Date: 1.5.11
Protecting Your Heart When It Gets Really Cold
When temperatures drop, the heart has to work harder to help maintain your body’s core temperature. In fact, according to the American Heart Association, heart failure is the cause of most deaths from hypothermia - a dangerous condition in which the body’s temperature falls below normal.
Date: 12.26.11
Don’t forget your heart's health when you are making New Year’s resolutions. Heart attack is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, so making a resolution to take care of your heart can be one of the most important things you do to have the highest possible quality of life into the coming year.
Not clear on how to make sure your heart is part of your fresh start? We’ve simplified if for you here. Knowing this can make it more important to you to keep your commitment to yourself and your loved ones.
Date: 12.24.11
Knowing the Symptoms Could Save a Life
Of all times of the year to know the symptoms of a heart attack, Christmas and New Year’s Day may be the most important. That’s because research has shown that more people die from heart attack on these two holidays, plus the day after Christmas, than other days of the year. Know what to look for here.
Date: 12.15.11
When it comes to your heart health, seconds count all year ’round. Research studies have found that more fatal heart attacks occur at Christmas and New Year’s than at any other time of the year. Doctors aren’t entirely sure why this is true, but it doesn’t seem to be related to cold temperatures, as the effect is also observable in warmer areas of the United States. Learn more here.
Date: 12.12.11
What do you REALLY know about stroke? Do you know the three signs that help determine whether you or someone with you is having one? Did you know children can have a stroke? What should you ask your doctor about your specific situation and the potential for stroke? And perhaps most importantly (and since 80 percent of all strokes can be prevented), do you know what steps to take to avoid one? Please review SecondsCount’s comprehensive, updated stroke section. There is something there for everyone.
Date: 12.6.11
Poor sleep has been linked to high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (clogging or hardening of the arteries), heart failure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and obesity.
And if that doesn’t keep you up at night, sometimes symptoms related to cardiovascular disease can be a cause of poor sleep.
You may be diet conscious, exercise and see your doctor regularly, but learn more about how your nighttime downtime may factor into your cardiovascular health.
Date: 11.15.11
On Nov. 2, 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new treatment for patients with severe aortic valve stenosis who are not good candidates for surgery. Surgery continues to be the most successful way to treat this disease. However, because they are older or have other medical problems, some patients face a greater than 50 percent chance of dying from open-heart surgery. Now, with the FDA’s approval of the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve, many of these patients can have transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), a procedure to replace the old valve. This new procedure replaces the diseased aortic valve through a tube that is placed in the patient’s leg, or through an incision in the chest that is much smaller than traditional surgery. Learn more about this procedure, including important questions to ask your doctor if you are considering it for yourself or someone you love.
Date: 11/10/11
Several leading cardiovascular organizations have developed new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a condition in which the heart muscle becomes thickened and enlarged, possibly interfering with blood flow and leading to heart failure or sudden death. Learn more here.
Date: 10/28/11
When you or someone you love is having a stroke, every second counts. You can save precious time by knowing the symptoms and what to do if they develop. Learn more about stroke right now.
Date: 10/20/11
That is why SecondsCount, and a team of cardiologists from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI), developed these tools and are providing this information to help you.
Don’t click your Bic. Click here.
Date: 10/19/11
New Orleans cardiologists are partnering with the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) to offer a free heart health event for patients, healthcare professionals, and others interested in cardiovascular health. The event, "Heart Smarts: What Every Heart Patient Should Know," is designed to equip people with the information they need to protect themselves from heart disease. Learn more.
Date: 10/3/11
Don’t miss the just-aired New York City radio program Tuned2Health featuring Dr. Srihari Naidu. The program addresses a variety of heart health topics, including how angioplasty procedures are performed to stop heart attacks and heart disease symptoms, door-to-balloon time efforts, strategies for choosing the right cardiologist for yourself, the physician-patient relationship, and how to prevent cardiovascular disease through diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices. Click here to listen.
Date: 9/29/11
New guidelines issued today by leading cardiovascular organization point out the risks associated with peripheral artery disease and recommend strategies for improving patient care and saving lives. Learn more about what causes PAD, tests to diagnose this condition, and treatment options.
Date: 9/19/11
It's been more than a year since the Affordable Care Act passed. Are you taking advantage of everything it has to offer? Check out the SecondsCount Guide to Healthcare Reform.
Date: 9/20/11
Do you have someone in your life who doesn't get to the doctor as often as they should? Well today's the day to do something about it. Call them, visit them, email them -- and ask them to make an appointment and let you take them there. SecondsCount has prepared a list of questions for when they do meet with the doctor. Read it and print it here.
[EDITOR UPDATE: Due to overwhelmingly enthusiastic feedback, SecondsCount.org has dedicated a permanent section to "Take a Loved One to the Doctor" rather than limiting it to one day. Learn more here.]
Date: 9/6/11
The mad rush for the school bus can make packing heart-healthy lunches for your children (and yourself) seem impossible, but it doesn’t have to be. Follow our tips to help you prepare healthy meals, including lunches, even when you’re strapped for time. They’re right here!
Date: 8/24/2011
Doctors say “time is muscle,” meaning that every minute care is delayed during a heart attack means heart muscle could be dying.
And in fact, you may be dying if you don’t get prompt care when heart attack symptoms start. Fortunately, a new study shows that the time it takes for heart attack patients to get into the cardiac cath lab, where interventional cardiologists can open up blocked arteries with angioplasty proedures, has declined dramatically over the past five years. Read about this breaking news and know the symptoms so you can act quickly.