Statins Side-Effects: 20 Percent Report These Unwanted Issues
Statins may reduce the risk of a heart attack by as much as one-third. (Source: PsyBlog | Psychology Blog)
Source: PsyBlog | Psychology Blog - November 1, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Jeremy Dean Tags: Cholesterol Source Type: blogs
What is myocardial contrast echocardiography?
Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) is used for the assessment of myocardial microcirculation and endocardial demarcation. MCE uses gas-filled microbubbles that are inert and remain wholly within the vascular space. These microbubbles have an intravascular rheology similar to that of red blood cells [1]. A continuous intravenous infusion of microbubbles is given to achieve a steady state. These microbubbles are destroyed by high energy ultrasound. The rate of microbubble replenishment within the ultrasound beam is measured and represents the mean red blood cell velocity [2].
Normally, the ultrasound beam fills with...
Source: Cardiophile MD - November 1, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, October 31st 2022
This study used mice to evaluate how their lifestyles - eating fatty foods vs. healthy and exercising vs. not - affected the metabolites of their offspring. Metabolites are substances made or used when the body breaks down food, drugs or chemicals, or its own fat or muscle tissue. "We have previously shown that maternal and paternal exercise improve health of offspring. Tissue and serum metabolites play a fundamental role in the health of an organism, but how parental exercise affects offspring tissue and serum metabolites has not yet been investigated."
Researchers used targeted metabolomics - the study of metaboli...
Source: Fight Aging! - October 30, 2022 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Towards Direct Reprogramming of Heart Fibroblasts into Cardiomyocytes
A promising approach to inducing regeneration from injury and age-related fibrosis in the heart is the reprogramming of fibroblast cells into heart muscle cells, cardiomyocytes. Like all such efforts, much of the work lies in establishing the recipe of regulatory signals needed to produce the desired outcome. The research results reported here are an illustrative example, representative of programs taking place in many laboratories, in which scientists are attempting to improve on the discovered forms of reprogramming in order to make them efficient enough to be useful as a basis for regenerative therapies.
Mammal...
Source: Fight Aging! - October 28, 2022 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
I'm so sorry when medics get abused for activating the cath lab
Cortland Ashbrook from Spokane County, Washington, sent this message:Hey doctor Smith, I wondered if you ’d give me your opinion on these ECG tracings I took as a paramedic in the field?Case:The call was an elderly gentleman who was at home when he experienced a sudden onset of vague chest discomfort along with nausea, and left arm aching. It started while walking, and began to decrease at rest but never fully resolved. It was central and constant. He has apacemaker for an unknown arrhythmia reason, and has a hx of a PE but is not anti-coagulated currently. I believed this met modified Sgarbossa in II, III and aVF with e...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - October 28, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs
What are ventricular ectopic beats (VPC)? Cardiology Basics
Ventricular ectopic beats are premature heart beats originating from the ventricles. Normal heart beats originate from the sinus node, situated in the upper part of right atrium. Sinus node is the natural pacemaker of the heart which gives out regular impulses to induce sequential contractions of atria and ventricles.
Ventricular ectopic beats (VEB) are also known by other names like ventricular premature beat (VPB), ventricular premature complex (VPC) and premature ventricular complex (PVC). Ventricular ectopic is the commonest form of cardiac arrhythmia.
In a ventricular ectopic beat, the sequence of activation is diffe...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 25, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What is pericardial effusion – Cardiology Basics
What is pericardial effusion – Cardiology Basics
Pericardial effusion is collection of fluid between the visceral and parietal layers of the pericardium. If the amount of pericardial fluid is large or there is a rapid increase in the amount of pericardial fluid, compression of the heart prevents its proper filling. This reduces cardiac output and causes hypotension and is known as cardiac tamponade.
Cardiac tamponade needs urgent pericardial aspiration or surgical drainage if the fluid is very thick. Very thick fluid can be there in purulent bacterial pericarditis. Sometimes it can be a hemopericardium due to bleedin...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 24, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Can dark chocolates keep heart disease away? Cardiology Basics
A study published in ‘Circulation’ – the flagship journal of American Heart Association, suggested that eating dark chocolate can decrease your risk for myocardial infarction.
Myocardial infarction is usually due to a coronary obstruction, though there are other varieties as well, according to the Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction. High oxidative stress and limited availability of antioxidants can cause endothelial damage in the arteries, leading to increased chances for a thrombosis.
Dark chocolates (which contain 70% cocoa) have lots of flavonoids – potent antioxidants which helps to overcome the oxi...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 24, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, October 24th 2022
This study shows the uncoupling of lifespan and healthspan parameters (aerobic fitness and spontaneous activity) and provides new insights into SIRT3 function in CR adaptation, fuel utilization, and aging.
HDL Level, Age, and Smoking are the Largest Determinants of Mortality Risk in Old People
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2022/10/hdl-level-age-and-smoking-are-the-largest-determinants-of-mortality-risk-in-old-people/
An interesting epidemiological study here stratifies the contributions of various metrics to mortality in later life, age 70 and older. The authors find that the largest effects arise...
Source: Fight Aging! - October 23, 2022 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
How are stroke and heart disease related? Cardiology Basics
Ischemic stroke is often due to sudden obstruction to a cerebral artery which usually results in paralysis. Hemorrhage stroke is due a bleed from a cerebral vessel and deemed to be more dangerous than ischemic stroke.
Stroke and heart disease are linked together in various ways. In general, risk factors for stroke and ischemic heart disease are similar. Ischemic strokes can sometimes occur simultaneously with an acute myocardial infarction.
Stroke can occur after a myocardial infarction as well. Myocardial infarction can cause damage to a region of endocardium over the infarct. This region can be a nidus for the formation...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 21, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What is cardiogenic shock? Cardiology Basics
When the heart is not able to pump enough blood for perfusing the vital organs and the blood pressure falls, it is known as cardiogenic shock. Most important cause of cardiogenic shock is an acute myocardial infarction. Cardiogenic shock can also occur in other conditions like a fulminant myocarditis. In case of myocardial infarction, it is more likely to occur in those who are older, having multivessel coronary artery disease, and in those with a previous myocardial infarction. Cardiogenic shock is a potentially life threatening condition and needs urgent treatment. Even with treatment about half of those with cardiogeni...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 20, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What is a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD)? Cardiology Basics
Wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is a device which is worn on a vest, monitors the heart rhythm continuously and delivers a defibrillator shock in case of life threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a similar device which is implanted subcutaneously for long term use. WCD is meant for temporary use for those who have a high risk of life threatening ventricular arrhythmias but are ineligible for an ICD implantation as per the guidelines.
WCD has patch electrodes for giving the shocks and a monitoring system built-in into a vest while the defibrillator with battery is w...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 20, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What are the precautions for undergoing a treadmill test (TMT)? Cardiology Basics
Treadmill exercise test is often taken as a fitness test during routine medical check-up. TMT is also done for evaluation of a case of suspected coronary artery disease and as part of post myocardial infarction evaluation. TMT in children is often for the evaluation of arrhythmic disorders. But this is not a test meant for everyone coming for a health check-up. A preliminary assessment of the fitness of an individual to undergo a treadmill test (TMT) is desirable.
This will include a short check on whether the person has any medical conditions which could increase the risk of the test. Moreover, it is difficult for person...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 18, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Clinical Research 101: Lecture 3
Now that we ' ve cleared away a bit of the underbrush, let ' s say you think that Eye of Newt Toe of Frog (Eontof) is potentially therapeutically useful against Creeping Crud (CC), and you want to test it. You face a whole lot of considerations. One is that you ' re going to need funding, which means you need to persuade somebody -- either the National Institutes of Health or a pharmaceutical company, most likely -- to invest in your idea. They ' re going to want to know that there ' s a reasonable chance of success with Eontof, and in the case of the pharmaceutical company that they can make money off of it, which brings ...
Source: Stayin' Alive - October 17, 2022 Category: American Health Source Type: blogs
What is complete heart block? Cardiology Basics
When natural pacemaker impulses from the sinoatrial node fails to reach the ventricles and activate them, it is known as complete heart block. The block could be at the level of the atrioventricular (AV) node or below that.
Sinus node is a subepicardial structure located in the upper part of right atrium near the orifice of the superior vena cava. Signals from sinus node travel to the AV node through three internodal pathways. They are Wenckebach, Thorel and Bachmann bundles. Bachmann bundle gives a branch to the left atrium also.
AV node is located near the atrioventricular junction in the lower part of right atrium. It ...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 17, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
