Heart and Stroke

Dangerously high blood pressure more than doubled in the United States from 2002 to 2014, new research shows.

"Losing a loved one can make you feel as if your heart is breaking—and sometimes it really is. Broken heart syndrome isn’t just Valentine’s Day hyperbole. It’s an actual medical condition, also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy."

A new study with heart patients finds that a high resting heart rate may be a predictor of a shorter life expectancy.

New guidelines on how to perform CPR - CNN (video)
New CPR advice omits breathing - CNN (video)
McConaughey learns CPR - CNN (video)

Many people don't realize they have high blood pressure until it's too late. WCAU's Dr. Alison Brucker reports.

- A leading cause of stroke, heart attack, and kidney failure.
- Most people don't feel high blood pressure until it is very high or starts to cause bad complications.

- SYSTOLIC pressure: the pressure in the arties when the heart beats and fills them with blood.
- DIASTOLIC pressure: the pressure in the arties when the heart rests between beats.

U.K. study signals benefits of treating heart failure with an angina medication.

- The prognosis for people suffering from heart failure is worse than cancer.
- Many People taking the drug reported a huge improvement.
- The drug lowers a person's heart rate.

- "This animal study shows the potential promise of this cell line in treating post-stroke symptoms,"
- "Four weeks after transplantation, the rats treated with Neuralstem's cells showed significantly decreased asymmetric body swing, increased vertical movements and increased grip strength, compared with the control group."

"Dr. Lin's findings represent a significant milestone for Neuralstem. They are the first to show how our human spinal cord-derived stem cell product, NSI-566RSC, currently in a clinical trial for ALS, and which we expect to be in another clinical trial for spinal cord injury, also works in the stroke brain,"

CBS weatherman and anchor Mark McEwen suffered a massive stroke nearly five years ago that almost took his life. Early Show anchor and close friend Harry Smith looks back on a visit he made at Mark's Florida home early in his recovery.

Robotic surgeon

A new 'tube robot' could reduce the risks of open heart surgery

Researchers found that the use of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) - celecoxib, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, other oral NSAIDs, IV/injection such as ketorolac (Toradol) - in the prior month may have elevated their stroke risk.

- People should use NSAIDs at the lowest dose and for the shortest time necessary to relieve their pain - AHA.
- The AHA recommended that people first try to ease their aches and pains with acetaminophen (Tylenol) -- known to be protective against heart attacks.

NSAIDs other than aspirin may contribute to heart problems or stroke for a few reasons, including effects that may make blood clots more likely to form or may create spikes in blood pressure.

- Connolly said apixaban reduced the rate of strokes by 52% compared with aspirin in the patients studied.
- The annual rate of strokes in patients on apixaban was 1.5% compared to 3.3% for those taking aspirin.

The annual rate of major bleeding was not significantly different between patients on apixaban and aspirin, at 1.4% and 1.2% respectively, and there was also no significant difference in clinically relevant non-major bleeds.

- almost every organ uses and needs vitamin D
- 30-40% lower risk of heart attacks
- studies suggest may help immune system, reduce some cancers, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis

- CT scans are a specialized series of X-rays; MRI uses magnets and radio waves.
- MRI scans can help reveal how severe some types of stroke are and may help find lesions early.
- "research suggests finding lesions early may lead to better health outcomes."
- Ischemic strokes are caused by a blood clot in the brain, 3 hour response.
- Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain.

- high blood pressure can cause minor strokes and bleeding.
- daily exercise, reduce sodium intake, increase potassium intake.
- too much sodium causes you to lose potassium and this can cause muscle aches.

- even a small reduction in blood pressure can lower your stroke and heart disease risk.
- cutting down on sugar drinks lowers blood pressure.

- Women who had irregular periods were 28% more likely than women who had regular periods to develop heart disease.
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and very long menstrual cycles -- have been linked to increased risks of type 2 diabetes, which is a heart disease risk factor.

- cause-and-effect relationship fine particulate matter, which comes from fossil-fuel-burning says AHA.
- A growing link and evidence between air pollution and peripheral vascular diseases, irregular heartbeats, heart failure, and ischemic stroke.

- It usually starts as the worse headache of your life.
- Common causes of the bleeding are physical injury, brain aneurism, blood disorders, blood thinners, and cocaine use.
- Some symptoms are sudden loss of consciousness, vision problems, seizures, stiff neck, mood changes, and vomiting.

"This study adds to the previous body of evidence suggesting harmful effects of excessive psychological demands at work on cardiac health"
- Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in Europe, the United States and many other rich nations.
- Nurses who said their work pressures were a little too high were 25% more likely to develop heart disease.
- Those who felt work stress was much too high were 35% more likely to have heart disease.
- Stressed employees may pick up unhealthy habits and add to their risk of developing heart problems.

Excessive salt intake is associated with high blood pressure, which can damage the arteries and lead to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems and linked to health care costs.
- A reduction in salt intake of just 1g or about 400mg would produce large declines in the rates of cardiovascular events.
- Cutting salt intake by 3g or about 1,200mg the number of heart attacks in the U.S. could decline by up to 13%.
- New cases of heart disease and the number of strokes could also be expected to decline by up to 11% and 8%.
- Processed foods, not salt from shaker, account for 75% to 80% of salt consumption.