Archive for the ‘Are You at Risk?’ Category
World Stroke Day: Stroke Across America [INFOGRAPHIC]
October 26, 2011
Raising awareness about stroke is the purpose of the Saturday’s World Stroke Day 2011, a campaign by the World Stroke Organization. We are proud to help raise awareness about stroke and celebrate stroke prevention. Please help celebrate with us by sharing the infographic below with your friends and family.
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Life Line Screening has created the Stroke Across America educational infographic above in honor of World Stroke Day. This infographic not only contains statistics about stroke but also critical information you should know about stroke and your health, such as:
• What Stroke Is
• Signs of Stroke
• Types of Stroke
• Stroke Prevention
Category: Are You at Risk?, Health Screenings
Women, Depression and Stroke
August 18, 2011
An August 12 USA Today article reports that women with a “history of depression” have a higher risk of stroke. This is according to findings from a recent study published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Some of the interesting details from this study are that women taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are antidepressants like Prozac and Zoloft, run a 39% higher risk for stroke than non-depressed women and a 10% higher risk than depressed women who are not using antidepressants.
Yet, women should not stop taking their antidepressant medications, according to the study’s lead author Kathryn Rexrode, who said, “Although we found women who took antidepressants were at higher risk, I don’t have anything to indicate it’s because of the medications.”
The reason for the mention of antidepressants is, as lead researcher An Pan points out, that a woman who is prescribed antidepressants is typically experiencing a deeper depression, and it is the depression that is the significant link to stroke risks, including:
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Smoking
- Physical inactivity
In fact, as previously indicated, depressed women who do not take antidepressants still have a 29% higher risk of stroke than non-depressed women.
Summary of the Study
The study followed only women, and it is noted that findings for men in the same type of study might be different. The article also points out the fact that women are twice more likely than men to have a depressive disorder.
Meanwhile the summary of this study is:
- Researchers followed 80,574 women ages 54 to 79 from 2000 to 2006
- At the beginning of the study 22% of women reported ever having depression (which can be compared to the national incidence of 20% in women)
- During the study, 1,033 stroke cases were reported
Also mentioned is the fact that stroke is the third leading cause of death, and it is actually an issue that affects more women than men, according to the National Stroke Association. But, Pan says women can reduce risk by:
- Avoiding smoking
- Starting an exercise regimen
- Eating a healthy diet
- Working with your doctor to control diabetes and blood pressure
He also says, that if you are feeling depressed, you should talk to your doctor about whether or not treatment is needed.
The entire USA Today article can be read at:
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/womenshealth/story/2011/08/Depressed-women-have-higher-risk-of-stroke/49931142/1?csp=ylf
Other Resources:
HealthDay Article: “In Women, Diabetes Plus Depression a Deadly Combo” at:
http://www.lifelinescreening.com/health-updates/healthy-you/diabetes/diabetes-plus-depression-deadly-combo.aspx
HealthDay Article: “Ninety Percent of Stroke Risk Due to 10 Risk Factors” at:
http://www.lifelinescreening.com/health-updates/health-news/ninety-percent-stroke-risk-due-to-ten-risk-factors.aspx
YouTube video about stroke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ODJGyFwl2k
Cardiovascular Disease is the Leading Cause of Death Globally
August 8, 2011
Did you know that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death globally? According to information from the World Health Organization it is.
In fact, the World Health Organization reports that an estimated 17.1 million people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2004, with 7.2 million of the deaths being due to coronary heart disease and 5.7 million due to stroke. These numbers represent 29% of deaths globally. And by 2030, they estimate that deaths due to cardivascular disease will reach 23.6 million, with the majority of these deaths being largely the result of coronary heart disease and stroke.
If you are getting confused over all the disease names, here is some explanation:
Coronary heart disease and stroke-causing cerebrovascular disease are both part of a group of cardiovascular diseases, or disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Following is the list of cardiovascular diseases straight from the World Health Organization’s fact sheet:
- coronary heart disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle
- cerebrovascular disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain
- peripheral arterial disease – disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs
- deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs
- rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria
- congenital heart disease – malformations of heart structure existing at birth
Bottom line, these disorders can put you at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke, and more often than not, the root cause is a build-up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels.
A healthy diet goes a long way in preventing heart disease.
You know what else? You can help prevent heart disease and stroke risk factors by:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Regular exercise
- Not smoking
In fact, the World Health Organization states that, “Behavioural risk factors are responsible for about 80% of coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular disease” and many times there are no symptoms. Read the World Health Organization’s fact sheet on cardiovascular disease at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/index.html
Prevention and Control Programs are Needed
The World Health Organization recognizes that there is a need for programs aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease. Until then, Life Line Screening continues to screen in the US and the UK for many of the diseases on the cardiovascular disease list, including:
- Cholesterol screening (not in all states)
- Carotid artery screening
- Peripheral arterial disease screening
- High blood pressure screening (not in all states)
- Elevated C-reactive protein screening
- High glucose screening
These screenings can help determine your risk before a heart disease or stroke occurs. Sign up for a screening today at http://www.lifelinescreening.com/
Category: Are You at Risk?, Health Awareness, Health Screenings
2010 Academic Paper Shows Current AAA Screening Recommendations Are Woefully Inadequate
August 1, 2011
Life Line Screening Chief Medical Officer, Andrew Manganaro, MD, is the co-author of a 2010 academic paper, Development of a Novel Scoring Tool for the Identification of Large ≥5 cm Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. This paper finds current screening recommendations are woefully inadequate. The distressing findings: Only 35% of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) found are among males ages 65-75, while 50% are outside of that patient group.
Lead authors of this paper are independent doctors and scientists from the prestigious Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NY. The paper uses data from Life Line Screening, which was collected from 3.1 million people who had an AAA ultrasound screening between 2003 and 2008.
The results of the data studied determined that “smoking had a profound influence on the risk of AAA, which increased with number of cigarettes smoked and years of smoking, and decreased following smoking cessation.”
Other findings include:
• Exercise reduces risk of AAA
• Maintaining a normal weight reduces risk of AAA
• Black and Hispanics are less likely to have AAA
Based on findings, the study provides a better screening strategy, or a better scoring tool, to identify those individuals who are at risk for abdominal aortic aneurysm from a broader population. And, it proves to be another reason to be proactive about your own health.
Read the paper at PubMed.gov: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20881774
Find out more about abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Have you had your screening?
Wife’s Nagging Can Save Your Life!
July 20, 2011
Many men out there tend to exaggerate about their nagging wives. That is, until the wife’s insistence saves their life. According to a July 18 ABC News/Health article, that’s what happened to 51-year-old Steve Jagler, who had been experiencing consistent shoulder pains.
After a stress test revealed no problems, Jager’s cardiologist told him that it was probably indigestion but only a more invasive coronary angiogram could rule out a heart problem for sure. It was at his wife’s urging that he had the invasive testing, which resulted in the discovery of heart disease that required open heart surgery.
It was her urging that ultimately saved his life. “She won that argument,” he is quoted as saying, “and has won every other argument since then.”
This story prefaces the article’s report of a recent Canadian study that shows married men, as opposed to single, divorced or widowed men, are more likely to go to the hospital within six hours of experiencing heart attack symptoms.
The reason for this, according to those affiliated with the study’s findings, is that women are more likely to take the role of the primary caregiver because it is in their nature to be concerned about their loved one’s health.
The article also notes the importance of knowing your risks for heart disease as well as heart blockage or heart attack symptoms. As advocates for preventive health, Life Line Screening couldn’t agree more. Does it seem like we’re nagging? 
Read this article in its entirety at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartHealth/married-men-seek-care-heart-attack-sooner/story?id=14098044
Category: Are You at Risk?, Health Awareness
