March 2012
Ask The Doctors: March 2012
I have diabetes and am on an ACE-inhibitor, because my doctor says it also helps protect the kidneys. I’ve developed a cough. My doctor said something about trying an ARB instead, but I’m doing well on this drug, except for the cough. Any thoughts?
Leg Fatigue Treatment Vital for Heart Failure Patients
Physicians shouldn’t just treat the heart muscle in heart failure (HF) patients. A recent study in the Oct. 31, 2011 issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology found that leg muscle dysfunction, and in particular leg fatigue, is related to the severity of HF symptoms. That means that HF patients may face more obstacles than just a weaker heart in trying to get their daily exercise. But researchers also found that in HF patients, aside from those with the most severe symptoms, proper warm-up and leg exercises can raise the energy level and performance of their leg muscles.
Home-Monitoring May Reduce Heart Failure Complications
Heart failure (HF) is responsible for about one million hospitalizations in the U.S. every year, but a recent report ways to help reduce those numbers. Analysis published in the Jan. 10 online issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) says that combining strategies such as home weigh-ins, medication compliance, phone calls from nurses, home-health visits and even remote monitoring of implanted and external cardiac devices should help patients manage their disease.
Managing Blood Pressure Now Pays Big Benefits Later
It’s the condition that is often overlooked or taken less seriously because it doesn’t have obvious symptoms. But high blood pressure must be controlled as early as possible, according to two new studies. One study published in the Dec. 19, 2011 online issue of Circulation found that preventing hypertension by age 55 significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. A separate study, published in the Dec. 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, revealed that chlorthalidone-based therapy can prolong life. Chlorthalidone is a commonly prescribed diuretic.
Pre-Hypertension Treatment May Help Prevent Stroke
The importance of aggressively treating hypertension is well-researched and an established key to a lifetime of cardiovascular health. But you may not know about a condition called pre-hypertension and the risks associated with elevated blood pressure in its early stages. Pre-hypertension is defined as having a systolic blood pressure (the upper number) between 120 and 139 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure (lower number) between 80 and 89 mm Hg, according to the American Heart Association.
Blood Clots in the Leg: A Concern for Some Heart Patients
If you have had a recent heart attack or heart surgery, have been diagnosed with heart failure, or are largely sedentary, you may be at increased risk for blood clots in the legs—a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). About two million people a year develop leg vein clots, which can block circulation and cause pain, redness, and swelling in the affected leg. DVT is an emergency, so if you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.
Heart Beat: March 2012
Increases in your resting heart rate may signal a heightened risk of death from ischemic heart disease, as well as a smaller, but statistically significant increase in all-cause mortality. Those are the results of a study of more than 19,000 men and women, published in the Dec. 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers found that individuals who experienced an increase in their resting heart rate between 70 and 85 beats per minute (bpm), but who had rates >85 bpm after 10 years were 80 percent more likely to die from ischemic heart disease compared to those who maintained a resting heart rate between 70 to 85 bpm.
Elective Coronary Calcium Scans Are Not for Everyone
Coronary calcium screenings, in simplest terms, are tests done to give doctors a picture of calcified plaque in your coronary arteries. Plaque build-up can be a risk factor for heart attack and stroke, so evidence of serious calcification could be a helpful predictor of future cardiac events and a red flag to begin or step up treatment. But the issue of calcium screenings is a complicated one. Steven Nissen, MD, chairman of the Robert and Suzzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, believes the screenings are overused and put patients at risk without evidence from large clinical studies that show screening for calcium save lives.