We may only be in the second week of a new year, but heart health seems to be taking the media by storm in 2012. From new studies to new health campaigns to new takes on old regimens, experts have been weighing in on all types of health issues.

Below are some of the top trending articles of this month dealing with heart health and prevention. For personal advice from a cardiologist about your cardiac care, contact our team of professionals to make an appointment.

Medical Advice for the New Year: Don’t Get Sick – The Atlantic

“I am sure that it would, in theory, have been better for me to not have developed high blood pressure in the first place.  It might also have been better for me to be 5’10 instead of 6’2–and unfortunately, I have no idea how I could have achieved either stunt.”

Marathon offers CPR training to runners – The Boston Globe

“‘The number-one predictor of survival of cardiac arrest during a race was whether a runner had access to bystander CPR,’ said study leader Dr. Aaron Baggish, associate director of the cardiovascular performance program at Mass. General. Teaching basic chest compressions to marathon participants and race observers – a form of CPR than doesn’t involve mouth-to-mouth resuscitation – might lead to fewer deaths in the future, he added.”

Broken heart boosts risk of cardiac attacks: study – NY Daily News

“Intense grief can cause a host of symptoms that raise heart risks, including higher heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormone levels and blood clotting.”

Healthy People Don’t Need Aspirin To Prevent Heart Disease: Report – The Huffington Post

“Based on more than 100,000 men and women followed for an average of six years, there was no sign aspirin prevented fatal heart attacks. But it did cause a tiny drop in non-fatal heart attacks.”

Study: Cars, TV Increase Risk of Heart Attack – Fox

“People who engage in physical activity during work and leisure time tend to have a lower risk of heart attack than those with less active lifestyles. What’s even worse is that the ownership of a car and television have specifically been linked to an increased risk of heart attack by about 27 percent because these devices ‘promote sedentary behavior,’ according to the study.”

Improve your diet. Undertaking a complete diet change can be stressful for a lot of people, so why not start by resolving to make small adjustments here and there that will add up over time? Reduce your portion sizes by 25%. Replace your daily beverages with water.

Exercise. Getting plenty of exercise is a popular resolution that often loses steam by the end of January.  Many adults find daily trips to a health club boring and expensive or think there isn’t enough time in the day to exercise.  There are two excellent alternatives that will allow you to work out without joining a gym.  First, you can participate in a recreational league for a sport that you enjoy such as softball, soccer or basketball.  If sports leagues are not offered where you live, you can organize a weekly game with friends or coworkers.  This can be a lot more exciting, fun and social than going to a health club for an hour every other day.  Second, if you live within a reasonable distance to work you can exercise on your commute to work.   Many people walk, run or bike to work to save the cost of travel as well as making the most of their time during the day.

To learn more about improving your diet and fitness as well as the health of your heart, contact us today to meet with a cardiologist.

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea can wake up dozens or even hundreds of times per hour as their airways momentarily close, cutting off all oxygen. Frequently, apnea sufferers won’t even realize they are waking up during the night, often prolonging their choice to visit a doctor.

Though sleep apnea can be incredibly dangerous, it is also fairly easy to treat. One of the most frequent courses of treatment involves continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) which is provided in the form of a breathing mask.

A study released today by the New England Journal of Medicine goes one step farther, however, showing that CPAP treatment has the potential to reduce the signs of heart disease. The study, though limited in its scope, shows that use of a CPAP machine was able to significantly improve the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, an indicator of heart disease risk.

Common risk factors for metabolic syndrome are having extra weight around your midsection and having an insulin resistance, which causes blood sugar to rise. Other factors for the syndrome include hormone changes, lack of exercise and a genetic predisposition.  A combination of any three indicators is used to diagnose metabolic syndrome in adults.

Traditional recommendations for treating metabolic syndrome include losing weight, increasing exercise, beginning an aspirin regimen and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

The study looked at 86 patients with obstructive sleep apnea, 75 of which also had metabolic syndrome. After just three months of using a CPAP machine, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides and waist circumference all dropped in the test subjects.

In fact, after receiving CPAP eleven patients, or 13% of the study group, were no longer considered to have metabolic syndrome, compared to just one patient in the placebo group.

According to the study’s lead researcher, even short-term oxygen deprivation distresses the body and “causes the release of hormones that can cause cell damage that may lead to metabolic syndrome.” While doctors aren’t quite ready to say that CPAP treatment should be used to reverse heart disease, they do point out that obstructive sleep apnea is clearly a heart threat.

To learn more about metabolic syndrome or to be tested for this condition, schedule a consultation with our cardiologists today.

Most people don’t traditionally worry about getting their cholesterol checked until well into their adult life or until other health concerns prompt a cardiologist to complete the screening. However, the buildup of fat in the blood that wreaks havoc for middle-aged and older people may actually start at a very early age.

A new report from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with the American Academy of Pediatrics has updated guidelines to suggest cholesterol screening for younger patients. The new recommendations aim to test children at ages 9-11 and again as young adults at ages 17-21 for abnormal cholesterol levels as a proactive measure.

Various studies in recent years have suggested that traditional screening methods for adolescent cholesterol problems miss between 30-60% of children who are at risk. By widening the scope of juvenile testing, doctors will be better able to reach all children who may be developing early signs of heart disease.

A cholesterol test is a simple procedure, performed by a cardiologist or family doctor, in which a small amount of blood is drawn and analyzed. A normal cholesterol rate for adults is less than 200 milligrams per tenth of a liter of blood. In children, however, a normal rate should be less than 175.

With juvenile obesity rates on the rise nationwide, high cholesterol in children is a rapidly escalating concern. Even though a vast majority of children with abnormal cholesterol rates may not experience any symptoms of the condition, identifying high cholesterol early on can provide a much more optimistic outlook for future health.

Through poor diet, lack of exercise or a genetic disposition, children may begin forming fatty deposits in their arteries. If such buildups are diagnosed, early treatment has the potential to reverse damage to arteries. However, if left untreated these fatty deposits can decrease blood flow and place extra stress on blood vessels, causing irreversible harm.

If you or your child is diagnosed with high cholesterol, taking early action can be key in reversing damage and preventing future health problems. To treat high cholesterol:

• Talk to your doctor about beginning a daily exercise regimen to maintain a healthy weight
• Consult with a nutritionist to design a diet low in saturated fat and nigh in nutrients
• If cholesterol levels do not respond to diet and exercise, talk to a cardiologist about medication

To schedule an appointment or learn more about cholesterol screening, contact our office today.

Acute heart failure is a condition in which one of the heart’s ventricles malfunctions, potentially disrupting blood flow. Estimates have shown that as many as 5 million Americans are affected by acute heart failure, with half a million cases reported annually.

National averages suggest about 5-6% of Medicare patients have this cardiac condition as opposed to 35.2% at Chino Valley, which raised a red flag with California Watch, an investigative reporting group.

When a reporter for California Watch contacted Dr. Steven Shayani for a review of the data by an expert cardiologist, it was clear that something suspicious was taking place.

“Acute heart failure is very prevalent, as you know,” Dr. Shayani told California Watch. “However, there is no way of explaining” Chino Valley’s high rate, he said. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

In an effort to bring more clarity to this situation, California Watch undertook its own investigation of the medical center in question to find the true motivation for their diagnoses. Before 2006, no cases of acute heart failure were reported at the hospital. However, following a change in Medicare rules which authorized additional funds for treating this condition, the diagnosis became common practice.

Between 2008 and 2010, under the new Medicare policy, Chino Valley reported 1,971 Medicare patients with acute heart failure. For the medical center, owned by Prime Healthcare Services, these diagnoses meant a healthy bottom line.

New Medicare standards treated acute heart failure as a “major complication” which entitled treating physicians to additional reimbursements worth anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 or more. But monetary gains might not have been the only incentive for the faulty diagnoses.

A padded acute heart failure rate can boost a hospital’s ratings, said Dr. Shayani.

“If you put heart failure as the diagnosis and the patient survives, that’s how you would statistically lower your mortality rate,” he said. “And so your ratings are better.”

Indeed, Chino Valley has enjoyed a HealthGrades excellence award for the past two years in addition to a five-star rating for heart failure treatment. These accolades are based primarily on the survival rate of patients treated for cardiac conditions.

Holiday Heart Syndrome is an aptly named condition which can affect the hearts of otherwise healthy people. Many people who experience this syndrome have never experienced symptoms of a heart condition before. Binge drinking (usually in the form of extra wine, eggnog or other holiday beverage) triggers the syndrome and causes the heart to begin beating erratically and faster than normal.

While overindulging in alcohol can upset the heart’s normal rhythm on any day or any time of year, cardiologists tend to see case of this syndrome peak around the holidays when many people give themselves license to pour an extra glass or two for themselves.

Alcohol on its own is capable of wreaking havoc, but when paired with an abundance of sodium-laden snacks and side dishes, the threat becomes more serious. An abnormal heart rhythm may not sound serious, extreme cases can lead to congestive heart failure or stroke.

People suffering from holiday heart syndrome usually feel their heart beat become rapid or fluttery, which can lead to a drop in blood pressure or fainting. While cardiologists aren’t exactly sure what causes these symptoms, it is believed that a sudden increase of blood to the heart can throw off its natural rhythm.

During the holidays, many people who experience cardiac symptoms have trouble discerning whether the issue is a bad case of indigestion or something much more serious. If your heart begins beating rapidly or irregularly after a big holiday meal, immediately stop eating and drinking and make sure you are sitting or lying down.

If the sensation continues for five minutes, first call 911 and then contact your cardiologist or family doctor. Continued arrhythmias can require prescriptions to help regulate the heart’s function and avoid future problems.

Rather than risk a holiday trip to the emergency room, make a conscious effort to be proactive about protecting your heart. Throughout the holiday season, try to maintain a diet similar to your eating and drinking patterns during the rest of the year. Stick to two glasses of alcohol during your big lunch or dinner, and drink only in conjunction with a balanced plate including plenty of heart-healthy vegetables.

Want to learn if you are at risk for holiday heart syndrome? Schedule an appointment with one of our cardiologists today!

The latest discovery by medical researchers may just hold a clue to treating or even preventing some of the most deadly heart conditions found in today’s society. While heart attacks and heart disease in America are all too common, the potential source of a cure is anything but.

Biologists at the University of Colorado in Boulder have been studying a group of young Burmese pythons and their incredible ability to enlarge their own hearts. These scaly snakes eat very rarely, going weeks or months in between meals. When they finally do put forth the energy to catch their next meal, it usually comes in the form of animals much larger than their own slinky stature.

Pigs and deer are both fair game when a python is looking for its dinner. It isn’t exactly what pythons eat that caught scientists’ eye, though, but what happens to their physiology when the snakes swallow their prey whole.

After ingesting a whole animal, a python’s internal organs actually grow, increasing to nearly 40% larger than their usual size. For up to two weeks while the serpent digests his meal, the heart remains enlarged until it slowly returns to its normal size.

Further studies into the mysterious growing hearts have revealed that a variation in python blood enables the organ swelling and also provides essential heart protection. While humans have a small amount of fat content in our blood, doctors warn against letting too much blood collect for fear of heart disease or heart attacks.

In snakes, however, the opposite appears to be true. Python blood was found to have 50 times more fat during digestion periods than normal. This fat enlarges the heart, providing their body with extra energy necessary to digest such a large intake.

These new findings could offer potential hope to patients with weak hearts who are unable to exercise. If these patients could have their hearts artificially enlarged, they may be able to enjoy the benefits of increased circulation without enduring the strain of physical activity.

Will cardiologists be prescribing snake blood as a treatment anytime soon? In short, no. However, if scientists are able to understand the molecular mechanisms behind this python trait, they may be able to apply the same science to a treatment for human conditions.

When viral cardiomyopathy destroyed her heart in 2006, Ally was equipped with a HeartMate II, a system of pumps and wires installed by cardiac doctors in the body which attaches to a battery back just outside the abdomen. Dubbed the “Bionic Bride,” Ally was able to return to mostly normal function after receiving the device, which allowed her to see her wedding plans through to the big day.

The left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, is a device gaining in popularity in the medical field for its ability to sustain patients with heart damage while they wait for a transplant. Cardiologists have said that up to 20% of patients waiting for heart transplants in the United States receive an LVAD to increase their success rates and quality of life.

The hope was that Ally’s heart would be able to heal and mend itself with the assistance of the LVAD. Just a few months after the wedding, however, Ally’s heart continued to deteriorate to the point that the HeartMate could no longer work. In February of 2011, her overall condition worsened until Ally slipped into a coma and doctors knew she only had a few hours left.

Waiting for a heart transplant can be a harrowing experience for patients, with nearly 3,200 people on the national waiting list. Median wait times for a donor heart range from two to eight months depending on the age and condition of a patient, with some people waiting years before a match is found.

In what her family members have described as a “miracle,” Ally’s condition somehow improved that night just as a donor heart became available. Her recovery allowed cardiac doctors to go ahead with the transplant procedure and give Ally her own beating heart.

Five years after first being diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy, Ally is now almost fully recovered, able to work a full-time job and enjoy her married life.

Watch Ally’s recent interview with the Today Show here:

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Earlier this week Dr. Oz made an appearance on Z100’s Elvis Duran and the Morning Show to promote his Transformation Nation: Million Dollar You plan. The plan’s seven steps aim to encourage healthier lifestyles and a better understanding of overall wellness factors. As an incentive, Dr. Oz is offering a chance at $1 million to anyone who completes the seven-step program over the next few months.

So, interested in transforming your health and taking a stab at the cash prize? Here are the Transformation Nation steps:

Connect with Your Doctor

While most dieters will seek out online support and assistance to get started with their weight loss goals, relatively few would schedule a visit with a cardiac doctor before hopping on the bathroom scale. In his radio announcement, Dr. Oz stressed the importance of making an annual appointment with a cardiologist in NY or your local practice to establish baseline health factors. By speaking with a heart doctor about your blood pressure and cholesterol levels you can get a better view of what is going on inside your body. A visit with your doctor can also provide helpful personalized advice about what lifestyle changes will have the greatest impact on your cardiac and overall health.

Tell a Friend

Establishing a support network or buddy system is essential to ensuring the success of any personal goal. In moments of weakness, having a friend’s voice encouraging you to stick with your plan can make the difference between giving in and giving success another try. Be upfront with friends and family about what your health goals are (losing weight, exercising more) and how they can help (having healthy options ready when you come over, sending motivational emails).

Calculate your BMI

Knowing exactly where your body weighs in is important to establish your starting point. In Oz’s program, the initial weigh-in at Weight Watchers is used to calculate your Body Mass Index, one measure of overall health. BMIs of more than 25 are considered to be unhealthy and indicate a need to lose weight through diet or exercise.

Learn Your Family’s Health History

Understanding the genetic traits that appear in your family medical history can provide great insight into any symptoms or conditions you may be experiencing. Having a family health history readily available can also alert you to any tests or screenings that you may need to ask about at an earlier age than most people.

Get More Sleep

How effectively you are able to rest each night can have just as great an impact on your health as how effectively you are able to exercise. Not only is it vital to get enough sleep each night, but it is vital to get quality sleep in which your body is free to repair and restore itself. Dr. Oz recommends at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night to feel completely rested and rejuvenated the next day.

Assess Your Stress

Not only does stress affect your quality of life, but it can dramatically impact your health in a myriad of ways. High blood pressure, pain, irritability and a higher susceptibility to illnesses have all been linked to too much stress. Learn how to control and manage the stress triggers in your life to improve your health from the inside out.

Start New Fitness Habits

Setting fitness goals doesn’t have to be as intimidating as training for a marathon or swimming across the English Channel. Making small improvements in your daily routine can build to a much healthier overall you.

A study released by the British Medical Journal says that while breathing excess amounts of exhaust fumes does not directly cause heart attacks, but will increase the likelihood of a cardiac event for someone already at risk. For this reason, doctors are encouraging patients with existing heart attack risk factors to avoid heavy traffic fumes whenever possible.

In the study, researchers in London looked at nearly 80,000 people who had previously experienced a heart attack and determinied the time of day when the attack occurred. This information was cross-referenced with pollution levels in various locations to find any correlation. From this data, researchers discovered that a person was most likely to have a heart attack in the six hours following their exposure to heavy traffic fumes. People living in areas with medium-level pollution had a 5 percent higher risk than those in a low pollution area.

These findings reinforce a 2009 German study that also looked at the link between traffic smog and heart attacks. That research, presented at an American Heart Association conference showed that sitting in heavy traffic can triple a person’s risk of heart attack in the hour after their exposure.

It has been well established that pollution in general has a serious impact on cardiac health by making blood more likely to clot. These clots can quickly clog an artery, cutting off blood flow to the heart and causing a heart attack. While smoking, obesity and generally unhealthy lifestyle choices are much greater risk factors, breathing exhaust fumes for prolonged periods can quickly exacerbate underlying conditions.

Armed with this new information, people at risk for heart attacks should be more deliberate in their daily commuting routines, choosing back roads or less-congested hours to travel. Maintaining overall health and scheduling annual visits with a New York cardiologist can help identify risk factors in their early stages to prevent heart attacks in the future.