Have a Heart-Healthy Holiday: Try Delicious Melon Salsa & Some Exercise
After you salute the troops and veterans this weekend, take a moment to thank your heart, too. It works around the clock in service to you. Help keep it in shape by getting some physical activity each day and enjoying heart-healthy foods. You can get started this weekend with our Beginners’ Steps to Moving More or by trying one of the fun physical activities suggested here. Or just take a walk around your neighborhood.
And for your picnic pleasure, we suggest this delicious Melon Salsa. Working with the University of Florida, we shared this recipe with residents of Jacksonville, Florida, and they loved it! It’s a refreshing treat on a hot day, easy to assemble, and heart healthy!
We wish you a safe, healthy, and happy Memorial Day!
5.23.12
What’s the best treatment option for patients who have heart disease? The simplest answer is, “It depends.” If you are having a heart attack, prompt treatment with angioplasty can save your life and stop damage to the heart muscle. That answer is clear, and backed up by decades of research. But what about so-called stable heart disease, where your life is not in immediate danger, but symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain (often called angina) can take much of the pleasure out of daily life?
Read More.
5.16.12
Watch as Dr. Lyndon Box walks an audience in Jacksonville, FL, through what causes blocked arteries, how treatment strategies have evolved over time, and how you can work with your doctor to decide which therapy is right for you depending on your circumstances.
Featured Video.
5.14.12
Learning you have cardiovascular disease can really take the romance out of your soul – and your heart! Who has time for hearts and flowers when you have medications to take, risk factors to manage, and a new relationship to build with someone you call Doctor. Many people with heart disease report that renewing intimate relationships after a heart event or procedure presents challenges. Although intimacy is about much more than just sexual activity, the fact is one-half to three-quarters of people experience sexual problems after a heart event.
Seconds count not just in your health care but also in the joy you take out of life. Check out our strategies for helping people with cardiovascular disease start enjoying intimacy and sex again here.
5.4.12
When a young athlete dies on the field as a result of a heart condition no one ever imagined he or she had, it’s tragic for everyone involved. And it’s also terrifying for every parent, grandparent, aunt and uncle who loves a child who plays a sport. Questions that naturally come to mind may be: Should I let my child play a sport at all? What sports can my child play, and which ones should be avoided? Should we get our child screened and if so, how? Should all kids be screened? How can we make sure this never happens to anyone ever again? Please, keep reading here.
4.30.12
Maybe so, but before you let a headline or 60-second clip drive your cardiovascular decision-making, check out our Six Questions to Ask About Health Headlines.
4.26.12
Cardiovascular disease is so misunderstood. Really. Not only do scientists still have a lot more work to do so we can conquer it, there are also the facts unknown by many, such as --
- Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability in most of the world.
- It’s not just a man’s disease. In fact, it’s the #1 cause of death in women.
- It’s sneaky, presenting differently in different people, often with symptoms easily denied or misinterpreted.
And cardiovascular disease is not just a problem for adults.
In fact, 1 in every 150 babies is born with a congenital heart defect (CHD). The good news is, today, 90 percent of babies with CHD live to adulthood. Amazing progress … but the little heart warriors and their families face big challenges along the way. To learn more about heart defects, read The Faces of Congenital Heart Disease in America and then learn more about congenital heart disease here.
And for a smile, check out these amazing kids.
4.17.12
"Thank God we have spouses," says SCAI Trustee Dr. Ralph Brindis in a recent Wall Street Journal article on surviving a heart attack. "I can't tell you how often, if it was left up to the patient, they never would have sought care."
It was already known that being married, particularly for men, lowers risk of death. But one study pinpointed a specific benefit that may contribute to this overall lower risk of death: men who are married get to the hospital faster after heart attack symptom onset than single men. Learn more about the study and the article published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal here.
4.13.12
Yum ... chocolate!
Can succumbing to its temptation actually be good for your heart? While few of us need the weight gain that can accompany overindulging in chocolate, an occasional small (as in 1-2 oz per day) treat may deliver healthy flavonoids to your heart.
Learn more about chocolate, soy, tea and red wine here ... foods your heart might enjoy as much as your taste buds.
4.11.12
Whether you’re working with your healthcare providers to manage heart disease or to prevent it in the first place, tests are likely to be part of the equation. They can range from a simple blood pressure check in the doctor’s office or lab tests to monitor your cholesterol levels to tests performed in the hospital so your doctor can see what’s developing inside your blood vessels. In every case, you’ll want to know what the test is for and how it will help your healthcare providers make informed recommendations for your care.
SecondsCount can help. Check out our just-expanded Guide to Heart Tests & Diagnostics for helpful background information on the cardiovascular tests patients are most likely to undergo. Learn -
We’ve also created lists of questions you may want to ask your doctor about the specific tests. We hope this information will help you to be an active part of your care team, comfortable evaluating all of the options and together making choices that are right for you.
3.27.12
Why did my doctor recommend bypass surgery for me, but my uncle, neighbor, or spouse underwent coronary stenting? The answer to this question is unique for every patient, and your doctor considered many factors before making the recommendation. It is impossible for a website to answer which treatment is right for you. However, SecondsCount can provide general, up-to-date information, and suggest questions to ask your doctor to understand why a procedure is right for you. Learn how here.
3.13.12
You want to eat “heart-smart”, right? A rainbow of colors from fruits and veggies, whole grains, fish and lean meats, a morsel of dark chocolate every now and then…Every bite counts.
But what about the stuff you’re sipping? Are the beverages you consume each day adding up to increased risk for heart attack?
A new study found men who frequently drink sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages may be at greater risk for heart attack than those who don’t. This finding, added to earlier evidence linking sugary foods, especially sodas, with increasing rates of obesity and diabetes, provides one more reason to take note of how much sugar you may be drinking each day.
Learn more about how too much soda and other sugary beverages endanger your health here.
(And while you're there, check out the delicious special recipe SecondsCount.org has prepared for you. Now THAT'S what you should be drinking!)
3.8.12
The Surgeon General reports progress made in reducing tobacco use among youth, but too many young people are still using tobacco. Today, more than 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students smoke cigarettes. Unfortunately, rates of decline for cigarette smoking have slowed in the last decade and rates of decline for smokeless tobacco use have stalled completely. We invite you to use these SecondsCount tips to help keep your teen clean.
And, no matter your age, it’s never too late to kick the tobacco habit. For strategies to get started and succeed, check out SecondsCount’s plan for going tobacco free.
3.5.12
Interventional cardiologists are physicians who specialize in angioplasty and stenting and other catheter-based procedures used to treat cardiovascular disease. Should you, a loved one, or a friend face a cardiac condition, the more you know the better empowered you will be make the right decisions. Pick up the phone and make that appointment now. And here are five terrific starter questions for you to ask your doctor. Print them. Pack them. Ask them. Know.
2.22.12
When a heart attack strikes, seconds count for everyone, regardless of gender, age, or ethnicity. While many heart attacks involve chest pain or discomfort, heart attacks are not always preceded by chest pain. This is especially true for women, who are less likely to suffer chest pain and more likely to experience milder symptoms that can ignored or brushed off. For women, the symptoms of a heart attack may include:
- sudden onset of weakness
- shortness of breath
- nausea/ vomiting
- indigestion
- fatigue
- body aches
- an overall feeling of illness (without chest pain)
- an unusual feeling or mild discomfort in the back, chest, arm, neck, or jaw (without chest pain)
- sleep disturbance
- anxiety
There is more information on heart attack symptoms in women here.
And more about women and cardiovascular disease here.
2.15.12
In the past 25 or so years, treatment of congenital heart disease has been revolutionized by the introduction of less invasive procedures. When you think of repairing a heart defect, your first thought may be open-heart surgery. Today, children who are born with heart defects still may undergo surgery, but some defects can be corrected using what are called interventional procedures – use of thin, flexible tubes called catheters to make repairs to the heart and blood vessels. To learn more about interventional therapies for heart defects, go here.
2.15.12
Cardiac rehabilitation programs help participants resume a healthy lifestyle after a cardiac event. Now is the time to focus on what you need to know about cardiac rehabilitation for you, for a loved one. Click here for information on Who is Eligible, What Are the Benefits, What to Expect from Cardiac Rehabilitation and more. SecondsCount is particulalry grateful to the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR.org) for providing us with “Cardiac Rehabilitation: An Individualized Supervised Program For You” -- so we can share it with you.
2.8.12
For two boys who don’t even know each other, Christian Banks and Russell White have a remarkable amount in common: they’re both active, athletic, competitive and each was born with a serious heart defect. Early diagnoses and the appropriate treatments have enabled the boys to live full lives - and concentrate on what boys their ages should be doing -- hitting baseballs, climbing trees and getting stronger. Read more about Christian and Russell here.
2.7.12
Today begins Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week (February 7 - 14). More than 40,000 babies are born each year with a congenital heart defect, and over 1 million adults are estimated to be living with congenital heart disease. Learn more about children and heart disease here.
2.6.12
You’re wearing red for American Heart Month, but what about your fridge? Is it decked out for heart health? The foods you have on hand are the ones you’re most likely to eat. So get set to stick to a nutritious, heart-healthy diet by stocking up on what’s good for you and discarding what’s not. Try our six simple strategies for getting your fridge to see red in the spirit of Heart Month.
Date: 2.1.12
With the start of American Heart Month, SecondsCount is encouraging everyone to get to know the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. There are risk factors you can’t control – like your age and your family history; and then there are risk factors you may be able to manage, especially if you team up with your healthcare providers and work on them together. Whether you want to manage your heart disease or you want to prevent it in the first place, increasing your knowledge of risk factors is the heart-smart place to start.
Read about how to manage risk factors for cardiovascular disease here.
Download questions to ask your healthcare provider about cardiovascular disease and risk factors here.
Date: 1.5.12
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.