Baby aspirin seems safer and as effective as higher doses to prevent cardiovascular disease
More than a third of Americans take aspirin every day to ward off heart disease and stroke, based on its…
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Mayor, health agencies forge partnership to enhance cardiovascular disease program in Davao
DAVAO CITY, June 8 (PNA) – Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and the Handicap International-Philippines with the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) in the Davao Region and the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) recently inked partnership in a memorandum of agreement (MOA) which signified a take-off of the four-year implementation of the Cardiovascular Disease (CVD …
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One in 100 American citizens was incarcerated at some time last year in either a city, county, state or federal criminal justice facility. It is estimated that over 60 percent of those incarcerated suffer from either a drug or alcohol abuse problem.
Driving under-the-influence of alcohol is the number one cause of death on our highways. Drug users, including alcohol abusers, whether from overdose or deteriorating health, and diseases like hepatitis, jam up our hospital emergency wards. Yet, their primary problem is actually a treatable disease; Addiction. Alcoholics and Addicts most often drive without insurance and contribute to high claim payouts for insurance companies, greatly affecting the rates you and I pay for our own insurance, eating away at the insuring company’s profits.
Addicts account for over half of the petty theft, and fill up jails behind the charges when apprehended. Petty theft is one of the greatest overhead costs that major retail sellers have… It affects every aspect of life in our country…
The New American, March 20, 2006:”
In January, construction workers at Leon Sheffield Elementary School in Decatur, Alabama, were stunned to discover that someone had made off with about 60 feet of copper tubing, leaving the school flooded. A few weeks earlier, heavy rains had left a middle school in Portland, Oregon, flooded as well. Repair workers discovered that copper vents, flashing, and trim had been cannibalized from the school’s roof.”
Acknowledged as a Disease by the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization for decades, we still fail to embrace addressing the problem as a disease! Most States recognize it as a disease and pour millions of dollars into programs inside of their prisons. Sadly, study after study finds these programs to be nearly absolute failures in nearly every case. A study completed in California in 2007 actually stated that inmate participants of in-prison substance abuse treatment programs had a higher recidivism rate than the general population inmates. Of course, as parolees they are monitored more closely than non-drug offenders, thus having more parole violations, returning them to prison. Still, with the major financing direct at the prisons it is self-evident that the drug user has to have moved to the convicted felon status to get treatment. This defies all our beliefs about treatment of disease. All diseases are most effectively dealt with when early intervention takes place, and prevention is the best cure. Why is this?
It seems our State and Federal governments have chosen to multiply their error rather than admit that they have taken the wrong approach for what has become decades. And, they continue to do this with “our” money, over and over. Why would they continue this course? Well, it is economics gone astray! Ignorance of the disease of Addiction, led to continued incarceration of treatable Addicts for so long that Addiction literally exploded the prison populations. So the States increased the prisons in size as first, but eventually drifted into a boom in building new prisons. Contracts awarded for construction, jobs staffing the prisons, and tremendous Federal subsidies have turned our country’s State prison systems into an integral part of their economy. Once again, politics and old outdate theories, this happens to be regarding crime and punishment, have created another economic disaster that is so complicated no one wants to face it. On top of that, in California for example, the Correctional Officers Union is the most powerful Union and lobby group in the State.
For some reason the “drug problem” has slipped into the background in the Media and on the political stage. The “War on Drugs” was a failure because it was the wrong way to deal with a disease. Actually, it denied the problem as even being a disease, so it was doomed to fail. For some reason, over the last two decades we have chosen to shoot our way out of too many problems. I have not heard one candidate, since the beginning of the primaries, even mention “drugs”!
The drug problem is not going away as long as we do the same thing over and over expecting a different result. As long as it persists we will continue to pay for it. Though we pay greatly in dollars, other ways we pay are even more distressing. Broken homes, poorly parented children, absent parents and homelessness are part of a broken family structure that may be the single greatest problem that the United States has ever had. Incarceration is not a deterrent to an Addict. It just simply is ineffective, and has proven to be, for a very long time.
Addiction Treatment in the private sector is a different story. When accepted as a relapsing disorder, as are diabetes and cancer, and multiple episodes of treatment are provided and accepted as necessary, we are getting better and better success rates. Addiction is a chronic, progressive and fatal mental disorder, accompanied by physiological complications. People have had a tendency to want to give up on or throw away the Addict who relapses. Yet, we don’t do that with diabetics or cancer victims. Putting a sick person in a cage will not get them well. Addicts do not suffer from a lack of morals and will power. They suffer from a chemically changed brain that can be restored nearly completely to a properly functioning organ. It is just very complicated by the fact that behavioral changes are a side effect that is a second issue that must be addressed. This is because memory reinforced over a long period of time is not easily overcome. It’s the “old habits are hard to break” syndrome. It can be done, though. Cognitive Behavioral Therapies have put a whole new face on the treatment of Addiction. It provides a set course of objectives that are measurable in their effectiveness and variations of applied techniques and time frames can produce positive results for a vast number of those being treated. Progression of the disease is predictable and assessable, and provide somewhat of a diagnosis of what stage an addiction is in. As with all diseases, the earlier it is identified, the sooner it can be assessed and a treatment course instituted. There is a third factor beyond the mental and physical that has been identified as a great help to the treatment of “disease” in general that applies even more significantly to the disease of Addiction… Spiritual Growth!
So, what are going to do? Are we going to continue to treat this vast segment of the population as “lepers”, stowing them away in our modern dungeons… throwing them away like broken objects? Or are we going to invest more wisely in a new approach that sees the potential of the human being? It took me a very long time to accept that I wasn’t just “a bad person”. It was hard to believe that I could overcome the wreckage I had made of my life for such a long time. Most of all, though, it took a lot of Help! I made it though! After nearly 30 years of steady decline into hopelessness, I was brought out of the insanity by caring professionals and belief that something greater would lift me up and carry me when I had not the strength to do things myself! I am not a detriment to society anymore. I no longer thrive on selfish needs. The Veteran’s Administration invested in me and as a result not only am I no longer active in my Addiction, but I’m a Drug Counselor, dedicating the rest of my working life to helping others rise out of the depths of deprivation and become productive members of Society!
CounselorDave
When the topic of women’s health care is raised, the first disease that comes to mind is probably breast cancer. But surprisingly, that’s not the number one health care issue confronting women today. In fact, heart disease kills more women each year than all forms of cancer combined. By knowing the most significant risks in women’s health care and what you can do to combat these health care issues, women of all ages can take a proactive approach to leading healthier lives.
The #1 Women’s Health Care Issue: Heart Disease More than 489,000 American women lose their lives each year as a result of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. In fact, more women than men die from heart disease each year. Until recently, little research focused on women and heart disease, but the good news is that’s no longer the case. From research into the effects of hormone replacement therapy on heart health to studies of how cholesterol-lowering medications work in women, there’s an unprecedented increase in the amount of information available to women working to live with and ward off heart disease.
Experts at the Mayo Clinic offer simple common sense advice to women (and men) in the fight against heart disease: don’t smoke, eat a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products, exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes a week, and maintain a healthy weight.
In addition, they encourage women to see their family doctor each year for a physical which includes blood pressure and cholesterol screenings. Studies indicate that there is a 46% increase in stroke risk for women for each 7.5 mm HG increase in their diastolic blood pressure, so monitoring blood pressure and controlling hypertension are vital.
Women who suffer migraines, are pregnant, have atrial fibrillation and those with the auto-immune disease Lupus also appear to run a greater stroke risk. Diabetes is another women’s health care issue with a direct impact on heart health. The American Heart Association notes women with diabetes have a two to six times greater risk of heart disease and heart attack and are at a significantly greater risk of suffering a stroke. All of these risk factors make an annual visit with your doctor one of the best ways women can manage and improve the health of their hearts.
Cancer Concerns: The Second Deadliest Health Care Issue Women Face While breast cancer is often at the top of the list of health care issues for women, several other types of cancers also pose a significant threat to women’s health. In this country, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime according to current data which means that a little more than 2 million women are currently living with breast cancer in the U.S. But melanoma, a form of skin cancer, actually kills more young women than any other cancer according to statistics provided by the Skin Cancer Foundation. In fact, melanoma is the most common form of cancer in women between the ages of 25 and 29 and its incidence has tripled in women under 40 in the last thirty years.
Ovarian cancer is another women’s health care concern. Usually symptomless until it is widespread, this disease is the fourth most frequent cause of death for American women. The American Cancer Society estimates 26,000 new cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed each year. Unfortunately, there are few definitive screening tests that detect this disease, but experts advise a thorough annual gynecological exam and for women to be alert to pelvic pain and pressure, low back discomfort, mild nausea, and an increase in constipation or gas. A serum CA-125 blood test can detect certain forms of ovarian cancer, but the test is not accurate enough to be used as a routine screening tool.
The rate of women suffering from cervical cancer has dropped a great deal over the years, thanks in part to the increase in the number of women who get an annual Pap smear which can indicate the presence of abnormal cells on the cervix. It’s a strong argument for making sure you never skip your Pap smear. Women who have had Human Papillomaviruses (HPVs), herpes simplex virus, those with suppressed immune systems, and those who have had multiple sexual partners run a greater risk of cervical cancer. On the prevention front, a recent trial of a vaccine against cervical cancer was 100% effective in the short term at blocking the disease.
Psychological Well-being: A Growing Health Care Issue for Women In the field of women’s health care, psychological problems, which include eating disorders, depression, and anxiety disorders, affect millions of American women. From coping skills to medications to alternative and complementary medical approaches, there is a growing body of knowledge being brought to bear on this important health care issue.
More than 19 million people in the United States, the greatest percentage being women, live with anxiety disorders that disrupt their lives. The different types of disorders within this group include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias. Treatment options include talk therapy and a wide range of medications that can quell the symptoms of the condition. Many women also combine alternative approaches to treatment such as acupuncture, meditation, and diet modification with traditional forms of treatment.
According to the American Psychological Association, women are almost twice as likely to suffer from major depression as men. In fact, some experts in the field have called depression the most significant mental health risk for women, especially those in their childbearing and rearing years. Studies have found that married women and mothers are especially vulnerable to depression. It’s important for a woman who feels she may be suffering from depression to be carefully evaluated by a physician because the source of the depressive symptoms could be birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, or thyroid disease. Treatment for depression, like most other psychological conditions, includes talk therapy and medications. Some women also find relief in alternative medicine with herbal supplements, meditation, and other complementary techniques.
Though many of the women who struggle with eating disorders are in their teens and twenties, these conditions also affect women at other stages in their lives. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are the most well-known forms of eating disorders. Statistics show that one out of every one hundred girls between the ages of 10 and 20 is anorexic, 4% of college-aged women are bulimic, and 1% of women are binge eaters. The root causes of these diseases include stress at home and at school or work, depression and anxiety, major life changes like a divorce or death, and physical and sexual abuse. Breaking out of the cycle of eating disorders requires a combined approach to this health care issue including psychological treatment, nutrition counseling, and in some cases, hospitalization.
A Holistic Approach to Women’s Health Care As women become more proactive about their health, many seek a holistic approach to improving their well-being and fighting disease. But coordinating information among several health care providers, keeping on top of the latest breakthroughs in health, and finding the United States’ best doctors is a daunting task for any women.
Some are turning to private professional health care advocates, like those available at PinnacleCare, to help them achieve their goal of a whole-woman centered approach to health care issues. From compiling and electronically storing comprehensive medical records to researching treatment options and providing accelerated access to the United States’ top doctors, PinnacleCare’s health advocates make a holistic approach to health care possible.
"I passionately believe that what our PinnacleCare Members experience is the way healthcare ought to be delivered," explains John Hutchins, PinnacleCare’s Managing Director. "The healthcare system has gotten so complex that most people are at a loss to find their way through it without professional guidance and objective counsel."
R.Gitcher
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/womens-health-care-742933.html
Men with diabetes face much more several health concerns, that including increased risk of heart attacks and strokes and impotence (not being able to having or keep an erection though).
Above the age of 50 the likelihood of having other difficulties with an erection occurs in an approximately 50-60% of men with the problem of diabetes. In reality men over 70, 90% have erectile dysfunction problems so far .
Diagnosed and controlled diabetes can be effectively managed to minimise its impact on your health and well being. You can even prevent or delay diabetes complications those like damage to eye sight and nerve damage to the fingers and toes. However many men do not realise just they suffer from the disease. Around one third of the men population with diabetes are not aware of their
illness.
Diabetes Signs and other Symptoms
If you find yourself with any of these following symptoms, it is really important that you visit your doctor or health practitioner and get tested for diabetes problem:
â?¢ feeling tired often
â?¢ frequent urination (specially at night)
â?¢ being very thirsty most of time
â?¢ weight loss problems
â?¢ blurry eyesight problems
â?¢ recurring skin, other gum, or bladder infections
â?¢ sores that heal comparatively slowly
â?¢ dry, and itchy skin
â?¢ loss of feeling or tingling in that your feet
Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
There are few other different kinds of diabetes:
â?¢ Type 1 diabetes is generally first diagnosed in children, teenagers, or young adults.
â?¢ Type 2 diabetes is the other most common form of diabetes. People can even develop it at any age, but it is often diagnosed in the later life and is in much more common found in men who are over weight and do little exercise.
What is Diabetes?
Most of the food that we eat is turned into glucose (sugar) for our bodies to use for energy production . The pancreas makes insulin that which helps sugar get right into the cells. When you have diabetes problems then your body either doesnâ??t make enough insulin or just canâ??t use the insulin it does to make. This causes sugar to build up in your blood then. Over the years high blood sugar leads to other problems like heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems, gum infections, and amputations problem.
Diabetes-Related Problems in Men
Men with diabetes suffer more from some other diabetes-related health problems than women. The American Diabetes Association reports that here:
â?¢ In people who develop diabetes before the age of 30 in context men develop retinopathy (a vision disorder that can lead to blindness problems ) more quickly than women in either .
â?¢ Having the major symptoms of peripheral vascular disease (pain in the thigh, calf, or buttocks during exercise) is linked to a two- to three-fold increased risk of the coronary heart disease, stroke, or cardiac failure in men with diabetes problems.
â?¢ Amputation rates from diabetes-related problems that are 1.4 to 2.7 times higher in men than women with diabetes.
dr rony
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/diabetes-risk-for-men-722820.html
Type 2 diabetes is becoming a widespread disease that is overtaking the US. According to data collected by The American Diabetes Association, by the year 2030, as many as 70 million Americans will have prediabetes and 22 million will have type 2 diabetes.
Thankfully, in many cases, type 2 diabetes can be prevented. Here are some ways to make yourself less at risk.
Lower Your BMI
The higher your BMI (Body Mass Index) the more chance you have of developing type 2 diabetes. In fact, having a high BMI is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the disease. According to The American Diabetes Association 3 out of 10 people who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight. 6 out of the 10 were obese. Lowering your BMI, even just a little, can dramatically lower your chances of developing the disease.
Up Your Exercise
Stationary people are much more likely to develop type two diabetes. In fact, data from the April 2003 Nurses’ Health Study concluded that every additional 2 hours of television a day leads to a 14 percent increase in type 2 diabetes. You can avoid this risk by getting up from the couch and starting a daily walking routine. If you just have to watch your programs why not exercise or walk in place while you enjoy the story line?
Lower Your Sugar
Lowering your sugar intake can also be a great way to fight the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Studies show that having high-normal blood sugar levels can increase the chance of developing type 2 diabetes by 50 percent within 10 years time.
Start cutting back on sugar slowly. Going cold turkey can be a jar to the system and can lead to withdrawals. You may start by cutting out one soda a day this week and that afternoon candy bar next week.
Even small steps can boost your overall health and lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Make an effort to make yourself healthier today and reap the benefits tomorrow. Ebooks such as this Turbulence Training review can help you learn more about how to get healthier and prevent diabetes.
Aaron Patterson
Copyright (c) 2008 Katie Kelley
Recently a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that type 2 diabetes patients who were treated with low-dose aspirin were found to have no significant decrease of antherosclerotic events, also known as hardening or clotting of the arteries, although those over the age of 65 with heart disease and type 2 diabetes did see a reduction of antherosclerotic incidence.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) reports that the development of diabetes means more than just managing insulin levels, but it also requires the management of potential risks such as heart disease, heart failure and stroke. According to the ADA, “people with diabetes must also manage blood pressure and cholesterol and talk to their health provider to learn about other ways to reduce their chance for heart attacks and strokes.”
What is Cardiovascular Disease?
Cardiovascular disease occur for many reasons but often leads to heart failure, which occurs when the blood backs up into the pulmonary veins, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). There are an array of disease and conditions related to cardiovascular disease including:
* arrhythmia
* cardiac rehab
* cholesterol
* congenital heart disease
* diabetes
* heart attack
* heart failure
* high blood pressure
* obesity
* peripheral artery disease
* stroke
Additionally, there are several signs and symptoms that individuals who have type 2 diabetes should watch for, as they may be developing heart failure related to their diabetes or other heart disease: * shortness of breath
* persistent coughing or wheezing
* edema
* tiredness/fatigue
* nausea
* confusion, impaired thinking
* increased heart rate
Developing, Treating Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is when the body cannot or does not produce enough insulin, also known as blood sugar, in order to provide the body with energy. A small sampling of type 2 diabetes drugs available for prescription purposes include the following:
* Avandia
* Actos
* Byetta
Commonly these drugs are used to either introduce insulin to the body or to use the body?s natural insulin levels within the body. However, there are an array of type 2 diabetes drug side effects that can occur. One such drug is known as Byetta, exenatide, from Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly, which has been associated with severe risks among type 2 diabetes patients.
Byetta has allegedly been causing pancreatitis among patients. Those consuming the drug Byetta for their condition may need to consult medical attention or speak to their doctor about potential risks common among the drug’s side effects. It may also be necessary for a patient to contact a pharmaceutical attorney to develop litigation or a Byetta class action lawsuit.
Katie Kelley
Roundup: 2010 Advances in Heart Disease and Stroke Care
TUESDAY, Dec. 28 (HealthDay News) — 2010 was a year that enjoyed continued advances in the treatment of heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Read more on HealthDay via Yahoo! News
Charlie’s Angels star Kate Jackson underwent adult cardiac surgery to correct a hole in her heart. Oscar-winner Patty Duke lives with coronary heart disease. Comedic actress Phyllis Diller suffered a heart attack in 1999, and celebrated author Joyce Carol Oates lives with tachycardia, or rapid heartbeat. Long thought of as a man’s disease, heart disease is beginning to gain exposure from female celebrities. And what they’re saying may surprise you – heart disease is a reality for women, too.
Heart disease affects more than 8 million women in the U.S., killing 267,000 each year.* It’s the leading cause of death among women – even six times deadlier than breast cancer.* Being aware of the risks and taking steps toward better health is vital for women in battling this potential killer.
Be Heart Smart
Some factors of heart disease are uncontrollable – a family history of heart disease increases your risk, as does age (women’s risk increases after age 55). The good news is that a number of other factors can be controlled by making smart choices on a daily basis. In fact, living a healthy lifestyle can lower your risk of heart disease by 82%.** Take action for better heart health now by following these tips.
Keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check. If your numbers are high, a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise could help lower them. Contact your healthcare provider to assess your risk and determine an individualized course of action.
Maintain a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight puts strain on your heart and increases your risk for heart disease, even if you have no other risk factors.
Know your risk for diabetes. Two out of three people with diabetes die of heart disease or stroke.*** Your chance of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood increases if you are overweight, physically inactive or have a family history of diabetes.
Get regular physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-level activity on most (or all) days of the week. Three 10-minute periods will work, too.
Eat a heart-healthy diet. Fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains will do your body – and heart – good.
Quit smoking. After kicking the habit for just one year, your risk for heart disease drops by more than half.**
You don’t need to be a celebrity to raise awareness of heart disease. Start taking care of yourself now with a healthful lifestyle and regular screenings. And encourage those in your life – both men and women – to do the same.
* Source: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease.
** Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
*** Source: American Diabetes Association.
Diabetes Info
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/calling-all-women-take-steps-against-heart-disease-97165.html
Although standard blood cholesterol tests (measuring total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides) have helped doctors to accurately assess heart disease risk in many patients, recent advances in medical science have demonstrated that conventional cholesterol testing provides only limited insight into the multiple factors that underlie cardiovascular disease. In fact, these tests identify only 40% of those at risk for coronary heart disease.
The good news is, scientists have developed a more advanced blood test that can far more accurately gauge your risk of heart disease. The Vertical Auto Profile (VAP) test augments the standard cholesterol profile with additional measurements that can identify the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Best of all, the VAP test not only offers a comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular risk, but also supplies vital information that can help you and your doctor formulate a customized disease-prevention program and measure its progress over time. This powerful diagnostic tool can help you take the steps necessary to avoid preventable health catastrophes — like heart attack and stroke — today.
The baby-boom generation understands that as they age, their risk for heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events continues to increase. Not content to succumb to disease and disability, this population is embracing a proactive, preventive approach to health care that includes advanced techniques of risk assessment such as the Vertical Auto Profile (VAP) cholesterol test.
Awareness of the VAP test is important for anyone who wants to stop cardiovascular disease in its tracks, even before signs and symptoms manifest. The VAP test is performed just like a traditional cholesterol panel: a technician or nurse draws blood and submits it to a laboratory. At reasonable cost, the VAP test provides more information than routine cholesterol tests and expands on this data. The comprehensive information derived from the VAP test enables physicians to more accurately predict their patients’ risk of heart disease, and to customize more aggressive, patient-specific treatment plans.
Even if your doctor’s office does not yet regularly utilize the VAP test, it is very likely that your physician will recognize the value of this advanced cholesterol screening tool, and will use the more detailed information it provides to devise the best treatment program to reduce your cardiovascular risk.
How the VAP Test Works
Routine cholesterol tests provide only the four following measurements:
1. Total cholesterol
2. Triglycerides
3. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the “detrimental” lipid), determined by a mathematical calculation, not by direct measurement
4. High-density lipoprotein (HDL, the “beneficial”lipid).
The standard lipid panel above is what physicians have relied on for years to assess their patients’ risk of cardiovascular disease. It has been a successful tool, helping physicians to lower patient cholesterol levels using a variety of medical therapies, including statin drugs, and motivating people to make lifesaving changes in their diet and lifestyle.
However, there are serious limitations to relying solely on the standard cholesterol panel. Most important, it can identify only about 40% of patients at risk for coronary heart disease.2 The truth is, many risk factors are involved in the development of heart disease, and for some people, high cholesterol may or may not be one of them. The well-known Framingham Study illustrated that the higher the cholesterol, the higher the statistical risk of a heart attack.3 Nonetheless, a frightening number of heart attacks still occur every day in people whose cholesterol values are seemingly normal. In fact, the American Heart Association reports that 50% of men and 64% of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms!
Heart disease can lurk silently within, hidden and unsuspected. However, the additional information provided by the VAP test can help identify at-risk patients more accurately than routine cholesterol tests.
The expanded information from the VAP test includes:
Patients who test “normal”in a routine cholesterol panel often are found to be at risk for heart disease after taking the VAP test. This is crucially important, not only to diagnose a number of lipid disorders and optimize the choice of medications, but also for tracking improvement when patients are working to reduce their numbers, whether with drugs or lifestyle changes. Clearly, more information means more effective treatment, and thus better health outcomes.
In addition, VAP is the only cholesterol profile that tests for all the present and emerging risk factors identified in the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) cholesterol guidelines.
Prevention Is Key to Cardiovascular Health
I have performed a VAP test for the first time on many patients who have already had heart attacks or strokes, or who have undergone heart procedures such as bypass surgery or placement of a coronary stent. The results have often led me to think that if a VAP test had been performed earlier, maybe the heart attack or stroke could have been prevented, or the surgery would not have been necessary.
Too often in the United States, medical care is reactionary. A heart attack or stroke occurs, the sufferer rushes to the emergency room, and then doctors desperately try to rise to the rescue. All the physicians and patients I know appreciate that this is not the best approach. Part of the beauty of the VAP test is that it can help reduce the likelihood of this scenario occurring. Identifying risks for cardiovascular disease — and then working to correct them in order to prevent heart and vascular disease — is a better choice than costly surgical interventions.
Baby boomers, who have taken more hands-on responsibility for their health than any previous generation, can be even more strongly motivated to adopt wellness strategies when they better understand the specific risks facing them. It is one thing to tell patients that their cholesterol is high and they need to reduce it by changing their diet and lifestyle or by taking medication. It is something else to tell them that they can decrease their risk of heart attacks and emergency room visits by implementing strategies to adjust their cholesterol particles. The more definitively a health threat can be identified, the greater the patients’ compliance with treatment will be.
Since the National Cholesterol Education Program recommends people begin regular cholesterol testing at age 20, young adults can take a VAP test to learn about their cardiovascular disease risk early in life. This will allow them to take aggressive steps now — including diet and exercise — to maintain a healthy heart for life. Taking a VAP test now makes infinitely more sense than waiting until a cardiovascular catastrophe occurs, and then wondering if the event might have been prevented if a more complete cholesterol profile had been obtained earlier.
VAP Cholesterol Testing: What You Need to Know
Should Everyone Take the VAP Test?
This question is still being debated in the medical community. It is more expensive than routine cholesterol panels, but it provides more information. It is simply the best way for physicians to learn more about their patients and identify heart disease risk earlier. As time goes by, more physicians are recognizing the limitations of conventional lipid assessment and turning to advanced lipoprotein testing for better answers.
Certainly anyone who has reason to believe he or she may be at high risk for cardiovascular disease—because of family history, previously diagnosed coronary or vascular disease, or factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, any measure of coronary plaque, or identified abnormalities in cholesterol or triglycerides — should strongly consider VAP testing. Even if you are simply concerned about heart disease, you can proactively encourage your doctor to perform this advanced test. It is now widely available in diagnostic laboratories around the country.
Being proactive means being eager to learn about ways to improve your health, and working with your doctor to create a personalized prevention and treatment plan. However, when it comes to tests that involve risk — such as imaging procedures that deliver radiation — I caution you to be wary. Sometimes, being proactive can lead you down that slippery slope to unnecessary surgical intervention. Fortunately, the VAP test has the distinct advantage of providing added information without added risk.
©2008 Michael Ozner, MD, FACC, FAHA
Author Bio
Michael Ozner, MD, FACC, FAHA, is one of America’s leading advocates for heart disease prevention. Dr. Ozner is a board-certified cardiologist, a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and of the American Heart Association, medical director of Wellness & Prevention at Baptist Health South Florida and a well-known regional and national speaker in the field of preventive cardiology. He is the medical director of the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida and symposium director for “Cardiovascular Disease Prevention,” an annual international meeting highlighting advances in preventive cardiology. He was the recipient of the 2008 American Heart Association Humanitarian Award. Dr. Ozner is also the author of the BenBella Books title The Miami Mediterranean Diet.
Michael Ozner, Md, Facc, Faha
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/the-blood-test-that-can-save-your-life-693622.html
