Heart Disease, Heart Attacks, Heart Scanning, Heart Scan, heart disease risk, heart disease prevention, sudden death

Topic	Description
Connection between diabetes, heart disease, and stroke	If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes you are at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. You can bring down your risk by keeping your blood glucose (also called blood sugar), blood pressure, and blood cholesterol close to the recommended target numbers—the levels suggested by diabetes experts for optimum health. Reaching your targets also can eliminate narrowing or blockage of the blood vessels in your legs, which is known as peripheral arterial disease. You should choose foods prudently, be physically active and take medications if required to reach your targets. You will thereby also be preventing future health problems. If you already have diabetes, you are twice as likely as someone who does not have diabetes to have heart disease or a stroke. Menstruating women generally have less risk of heart disease than men of the same age. But women of all ages with diabetes have an increased risk of heart disease as diabetes cancels out the protective effects of being a woman in her reproductive years. Diabetic people who have already had one heart attack run a greater risk of having a second one. In addition, heart attacks in people with diabetes are more likely to be fatal.
Risk factors for heart disease and stroke in people with diabetes	Diabetes itself is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Also, many diabetics have other conditions that increase their chance of developing heart disease and stroke, known as risk factors. Having a family history of heart disease is one such risk factor for heart disease and stroke. You can definitely take measures to control the other risk factors for heart disease listed here: Having central obesity. Central obesity means having extra weight around the waist. A waist measurement exceeding 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women means you have central obesity. Abdominal fat can increase the production of LDL (bad) cholesterol, the kind of blood fat that can get deposited on the inside of blood vessel walls. Having abnormal blood fat (cholesterol) levels. - LDL cholesterol can build up inside your blood vessels, leading to narrowing and hardening of your arteries leading to them getting blocked. - Triglycerides are another kind of blood fat that can raise your risk of heart disease when the levels of it are high. - HDL (good) cholesterol removes deposits from inside your blood vessels and transports them to the liver for removal. On the other hand, low levels of HDL cholesterol increase your risk for heart disease. Having high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, or hypertension, your heart must work harder when pumping blood. High blood pressure will inevitable strain the heart, damage blood vessels, and increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney problems. Smoking. The habit of smoking doubles your risk of getting heart disease. Stopping smoking is extremely important for people with diabetes as both smoking and diabetes narrow blood vessels.
Prevention of heart disease and stroke	Even if you are at high risk for heart disease and stroke, you can take the following steps and keep your heart and blood vessels healthy: Make your diet "heart-healthy". Meet with a registered dietitian and plan a diet that meets these goals: For intake of every 1000 calories, at least 14 grams of fiber should be taken as foods high in fiber content lowers blood cholesterol. Some good sources of fiber are oat bran, oatmeal, whole-grain breads and cereals, dried beans and peas (such as kidney beans, pinto beans, and black-eyed peas), fruits, and vegetables. Decrease intake of saturated fat as it raises your blood cholesterol level. Saturated fat is present in meats, poultry skin, butter, dairy products with fat, shortening, lard, and tropical oils such as palm and coconut oil. Cholesterol in your diet should be less than 300 milligrams per day. Cholesterol is present in meat, dairy products, and eggs. Minimise the amount of trans fat in your diet. It’s a type of fat in foods that raises blood cholesterol. Crackers, cookies, snack foods, commercially prepared baked goods, cake mixes, microwave popcorn, fried foods, salad dressings, and other foods made with partially hydrogenated oil all contain high amounts of such trans fat. Make physical activity part of your routine. At least 30 minutes of exercise everyday. Reach and maintain a healthy body weight. Get help from a dietitian and plan mea to decrease the fat and calorie content of your diet. A loss of no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week will be perfect. Quit smoking. Your doctor will help you to quit smoking. Take aspirin. Studies have shown that low doses of aspirin every day can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. However, your doctor should determine whether taking aspirin is right for you and how much you should take. Get immediate treatment for transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Early treatment for TIAs, also known as mini-strokes, may help prevent a future stroke
How to Raise your Your HDL Levels that is your GOOD cholesterol	HDL cholesterol, or good cholesterol can show up on the walls of blood vessels and can clean out excess cholesterol. The good cholesterol can then carry the excess cholesterol to the liver for processing. The excess cholestrol might have been used to make the plaques that cause coronary artery disease. In essence when a person's HDL cholesterol level is being checked in a way we are measuring how vigorously his blood vessels are being scrubbed of cholesterol. Levels of HDL below 40 mg/dL may result in an increased risk of coronary atery disease. Even in people whose total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are normal, HDL levels between 40 and 60 mg/dL are considered normal, but keep in mind HDL levels greater than 60 mg/dL may actually protect people from heart disease. What are the ways to increase HDL Levels? Aerobic exercise - regular aerobic exercise for example walking, jogging or bike riding which raises your heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes at a time may be the most effective way to increase HDL levels. Some studies have shown that the duration of exercise rather than intensity is more important factor in raising HDL cholestrol but any aerobic exercise helps. Lose weight - obesity can affect cholestrol in 2 ways, increased LDL cholesterol and also reduced HDL cholesterol. So if you are overweight reducing your weight should increase your HDL levels, this is especially important if your excess weight is stored in your abdominal area. Stop smoking - for smokers giving up smoking will result in an increase in HDL levels. Remove trans fatty acids. Trans fatty acids ( partially hydrogenated vegetable oils ) need to be eliminated from one's diet, since the trans fatty acids not only increase LDL cholesterol levels, they also reduce HDL cholesterol levels. Alcohol - 1 or 2 drinks per day can significantly increase HDL levels, but more than 1 or 2 drinks per day can lead to major health problems including heart failure. Increase monounsaturated fats - monounsaturated fats such as canola oil, avocado oil, or olive oil and in the fats found in peanut butter can increase HDL cholesterol levels without increasing the total cholesterol. Soluble fiber - are found in oats, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and will result in both a reduction in LDL cholesterol and an increase HDL cholesterol, for best results, at least two servings a day should be maintained. Other dietary methods - cranberry juice has been shown to increase HDL levels also fish and other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids can also increase HDL levels.
Heart Attack - After the First Day	A heart attack also known as a myocardial infarction or MI is certainly a life-changing event. The acute MI itself can cause severe heart damage, cardiac arrest, and death. However, with modern medicine and some luck - especially if you and your doctors acted fast during the first couple hours - you have a good chance of living thereafter for a long time in good or even excellent health. But there is a lot you must do to optimize your chances of long-term survival. Unfortunately, in the rush to discharge the "uncomplicated" heart attack patient, usually a couple of days after hospital admission, often the crucial steps are being neglected. In this series of articles, we shall look into the important steps that you need to take to assure that, now that you have survived the acute phase of your MI, you will become a long-term survivor also. If you or a loved one has had a heart attack, you need to make sure that your doctors pay good attention to all these steps. An acute myocardial infarction is caused by a sudden occlusion in a diseased coronary artery, causing some or all of the heart muscle supplied by that artery to stop functioning. So, now that you've successfully handled the first 24 hours of your heart attack, you know at least three things: 1) You have coronary artery disease (CAD), which is a chronic, progressive medical condition. 2) Some portion of your heart muscle has been damaged, and your remaining normal heart muscle is working more in order to pick up the slack. 3) You may be at higher-than-normal risk for sudden death from heart arrhythmias. Knowing these things, it's definitely too early to pat yourself on the back with a "Job well done!" So here's what you and your doctor need to do: a) take measures to prevent another heart attack; b) accurately assess the amount of damage to the heart that has already occurred, and take steps to prevent heart failure; c) assess your risk of sudden death, and institute preventive therapy if required.
Medication for Heart Disease causes Heart Attack and Stroke	As per a study published in an issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a drug that had looked promising in preventing atherosclerosis (the process in which plaque builds up in the inner lining of the arteries leading to cardiovascular events) in animal tests just does not work in humans beings. On top of that the , the medication appears to be downright dangerous. Instead of preventing cardiac problems, it increases the incidence of heart attacks and strokes. The theory behind the medication, pactimibe, is that the medication supposedly blocks the action of acyl coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), an enzyme involved in cholesterol accumulation. So by inhibiting one form of the enzyme, ACAT-1, scientists reasoned pactimibe should theoretically slow the progression of atherosclerosis and prevent the development of plaque. The medication was tested with 892 people with a family history of high cholesterol which is associated with a higher risk for atherosclerosis. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study called the Carotid Atherosclerosis Progression Trial Investigating Vascular ACAT Inhibition Treatment Effects or CAPTIVATE was conducted at 40 clinics in the US, Canada, Europe, South Africa and Israel. The treatment was stopped in October 2005 when testing showed there was no difference between thickness of the artery walls in those taking pactimibe vs. taking the placebo. Actually, after six months of treatment with pactimibe, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) increased by an average of 7.3 percent compared with only 1.4 in the placebo group. An even more frightening outcome was noted in the people taking the drug -- a statistically significant increase in cardiovascular deaths, heart attacks, and strokes.

Location	Title	Description	Link
Glasgow	Heart & Vascular Health	Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death. Find in-depth information on heart disease treatments, and prevention. Read the latest research on heart attacks, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and more.	Click Here
London	Heart Attack and Diabetes	Diabetes is the inability of your body to produce or respond to insulin properly. Diabetes can occur in childhood, but it appears more often in middle age and among overweight people. Diabetes greatly increases the risk of a heart attack by speeding up atherosclerosis and negatively affecting blood cholesterol levels.	Click Here
Manchester	Women and Heart Disease	Heart disease in women often presents differently than in men. So women and their doctors not only fail to look for heart disease, when they do look they're often looking for the wrong things. In this Special Section of the Heart Disease/Cardiology website, we take a close look at the heart disease women get - how to prevent it.	Click Here
Vatican City	Stress - Reason for Heart attack	You may respond to stress in ways that can increase your risk of a heart attack. If you're under stress, you may overeat or smoke from nervous tension. Too much stress, as well as anger, can also raise your blood pressure.	Click Here
Newcastle	About calcification	Calcification is a process in which calcium is deposited over arterial plaque. Calcium becomes involved when calcium deposits collect on these growing atherosclerotic lesions. When atherosclerosis occurs in the coronary arteries, it is called coronary artery disease and has been linked to heart attack.	Click Here
Nottingham	WebMD Heart Disease Health Center - Information on heart disease	When you think of heart disease, usually people think of coronary artery disease (narrowing of the arteries leading to the heart), but coronary artery disease is just one type of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease includes a number of conditions affecting the structures or function of the heart. They can include: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. It is important to learn about your heart to help prevent heart disease. And, if you have cardiovascular disease, you can live a healthier, more active life by learning about your disease and treatments and by becoming an active participant in your care.	Click Here
Sussex	MedlinePlus: Heart Diseases	Elderly people with diabetes are twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease than non-diabetics, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. The study showed that the participants with diabetes were twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease as non-diabetics were, and the risk was particularly high for patients who required insulin injections. The results were adjusted for factors known to affect heart disease risk such as smoking, alcohol consumption and cholesterol levels. Researchers also found that participants who were taking insulin were six times more likely to die from infectious diseases or kidney failure than non-diabetic participants. Women treated with insulin had a particularly high mortality risk. "Diabetes is a growing global health problem," the journal's editors said in a commentary.	Click Here
Middlesex	MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Heart disease	Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart itself. This happens slowly over time. Some heart diseases can be present at birth (congenital heart diseases). Hypertension Abnormal function of the heart valves Abnormal electrical rhythm of the heart Weakening of the heart's pumping function caused by infection or toxins	Click Here
Worchestershire	Heart disease - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia	Heart disease is one of a number of different diseases which afflict the heart. The most common heart diseases are: Coronary heart disease, the end result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium Ischaemic heart disease, a disease characterized by reduced blood supply to the heart. Cardiovascular disease, a class of diseases that involve the heart and/or blood vessels (arteries and veins).Implies under this category some popular diseases like: diabetes, high blood pressure and hypercholesterolemia.	Click Here
Yorkshire	Heart Disease - Health	Cardiovascular disease Diseases of the heart and blood vessels kill more than 16 million people worldwide and account for 30 percent of the total number of deaths each year. Additional millions are disabled, frequently in their prime years. In the U.S., an estimated 61.8 million people live with cardiovascular disease. Heart disease and stroke, the main components of cardiovascular disease, account for nearly 40 percent of all deaths in the nation. Decades of research show that lifestyle, beginning in childhood, is the main cause of cardiovascular disease. The major risk factors are high blood pressure, tobacco use, poor dietary habits, especially the intake of saturated fat, elevated blood cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity, and diabetes. Lifestyle changes are the first line of prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Medical interventions range from drugs to surgery.	Click Here
Lancashire	Heart Disease	What is heart disease? Heart disease is a number of abnormal conditions affecting the heart and the blood vessels in the heart. Types of heart disease include: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type and is the leading cause of heart attacks. When you have CAD, your arteries become hard and narrow. Blood has a hard time getting to the heart, so the heart does not get all the blood it needs. CAD can lead to: Angina. Angina is chest pain or discomfort that happens when the heart does not get enough blood. It may feel like a pressing or squeezing pain, often in the chest, but sometimes the pain is in the shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. It can also feel like indigestion (upset stomach). Angina is not a heart attack, but having angina means you are more likely to have a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when an artery is severely or completely blocked, and the heart does not get the blood it needs for more than 20 minutes. Heart failure occurs when the heart is not able to pump blood through the body as well as it should. This means that other organs, which normally get blood from the heart, do not get enough blood. It does NOT mean that the heart stops.	Click Here
Ashford	BBC News \| Health \| Heart Disease	The UK has one of the highest rates of death from heart disease in the world - one British adult dies from the disease every three minutes - and stroke is the country's third biggest killer, claiming 70,000 lives each year. Heart attacks occur when blood flow is blocked, often by a blood clot, while strokes are caused either by blocked or burst blood vessels in the brain. A range of other conditions, including heart failure, when blood is not pumped properly around the body, and congenital heart defects can also cause long term problems, and even death, for sufferers.	Click Here
Windsor Castle	What Is a Heart Attack?	A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. Often, this blockage leads to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat or rhythm) that cause a severe decrease in the pumping function of the heart and may bring about sudden death. If the blockage is not treated within a few hours, the affected heart muscle will die and be replaced by scar tissue. A heart attack is a life-threatening event. Everyone should know the warning signs of a heart attack and how to get emergency help. Many people suffer permanent damage to their hearts or die because they do not get help immediately.	Click Here
Buckingham	What Is High Blood Pressure?	High blood pressure is a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher. Both numbers are important. High blood pressure is called the silent killer because it usually has no symptoms. Some people may not find out they have it until they have trouble with their heart, brain, or kidneys. When high blood pressure is not found and treated, it can cause: The heart to get larger, which may lead to heart failure. Small bulges (aneurysms (AN-u-risms)) to form in blood vessels. Common locations are the main artery from the heart (aorta); arteries in the brain, legs, and intestines; and the artery leading to the spleen. Blood vessels in the kidney to narrow, which may cause kidney failure. Arteries throughout the body to "harden" faster, especially those in the heart, brain, kidneys, and legs. This can cause a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, or amputation of part of the leg. Blood vessels in the eyes to burst or bleed, which may cause vision changes and can result in blindness.	Click Here
UK	Heart disease risk, heart disease prevention, sudden death	Heart disease prevention: 5 strategies keep your heart healthy. You can prevent heart disease by following a heart-healthy lifestyle. Here are five strategies to help you protect your heart. Don't smoke or use tobacco products, Get active, eat a heart-healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, Get regular health screenings. It will reduce the factors of sudden death. Heart attacks often strike without warning. If a woman does not realize Heart disease risk is a health threat, she will not make heart healthy changes or respond to symptoms once they occur.

How to Raise your Your HDL Levels that is your GOOD cholesterol