Do You Need To Lose Weight? Know Your BMI!

In my book What To Do When You Have Heart Disease, I do not specify that everyone with heart disease needs to lose weight.  Why would I miss such an important detail when we are always hearing about how overweight the American population is?  Certainly a large number of heart disease patients are overweight and even obese!  BUT, not everyone with heart disease is your typical overweight patient.  My father has had 2 heart attacks and you can barely pinch an inch of fat on him.  I know it seems like a contradiction, but skinny people can also have heart disease!  It would be totally inappropriate to tell someone who is already thin that they need to lose weight because of heart disease.  Of course, everyone with heart disease needs to eat healthy, but there can be a difference between eating healthy and eating to lose weight.  Someone who is already thin does not need to eat less or cut back on their calories like someone who is overweight.  A thin person just needs to change the types of foods they eat to avoid saturated fats.

When SHOULD a person go on a restrictive diet for the purpose of losing weight?  First, you need to calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index) at the following site: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/  If your BMI is greater than 25, then you are considered overweight and should discuss a weight loss diet with your cardiologist.  If your BMI is 30 or more, then you are considered obese and should go on a weight loss diet as soon as possible.  Being obese puts a strain on your entire body, from your heart to your joints!

Heart Disease Awareness Campaigns Unfair?

I just read an article in a blog called “Male Matters” that brings up an interesting and controversial topic.  The writer claims that men’s health issues are being largely ignored by the media and medical community.  He specifically calls out the Go Red for Women campaign which has been nationally publicized to bring about heart disease awareness in women.  He feels these campaigns for women’s health are unnecessary given the fact that men die an average of 5 years earlier than women with regards to all types of diseases and deaths.  As an alternative, the blog writer recommends that more research be done to figure out this disparity and that a men’s health campaign should be started.  Of course, he recognizes that this is likely to offend the women’s health campaigns.  (See the article for your self at http://battlinbog.blog-city.com/at_male_matters_november_15_finally_the_new_york_times_repor.htm)

Personally, I believe that ALL campaigns for heart disease are respectable and necessary.  I know the disease is difficult for anyone, regardless of gender!  I support the Go Red for Women movement but would also not hesitate to support a heart disease campaign directed towards men.  Any kind of support and education to prevent heart disease related deaths is a noble effort in my book!

Think You Can’t Exercise? Try Swimming!

Anyone with heart disease knows that you MUST exercise to maintain a healthy heart.  There are many obstacles to exercise though, right?  There’s no time, you don’t have the energy, you don’t know where to start…  If you’ve read my previous blogs, you know that I am a big advocate for cardiac rehabilitation which is an exercise program specially designed for heart disease patients.  Some people may not be candidates for cardiac rehab due to pain or disability.  If you have chronic back pain or some type of physical disability, don’t give up on exercising for your heart!  One of the best options available is swimming.  Swimming provides a low-impact, full-body workout that is great exercise for your heart.  Most cities have indoor community pools that can be used cheaply all year long, regardless of weather.  Check out your local YMCA, Parks and Recreation centers or even fitness clubs to find the cheapest option.  Make a goal to swim at least 3 to 5 times a week for a consistent cardiovascular workout.  Believe me, your cardiologist will be very pleased to hear that you are swimming for your heart!  And your heart will love it too!  

Read more about the benefits of swimming at: http://www.new-fitness.com/swimming.html

What Cold Medicine Can A Person With Heart Disease Take?

It’s still cold and flu season so that means you are probably wondering which cold medicines are safe for your heart?  Anyone who has been diagnosed with heart disease needs to be extra cautious of what they take over-the-counter.  One of the biggest problems with many over-the-counter medicines is related to the side effect of high blood pressure.  Most cold and flu medicines have the ingredient pseudoephedrine (AKA Sudafed) which is known to raise blood pressure.  When a person’s blood pressure goes up, the chances of heart attack and stroke are increased, sometimes quite significantly!  I have always recommended to my heart patients that they avoid pseudoephedrine and instead take something like Coricidin HBP.  Coricidin HBP is a cold relief medicine specifically made for people with high blood pressure or heart problems.  If you are unsure whether your favorite cold/flu medicine contains a harmful ingredient for your heart, ask your pharmacist!  Chances are that most cold medicines you buy at the store should be avoided because they DO contain the harmful pseudoephedrine! 

To read more about heart disease and colds, check out this link from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/heart-disease-colds

Friday is National Wear Red Day

Did you know that you can support a cure and bring about awareness for heart disease just by wearing a special color?  This Friday, February 5th is National Wear Red Day.  By wearing red, you can show recognition and support for women with heart disease.  Many people all over the country, from the workplace to the national television news shows, will be wearing red this Friday to show their support. 

You may be wondering why we need a national movement for women with heart disease?  The reason is because heart disease is the number one killer of women!  Also, a woman is slightly more likely to die from a heart attack than a man.  Traditionally, women have thought that heart disease was a man’s disease because men have a tendency to develop the disease sooner than women.  There were scientific theories that suggested women were “protected” by their female hormones which led many women to feel they did not need to worry much about heart attacks until they entered menopause.  Regardless of age, statistics don’t lie…a woman is more likely to die of heart disease than cancer!  So wear red on Friday and show that you want to bring awareness to the problem of heart disease in women.  If you want to take a more active role, you can start a National Wear Red Day campaign in your office and raise money for funding a cure.  Find out more information at http://goredforwomen.org and register to download an office toolkit which guides you through the process of setting up a campaign in your office.

Identical Twins with Heart Disease Gives Strong Evidence For Genetics

A medical journal article from 2008 reported on 2 very interesting cases of heart disease…in identical twins!  The twins apparently presented to the hospital nearly at the same time with symptoms of heart disease.  After undergoing angiography, their doctors discovered the areas of plaque buildup in their arteries were almost identical.  This was an even more shocking discovery since the twins lived 12,000 miles apart and had very different environmental risk factors!

A case such as this provides very strong evidence that heart disease is in your genes.  That doesn’t mean you should throw out the healthy lifestyle!  We have yet to discover exactly how genes can play such a major role.  It may be that some people with heart disease have an overhwelming genetic role while others clearly have heart disease from more of an environmental role. There’s no way to know for sure until more heart disease research is done.  So, play it safe and take control of your modifiable risk factors like diet, exercise and appropriate medication.

“Why Did I Have a Second Bypass or Stent So Soon?”

Many people wonder why they required a second heart procedure so soon after their first. For instance, someone might have bypass one year and then stents or a second bypass only a few years later! Normally, bypass is supposed to be ”good” for around 10 years. So why do some people end up with more problems in a much shorter period of time? Sometimes you can do everything right and still end up with more heart problems!

If you are doing all the right things by taking your medicines, eating right and exercising, the answer may be that your body is just more aggressive in the process of building up plaque than most other people. Also, you have to take into account that the arteries and veins used in bypass to replace the blocked ones may not be perfect to start off with. The best replacements for the blocked arteries are the internal mammary arteries. They are well known to last longer than the saphenous veins. Unfortunately, that also means that saphenous vein grafts are in fact much more prone to failure in a shorter period of time.  One study has estimated that 20% of all saphenous vein grafts fail within 2 years!  Whether it is your body’s tendency to build up plaque quickly or accelerated failure of a poor graft, you’ve got to stay in tune with your symptoms to prevent further damage to your heart. Be extra cautious when experiencing chest pain or discomfort. Call your cardiologist or go to the ER if you suspect that something is wrong with your heart!

Yes, You Have Heart Disease!

I hate to be the one to break some bad news, but its important to understand the definition of heart disease. If you have had a heart stent, heart attack, angiogram showing heart artery blockages or bypass surgery….then YES, you have heart disease! I discussed this in my book but I feel it is imperative to stress this again. At this point in time, THERE IS NO CURE FOR HEART DISEASE! A stent, angioplasty or bypass are methods to help relieve symptoms and minimize damage to the heart. It is like putting a bandage over a cut. They do not stop further blockages from building up in the heart arteries.  Heart disease is part of a continuous process of plaque buildup in your body.

To be fair, there are a select few people who have had heart attacks caused by medications like birth control or chemotherapy. These people may not actually have plaque in their arteries but instead develop a clot in the heart arteries which prevented blood flow to certain areas of the heart. However, these circumstances are rare.

Most likely, if you had a heart attack, stent, or bypass surgery you will have heart disease for the rest of your life….at least until a cure is found! This is why it is so important to commit to lifelong diet, exercise and heart medications. These are the only ways we have of reducing your future risk of heart attack or death from heart disease.

Depression Hurts…Especially When You Have Heart Disease!

I was reading a new article on the Cleveland Clinic website that discusses depression in heart disease patients.  According to one of their physicians, ” [A] study found patients who were depressed after suffering a heart attack were three to four times more likely to die over six months than post heart attack patients without depression.  Even 18 months after a heart attack, depression remained an independent risk factor for cardiac-related death.”  The article goes on to explain that heart patients often blame themselves for their disease and feel as though they are weak.  An even bigger reason why depression is likely to increase a heart attack patient’s risk of death…people who are depressed tend to stop their necessary medicines, eat poorly and stop exercising.  These are three VERY necessary steps to helping a damaged heart recover.  Without appropriate medication, diet and exercise the heart is left struggling to recuperate against the odds.

If you or a loved one has heart disease and feels depressed, discuss your feelings with your cardiologist and consider treatment with anti-depressants.  Most importantly, KEEP TAKING YOUR MEDICINES, EATING PROPERLY and EXERCISE!

If you’d like to read more from the Cleveland Clinic website, go to: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/news/archive/feeling_blue_depression_heart_disease.aspx

New Study is Enrolling Patients for Heart Attack Warning Device

An interesting new study is enrolling patients at approximately 30 medical centers throughout the US to test a new device which may alert patients that they are having a heart attack.  The device is implanted under the skin much in the same way that a pacemaker is put in.  When a person begins to have a heart attack, some of the electrical signals of the heart may provide warning signs.  This new device interprets the possibly harmful electrical signals and sounds an alarm to tell the patient that they need to go to the hospital for immediate evaluation.  The patients who are being chosen for the study must already have Coronary Artery Disease and are therefore at a higher risk of heart attack.

The study is called the ALERTS trial and you can find out more information about it by following this link: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00781118?term=ALERTS&rank=18

If this device works well, certainly this would be a great preventive measure to limit damage to the heart.  The sooner a person receives treatment during a heart attack, the better their outcome.  It would also help to bring peace of mind to the patients with the device.  No longer would they worry about whether their heartburn was a heart attack!