Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain has been halted due to a clot or bleeding into the brain. Therefore, blood is unable to reach all destinations of the brain, resulting in a stroke. The person experiencing a stroke will begin to exhibit signs and symptoms. Some signs come and go usually within 5 minutes and leave no lasting effects. However, symptoms lasting longer may indicate a major stroke is occurring. Even if symptoms are short lived, it is imperative to get medical help immediately. If not treated as soon as possible, major brain damage and lifelong disabilities could result.

What are the signs?

- Tingling sensation in the face or extremities – Paralysis or weakness on one side – Difficulty speaking – Inability to understand speech – Blindness – Dizziness – Pain – Nausea/vomiting – Sudden intense headache

If you believe someone around you is experiencing these symptoms call 011 and seek the help of medical professionals immediately.

Risks for Stroke:

- Year of age: Once a person reaches age 55, their risk for stroke doubles every ten years – Family History and Ethnic Background – Gender: Women typically experience less risk of stroke than men – Prior stroke – Atrial Fibrillation – Fractures of bones which can result in a fat embolism

How to reduce your risk:

Manage blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Decrease cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Eat a healthy diet. Exercise. Quit Smoking. Take medications as prescribed by your physician.

Physicians use a CT, MRI or Angiogram to determine the location of a stroke, the amount of damage it caused as well as what type of stroke was experienced.

For more sever forms of stroke such as ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, surgical intervention may be required. However, there are medications available for milder case, but they must be given within hours of experiencing a stroke.

After Stroke care:

Patients who have survived a stroke may require rehabilitation utilizing speech, occupational, and physical therapies. Recovery can take a few days to a year or more to regain lost functions.

Types of Medications:

Antiplatelet – Prevents the formation of clots by not allowing platelets to adhere together – Thrombolytics -This is a clot bluster that loosens or breaks a clot apart which is then carried away by phagocytic cells – Anticoagulants – These prevent the formation of clots especially in those patients with A-fib as they are extremely prone to clots due solely because of the continuous contractions of the atria in the heart.

If you have other chronic diseases present such as diabetes or hypertension, keeping these values in the normal range will help to prevent, or lessen the likelihood of a stroke event.

Having an exercise regimen at least three days a week can lower blood pressure. Blood pressure is the number one factor in bringing on a stroke or hemorrhagic strokes.

A healthy diet containing fresh fruits, whole grains and nuts, vegetables and lean meats is another great way to help lessen the risks for stroke.

Tags: heart valve disease, cure for heart disease, ischemic heart disease

High Blood Pressure or hypertension has become one of the major problems of today’s society. For males, a reading of 120/80 is normal while females should have a slightly lower number.

Hypertension occurs when too much energy is being exerted by the heart in order to pump blood through the arteries. Typically, a reading of 140/90 will be considered suspicious by a physician. Any reading higher than that is considered clinical hypertension. The top number or systolic pressure is described as the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart is in the middle of a contraction. The bottom number or diastolic pressure is described as the amount of pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest.

The diastolic is usually considered the most important; as this is the pressure the arteries are under when at rest. In a person with high blood pressure, the heart has to pump the blood through the circulatory system with greater force, resulting in added strain on the entire cardiovascular system.

The main cause of high blood pressure is still not yet known, however risk factors have been discovered; they include genetics, smoking, excessive alcohol use, drug abuse, stimulant use, obesity, poor diet and nutrition, high cholesterol, lack of stress management and sodium ingestion as well as narrowing of the blood vessels due to cholesterol and other fatty elements. In addition, research has shown that heart disease and hypertension are caused more by “unnaturally” produced oils and fats then “naturally” occurring oils and fats.

As of today, there have been no research studies conducted on the affects of refined unsaturated oils verses the effects of refined cold pressed unsaturated oils. Refined oils however do pose a greater risk as their molecular structure changes as it is subjected to the high temperatures of processing. Additionally, hydrogenated oils such as margarine also pose a threat as they interfere with the body’s fatty acid metabolism. Fatty acid deficiency is the number one known cause of high blood pressure.

High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” because it does not display any signs or symptoms until it is in its advanced stage. By this time, it has already wreaked havoc on the body’s other organs causing irreversible and permanent damage.

Symptoms of advanced high blood pressure include dizziness, headache, rapid pulse, nervousness, irritability, energy loss, fatigue, insomnia, sweating, visual disturbances and frequent nosebleeds. Later symptoms include hypertensive heart disease with enlarged heart and possible left ventricular failure, myocardial infarction, possible senility, cerebral hemorrhage, paralysis and death.

High blood pressure patients should see their doctor every six months at least in order to have the disease monitored. If the disease is prolonged, other organs in the body can be affected. For example, kidneys become weakened, thus resulting in renal failure which then requires weekly dialysis or blood filtering treatments.

Tags: heart disease symptom, ischemic heart disease, rheumatic heart disease

The statistics on diabetes are frightening. Every year somewhere around a million Americans are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Although it can be fatal, more often it isn’t, but can have a serious impact on the lives of sufferers. Is there any fish oil and diabetes link, or can taking fish oil supplements reduce the impact of diabetes?

Scientists are worried about the rate of diabetes in our society. There are also enormous costs imposed on sufferers as well as the impact on their families and on the health system. So what can be done to reduce the impact of this explosion on diabetes rates?

Certainly there are a range of lifestyle factors which can help with the reduction in diabetes, such as dietary changes, levels of exercise and losing weight. However I normally analyse the benefits of Omega 3 fats, so today I want to look at Omega 3 and diabetes.

There is now little doubt that there is clear evidence supporting the link between fish oil and diabetes relief. Fish oil is of course the major source of Omega 3 fatty acids, and almost all good Omega 3 supplements utilize fish oil for their Omega 3. The main fats that are of benefit to diabetes are known as EPA and DHA. We have written about these elsewhere on this site.

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that results in an excess of sugar levels in the blood. Insulin in the blood is unable to sufficiently deal with the sugar in the blood, so sugar levels rise.

The result is that the insulin in the blood cannot deal with fats in the blood either, and levels of triglycerides rise, and HDL, (good cholesterol) falls. The figures for the risks to diabetics are frightening. 6 times higher risk of heart attack and up to 8 times higher risk of heart disease.

So what is the fish oil and diabetes link? Is there any evidence that taking Omega 3 fish oil has any effect on diabetes? Yes, scientists are now convinced that omega 3 fish oil and diabetes relief are inextricably linked, and that taking fish oil lowers the risks of diabetes.

So it seems there is a fish oil and diabetes link, but why? Because there are good polyunsaturated fats in Omega 3 fish oil and these have a positive effect. They lower triglycerides in the blood and improve blood clotting regulation, can reduce abnormal heart rhythms and reduce blood pressure. All good.

One study showed very impressive heart benefits verifying the fish oil diabetes link, including reducing the risk of death by heart attack by up to 45%, and cardiovascular deaths generally by up to 30%.

It seems crystal clear now that taking more Omega 3 fish oil in the diet does lower some of the risks associated with diabetes.

How should you be getting your fish oil? Well of course eating fish high in fat is a good way, the American Heart Association recommends eating 2 fish meals a week, but there are also warnings for certain people of eating too much fish due to the incidence of some heavy metals and in particular contaminants like mercury in fish.

The best way to get the right levels of Omega 3 fats in your diet is by fish oil capsules. The very best ones use fish from the cleanest ocean in the world, the southern ocean, and also use fish that are the highest in DHA, so their Omega 3 supplements are extremely high in DHA. And they don’t have any contamination, firstly because the fish are pretty clean to begin with, and secondly because they undergo a process known as molecular distillation that renders them so clean that contaminants are undetectable.

So if you have diabetes make sure you’re taking Omega 3 fish oil capsules daily. Use the best ones, and you lower your risk of sudden death very substantially.

You can find out which Omega 3 capsules are the best on my website.

Tags: kidney and heart disease, heart valve disease, coronary heart disease

The most prominent cause of stroke is high blood pressure or hypertension. A reading of 140/90 or higher is considered the beginning risk point. Hypertension can cause severe damage to major organs including the heart, eyes and kidneys. Furthermore, it can also create weakened areas in the blood vessels which then result in a hemorrhagic stroke.

An Ischemic stroke is a condition in which blood vessels have narrowed or become completely blocked. This is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries or a blood clot that eventually blocks the artery therefore cutting off blood flow to the brain. These blood clots can form and travel from other areas of the body or form inside the artery itself.

A blood clot that breaks away from other areas of the body is called an embolism. These types of blood clots create the risk factor of Atrial fibrillation.This occurs when the atria is constantly fluttering and contracting, resulting in the formation of blood clots.

Arterial blood clots are commonly found on plaque deposits. Small cracks formed in the plaque allow cells to build up, thus forming blood clots. As these clots grow and increase in size, blockage of blood flow through the artery occurs. The result of this blockage is that the cells on the other side of the clot become deprived of much needed oxygen and nutrients from the blood resulting in cell death and ischemia. This process than leads to a stroke. It is exactly the same mechanism that causes heart attacks, except it involves the heart.

Types of Stroke:

- Hemorrhagic: Blood vessels rupturing resulting in bleeding into the brain. – Ischemic: Occluded or narrowed arteries caused by plaque.

The Causes:

- High Blood Pressure – Diabetes – Atrial Fibrillation – Heart Disease

The risk factors include:

- Family history – Hypertension – Heart disease – Diabetes – High serum cholesterol levels – Ethnicity – Age – Prior stroke

Broken bones are another risk factor for stroke. This is especially worrisome for the elderly. Tissue from a fractured bone can travel through the bloodstream into the lungs resulting in respiratory failure. In addition, the tissue can travel to the brain resulting in a stroke or to the heart causing a heart attack.

Simply reducing risk factors and using preventative methods can work wonders in the fight against an illness that can create lifelong disabilities.

Methods of Prevention:

- Lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels – Manage blood sugar – Manage blood pressure levels

Eating a healthy diet: Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads, cereals, nuts, and pastas. Serve lean meats and fish as well as foods that are high in fiber and low in fats and cholesterol. Reduce red meat consumption to once per month. Knowing the causes of stroke will help you to reduce your risk, and possibly prevent its occurrence.

Tags: information on heart disease, prevent heart disease, congenital heart disease

Hypertension or high blood pressure is the force the heart must use in order to push blood through the bodies veins and arteries. There are two distinct blood pressures; the first is the systolic pressure which pumps the blood through the arteries. The second, called diastolic pressure is the force of the pressure between vessels and beats of the heart. In a normal healthy body, the blood pressure is usually 120/80.

Symptoms of primary hypertension usually go unnoticed as they are mild and obscure. This is why this disease is called the ’silent killer.” If the blood pressure suddenly escalates, it can lead to a Hypertensive crisis in which a stroke or heart attack can occur which often result in fatality.

Common symptoms of people with high blood pressure include, fatigue, shortness of breath, headache and dizziness. For many patients, headaches are a common complaint; however blood pressure medication does not remedy this problem. These headaches are caused by an increase in blood flow through the vessels in the brain. Over the counter medications do not have an effect on these types of headaches either. Typically, the pain is located behind the eyes, pulsating and manifesting in the early morning hours. This increased blood flow causes the heart to pump more blood than is necessary, thus resulting in white spots, blindness and heart palpitations.

Many people go for years without realizing they have high blood pressure. Of those with this disease, about 1% have malignant hypertension which requires immediate medical assistance as it can lead to heart attack or stroke. If gone undetected, high blood pressure can cause permanent damage to the heart, eyes and kidneys as well as lead to the onset of angina pain. To prevent or gain control of high blood pressure, patients need to seek the care of a medical professional as well as create a healthy lifestyle consisting of exercise and a healthy diet containing, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy and wholegrain.

If you are a person who is exposed to much stress, this must also be controlled. Some hypertension is caused by stress, and this is never good for anyone. Too much of it will have an adverse effect on your health whether or not you have high blood pressure. It just makes sense to cut anything or anyone out of your life who causes undo stress to your health, accept for your children. That is stress you just have to live with and manage some how. They are yours for 18 years.

If you are overweight it would be to your good benefit to lose the extra pounds and maintain a health body weight. It is also a good idea to control unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol. This will help to lower and maintain proper blood pressure, to prevent its life-threatening complications that could have far reaching consequences.

Tags: congenital heart disease, ischemic heart disease, woman and heart disease