Myocardial infarction

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Myocardial infarction ( Infarctus myocardii, MI) or acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is the medical term for an event commonly known as a heart attack. It happens when blood stops flowing properly to part of the heart and the heart muscle is injured due to not receiving enough oxygen. Usually this is because one of the coronary arteries that supplies blood to the heart develops a blockage due to an unstable buildup of white blood cells, cholesterol and fat. The event is called "acute" if it is sudden and serious.

A person having an acute myocardial infarction usually has sudden chest pain that is felt behind the breast bone and sometimes travels to the left arm or the left side of the neck. Additionally, the person may have shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, vomiting, abnormal heartbeats, and anxiety. Women experience fewer of these symptoms than men, but usually have shortness of breath, weakness, a feeling of indigestion, and fatigue. In many cases, in some estimates as high as 64 percent, the person does not have chest pain or other symptoms. These are called "silent" myocardial infarctions.

Important risk factors are previous cardiovascular disease, old age, tobacco smoking, high blood levels of certain lipids (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides) and low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, lack of physical activity, obesity, chronic kidney disease, excessive alcohol consumption, the use of cocaine and amphetamines, and chronic high stress levels. The two main ways to determine if a person has had a myocardial infarction are electrocardiograms (ECGs) that trace the electrical signals in the heart and testing the blood for substances associated with damage to the heart muscle. Common blood tests are creatine kinase (CK-MB) and troponin. ECG testing is used to differentiate between two types of myocardial infarctions based on the shape of the tracing. When the ST section of the tracing is higher than the baseline it is called an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) which usually requires more aggressive treatment.

Immediate treatments for a suspected myocardial infarction include aspirin, which prevents further blood from clotting, and sometimes nitroglycerin to treat chest pain and oxygen.[6] STEMI is treated by restoring circulation to the heart, called reperfusion therapy, and typical methods are angioplasty, where the arteries are pushed open, and thrombolysis, where the blockage is removed using medications. Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) may be managed with medication, although angioplasty may be required if the person is considered to be at high risk.[8] People who have multiple blockages of their coronary arteries, particularly if they also have diabetes, may also be treated with bypass surgery (CABG) Ischemic heart disease, which includes myocardial infarction, angina and heart failure when it happens after myocardial infarction, was the leading cause of death for both men and women worldwide in 2011

Heart Attack

Heart Attack 

 A heart attack happens when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked and the heart can't get oxygen. If blood flow isn't restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. Heart attacks are a leading killer of both men and women in the United States. The good news is that excellent treatments are available for heart attacks. These treatments can save lives and prevent disabilities. Heart attack treatment works best when it's given right after symptoms occur. If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack (even if you're not fully sure), call 9–1–1 right away. Overview Heart attacks most often occur as a result of coronary heart disease (CHD), also called coronary artery disease. CHD is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque (plak) builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart. When plaque builds up in the arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis (ath-er-o-scler-O-sis). The buildup of plaque occurs over many years. Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture (break open) inside of an artery. This causes a blood clot to form on the plaque's surface. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery. If the blockage isn't treated quickly, the portion of heart muscle fed by the artery begins to die. Healthy heart tissue is replaced with scar tissue. This heart damage may not be obvious, or it may cause severe or long-lasting problems. Heart With Muscle Damage and a Blocked Artery Figure A shows a heart with dead heart muscle caused by a heart attack. Figure B is a cross-section of a coronary artery with plaque buildup and a blood clot. Figure A shows a heart with dead heart muscle caused by a heart attack. Figure B is a cross-section of a coronary artery with plaque buildup and a blood clot. A less common cause of heart attack is a severe spasm (tightening) of a coronary artery. The spasm cuts off blood flow through the artery. Spasms can occur in coronary arteries that aren't affected by atherosclerosis. Heart attacks can be associated with or lead to severe health problems, such as heart failure and life-threatening arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs). Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats. Ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening arrhythmia that can cause death if not treated right away. Don't Wait--Get Help Quickly Acting fast at the first sign of heart attack symptoms can save your life and limit damage to your heart. Treatment works best when it's given right after symptoms occur. Many people aren't sure what's wrong when they are having symptoms of a heart attack. Some of the most common warning symptoms of a heart attack for both men and women are: Chest pain or discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest. The discomfort usually lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. It can feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. It also can feel like heartburn or indigestion. Upper body discomfort. You may feel pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, shoulders, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach (above the belly button). Shortness of breath. This may be your only symptom, or it may occur before or along with chest pain or discomfort. It can occur when you are resting or doing a little bit of physical activity. Other possible symptoms of a heart attack include: Breaking out in a cold sweat Feeling unusually tired for no reason, sometimes for days (especially if you are a woman) Nausea (feeling sick to the stomach) and vomiting Light-headedness or sudden dizziness Any sudden, new symptom or a change in the pattern of symptoms you already have (for example, if your symptoms become stronger or last longer than usual) Not all heart attacks begin with the sudden, crushing chest pain that often is shown on TV or in the movies, or other common symptoms such as chest discomfort. The symptoms of a heart attack can vary from person to person. Some people can have few symptoms and are surprised to learn they've had a heart attack. If you've already had a heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same for another one. Quick Action Can Save Your Life: Call 9–1–1 If you think you or someone else may be having heart attack symptoms or a heart attack, don't ignore it or feel embarrassed to call for help. Call 9–1–1 for emergency medical care. Acting fast can save your life. Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room. Take a nitroglycerin pill if your doctor has prescribed this type of treatment. Outlook Each year, close to 1 million people in the United States have heart attacks, and many of them die. CHD, which often results in heart attacks, is the leading killer of both men and women in the United States. Many more people could survive or recover better from heart attacks if they got help faster. Of the people who die from heart attacks, about half die within an hour of the first symptoms and before they reach the hospital.

What is Angina?

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What is Angina?

Angina pectoris ("angina") is a discomfort (or pain), usually felt in the chest, that comes from the heart muscle. You usually feel it as a tightness, heaviness, weight, pressure or some similar feeling. It may also spread to the throat, jaw, shoulders or back. Sometimes you might also notice aching or tingling in your arms or hands when you have angina. You may also experience breathlessness.

Sometimes doctors and nurses use a "shorthand" name - CHD (coronary heart disease) or IHD (ischeamic Heart Disease) for clogged up arteries. Don't let this confuse you it is not a different illness, just a different name.

What is Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)?

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What is Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)?
Coronary heart disease is the name given to the disease process called artherosclerosis that causes the smooth inside lining of the coronary arteries to become narrowed by fatty deposits, sometimes called 'plaques' or 'artheroma'. Coronary heart disease is often referred to as CHD but can also sometimes be called:
1.Coronary artery disease or CAD
2.Ischeamic heart disease IHDThis process of depositing fatty material (artheroma) in the blood vessels is called 'arterosclerocis'. When this happens in the coronary arteries it causes Coronary Heart Disease, causing the coronary arteries to narrow.

When the arteries become narrowed it gets more difficult for the blood to reach all areas of the heart muscle. It also makes the blood more likely to clot.

The heart also contains valve's which ensure that the blood flows through the heart in the right direction

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The heart also contains valve's which ensure that the blood flows through the heart in the right direction
The cardiovascular system is the medical name given to the heart (cardio) and blood vessels (vascular) in the body.

Just like other organs and muscles in the body, the heart needs it's own blood supply to provide the heart with oxygen and other nourishing substances. These are carried to the heart by blood vessels called 'coronary arteries'.

The Heart and Blood Vessels

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The Heart and Blood Vessels
Your heart is a muscle about the size of your fist. The heart pumps blood through a network of blood vessels to the lungs where it picks up oxygen. The 'oxygen rich' blood is then returned to the heart so it can be pumped onto the organs and tissues throughout your body.

There are two main types of blood vessels which carry blood:

'arteries' carry the oxygen rich blood from the heart to the organs and tissues
'vein's' transport the blood back to the heart from the organs and tissues

heart diseases

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heart diseases
In the United States in the next year, about 1.5 million citizens will suffer a 'heart attack', and for about one third of them it will be fatal. In New Zealand, about 8000 deaths a year a attributed to heart disease, and most of these (about 6600 in 1994) are due to ischaemia. Heart disease is a phenomenon of a 'Western' life style, associated with malnutrition, in the sense of poor dietary habits, lack of exercise and the use of drugs such as nicotine. To understand the nature of heart disease it is necessary to understand first the structure and function of the heart.

The human heart is a remarkable organ. Its essential function is to pump blood at high pressure to the rest of the body, thus providing the energy for conveying oxygen, foodstuffs and endocrine substances to where it is needed, and removing waste products of metabolism from their site of production to the kidneys and lungs, where they can be removed. The heart makes about 70 contractions per minute throughout life, pumping about 5 litres of blood per minute around the body. During extreme exercise the output of the heart can increase fivefold. The gross anatomy of the heart is shown in the picture below.

WHO publishes definitive atlas on global heart disease and stroke epidemic

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WHO publishes definitive atlas on global heart disease and stroke epidemic
23 SEPTEMBER 2004 | GENEVA -- The atlas of heart disease and stroke, graphically detailing a global epidemic that is the leading single cause of death worldwide, was launched here today, to coincide with World Heart Day, Sunday 26 September 2004. The atlas is expected to provide a powerful advocacy tool to stimulate vital action and help promote constructive decision-making by governments, policymakers, national and international organisations, health professionals, individuals and families everywhere.

The atlas is published by the World Health Organization (WHO), in conjunction with the USA's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and is strongly supported by NGOs such as the World Heart Federation (WHF).



Heart disease and stroke chart [gif 116kb]
Heart disease and stroke kill some 17 million people a year, which is almost one-third of all deaths globally. By 2020, heart disease and stroke will become the leading cause of both death and disability worldwide, with the number of fatalities projected to increase to over 20 million a year and by 2030 to over 24 million a year.

"The old stereotype of cardiovascular diseases affecting only stressed, overweight middle-aged men in developed countries no longer applies," said Dr Robert Beaglehole, WHO Director of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. "Today, men, women and children are at risk and 80% of the burden is in low- and middle-income countries. Heart disease and stroke not only take lives, but also cause an enormous economic burden. The atlas should be a significant new resource for global advocacy and education activity."

Dr Judith Mackay, co-author of the atlas with CDC's Dr George Mensah, said: “No matter what advances there are in high-technology medicine, the fundamental message is that any major reduction in deaths and disability from heart disease and stroke will come primarily from prevention, not just cure. This must involve robust reduction of risk factors, through encouraging our children to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and by introducing appropriate policies and intervention programmes.”

For the first time in one publication, the atlas captures updated data for each country, which is depicted through colourful maps, photographs and images and provides risk factor statistics for the occurrence of high blood pressure, tobacco, physical inactivity, obesity, lipids and diabetes. The diverse elements of this global epidemic including risk factors, similarities and differences between countries, the economic burden, prevention, policies and legislation, treatment and predictions are chronicled. A world data table is also published for the first time and gives statistics for each country, including the number of healthy life years lost to heart disease and stroke, the prevalence of smoking and the status of policies and legislation.

“While heart disease and stroke are eminently preventable, decision-makers and government funding agencies are, overall, neglecting this public health issue,” said Janet Voûte, CEO, WHF, an NGO dedicated to the global prevention of heart disease and stroke. “The WHF strongly endorses the atlas as a valuable resource for global advocacy and educational activity to fight the heart disease and stroke epidemic. We know how to reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke, but what is needed now is the combination of necessary resources and political will by each country to take effective action."

The atlas is being launched to coincide with World Heart Day, which is a major driving force for encouraging global heart disease and stroke prevention. The focus this year is Children, Adolescents and Heart Disease, because children are increasingly adopting unhealthy lifestyles. Obesity, poor diets, smoking and physical inactivity, the leading causes of heart disease and stroke, are now being seen at an alarmingly early age. Around 100 countries will take part in this, the fifth annual, World Heart Day, with member societies organising educational activities for everyone to get involved. Thousands of people around the world will join one of the walks, runs, jump rope or fitness sessions, have a health check or learn about heart-healthy lifestyles from the public talks, scientific forums and exhibitions.

heart diseases

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heart diseases
Heart diseases are number one killer in the world. There are many different forms of heart diseases. Mostly heart diseases are caused due to narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart. This heart disease is called coronary artery disease and happens slowly over time. This blockage causes major heart attacks.

The problem that happens with heart is valve problem. In this problem, heart may not pump well and cause heart failure. Some people are born with this kind of heart disease.

ischemic heart disease

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ischemic heart disease
Apart from chest pain, other symptoms that accompany Ischemic Heart Disease include back pain, pressure in the chest area, shortness of breath, and extreme fatigue. Pain from angina is usually known to radiate down a person’s left arm, jaw and back. This type of pain is worsened by any form of exercise, but relieved by periods of rest. Usually the pain may be accompanied by excessive sweating.

Other signs that accompany ischemia include obesity, thyroid and vascular disease, anemia, and tendon xanthomas, a thickening in the Achilles tendon.

Ischemia Heart Disease may also result in sudden death, also known as a massive heart attack. Nearly 250,000 people succumb to sudden cardiac death each year. This fatal condition is caused by ventricular fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm that renders the heart unable to contract, resulting in a cessation of blood flow to the brain as well as other vital organs of the body. Unless immediate CPR is performed or electric shock delivered via a defibrillator, a person suffering from this condition is likely to die.

The doctor will subject the patient to an exercise stress test while the patient is wearing a Holter monitory. This battery-operated tape recorder is a portable electrocardiogram that reads a person’s heart movements for a period of 24 to 48 hours in order to detect ischemia.

The doctor may also order an echocardiogram to check for any abnormalities in the heart’s chambers and to assess the efficiency of the heart’s pumping action. Myocardial perfusion scanning is also useful in diagnosing ischemia, as is having a coronary angiogram taken to accurately pinpoint the extent and location within the coronary arteries that experience hardening and narrowing.

One other diagnostic tool that makes use of imaging technology is nuclear myocardial imaging, which utilizes radioactive tracers to monitor the journey of the blood towards the heart muscle.

There are various therapies geared at treating Ischemic Heart Disease. Doctors may describe nitrates that work to dilate coronary arteries that have narrowed. When placed under the tongue, they can relieve chest pain in minutes. Other medications, such as Isosorbide Mononitrate and Isosorbide Dinitrate are prophylactics that prevent the occurrence of pain.

Pain relief may also be achieved my reducing the demand for oxygen and decreasing a person’s heart rate through the use of Beta-blockers. Calcium channel antagonists are able to dilate constricted blood vessels, as well as lower a person’s excitability, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Daily aspirin intake is known to thin the blood and prevent platelets from forming into blood clots.

Surgery is a last resort option if medical therapy has failed to relieve a person’s ischemia symptoms. This is particularly true if an angiogram result reveals significant levels of blockage in the blood vessels. These surgical procedures include Coronary Angioplasty, a process of dilating a congested blood vessel by inflating a balloon within the blood vessel itself. Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, meanwhile, involves replacing part of a deceased artery with soft tissue grafted from the patient’s body.

A patient who has been diagnosed with Ischemic Heart Disease will need to make certain lifestyle changes in order to ward off symptoms of ischemia. These lifestyle changes will include avoiding stress, smoking, a high fat diet, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

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Risk Factors for Heart Disease
The reason why some people and not others develop coronary heart disease is not fully understood. It is known that certain factors, called "risk factors" can increase the risk of a person developing the disease.

Risk factors can be divided into two groups 'modifiable' and 'non-modifiable' risk factors;

Modifiable risk factors - these are risk factors that can be changed including:

High Blood Lipids (Fats)

High Blood Pressure

Diabetes

Being Overweight

Smoking

Lack of Physical Activity

Poor Eating Habits

Depression
Non-modifiable risk factors - these are risk factors that can't be changed including:

Age & Sex

Family History

Ethnicity

Stable Angina

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Stable Angina

You will usually get your angina by doing something energetic or by getting excited or upset. You might find it worse in cold weather. We call this kind of angina "stable" angina.

Angina is caused by the heart muscle not getting enough blood; it occurs when there is an insufficient supply of blood due to the narrowing of the coronary arteries (blood vessels) that bring blood to the heart muscle. Normally there is a sufficient flow of blood to the heart muscle at rest or during light activity. With more energetic activity (or when you get excited or angry) the heart has to pump harder and faster and the muscle need more blood (just like a car uses more petrol when it goes faster or climbs a hill). If the coronary arteries are narrowed the blood flow passing through them cannot increase and the heart muscle complains about the blood supply not matching what it needs. You feel this as angina. In many ways angina is like a muscle cramp in the arm or leg; which occurs when the working muscle does not get enough blood to match what it needs. Angina warns you to stop and rest for a few minutes or calm down a bit. Unstable Angina

If your angina suddenly comes on more often and/or the attacks are more uncomfortable or last longer, we call it "unstable" angina. It is much less common than "stable" angina. The attacks may come on with less exercise than usual or even at rest. Sometimes this is how a patient first experiences angina but very often unstable angina happens in a patient who has previously had ordinary (or "stable") angina for months or years.

Unstable angina occurs when an artery becomes very narrow indeed, so that even the blood supply to the heart muscle when you are at rest may not be enough. Unstable angina is an emergency and requires urgent admission to hospital.

'Silent' Heart Attacks Often Unnoticed

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'Silent' Heart Attacks Often Unnoticed

Nearly 200,000 people are affected by an undiagnosed, or “silent,” heart attack in the United States each year, according to a new study by Duke University Medical Center Researchers.

A silent heart attack is both silent and potentially deadly, because no typical signs such as shortness of breath and severe chest pain are present.

Researchers estimate about 40 to 60 percent of all heart attacks may be of this “silent” type.

Silent heart attacks, also called non-Q-wave unrecognized myocardial infarctions (UMIs) often go undetected because the person doesn’t experience any pain and telltale irregularities are often undetectable on electrocardiograms (EKGs).

"No one has fully understood how often silent heart attacks occur and what they mean, in terms of prognosis," says Han Kim, MD, a cardiologist at Duke and the lead author of the study.

A heart attack is typically caused by a clot interfering with the flow of blood from a coronary artery to the heart. Well-known symptoms include severe chest pain, fainting, nausea and shortness of breath.

Risk factors are one in the same for both silent heart attacks and regular heart attacks, say experts, and include diabetes, stress, smoking and family history.

For the study, researchers used a new technique called DE-CMR (delayed enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance) on 185 patients who had never had a diagnosed heart attack but were suspected of having coronary artery disease.

A heart attack that occurred in the past may still leave a specific alteration on an ECG called a Q-wave, which signals the presence of damaged tissue. While silent heart attacks do not have associated Q-waves.

They followed up with patients after two years and found that 35 percent of patients had evidence of a heart attack and that silent heart attacks without Q-waves were three times more common than those that had Q-waves.

Those patients with non-Q-wave silent heart attacks also had 11 times greater risk of death from any cause and a 17-fold risk of death from heart problems compared with patients without heart damage.

Currently, there are no definitive treatment guidelines about how patients with UMIs should be treated, says Kim.

“If patients with UMIs are identified, they are typically treated similarly to those patients where heart disease has been previously documented. In future studies, researchers will likely examine how common unrecognized non-Q-wave heart attacks are in other patient groups and how UMIs should be treated

Ischemic Heart Disease

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Ischemic Heart Disease
Ischemic Heart Disease, also known as Coronary Artery Disease, is a condition that involves the accumulation of fatty deposits within the cells that line the walls of the arteries. There are two main coronary arteries that lead to the heart and provide its main source of blood. When these arteries are gradually suffused with a slow build-up of fatty deposits, it narrows these blood supply passages in a process known as atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis not only impedes the supply of blood to the heart, it also hardens the coronary arteries. Atherosclerosis eventually leads to ischemia, a condition wherein the heart muscle becomes deprived of oxygen-rich blood, which results in damage to the heart muscle and a possible occlusion of the blood vessels. When this occurs, a person may suffer from a myocardial infarction, more infamously known as a heart attack.

There are as many as 4 million Americans who have Ischemic Heart Disease or experience episodes of ischemia without being aware of it. Some cases of ischemia are asymptomatic, and there is a complete absence of pain. These cases are known as silent ischemia, and may give rise to a heart attack without any warning signs at all. Silent ischemia is prevalent among people suffering from angina, those who have had a history of heart attack, or people suffering from diabetes.

Ischemic Heart Disease is one of the most common causes of cardiovascular disease and a leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for nearly 500,000 deaths annually. It affects more men than women and occurs between the ages of 35 and 55 years for both sexes. There are about 14 million people who suffer from Ischemic Heart Disease in the country, and are at a higher risk for contracting angina, myocardial infarction, and sudden death.

Ischemic Heart Disease has been known to develop due to several risk factors such as having high cholesterol levels, diabetes mellitus and smoking. People who suffer from high blood cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia have a higher degree of risk for developing ischemia.

Other risk factors that may cause Ischemic Heart Disease are hypertension, genetic and hereditary factors, menopause, and stress.

Some of the complications arising from this condition include angina pectoris, or angina. This disorder is characterized by chest pain just underneath the breastbone. The pain is a result of a lack of oxygen to the heart caused by the plaque deposits irregularly lining the coronary arteries. Angina pectoris may be mild or intense, lasting up to several minutes at a time. There are approximately 350,000 cases of angina in the United States each year.

A person with Ischemic Heart Disease may also experience acute myocardial infarction, or heart attack. This occurs when the fatty deposits lining the coronary arteries develop a blood clot. This blood clot presents prevents the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart, and when this happens, a portion of the heart muscle may die, causing a heart attack. A person who has had a heart attack will bear a scar or fibrosis on the heart muscle, impairing the heart’s blood-pumping ability to some degree.

Gender‘s Heart Disorders and Mortalities

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Gender‘s Heart Disorders and Mortalities
The heart diseases are spreading around the world at an alarming rate.Millions of people have been fighting with heart diseases now a day.The major reason of the heart diseases is the lack of knowledge, awareness, heavy foodstuffs, oily, busy routine life, and lack of walking, jogging as well as exercising.That is the main cause of high cholesterol, artery damage, vessels beating and a sudden heart attack which often causes the fatal of a man.

Numerous death tolls

Today millions of the people around the world have been dying due to various heart diseases.The ratio is very high in the poor countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.On the other hand the United and States and all famous European countries are indulged in the diseases of heart fatal.

Gender under heart mortality

Therefore the heart diseases ratio is very different as for as the gender matters are concerned.Most of the women are facing with heart diseases and deaths.That is the recent research.Among them the beautiful young women are killing due to heart diseases really. That is the belief of the BMC community fitness center.

the cure of dieases

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the cure of dieases
Canada is fighting a raging modern epidemic, and the effects are profound. Degenerative disease has become the new “black death”, with casualty rates of staggering proportions.

Conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, or obesity have become household names. So common is disease, we now believe it is a normal part of aging, as a perpetual mass of both young and old fill hospital corridors.

The true impact of this epidemic sinks in deepest by adding up combined Health Canada statistics. Remarkably, we find that nearly 80 percent of total Canadians deaths are due to disease.

A Black Hole

According to a 2005 report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, (CIHI), annual health care spending in Canada increased nearly $100 billion in the last 20 years. At present, we pour over $140 Billion per year into this black hole.

We could easily blame inflation, changes in health-care practice, or population increases for these bloated expenditures. But this is not a complete, nor realistic explanation for our current health care freefall.

Our orthodox health model remains silent also; as it nurtures the existing tempest of disease for economic gain. The solution is only made clear when we recognize the cause.

The Dietary Conundrum

The most important lesson to grasp is dramatically improving our diet. Many experts believe that 90 percent of sickness and disease is either directly or indirectly related to the quality of food we consume. In particular, we need to examine our use of highly processed, packaged, and preserved foods.

Eating establishments cater to our desire for eating out. About 30 percent of every Canadian food dollar is now spend on restaurant foods, instead of healthy alternatives.

In large part, Canadians no longer understand the laws that govern good health. We need to eat more fresh or organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, meats, and dairy products as basic tenants to sound nutrition.

The Crisis of Inactivity

Many Canadians have jobs which involve sitting all day. Recreational activities are little better; confined to video or movie screens, or in the bleachers at the ball game, as they watch professional athletes get the exercise they need.

The result: over 15 million people in this country, or roughly 50% of our population, are either overweight or obese, according to data from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS).

We’re a generation of readers, writers, speakers, thinkers and couch potatoes. Every year, about 21,000 Canadians die prematurely due to inactivity. The ensuing cost to our health-care system is more than $2 billion annually.

What Can Be Done?

To enjoy the kind of health that makes it seem good to be alive, here are some basic rules to apply:

1. Stop the cause of disease – corrupted, man made foods and drinks aggravate and harm the body; acting as poisons, not foods. The quality of our diet affects the degree of well being experienced.

2. Remove congestion from the body – selection of poor foods – specifically lack of dietary fibre – becomes a burden for the body to eliminate, and induces self poisoning. A bowel cleanse, along with a wholesome diet will do wonders to reverse sluggish elimination. Ask your natural health practitioner about this option.

3. Supply the body with needed elements – processed foods or those grown under sub optimal conditions cannot contribute to lasting well being. Natural, good quality foods nourish our immunity and good health, alongside increased sleep, plenty of exercise, fresh air and sunlight.

4. Keep learning – read, take courses, talk to others of like mind, or go to health seminars. Awareness of basic health principles leads to empowerment.

If we can learn these points and apply them in our lives, we will substantially improve our health. It will take some effort, but the reward of a strong and vigorously healthy body will more than repay the effort.

Only when natural health care becomes a personal passion, do we become inspired to change. The ensuing transformation then brings love of life, laughter, enthusiasm and energetic vitality.

To quote George Bernard Shaw: “Use your health, even to the point of wearing it out. That is what it is for. Spend all you have before you die; do not outlive yourself.”

heart diseases

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heart diseases
Heart disease is going up at an alarming rate due to irregular lifestyle, obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Experts believe that by 2010 India will top the world chart in heart diseases and there will be a 200% increase in heart ailments among youth
That’s the reason why this year’s World Heart Day[last Sunday of every september] is urging people to "Know Your Risk". It’s a call to action to help people to understand their personal risk for cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. There are five strategies to keep your heart healthy. These strategies include not "smoking or using tobacco products, to be active, to eat a heart-healthy diet, to maintain a healthy weight and get regular health screening"

Is colposcopy it? "the medical update"

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Is colposcopy it? 

Colposcopy is a procedure vaginal and cervical examination rahims by a physician experienced in the field. By examining the surface rahims neck, the doctor will determine the cause of abnormality of cervical cells rahims as stated in the examination 'Pap smear'. How to colposcopy examination were as follows: the doctor will insert a liquid into the vagina and neck tint rahims channels with a liquid that makes the surface of the rahims neck cells contain an abnormal terwarnai .. Then the doctor will look into the channel through the neck rahims a tool called kolposkop. Kolposkop is a binocular microscope, such a tool that uses a strong light with high magnification. 

If the abnormal area was localized, the doctor will take samples of the tissue (a biopsy) for later sent to a lab for a detailed examination and accurate. Treatment will depend on the results of all your colposcopy examination.

Risk for cervical cancer "the medical update"

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Risk for cervical cancer:

Every woman who ever had sexual intercourse has a risk of cervical cancer. Cells of the cervix may experience changes that are needed to do a Pap smear test regularly (both who have or who have never get a Pap smear test). Similarly, for those of you who smoke likely to get cervical cancer is very large.
Met Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is often suspected as the cause of the abnormal changes of the cells of the cervix.
Having a sexual partner changing or starting sexual activity at a very young age may also increase the risk of getting cervical cancer.
What should you do to prevent cervical cancer?
The first, if you ever had sexual intercourse you should do a Pap smear test regularly every two years and this is done until you are 70 years old. In some cases doctors may recommend to perform a Pap smear test more often.
The second thing is to report any symptoms such as abnormal bleeding, especially after coitus (intercourse).
The third thing is to not smoke. Statistical data reported that the risk of cervical cancer would be higher if the woman smokes.
By doing some actions that can minimize these risks, we hope the event excluded from this cervical cancer. Hopefully.
Can you imagine, how would you feel if you know the results of 'Pap Smear' you gave abnormal results? Certainly you will feel worried and anxious, when you find that the results of 'Pap Smear' you are abnormal. But do not worry too much before, because not all the appearance of cells that are abnormal means cancer. It 'Pap Smear' can detect abnormalities of cells changes in the cervix at an early stage. Paradigm to remember is the early discovery of abnormalities on examination 'Pap smear', it will be more easily solved problem.
What does it mean if 'Pap Smear' you are abnormal.
Results 'Pap Smear' say if the abnormal cells from your cervix when examined under a microscope will give a different appearance with normal cells. This event usually occurs 1 in 10 tests 'Pap smear'. Several factors can provide indications discovery apparition 'Pap Smear' abnormal is:
Unsatisfactory 'Pap Smear'
In this case, means that employees in these Lab could not see the cells of your neck with details rahims that fail to make a report to your doctor komprehensive. If this case happened to you should you come back for examination 'Pap smear' in time to be determined by your doctor.
If there is infection or inflammation
Sometimes the examination 'Pap Smear' gives the appearance of inflammation. This means that the cells in the neck rahims experience a mild irritation in nature. Sometimes inflammation can be detected through a 'Pap smear', even if we do not feel the complaints because terasanya not cause clinical symptoms. Why is mixed. May have occurred due to infection by bacteria, or because the fungus'. Consult with your doctor about this problem and its treatment if necessary. Ask when you have to go through 'Pap Smear' again.
Minor Atypia or Atypia
The meaning of this situation is if the examination 'Pap Smear' changes detected cells rahims neck, but very minor and the cause is not clear. In this case, usually the result reported as 'atypia'. Usually the appearance changes such cells due to inflammation, but also because it is not rare viral infection. Because to make a definitive diagnosis is not possible at this stage, your doctor may recommend you for another checkup in six months. In general, these cells will return to normal again. Thus, it is very important for you to do 'Pap Smear' again to make sure that the abnormalities that appear on first inspection it is not a serious disorder. If the results produce the same results then you may be advised to undergo colposcopy.

Treatment for cervical cancer "the medical update"

up to date and comprehensive medical information

Treatment for cervical cancer. 

As with other disease events, if the initial change can be detected as early as possible, action can be given treatment as early as possible. If the initial changes have been known to the general treatment is given by: 

Heating, diathermy or laser. 

Cone biopsy, namely by taking a few of the cells, cervical cells, including cells undergoing changes. This allows a more thorough examination to ensure that cells change. This examination can be performed by the obstetrician. 

If the course of the disease has reached the stage of pre-cancer and cervical cancer have been identified, it is for healing, some things you can do is: 

Operation, namely by taking the cancerous area, usually the uterus and cervix. 

Radiotherapy is by using high-powered X-rays that can be done internally and externally.