Showing posts with label American Heart Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Heart Association. Show all posts

Friday, April 1, 2011

Study Finds Conflicts of Interest Among Medical Panelists - NYTimes.com

Doctors with private financial conflicts of interest dominated some of the panels that wrote guidelines on cardiovascular health in recent years, according to a medical journal study released on Monday.

Penn Medicine

Dr. James N. Kirkpatrick, the study's senior author.

University of Miami Health System

Dr. Ralph L. Sacco, president of the American Heart Association.

The guideline panels are the select groups of experts who are assigned to evaluate science independently and issue their advice to other doctors on what to do in clinical practice. The guidelines influence medical care, product choice, insurance coverage, government policy and malpractice cases.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that conflicts of interest were reported by 56 percent of 498 people who helped write 17 guidelines for the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, from 2003 through 2008.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Physical activity improves quality of life. American Heart Association, Inc.

Do you want to add years to your life? Or life to your years?

Feeling your best boosts your zeal for life!

The American Heart Association recommends 30-minutes of moderate activity, but three 10-minute periods of activity are almost as beneficial to your overall fitness as one 30-minute session. This is achievable! Physical activity may also help encourage you to spend some time outdoors. Sunlight on your skin helps your body produce vitamin D, which brings many added health benefits.

Here are some reasons why physical activity is proven to improve both mental and physical health.

Physical activity boosts mental wellness.

Regular physical activity can relieve tension, anxiety, depression and anger. You may not only notice a "feel good sensation" immediately following your physical activity, but most people also note an improvement in general well-being over time during the weeks and months as physical activity becomes a part of your routine.

Exercise increases the flow of oxygen which directly effects the brain. Your mental acuity and memory can be improved with physical activity.

Physical activity improves physical wellness.

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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Myths About Heart Disease - Nursing Link

Anita Manning | USA TODAY

February 01, 2011

Imagine hearing news of a catastrophe causing the deaths of 2,200 Americans every day — an average of one every 39 seconds.

A plague? Nuclear fallout?

It’s heart disease, which includes diseases of the heart and circulatory system. The No. 1 killer stalking the world, cardiovascular diseases cause more deaths than all forms of cancer combined.

It’s an equal-opportunity destroyer, although it does have a preference for people of color and those over 65. But no age, race or economic class is immune.

“There’s a lack of awareness of what ideal cardiovascular health really is,” says Ralph Sacco, president of the American Heart Association. While 35% of people surveyed say they’re in good health, when quizzed about seven major health factors — diet, activity level, blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, blood sugar and smoking status — only about half of 1% hit all the targets for good health, he says. “People think they’re healthier than they are,” he says, making it less likely that they’ll take steps to reduce their heart risks.

Do Registered Nurses Need a BSN?

RegisteredNurseMost potential Registered Nurses always ponder the same age old question, "Do I need BSN or should I just get a ADN?"

Learn about degree programs here.

Sacco and other heart experts highlight 10 myths of heart disease:

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Practice Guidelines: Managing Chronic Heart Failure - Mosby' s Nursing Suite

With the U.S. population aging, chronic heart failure is on the rise. Now healthcare professionals must diagnose and manage this complex, life-threatening syndrome more effectively than ever. To help, the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association provide complete practice guidelines for the four stages of heart failure.

The American Heart Association has identified these four stages of heart failure (HF), which complement the NYHA classifications:
  • Stage A: At high risk for HF but no structural heart disease or HF symptoms
  • Stage B: Structural heart disease but no HF signs or symptoms
  • Stage C: Structural heart disease and prior or current HF symptoms
  • Stage D: Refractory HF that requires specialized interventions

According to the guidelines, possibly the most effective and least followed general measures are close attention and follow-up. These require regular assessment, patient teaching, monitoring of adherence to the plan of care, and evaluation of the patient’s response. To help you and your colleagues align your practice with current guidelines, the following list summarizes teaching for patients with Stage C heart failure. 

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Andrew Lopez, RN
Nursefriendly, Inc. A New Jersey Corporation.
38 Tattersall Drive, Mantua New Jersey 08051
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856-415-9617, (fax) 415-9618

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Friday, February 4, 2011

Carotid Artery Stenosis, American Heart Association

What is carotid artery stenosis or carotid artery disease?

Carotid artery stenosis is the narrowing of the carotid arteries. These are the main arteries in the neck that supply blood to the brain. Carotid artery stenosis, also called carotid artery disease, is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. (This is the most common form of stroke and is usually caused by a blood clot plugging an artery.)

The narrowing is usually caused by plaque in a blood vessel. Plaque forms when cholesterol, fat and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This process is called atherosclerosis.

How is carotid artery stenosis diagnosed?

Carotid artery stenosis may or may not cause symptoms. A doctor may hear an abnormal sound called a bruit (BROO'e) when listening to the artery with a stethoscope. The stenosis can be easily detected with an ultrasound probe placed on the side of the neck near the carotid arteries. This is called carotid ultrasonography.

How is carotid artery stenosis treated?

Depending on the degree of stenosis and the patient's overall condition, carotid artery stenosis can usually be treated with surgery. The procedure is called carotid endarterectomy. It removes the plaque that caused the carotid artery to narrow. Carotid endarterectomy has proven to benefit patients with arteries stenosed (narrowed) by 70 percent or more. For people with arteries narrowed less than 50 percent, anti-clotting medicine is usually prescribed to reduce the risk of ischemic stroke. Examples of these drugs are antiplatelet agents and anticoagulants.

Carotid angioplasty may be another treatment option. It uses balloons and/or stents to open a narrowed artery. 

For stroke information, call the American Stroke Association at 1-888-4-STROKE. 

To read more click on the americanheart.org link.

--

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Andrew Lopez, RN
Nursefriendly, Inc. A New Jersey Corporation.
38 Tattersall Drive, Mantua New Jersey 08051
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Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Medical News: Cut Daily Salt Intake to 1,500 Mg, AHA Says - in Cardiovascular, Hypertension from MedPage Today

Daily intake of salt should be limited to 1,500 mg for all Americans, according to an advisory statement from the American Heart Association (AHA).

"The 2020 goal of the American Heart Association is to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% while continuing to reduce deaths from [cardiovascular disease] and stroke by 20%," Lawrence J. Appel, MD, of Johns Hopkins, and colleagues wrote online in Circulation.

Two key components of improving cardiovascular health are population-wide lowering of blood pressure below 120/80 and reducing sodium chloride intake below 1,500 mg per day, observed AHA president Appel.

Action Points  --->
  • Note that the American Heart Association states that two of the key metrics for ideal cardiovascular health are a blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg and sodium consumption of 1500 mg/day.

  • Note further that in this advisory, the AHA reviews the evidence for the benefits of reduced sodium intake and issues a call to action.
  • The evidence linking salt intake with blood pressure -- and the major adverse outcomes of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease -- is "impressive," wrote the authors of the advisory.

    That evidence includes more than 50 trials assessing the blood pressure effects of salt, as well as a meta-analysis showing that cutting salt intake by about 1,800 mg per day lowered blood pressure by 5 mm Hg systolic and 2.7 mm Hg diastolic.

    Various studies also have compared the benefits and outcomes of a number of different sodium reduction goals. Notably, reducing salt consumption also can help prevent the blood pressure increases that come with age, ultimately affecting 90% of adults.

    --

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