Cardiophile » heart disease

Heart disease is the most expensive illness in Australia

Bijoy Johnson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:35:51 +0000

Cardiovascular diseas affect millions of people in Australia. Recent data suggests that expenditure for treatment of cardiovascular diseases is the highest for any disease category in Australia, acccounting for about $6 billion in 2004-05. The report, Health care expenditure on cardiovascular diseases 2004-05, which shows that expenditure is significantly higher for males (average of $321) than for females (average of $261), was released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

This is in accordance with the fact that risk for cardiovascular disorders is much higher among males than females.

For comparison, money spent on oral hygeine was $5.3 billion, mental health $4.1 billion and for musculoskeletal disorder $3.9 billion. The data also showed that expenditure on healthcare was much higher in people aged over 85 years.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/myklroventine/ / CC BY 2.0

Vitamin D may help prevent heart disease

Bijoy Johnson — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:23:21 +0000

Scientists have found that vitamin D may play a crucial role in preventing heart disease.

A team of scientists, at the Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas; led by Dr. James H. O’Keefe and found that vitamin D plays an important role in heart health.

The group studied adults and analysed the relation between their intake of vitamin D and their risk for heart disease. The results were alarming. Those who took decreased amounts of vitmin D had higher risk for heart disease, other cardiac events and stroke. The researchers also found that most adults dont get enough vitamin D as part of their daily diet.

The study concluded that increasing the intake of vitamin D can help to significantly reduce the risk of heart disease in humans.

Image credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/detroitsunrise/ / CC BY 2.0

‘Red Heart Pill’ could help prevent heart attack and stroke!

Bijoy Johnson — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:54:51 +0000

Red heart pill (polypill) – a combination of aspirin, a statin which helps lower cholesterol, an ACE inhibitor and a thiazide to counter high blood pressure.

According to the world health organisation, 17 million people die every year from heart attack and stroke. What if we could cut this in half just by using the existing resources? Well, thats what the ‘Red heart pill’ is all about. It is a combination of 4 drugs – aspirin which helps prevent the formation of clots within the blood vessels, a statin which helps lower cholesterol, an ACE inhibitor and a thiazide which helps lower blood pressure. There are low cost drugs but are very effective in the prevention of heart attacks.

Presently, a person who has had a heart attack has to take multiple drugs every day, the cost of which amounts to a few hundred dollars every year. Compare this to the ‘Red heart pill’ which would cost about $1 for a full month. The polypill had been the dream of doctors for a long time. Widespread use of the Red heart pill could translate into heavy losses for the pharmaceutical industry, which explains why they are reluctant to back this initative. The Red Heart Pill has had backing in the UK from the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation.

The polypill is about to go into a 12 week pilot trial, with about 700 people in 6 countries. If all goes well, a main trial involving upto 7000 people will be conducted to further assess the benefits of the drug. The typical patient who would be prescribed the polypill would be a 55-year-old man, or slightly older woman, who smokes and is overweight. The red heart pill could be much beneficial especially in the developing countries where the low cost drug will be accessible to all sections of the society.

Photo by newtype2011

Is there a reason to take statins at night?

Johnson Francis — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 05:07:49 +0000

Statins are drugs like atorvastatin (Brand name: Lipitor) which inhibits cholesterol synthesis by inhibiting the enzyme HMG Co A reductase in the liver. The enzyme is more active at night. Drugs which inhibit it will have better effect when taken at night. This is more so with earlier drugs like lovastatin which were shorter acting than atorvastatin. So it is better to take statins at night. Since atorvastatin is a long acting drug, it will have its effect even if it is taken at other times of the day. Statins are very powerful cholesterol lowering drugs which have been shown to have beneficial effects beyond cholesterol lowering, which are called as pleiotropic effects of statins. While on statins, it is wise to watch for liver and muscle enzyme elevations, to check for a small risk of liver and muscle toxicity. But for these relatively lower and uncommon risks, statins have a great role in reducing the burden of atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Heart patients could be at a high risk of depression

Bijoy Johnson — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:03:11 +0000

Photo by Burning Image

According to the American Heart Association, people with heart disease have a high risk of depression.

Living with heart disease is not easy. Having an episode of heart attack can be devastating for many people. Temporary feelings of sadness are normal and most people get back to their normal routine within a few weeks. But if these feelings persist beyond a few weeks, this can have serious impact on the quality of life.

Heart attack patients are three times more likely to suffer from depression than their healthy counterparts. Studies have found that 15-20% of patients hospitalised with heart attack show signs of depression. People with depression often forget to take their prescribed medications, have a poor diet, forget to exercise and in general, do not stick to a heart healthy lifestyle. About 16 million people have heart disease in the U.S., including 8.1 million who have suffered a heart attack.

The persent recommendations suggest that people with heart disease should be screened for depression by their doctor. Those showing signs of mood disorder should be referred to a mental health professional. Proper management of depression can help the person to return to their normal routine and significantly reduces the chances of a second episode of heart attack.