medical journals on the same nine studies included in a metaanalysis differ. The study published by the Bayer Aspirin people showed a benefit. The study...
Preventing Strokes: Aspirin, Plavix, Coumadin, Pradaxa, or What?
submitted by: admin on 02/18/2015
A large clinical trial testing the effects of aspirin and Plavix to prevent small strokes was stopped because there was no added benefit by combining these drugs and the risk of bleeding was too high. This information was presented at the 2012 American Stroke Association meeting in February of 2012. A second abstract presented at the same conference...
Atrial Fibrillation Overview
submitted by: admin on 02/18/2015
The physiology of this very common rhythm problem is reviewed with attention to stroke and lowered cardiac output. The causes of atrial fibrillation, its symptoms, diagnostics, and treatment are reviewed. Fish oil may be preventative for the development of atrial fibrillation but it does little once it has been established to convert atrial fibrillation...
Abnormal Heart Rhythms
submitted by: admin on 02/18/2015
Abnormal heart rhythms may arise because peri-infarction tissues are very irritable and electrically unstable. These rhythms can compromise cardiac output and be lethal. It is very important to take your medicines if you have a problem with abnormal heart rhythms because they can result in a reduction in cardiac output that can be critical. Dr. Saputo recommends...
Heart Conditions
submitted by: admin on 02/18/2015
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the world. In the US alone, there are about 600,000 deaths annually and millions who have severe disabilities from its manifestations. Heart attacks are preventable. One hundred years ago they were rare! Lifestyle is the most imporant treatment to prevent and manage heart disease.
Yet it is a partnership...
Vitamin D
submitted by: admin on 02/16/2015
Over the past decade we've come to understand that vitamin D is vital for normal cell biochemistry. When levels of vitamin D are low we are at high risk for many diseases that include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, osteoporosis, autoimmune disorders, many cancers, depression, muscle and joint pains, Alzheimer's disease, and many...
Dr. Saputo's Top 10
submitted by: admin on 02/16/2015
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is like an electrical "brown out" that develops as energy production in certain brain cells begins to fail. Using nutritional tools makes it possible to resuscitate mitochondrial energy production and either stabilize or improve symptoms. Drugs are of known minimal value...
Why it is Important to Spice Up Your Meals
submitted by: admin on 12/18/2014
A study published in November of 2014 in Nutrition Today shows that high antioxidant spices enhance our health and protect against diseases such as heart disease. The researchers found that when eating a high fat diet that by adding high antioxidant spices such as garlic, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, ginger and black pepper, that levels...
Does Smoking Cause Weight Gain
submitted by: admin on 11/24/2014
Many people fear quitting smoking because they fear gaining weight. We've all seen this happen. But, does smoking cause weight gain? To the surprise of many, smoking does cause weight gain. Quitting smoking also causes weight gain!
A study from BYU published in the November 2014 issue of the American Journal of Physiology documents...
Can the US Economy Afford Preventive Health Care
submitted by: admin on 09/13/2014
US health care depends on our being sick and has become a business as its first priority. That is why we can spend almost three trillion dollars a year and still be ranked 37th in the world in the overall qualiity of health care by the World Health Organization! Throwing dollars at health care does not guarantee high quality health care!
If there was...
Lower Blood Pressure Readings May Be Dangerous When Treating Hypertension
submitted by: admin on 07/10/2014
A medical study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center published an article in the journal, Internal Medicine, in June of 2014 that contradicts common medical belief that when treating hypertension, the lower the better. They studied 4,480 patients for 21 years and found that once blood pressure is below 140, there is no benefit in loweing the systolic...
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