Exercise to Prevent Heart Disease

                      Exercise to Prevent Heart Disease

Everywhere you turn, it seems like someone is preaching the importance of regular exercise. And your doctor, health-nut friend and even first lady, Michelle Obama, all have good reason to.

In addition to the physical toll a lack of exercise takes on the body, a whopping 65 percent of all American adults today are obese or overweight, increasing their risk for heart disease. Meanwhile, the heart-healthy benefits of exercising for just 30 minutes a day are nearly endless. To name a few, exercise:

Improves blood circulation
Keeps your weight under control
Helps you quit smoking
Improves cholesterol levels
Prevents and manages high blood pressure
Prevents bone loss
Boosts energy level
Helps manage stress
Helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly
Reduces coronary heart disease in women by 30-40 percent
Reduces risk of stroke by 20 percent in moderately active people
Delays and chronic illness and disease associated with aging
Where do I begin?
While you may be eager to start a new exercise program or add a new activity to your existing routine, be sure to talk to your doctor first. Taking into account your medical history, age and other considerations, your doctor can help determine what activities are best for your current physical condition.

We also suggest starting a walking program, which is the easiest way to begin exercising. It’s free, it has the lowest dropout rate of any type of exercise and studies show that for every hour of walking, life expectancy may increase by two hours. You could even grab a few girlfriends and start a walking club to help keep each other accountable and celebrate your health accomplishments together.
Webmd

An important heart health lesson for women

An important heart health lesson for women

Did you know heart disease kills more women over age 35 worldwide every year than all cancers combined?

For Manitoba women it is the leading cause of death.

On April 7, I attended a one-hour talk and question period titled For Her Heart’s Sake given by a team from Victoria General Hospital and the hospital’s Foundation.

The session was hosted by Bernice Stebbing. She contacted the hospital, invited people, and arranged to have the presentation in the community classroom at the new Sobeys Extra store in Fort Richmond.

Stebbing had heard the talk at another venue and thought others should, too. I agree with her. I think this information is a must for every woman regardless of age.

For Her Heart’s Sake is a gender-specific program with three aims — to build a cardiac care program for women; to do new, life-saving research; to create an awareness and education campaign.

Victoria General Hospital Foundation is in the midst of raising $1 million "for this urgent initiative that will save lives of women right here, right now in our community." To date it has reached just over half of this goal.

Emphasized in the presentation were the following points — women’s heart attack symptoms are likely to be different than those experienced by men; we have more "silent attacks"; we often think our symptoms indicate a less serious condition such as the flu or indigestion. Under age 50, we are more likely to die from an attack than men. We have a higher chance of dying within one year of a heart attack than men.

I learned that up to 54 per cent of heart attacks in women go unrecognized. It would seem the medical profession needs to learn more about this gender issue.

Also noted in the talk were symptoms that women experienced one month before a heart attack. They are listed here from most to least — unusual fatigue; sleep disturbance; shortness of breath; indigestion; anxiety; heart racing; and weak or heavy arms."

We also were given the symptoms of an immediate heart attack. Women should "know the five and stay alive."

Women should also know the numbers for their blood pressure, cholesterol, fasting glucose, body mass index, and waist size and what are the suggested target numbers are.

As well, exercise and a "best foods" diet are very important.

Whew!

Women really have to be knowledgeable and their own advocates on this critical health issue.
If you want to arrange a presentation, contact the Victoria General Hospital Foundation at 204-477-3513. It’s worth an hour of your time.

You can also check out ForHerHeartsSake.ca, a website set to be up and running by the end of April.

Jeannette Timmerman is a community correspondent for Richmond West.

Read more by Jeannette Timmerman - Community Correspondent.
Winnipegfreepress

Get Your Blood Pressure Checked

The Basics

One in 3 Americans have high blood pressure. Get your blood pressure checked regularly starting at age 18.

How often do I need to get my blood pressure checked?
If you are age 40 or older, or if you are at higher risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked once a year.

If you are age 18 to 40 and you aren’t at higher risk for high blood pressure, get your blood pressure checked every 3 to 5 years.

What puts me at higher risk for high blood pressure?
You are at higher risk for high blood pressure if you:

• Are African American
• Are overweight or obese
• Have blood pressure that’s a little higher than usual (called high normal blood pressure)

Learn more

Risk Factors for High Blood Pressure

Anyone can develop high blood pressure; however, age, race or ethnicity, being overweight, gender, lifestyle habits, and a family history of high blood pressure can increase your risk for developing high blood pressure.

Age

Blood pressure tends to rise with age. About 65 percent of Americans age 60 or older have high blood pressure. However, the risk for prehypertension and high blood pressure is increasing for children and teens, possibly due to the rise in the number of overweight children and teens.

Race/Ethnicity

High blood pressure is more common in African American adults than in Caucasian or Hispanic American adults. Compared with these ethnic groups, African Americans:

• Tend to get high blood pressure earlier in life.
• Often, on average, have higher blood pressure numbers.
• Are less likely to achieve target blood pressure goals with treatment.

Overweight

You are more likely to develop prehypertension or high blood pressure if you’re overweight or obese.

Why Is a Healthy Weight Important?

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and can help you prevent and control many diseases and conditions. If you are overweight or obese, you are at higher risk of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers. That is why maintaining a healthy weight is so important: It helps you lower your risk for developing these problems, helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you more energy to enjoy life. 

What Is Overweight and Obesity?

Overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and/or water. Obesity is having a high amount of extra body fat. Body mass index (BMI) is a useful measure of overweight and obesity. The information on this Web site will provide you with information about BMI (including limitations of this measure) and how to reach and stay at a healthy weight. Talk to your health care provider if you are concerned about your BMI.
What Factors Contribute To a Healthy Weight?

Many factors can contribute to a person’s weight. These factors include environment, family history and genetics, metabolism (the way your body changes food and oxygen into energy), and behavior or habits.
Energy Balance

Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy IN) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active (energy OUT):
The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same (energy balance)
More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain
More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss
To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.
You can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you:
Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss
Are physically active
Limit the time you spend being physically inactive

 The terms “overweight” and “obese” refer to body weight that’s greater than what is considered healthy for a certain height.

Gender

Before age 55, men are more likely than women to develop high blood pressure. After age 55, women are more likely than men to develop high blood pressure.

Lifestyle Habits

Unhealthy lifestyle habits can raise your risk for high blood pressure, and they include:

• Eating too much sodium or too little potassium
• Lack of physical activity
• Drinking too much alcohol
• Stress

Family History

A family history of high blood pressure raises the risk of developing prehypertension or high blood pressure. Some people have a high sensitivity to sodium and salt, which may increase their risk for high blood pressure and may run in families. Genetic causes of this condition are why family history is a risk factor for this condition.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is how hard your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries when your heart pumps blood. Arteries are the tubes that carry blood away from your heart. Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood through your arteries to the rest of your body.

What is hypertension?
Hypertension (“hy-puhr-TEHN-shun”) is the medical term for high blood pressure. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms. The only way to know if you have high blood pressure is to get tested.

By taking steps to lower your blood pressure, you can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Lowering your blood pressure can help you live a longer, healthier life.

What do blood pressure numbers mean?
A blood pressure test measures how hard your heart is working to pump blood through your body.

Blood pressure is measured with 2 numbers. The first number is the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. The second number is the pressure in your arteries between each beat, when your heart relaxes.

Compare your blood pressure to these numbers:

• Normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 (said “120 over 80”).
• High blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
• Blood pressure that’s between normal and high (for example, 130/85) is called prehypertension (“PREE-hy-puhr-tehn-shun”), or high normal blood pressure.

How can I get my blood pressure checked?
To test your blood pressure, a nurse or doctor will put a cuff around your upper arm. The cuff will be pumped with air until it feels tight, then the air will be slowly let out.

This won't take more than a few minutes. The nurse or doctor can tell you what your blood pressure numbers are right after the test is over.

If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, ask the doctor what to do next. Blood pressure can go up and down, so you may need to get it checked it more than once.

Can I check my blood pressure by myself?
Yes – you can check your own blood pressure with a blood pressure machine. You can find blood pressure machines in shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores. If the test shows that your blood pressure is high, talk to a doctor.

How can high blood pressure affect pregnancy?
High blood pressure can be dangerous for a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. If you have high blood pressure and you want to get pregnant, it’s important to take steps to lower your blood pressure first.

Sometimes, women get high blood pressure for the first time during pregnancy. This is called gestational (“jes-TAY-shon-al”) hypertension. Usually, this type of high blood pressure goes away after the baby is born.

If you have high blood pressure while you are pregnant, be sure to visit your doctor regularly.

• Find out more about high blood pressure during pregnancy.
• Get more tips on how to have a healthy pregnancy.

What if I have high blood pressure?
If you have high blood pressure, you may need medicine to control your blood pressure.

Print out this list of questions to ask your doctor about blood pressure .

Take these steps to lower your blood pressure:

• Eat healthy foods that are low in saturated fat and sodium (salt).
• Get active. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity.
• Watch your weight by eating healthy and getting active.
• Remember to take medicines as prescribed (ordered) by your doctor.

Small changes can add up. For example, losing just 10 pounds can help lower your blood pressure.

To learn more, check out this guide to lowering high blood pressure [PDF - 269 KB].

Take Action!

Take steps to prevent or lower high blood pressure. To start, get your blood pressure checked as soon as possible.

Check your blood pressure regularly.
Ask a doctor or nurse to check your blood pressure at your next visit.

You can also find blood pressure machines at many shopping malls, pharmacies, and grocery stores. Most of these machines are free to use.

• Get tips on checking your blood pressure at home. 
• Print this tool to keep track of your blood pressure [PDF - 679 KB].

What about the cost of testing?
Blood pressure testing is covered under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010. Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get your blood pressure checked by a doctor or nurse at no cost to you.

Check with your insurance provider to find out what's included in your plan. Visit HealthCare.gov for information about other services covered under the Affordable Care Act.

Eat less sodium.
Eating less sodium (salt) can lower your blood pressure. Look for foods that say “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,” or “no salt added.”

When you go food shopping, check the Nutrition Facts label for the Daily Value (DV) of sodium [PDF - 410 KB]. Choose foods with 5% or less of the Daily Value of sodium. Foods with a DV of 20% or more are high in sodium.

Eating more potassium can also help lower your blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include potatoes, cantaloupe, bananas, beans, and yogurt.

Get more tips to:

• Reduce the sodium (salt) in your diet
• Shop for low sodium foods
• Make healthier meals with the DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

Watch your weight.
A healthy diet and physical activity can help you control your weight – and your blood pressure. If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can lower your risk for high blood pressure.

Get active.
Getting regular physical activity can lower your risk of high blood pressure. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate activity, like:

• Walking fast
• Dancing
• Riding bikes
• Swimming
• Aerobics

Drink alcohol only in moderation.
If you choose to drink alcohol, limit your drinking to no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men.

Manage your stress.
Managing stress can help prevent and control high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress.

Quit smoking.
Smoking damages your heart and blood vessels. Quit smoking to help lower your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

nhlbi.nih.gov

Keep Your Heart Healthy

Keep Your Heart Healthy

The Basics

Take steps today to lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

To help prevent heart disease, you can:

Eat healthy and get active.
Watch your weight.
Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
Control your cholesterol (“koh-LEHS-tuh-rahl”) and blood pressure.
If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
Take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Manage stress.

Am I at risk for heart disease?

You are at higher risk for heart disease if:

You are a woman over age 55
You are a man over age 45
Your father or brother had heart disease before age 55
Your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65
As you get older, your risk for heart disease and heart attack increases. But the good news is that heart disease can be prevented.

What is heart disease?

When people talk about heart disease, they are usually talking about coronary heart disease (CHD). It’s also called coronary artery disease (CAD). This is the most common type of heart disease.

When someone has CHD, the coronary arteries (tubes) that take blood to the heart are narrow or blocked. This happens when cholesterol and fatty material, called plaque (“plak”), build up inside the arteries.

Plaque is caused by:

Too much fat and cholesterol in the blood
High blood pressure
Smoking
Too much sugar in the blood (usually because of diabetes)
When plaque blocks an artery, it’s hard for blood to flow to the heart. A blocked artery can cause chest pain or a heart attack.

Learn more about CHD.

What Is Coronary Heart Disease?

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle.

When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis. The buildup of plaque occurs over many years.

Atherosclerosis

    Figure A shows the location of the heart in the body. Figure B shows a normal coronary artery with normal blood flow. The inset image shows a cross-section of a normal coronary artery. Figure C shows a coronary artery narrowed by plaque. The buildup of plaque limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood through the artery. The inset image shows a cross-section of the plaque-narrowed artery.

Figure A shows the location of the heart in the body. Figure B shows a normal coronary artery with normal blood flow. The inset image shows a cross-section of a normal coronary artery. Figure C shows a coronary artery narrowed by plaque. The buildup of plaque limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood through the artery. The inset image shows a cross-section of the plaque-narrowed artery.

Over time, plaque can harden or rupture (break open). Hardened plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart.

If the plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form on its surface. A large blood clot can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery. Over time, ruptured plaque also hardens and narrows the coronary arteries.

Overview

If the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, angina or a heart attack can occur.

Angina is chest pain or discomfort. It may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest. The pain also can occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Angina pain may even feel like indigestion.

A heart attack occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle is cut off. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. Without quick treatment, a heart attack can lead to serious health problems or death.

Over time, CHD can weaken the heart muscle and lead to heart failure and arrhythmias. Heart failure is a condition in which your heart can't pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Arrhythmias are problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.

Outlook

Lifestyle changes, medicines, and medical procedures can help prevent or treat coronary heart disease. These treatments may reduce the risk of related health problems.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked. Part of the heart may die if the person doesn’t get help quickly.

Common signs of a heart attack include:

Pain in the center or left side of the chest – or a feeling of pressure, squeezing, or fullness
Pain or discomfort in the upper body – like the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach (above the belly button)
Trouble breathing (while resting or being active)
Feeling sick to your stomach or throwing up
Feeling dizzy, light-headed, or unusually tired
Breaking out in a cold sweat
Not everyone who has a heart attack will have all the signs.

 Learn more about the signs of a heart attack.

What Is a Heart Attack?

A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked and the heart can’t get oxygen. If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die.

Heart attack treatment works best when it’s given right after symptoms occur. If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, even if you’re not sure, call 9–1–1 right away.

Overview

Heart attacks most often occur as a result of coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease. CHD is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart.

When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis. The buildup of plaque occurs over many years.

Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture (break open) inside of an artery. This causes a blood clot to form on the plaque's surface. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery.

If the blockage isn't treated quickly, the portion of heart muscle fed by the artery begins to die. Healthy heart tissue is replaced with scar tissue. This heart damage may not be obvious, or it may cause severe or long-lasting problems.

Heart With Muscle Damage and a Blocked Artery

Figure A is an overview of a heart and coronary artery showing damage (dead heart muscle) caused by a heart attack. Figure B is a cross-section of the coronary artery with plaque buildup and a blood clot.

Figure A is an overview of a heart and coronary artery showing damage (dead heart muscle) caused by a heart attack. Figure B is a cross-section of the coronary artery with plaque buildup and a blood clot.

A less common cause of heart attack is a severe spasm (tightening) of a coronary artery. The spasm cuts off blood flow through the artery. Spasms can occur in coronary arteries that aren't affected by atherosclerosis.

Heart attacks can be associated with or lead to severe health problems, such as heart failure and life-threatening arrhythmias.

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats. Ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening arrhythmia that can cause death if not treated right away.

Don't Wait--Get Help Quickly

Acting fast at the first sign of heart attack symptoms can save your life and limit damage to your heart. Treatment works best when it's given right after symptoms occur.

Many people aren't sure what's wrong when they are having symptoms of a heart attack. Some of the most common warning symptoms of a heart attack for both men and women are:

Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest. The discomfort usually lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. It also can feel like heartburn or indigestion.

Upper body discomfort. You may feel pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach (above the belly button).

Shortness of breath. This may be your only symptom, or it may occur before or along with chest pain or discomfort. It can occur when you are resting or doing a little bit of physical activity.

Other possible symptoms of a heart attack include:

Breaking out in a cold sweat

Feeling unusually tired for no reason, sometimes for days (especially if you are a woman)

Nausea (feeling sick to the stomach) and vomiting

Light-headedness or sudden dizziness

Any sudden, new symptom or a change in the pattern of symptoms you already have (for example, if your symptoms become stronger or last longer than usual)

Not all heart attacks begin with the sudden, crushing chest pain that often is shown on TV or in the movies, or other common symptoms such as chest discomfort. The symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person. Some people can have few symptoms and are surprised to learn they've had a heart attack. If you've already had a heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same for another one. 

Quick Action Can Save Your Life: Call 9–1–1

If you think you or someone else may be having heart attack symptoms or a heart attack, don't ignore it or feel embarrassed to call for help. Call 9–1–1 for emergency medical care. Acting fast can save your life.

Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room. Take a nitroglycerin pill if your doctor has prescribed this type of treatment.

Don’t ignore changes in how you feel.

Signs of a heart attack often come on suddenly. But sometimes, they develop slowly – hours, days, or even weeks before a heart attack happens.

Talk to your doctor if you feel tired for several days, or if other health problems (like pain or trouble breathing) bother you more than usual.

Call 911 right away if you or someone else has signs of a heart attack.

Don’t ignore any signs or feel embarrassed to call for help. Acting fast can save a life. Call 911 even if you aren't sure it’s a heart attack.

An ambulance is the best and safest way to get to the hospital. In an ambulance, EMTs (emergency medical technicians) can keep track of how you are doing and start life-saving treatments right away.

People who call an ambulance often get treated faster at the hospital. And, if you call 911, the operator can tell you what to do until the ambulance gets there.

Take Action!

Take steps today to lower your risk for heart disease.

Know your numbers.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can cause heart disease and heart attack. If your blood pressure or cholesterol numbers are high, you can take steps to lower them.

Get your cholesterol checked.
Men need to get their cholesterol checked at least once every 5 years. Women at risk for heart disease need to get their cholesterol checked once every 5 years. Talk with your doctor about getting your cholesterol checked.

Get your blood pressure checked.

Starting at age 18, get your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms.

Use the myhealthfinder tool to get more screening recommendations based on your age and sex.

Know your family’s health history.

Your family history affects your risk for heart disease. Use this family health history tool to keep track of your family’s health. Share the information with your doctor or nurse.

If you are worried about a family member’s risk for heart disease, use these tips to start a conversation about heart health.

Ask your doctor about taking aspirin every day.

Daily aspirin can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by preventing blood clots. A blood clot can cause a heart attack or stroke if it blocks the flow of blood to your heart or brain.

Aspirin is not recommended for everyone. Talk with your doctor to find out if taking aspirin is the right choice for you.

Eat healthy.

Eating healthy can help lower your risk of heart disease. A heart-healthy diet includes foods that are low in saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium (salt).

Heart-healthy items include high-fiber foods (whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and certain fats (like the fats in olive oil and fish). Use this shopping list to find heart-healthy foods.

Check out these heart-healthy recipe collections:

Keep the Beat™
Stay Young at Heart
Heart Healthy Home Cooking African American Style [PDF - 3 MB]
Delicious Heart Healthy Latino Recipes [PDF - 3 MB]
Get heart-healthy tips for dining out [PDF - 3 MB]. For example, ask for a side salad instead of chips or french fries.

Drink alcohol only in moderation.

If you choose to drink alcohol, limit your drinking to no more than 1 drink a day for women and no more than 2 drinks a day for men. Drinking too much can increase your risk of heart disease.

Get active.

Getting active can help prevent heart disease. Adults need at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. This includes walking fast, dancing, and biking.

If you are just getting started, try walking for 10 minutes a day, a few days each week. Then add more activity over time.

Watch your weight.

Extra weight can lead to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. If you are overweight or obese, losing just 10 pounds can lower your risk of heart disease. Find out how to control your weight.

If you don't know if you are at a healthy weight, use this BMI calculator to figure out your BMI (body mass index).

Quit smoking.

Quitting smoking helps lower your risk of having a heart attack. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free support and to set up your plan for quitting.

Manage stress.

Managing stress can help prevent serious health problems like heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress.

Take steps to prevent type 2 diabetes.

When you have diabetes, there is too much glucose (sugar) in your blood. Over time, if it’s not controlled, diabetes can cause serious health problems, including heart disease.

Taking steps to prevent type 2 diabetes – like eating healthy and getting active – can help keep your heart healthy.

Healthfinder

New Blood Pressure Guidelines Dangerous ?

     New Blood Pressure Guidelines Dangerous?

Research says the treatment threshold is too high for those over 60 years of age

Scientists continue to debate when doctors should prescribe blood pressure medication for older Americans, with a new study saying delayed treatment puts people at greater risk of stroke.

For people 60 and older, a U.S. panel in 2014 recommended raising the blood pressure rate at which doctors prescribe treatment from 140 to 150 systolic blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure is the top number in a blood pressure reading.


But the new study finds that people with systolic blood pressure of 140 to 149 have a 70 percent increased risk of stroke compared to people with lower blood pressure.

"Our study shows the borderline group is probably as risky as having a blood pressure greater than 150, at least for stroke risk," said senior author Dr. Ralph Sacco, chair of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "This was a controversial move, and I think our study suggests we shouldn't switch it to 150. We should stick to 140."

The new findings, published online Feb. 1 in the journal Hypertension, are unlikely to quell arguments over proper blood pressure management, however.

For instance, the new study does not address the risk of side effects associated with blood pressure medications, or how medication would alter a person's overall stroke risk, said Dr. Paul James, head of family medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

"It's a matter of balancing the risk of treatment with the benefits of treatment," said James. "That's not a simple thing, and it's not really something that one study like this study could answer."

About one in three adults in the United States has high blood pressure (or "hypertension"), according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The institute formed the Eighth Joint National Committee, or JNC8, in 2008 to update high blood pressure treatment guidelines issued in 2003. Its final recommendation, issued in 2014, said that adults aged 60 or older should only take blood pressure medication if their blood pressure exceeds 150/90, a higher bar of treatment than the previous guideline of 140/90.

Arguments immediately sprang up around the JNC8 revised guidelines, with the American Heart Association expressing concern over potential delays in treatment of high blood pressure.

"These were extremely controversial, and the American Heart Association was adamant and vocal in our disagreement with that," said Dr. Mary Ann Bauman, a heart association spokeswoman. Bauman is the medical director of women's health and community relations at Integris Health in Oklahoma City.

Sacco and his colleagues launched their new study in response to the JNC8 recommendations. "We were concerned about the recommendations' potential effect on stroke prevention," he said.

The research team gathered data on 1,750 participants aged 60 and older in the Northern Manhattan Study, a study of stroke risk in a multi-ethnic community. None had diabetes or chronic kidney disease -- two risk factors for stroke.

During about 13 years of follow-up, 182 people suffered a stroke, the investigators reported.


The researchers concluded that having a systolic blood pressure of 140 to 149 elevated stroke risk as much as having systolic blood pressure greater than 150. Increased stroke risk was most notable among Hispanics and blacks, the findings showed.

"Our findings support adherence to current American Heart Association treatment guidelines," Sacco said. It recommends starting medication at 140 systolic or higher.

James responded that the new study does not provide solid evidence that would refute the JNC8 recommendation, which called for doctors to treat borderline blood pressure (140-149 systolic) through lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise.

He added that the new study is based on observational data, and can only draw associations about stroke risk. The JNC8 recommendations were based on clinical trials that proved that stricter guidelines and tighter blood pressure control provided no additional benefit to patients, James said.

"But the evidence told us going below 150 did not seem to translate into improved health or improved mortality," James said.

Bauman countered that the clinical trials the JNC8 relied upon didn't give a full picture of the long-term risks of high blood pressure.

"The complications of hypertension are long, long range, and I don't think the clinical trials they relied on went long enough," Bauman said.
Bauman and Sacco also pointed out that a new clinical trial called SPRINT, which came out after the JNC8 guidelines, has shown that driving blood pressure down to as low as 120 systolic can reduce by one-quarter the rate of death, heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

Paul agreed that the SPRINT trial "rises to that degree of evidence" that the JNC8 sought, and should be included in any future review of blood pressure guidelines.

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 HealthDay

Common Habits Damaging Heart

6 Common Habits That Are Damaging Your Heart

Work long hours at a desk job? Forget to floss at night? These and other common habits can be hard on your heart. Stay safe by making these heart-healthy changes.

you know that eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are important habits for a healthy heart. But did you know that you could still be undermining all your efforts with some surprisingly common bad habits?

“A number of activities that people don’t think twice about can have a negative impact on heart health,” says Kevin R. Campbell, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at North Carolina Heart and Vascular, UNC Health Care in Raleigh. Check out this list of heart-damaging habits to see if it's time to make changes to your routine:

1. Sitting All Day

Compared to people with an active lifestyle, those who don’t move enough and tend to sit for five hours or more each day have double the risk for heart failure, according to a study published in January 2014 in the American Heart Association (AHA) journal Circulation: Heart Failure.  

If your job requires sitting at a desk all day, get up and take a five-minute walk every hour. This small tweak in your routine can keep your arteries flexible and blood flowing properly, protecting against the negative effects of being sedentary, according to an Indiana University study published in August 2014 in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 

2. Overindulging in Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, and obesity — all of which increase your risk for heart disease. The AHA reports that excessive drinking — more than two drinks a day for men and one drink for women — can interrupt your normal heart rhythm and cause heart failure. It’s okay to enjoy the occasional cocktail or glass of wine, but you can protect your heart by sticking to the AHA guidelines. 

3. Stressing Too Much

Stress spurs the body to release adrenaline, which temporarily affects how your body functions — your heart rate increases, and your blood pressure may rise. Over time, too much stress can damage blood vessels in the heart and increase your risk for heart attack and stroke, Dr. Campbell says.

To minimize the harmful effects of stress, the AHA recommends the following:

Find a release. Share your feelings by talking with a trusted friend or family member. 

Exercise. Relieve mental tension by engaging in physical activity. Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most days of the week. 

Plan your day. Prioritize tasks and plan ahead to help prevent rushing to get everything done.  

 4. Not Flossing

Your dentist is right: Flossing is important — but not just for your teeth. A study published in May 2014 in the Journal of Periodontal Research found that people with coronary heart disease who flossed experienced fewer cardiovascular problems. What's the connection? Certain studies, including one published in July 2013 in International Scholarly Research Notices, show that bacteria associated with gum disease promote inflammation in the body, and inflammation has been associated with increased risk for heart disease, Campbell explains.  

A variety of flossing tools are available to make the task a little easier in hard-to-reach areas, from flossing picks to threaders that guide the floss. 

 5. Overdoing It on Salt

Excessive sodium can lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, Campbell says. Avoiding the saltshaker isn’t too difficult, but what about hidden sodium? The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) reports that processed foods — including canned vegetables and soups, lunch meats, frozen dinners, chips, and other salty snacks — account for most of the salt Americans consume. Be sure to read nutrition labels and compare products, choosing the one with the lowest percent daily value for sodium. A rule of thumb to follow: The AHA recommends that most people consume less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

6. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Your heart works hard all day, and if you don’t get enough sleep, your cardiovascular system doesn’t get the rest it needs. Your heart rate and blood pressure dip during the first phase of sleep (the non-REM phase), then rise and fall in response to your dreams during the second phase (REM sleep). These changes throughout the night seem to promote cardiovascular health, according to the NHLBI. 

Chronic sleep deprivation can also lead to high resting cortisol and adrenaline levels, similar to levels that you experience in a stressful situation, Campbell explains. He recommends that adults get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Teens and young adults should aim for 9 to 10 hours, he says.

 Make Your Heart-Healthy Changes Stick

“Lifestyle changes are a process and do not occur quickly,” says Frank J. Sileo, PhD, a psychologist at The Center for Psychological Enhancement in Ridgewood, N.J. In fact, according to a study that appeared in the British Journal of General Practice in 2012, it takes about 66 days for a practiced behavior to become a habit. So practice patience and follow these steps to make your heart-healthy changes stick:

Write out a list of the changes you want to make. Putting goals down on paper makes them tangible and creates a guide you can follow, Dr. Sileo says. Just be sure you’re as realistic and specific as possible. 

Break down your goals into manageable milestones. Don’t try to make all the changes at once. “Most people run into difficulties and failure when they try to change too much too fast,” he says. Make sure each milestone feels attainable. 

Gradually add new changes. When a change starts to become second nature, add another goal. Keep doing this until you reach the end of your list. 

If you experience a setback, don’t give up. Remember that as changes turn into habits, you’ll be on your way to the ultimate goal: maintaining a healthier heart.

More Information : http://www.everydayhealth.com