Dr. John's Health Matters
Welcome to Dr. John's Health Matters blog.
The articles posted here are from various sources who are duly acknowledged. I would appreciate being immediately notified, if any copywritten material needs to be removed. This blog is not intended to replace the qualified advice of a licensed health practitioner. Readers should exercise their own judgment. Enjoy, subscribe, participate and tell others :)
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Posts tagged "stroke"
Monday, Aug 31st, 2009 ↓Surprising Rate Of Recurring Heart Attacks, Strokes Globally →
Aug 31, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Despite many medicines and other treatments for patients with vascular disease, a large international study shows these patients have a surprisingly high rate of recurring events such as strokes, heart attacks and hospitalizations as well as mortality.
Also unexpected: patients in North America (including the U.S.) experienced an above-average rate of these events. Patients in Eastern Europe had the highest rate, and those in Australia and Japan had the lowest.
The results from the international REACH (Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health) Registry, presented by a researcher from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, examined data for 32,247 patients one and three years after they enrolled in the registry. Patients who had symptomatic vascular disease had a 14.4 percent rate at one year and 28.4 percent rate at three years of having a heart attack, stroke, rehospitalization for another type of vascular event or vascular death. Patients with vascular disease in more than one location of the body had the highest event rate at 40.5 percent at three years.
When projected over the global population who would mirror the patients in REACH, this represents millions of serious vascular events occurring every few years, many of which could be prevented.
“We were surprised by the high rate of these recurring vascular events,” said lead author Mark J. Alberts, M.D., professor of neurology at the Feinberg School and director of the stroke program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “We know how to prevent vascular disease and the events that it produces. This points to the need for better prevention, better use of medications and a need to develop more potent medications. These are the number one and two causes of death throughout the world.”
For full article, see link above.
Tags: heart attack cardiovascular blood vessel stroke reoccurance rehospitalization disease prevention risk
AHA limits sugar intake to protect heart →
Aug 27, 2009 (Presstv.com)—While Americans eat more than 22 teaspoons of sugar per day, the American Heart Association urges individuals to limit their sugar intake in order to remain healthy.
“For the first time we’ve created specific recommendations about the amount of sugars that can be consumed in a heart-healthy diet,” said Rachel Johnson lead author of a report published in Circulation.
According to the report, too much sugar not only leads to obesity but also places the individual at a greater risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
The new guidelines revealed that women should eat less than 100 calories (equal to six teaspoons or 25 grams) of added processed sugar per day.
The limit for moderately active women aged 51-55 is as low as 5 teaspoons (80 calories) and for sedentary women aged 71-75 is as low as 3 teaspoons (48 calories).
As for men, the permitted sugar amount is reported to be less than 150 calories, equal to nine teaspoons or 37.5 grams.
The new guidelines recommend active men aged 21-25 to eat less than 18 teaspoons (288 calories) and sedentary men aged 46-50 to eat less than 9 teaspoons (144 calories).
AHA officials say that the guidelines are only for “added sugars” used to make foods and drinks rather than the natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, or milk.
They therefore urged food and beverage companies to limit the sugar content of their products.
PKH/HGH
Tags: heart disease cardiovascular disease diabetes high blood pressure hypertension stroke diet nutrition teaspoon calorie processed sugar content limit risk
High Blood Pressure Linked To Memory Problems In Middle Age →
Aug 26, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—High blood pressure is linked to memory problems in people over 45, according to research published in the August 25, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study found that people with high diastolic blood pressure, which is the bottom number of a blood pressure reading, were more likely to have cognitive impairment, or problems with their memory and thinking skills, than people with normal diastolic readings.
For every 10 point increase in the reading, the odds of a person having cognitive problems was seven percent higher. The results were valid after adjusting for other factors that could affect cognitive abilities, such as age, smoking status, exercise level, education, diabetes or high cholesterol.
The study involved nearly 20,000 people age 45 and older across the country who participated in the Reasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study and had never had a stroke or mini-stroke. A total of 1,505 of the participants, or 7.6 percent, had cognitive problems, and 9,844, or 49.6 percent, were taking medication for high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is defined as a reading equal to or higher than 140/90 or taking medication for high blood pressure.
“It’s possible that by preventing or treating high blood pressure, we could potentially prevent cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to dementia,” said study author Georgios Tsivgoulis, MD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
Research has shown that high diastolic blood pressure leads to weakening of small arteries in the brain, which can result in the development of small areas of brain damage.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: memory high blood pressure cognitive impairment artery brain dementia damage stroke
Tags: supplement metabolic syndrome cardiovascular heart blood pressure extract root obesity cholesterol insulin isoflavone kudzu stroke disease
Why Low Vitamin D Raises Heart Disease Risks In Diabetics →
Aug 25, 2009 (sciencedaily.com)—Low levels of vitamin D are known to nearly double the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes, and researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis now think they know why.
They have found that diabetics deficient in vitamin D can’t process cholesterol normally, so it builds up in their blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The new research has identified a mechanism linking low vitamin D levels to heart disease risk and may lead to ways to fix the problem, simply by increasing levels of vitamin D.
“Vitamin D inhibits the uptake of cholesterol by cells called macrophages,” says principal investigator Carlos Bernal-Mizrachi, M.D., a Washington University endocrinologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. “When people are deficient in vitamin D, the macrophage cells eat more cholesterol, and they can’t get rid of it. The macrophages get clogged with cholesterol and become what scientists call foam cells, which are one of the earliest markers of atherosclerosis.”
Macrophages are dispatched by the immune system in response to inflammation and often are activated by diseases such as diabetes. Bernal-Mizrachi and his colleagues believe that in diabetic patients with inadequate vitamin D, macrophages become loaded with cholesterol and eventually stiffen blood vessels and block blood flow.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: vitamin d diet nutrition diabetes deficient blood vessel heart attack stroke danger rosk cholesterol atherosclerosis immunity disease
Diabetes Drug Linked To Increased Risk Of Heart Failure →
Aug 24, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Rosiglitazone, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes, is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and death among older patients compared to a similar drug (pioglitazone), concludes a study published on bmj.com.
As such, the researchers say it is difficult to advocate continued use of rosiglitazone for most patients.
Rosiglitazone and pioglitazone belong to a class of drugs called thiazolidinediones and are widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. They help to control blood sugar levels, but both drugs can also cause side effects including weight gain, fluid retention and heart failure.
It is unclear whether there are clinically important differences in the cardiac safety of these two drugs, so researchers in Canada compared the risk of heart attack, heart failure and death in patients treated with rosiglitazone and pioglitazone.
Using prescription records, they identified nearly 40,000 patients aged 66 years and older who started treatment with either rosiglitazone or pioglitazone between April 2002 and March 2008.
Data on hospital admission for either a heart attack or heart failure during the six-year study period were recorded and deaths were identified from a national database.
Detailed analysis showed that patients treated with pioglitazone had a significantly lower risk of heart failure and death compared to patients treated with rosiglitazone, but there was no significant difference in the risk of heart attack.
The researchers estimate that, for every 93 patients treated with rosiglitazone rather than pioglitazone, one additional cardiovascular event or death would be predicted to occur annually.
“Our findings suggest clinically important differences in the cardiovascular safety profiles of rosiglitazone and pioglitazone in clinical practice,” say the authors. “Given the accumulating evidence of harm with rosiglitazone treatment and the lack of a distinct clinical advantage for the drug over pioglitazone, it is reasonable to question whether ongoing use of rosiglitazone is justified,” they conclude.
For full article see link above.
Tags: diabetes drug cardiovascular stroke heart attack failure rosiglitazone pioglitazone thiazolidinedione blood sugar level control weight gain fluid retension risk danger
Swine flu drug increases stroke risk →
Aug 19, 2009 (Presstv.com)—While Tamiflu is one of the most effective drugs in treating swine flu infection, a new report warns that the drug may increase the risk of stroke.
Previously, researchers had urged parents to avoid using the drug in their offspring as its risks outweighed the benefits. Nausea and nightmares were among the most frequent side effects reported in children.
According to the report recently released by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Tamiflu may interact with the blood-thinning medication warfarin, placing the individual at an increased risk of uncontrolled bleeding (INR rate).
A significant increase in the INR rate could consequently lead to the development of a hemorrhagic stroke.
Despite the fact that such a complication was never reported in performed clinical testing, the MHRA has received 418 reports of suspected adverse reactions including two deaths because of Tamiflu.
Some 12 of these reactions were related to warfarin interactions.
Warfarin is known to interact with a wide range of drugs and even some foods and drinks. Many of the consumers, therefore, are hospitalized due to increased INR rates while many others die.
“We have seen indications that INR rates could possibly rise due to interactions between warfarin and Tamiflu. However, flu-like illnesses have also been known to cause this, so at this stage it is difficult to know whether it is the interaction with Tamiflu or the underlying flu,” said a MHRA spokesman.
The government watchdog therefore warned physicians of the high risk of stroke in Tamiflu users, adding that they should ask the patients regarding the use of the blood-thinning drug before prescribing the anti-swine flu medicine.
Tags: flu treatment tamiflu swine h1n1 infection risk drug prescription stroke nausea nightmare blood thinning illness
Tags: personality risk death peripheral artery disease cardiovascular PAD heart plaque blood stroke heart attack social interaction type d emotion
Tomato Pill Found to Reverse Heart Disease →
Aug 11, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— A pill made from tomatoes may do more to help treat heart disease and high cholesterol than many pharmaceutical products currently on the market, according to preliminary trials carried out by researchers from Cambridge University.
The pill, known as Ateronon, contains a version of the tomato phytonutrient lycopene, which gives the fruits their bright red color. Lycopene has been shown in a number of studies to help relieve the symptoms of heart disease and to help prevent cancer
The chemical is poorly absorbed by the human body, however, so researchers from a Cambridge spinoff company have refined it into a more accessible form. In preliminary trials, Ateronon reduced the oxidation of harmful fats in the blood to zero after only eight weeks of treatment in 150 people, a more significant result than that observed in statin drugs.
The preliminary study results were announced at the pill’s launch, at a meeting of the British Cardiovascular Society.
“If you think that this can reduce the damage to the arteries, which is the damage that ends up causing heart attacks and strokes — this can potentially extend life but also saves lives on a global basis,” TV doctor Rob Hicks said. “The potential impact is enormous — we might see a fall in the number of people suffering heart attacks, strokes and other problems relating to arterial damage and the clogging up of the arteries. That has to be welcomed.”
For full article see link above.
Tags: tomato supplement heart attack cardiovascular disease blood artery damage cholesterol ateronon lycopene fat oxidation reduce stroke prevention clog
Hip, spine fractures linked to higher death risk →
Aug 4, 2009 (Cbc.ca)—Nearly 25 per cent of Canadian men and women over 50 who break a hip die within five years of the injury, and more needs to be done to reduce the likelihood of the fractures, researchers say.
In Tuesday’s online issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers analyzed fracture rates among 2,187 men and 5,566 women older than 50 over a five-year period.
People with a hip fracture showed a 3.2 fold increase in the likelihood of dying during the research period compared with those without a hip fracture. Those with a spine fracture had a 2.7 fold increase compared with those without such a fracture, said the study’s lead investigator, George Ioannidis, who studies health research methodology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
In absolute terms, 24 per cent of those with a hip fracture died in the five years of the study, and 16 per cent died if they had a vertebral fracture over the same time.
“Fractures will not only change your life but could end your life,” Ioannidis told CBC News. “But the good news here is that we have therapies and do other interventions to reduce your fracture risk.”
Unlike previous studies that looked at people living in health-care facilities, this one focused on healthy people living in the community and represented about 40 per cent of Canadian population.
The study also looked at more than one type of fracture, including the risk of death after pelvic, forearm or wrist and rib fractures.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: hip spine fracture risk death cardiovascular disease heart attack stroke blood clot movement rib osteoporosis fall
Factors That Increase Death In Stroke Patients Ages 15 To 49 identified →
July 30, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Heavy drinking, being 45 to 49 years old, type 1 diabetes or having a preceding infection are associated with more than twice the risk of death in stroke patients 15 to 49 years old, according to a Finnish study.
Furthermore, heart failure was associated with seven times the risk of death and active cancer malignancy with 16 times the risk of death in stroke patients.
The overall death rate is low in this age group, said Jukka Putaala, M.D., who led the study. Risk of death was 2.7 percent at one month, 4.7 percent at one year and 10.7 percent at five years with no difference based on gender.
For full article see link above.
Tags: risk death stroke alcohol drinking heavy diabetes infection heart failure cancer
Attacks on British Court Ruling that "medical" blog Libeled the Chiropractic Profession. and my comments. →
First read the blog by clicking the link above.
Then read my response (posted below) : Comment number 26.
“It never ceases to amaze me how medical writers seemingly intent on informing and protecting the public about the evil and danger of chiropractic care, can be so tunnel visioned about the considerably greater and more frequent harm caused by orthodox medicine. I am not familiar with tort and libel laws in the UK, being Canadian, but where I practice, the malpractice insurance premium I pay is one tenth of what my medical friends pay for the identical coverage. So whose care is riskier, I wonder??
“and speaking of “twits running adverts along anti-vaccine lines”, you might want to write about the inconvenient fact that the US government pays $millions per year to victims of vaccination-related reactions. Is this a frivolous and gratuitous expense on their part, or the acknowledgement of an actual risk in that procedure? I wonder who the twits really are!
“but to be more specific about chiropractic risks and benefits, since 1957 no fewer than 64 peer-reviewed studies have shown that chiropractic care for back and neck problems was more effective than physiotherapy, pharmacotherapy and surgery, and resulted in lesser recovery times, short time off-work, more complete return to function and less relapse. Do you need the references or is it more convenient for you to ignore them?
“and recent review of the literature available have shown that the risk of stroke after a chiropractic visit is no greater than after a medical visit, a massage, a hair appointment, etc. It all has to do with the individual patient’s habits, genetics and lifestyle predisposing them to having a stroke in the wrong place. But I suppose it makes for better newscopy to warn the public to “beware” of chiropractors, rather than of that extra serving of greasy fish and chips.
“I realize yellow journalism is a beloved tradition in Britain, and how much fun it is for little boys to play with fire, fan the flames of sensationalism and generate a lot of smoke. But that’s how little boys get burned. I would suggest you try some balanced blogging for a change.
John Bureau DC, Waterloo & Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada”
Antipsychotics Risky for Elderly With Diabetes →
July 29, 2009 (Therapytimes.com)—A class of drugs used to treat dementia symptoms and other mental ailments in the elderly may be dangerous for those with diabetes.
A new study shows that older people with diabetes are more likely to be hospitalized for hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar levels) after beginning treatment with antipsychotic drugs.
Researchers say antipsychotic drugs are being increasingly prescribed to treat dementia and other behavioral problems in the elderly.
These drugs are known to carry a number of risks, including an increased risk of stroke, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms. There have also been some reports of hyperglycemia after beginning therapy with antipsychotics, but researchers say few studies have examined these risks in older people as well as in elderly with pre-existing diabetes.
For full article see link above.
Tags: risk elderly dementia danger diabetes blood sugar glucose antipsychotic drug medication behaviour stroke parkinson's
Gardasil Causes 400 Percent More Deaths than Other Common Vaccine →
July 29, 2009 (Naturalnews.com)—A federal report has concluded that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil has a 400 percent higher rate of adverse effects than another comparable vaccine, the Menactra anti-meningitis shot.
“It is unusual for there to be such a big discrepancy between two vaccines used in similar populations involving serious and relatively rare life threatening adverse events and autoimmune disorders,” the researchers from the federal Vaccine Events Reporting System wrote.
Gardasil, marketed by Merck, prevents againt the strains of HPV believed to be responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer cases and 90 percent of genital warts cases. GlaxoSmithKline’s competing Cervarix vaccine protects against the same cervical cancer-causing strains.
The researchers considered Gardasil and Menactra equivalent for the purposes of comparison because they are given to similar age groups at similar frequencies. Their study concluded that Gardasil was associated with twice as many emergency room visits, four times as many deaths, four times as many heart attacks, seven times as many “disabled” reports and 15 times as many strokes. All reported cases of blood clots and heart attacks associated with Gardasil occurred when the vaccine was given alone, not in conjunction with other drugs.
“Fainting, which has been attributed by doctors and health officials as ‘fear’ of needles in teenage girls, is reported six times as often … after receipt of Gardasil than Menactra even though Menactra is also given to girls in the same age group,” the researchers noted.
For full article see link above.com
Tags: HPV vaccine death girl gardasil cervical cancer genital warts cervarix menactra risk heart attavck stroke blood clot fainting danger
Stress Signals Link Pre-existing Sickness With Susceptibility To Bacterial Infection →
July 28, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Mitochondrial diseases disrupt the power generating machinery within cells and increase a person’s susceptibility to bacterial infection, particularly in the lungs or respiratory tract. A new study published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, shows that infection with the pneumonia causing bacteria Legionella, is facilitated by an increased amount of a signaling protein that is associated with mitochondrial disease.
Patients with mitochondrial disease exhibit a wide range of symptoms including diabetes, blindness, deafness, stroke-like episodes, epilepsy, ataxia, muscle weakness and kidney disease. The metabolic abnormalities that cause these effects also induce a stress signal intended to help the body overcome its energy deficit. The stress-signal induces the production of more mitochondria, the energy generating ‘powerplants’ of the body, in the hopes that more mitochondria will result in a better power supply. Researchers now show that the stress-signal associated with mitochondrial disease facilitates the growth and reproduction of the lung-infecting bacteria, Legionella.
Cells with mitochondrial disease increase their production of a signaling protein called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), to promote the generation of more energy producing mitochondria. Infectious bacteria, like Legionella, target the mitochondria and might use them to supplement their own needs and survival requirements. By manipulating AMPK levels, scientists were able to directly influence the ability of bacteria to replicate inside of the single-celled organism, Dictyostelium.
For full article see link above.
