Category Archives: Heart Diseases

Information Of Causes Of Heart Disease

Within the last 100 years, Heart Disease has been recorded as the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Wales and Canada. In America heart diseases are responsible for one person every 34 seconds and more than 60 million Americans have some type of cardiovascular disfunction. There are many individuals who are uninformed about its causes, symptoms and ways of preventing it the risk of it affecting you and your family. Heart disease is not a single disease but rather a group of diseases of that spurs from different causes. These diseases cause damage to the heart and impacts the way in which it functions.
There are many different causes for developing heart disease, one such cause is smoking. Cigarettes and tobacco contain hazardous substances which include, nicotine and include carbon monoxide. These chemicals travel to the lungs and build up fatty plaque in the arteries and cause damage to the artery vessel walls. Smoking also increase the heart rate and tighten the major arteries and causes the heart rate to become abnormal all these factors cause the heart to pump more blood. When the heart becomes overworked this puts massive strain on the heart and lead to various complications.
Persons who do no physical activites also increase their risk of getting a heart attack when compared to a person who practices to exercise on a regular basis. Exercise helps to control the bodys cholesterol level by burning calories and through regular exercise, the muscles of the heart are made stronger and the arteries become even more flexible. Burning 500 3500 calories during the week can increase your mortality rate by far versus someone who does not. Exercise also helps to eliminate stress in the body. Major stress can cause your heart to work harder than usual. When you increase your hearts need for oxygen, this can bring on chest pain in person who already have a heart disease.

Persons who have a family history of being diagnosed with heart disease are more prone to become infected with it. If your parents or siblings have suffered from a heart problems before age 55, then it automatically heightens the possibility of infection over someone who does not have a family record of heart disease.
There is also information to identify that certain heart disease can be connected to certain racial and ethnic groups. For example high blood pressure is more commonly diagnosed in African American men versus their white man counterparts. The male gender also suffer a higher risk of heart attack over women until the age of 65 where the risk is equaled. Heart diseases are also connected to high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a fat like substance which is produced from the food we consume and is transported within the body via the blood. Products that are produced from animals like meat, dairy products and egg are high in cholesterol, and if consumed excessively it can lead to high cholesterol levels. Other causes of heart disease include being overweight and high blood pressure. Person who suffer from obesity are more likely to experience high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart disease, heart attacks and the possibility of a stroke occurring.

Poor Penis Blood Flow Can Lead To Less Enjoyable Orgasm And Sexual Dysfunction

Introduction

When maximizing sexual satisfaction in men, circulation is key. Blood needs to travel efficiently through the circulatory system for the penis to achieve a healthy erection and orgasm. When circulation in the body is reduced, erectile dysfunction becomes much more likely to occur. There are many factors that may negatively affect men’s circulation, but common problems include a lack of vitamins and minerals for penis health, frequent masturbation, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Men wanting to improve the quality of their sex lives should seriously consider how their lifestyle may be impacting their circulation. If you are concerned about heart disease or medications, consult with a physician as soon as possible.

Exercise

Exercise is the number one method of getting blood pumping everywhere. Proper cardiovascular exercise reduces the risk of heart problems, controls weight, improves metabolism and energy levels, and stimulates blood and lymph fluid to move throughout the body quickly and powerfully. In a study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2012, researchers from Emory University in the USA compared the sex lives of sedentary men and physically active men between the age of 18 and 40. While both groups experienced similar levels of sexual desire, men who were physically active every week were significantly less likely to suffer from any sort of sexual dysfunction. Men rated as having sedentary lifestyles were found to be almost twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, orgasm dysfunction and sexual dissatisfaction following intercourse.

Fish Oils

Fish oils with their high omega-3 content protect the heart and support circulation throughout the body. Some men take aspirin as a way of thinning the blood to promote easy circulation to the penis, but fish oils are a significantly safer way to achieve this result. In a study published in Urology in 2006, researchers proved two things. First, that high blood triglyceride levels have a negative impact on erectile function. Second, that fish oils, known to effectively reduce triglyceride levels, have a positive effect on erectile function and sexual health in subjects with high triglycerides. Men can increase the fish oils in their diet by consuming plenty of tuna, salmon, mackerel, cod, sardines and sea vegetables such as kelp, nori, dulse and sea lettuce.

Medicinal Plants

Many culinary spices and medicinal plants used around the world have fantastic effects on the circulation of men. Traditional herbal remedies such as ginger, prickly ash, bilberry, cayenne, black pepper and curry have been found to dilate blood vessels and promote healthy circulation to the extremities, while gingko biloba has been found to promote erectile function through acting on both the central nervous system and peripheral circulation. Studies have shown that men taking anti-depressant drugs and experiencing erectile dysfunction as a side effect benefited from taking a ginkgo biloba product. Other herbs, such as ginseng and tribulus, have shown to promote penis health and erectile function by increasing testosterone production. If you are on any medications, always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking herbal medicines.

Penis Health Crmes

Men can improve circulation to their penis by applying topical products known as penis health crmes. Penis specific formulas (most professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) contain nutrients and natural oils that moisturize the skin and provide important vitamins for circulatory health directly to the local area. For example, vitamin C is important for blood vessel strength and integrity, vitamin E is blood thinning and protects against arteriosclerosis, and vitamin D has shown in studies from Johns Hopkins to prevent against peripheral circulatory disorders. These nutrients are combined with amino acids and shea butter for fast absorption, and can be applied daily to promote healthy skin and blood vessels in the penis.

Lies You May Have Heard About Heart Disease

Why hasn’t this story about heart disease been told before? Once it has been told, why are not more people shouting in outrage at the doctors?

It has been told, but it was hard to hear! The most likely reason you didn’t hear it is because you have depended on your doctor for new medical information and your doctor so firmly believes the lies he has been told that he had no attention out in the market-place of ideas, looking for alternatives to drugs and surgery for heart problems.

Lie #1

You may have been told, and you may believe that

“. . . people have always died from heart disease . . .”

That is not true!

The truth is that 150 years ago heart disease was completely unheard of. NO ONE died from heart disease 150 years ago. Autopsies from that period would have found the very easily observed evidence of heart disease. They found none! 1.

Lie #2

You may have been told, and you may believe that . . .

” . . . .the only reason people didn’t die of heart disease 150 years ago is that they didn’t live long enough. They HAD the beginning of heart disease, but died earlier from some other problem.”

That is not true!

The truth is that heart disease IS A NEW DISEASE! Even though the average length of life 150 years ago was much less than it is now, there were millions of people who did live past sixty. They “lived long enough to get heart disease — but they didn’t get it!”
None of those people died of heart disease even when they lived to be in their seventies!

Lie #3

You may have been told, and you may believe that . . .

” . . . . the problem of heart disease is being solved by modern medicine . . .”

That is not true.

The truth is that the problem GETS WORSE as you get older. The truth is that no less an organization than the American Heart Association has been claiming that heart disease is being solved by modern medicine, but the President of the American Heart Association has admitted that his group has been misleading the American public for years and that the problem is getting worse.

The chances of dying of heart disease increase very rapidly with age now, while that was not true 150 years ago. People over 65 years old now are now almost 100 times more likely to die from heart disease than those between 25 and 44.

Lie #4

You may have been told, and you may believe that . . .

” . . .by-pass surgery or drugs are your only answer, and that they are effective . . .”

That is not true!

The truth is that by-pass surgery kills an average of 5.7% of the patients on the operating table, and more within a few months. The truth is that even respectable medical journals are now carrying articles that say that life expectancy does not increase after by-pass surgery. The truth is that certain doctors make millions of dollars every year from this medical malpractice.

The truth is that by-pass surgery has become the single most common form of major surgery in the United States, and thousands of doctors have gotten rich from doing them. Some estimates put the annual take at more than $20 billion.

The truth is that most heart drugs harm you more than they help. The only one who profits from the drugs are the doctors and drug companies.

Lie #5

You have been told, and you may believe that . . .

” . . . .there are miracle drugs which prevent or cure heart disease — or at least control heart disease . . .”

That is false!

The truth is that our nation is being drugged into apathetic submission with the knowledge of certain Government agencies, including the FDA, which are controlled from behind the scenes by people who are terrorized at the thought that the public might find out the truth about their crimes!

ALL drugs are poisons of some sort! Some are more harmful than others. Some are extremely harmful.

If you want to read the truth about what the Government leaders are doing to this great country, get more of Karl Loren’s books and special reports, listed in the Karl Loren References Section of this web site.
(http://www.oralchelation.net/heartdisease/KarlLorenReferences/index.htm)

Footnotes

1. See the book review of Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s book, Controlling Cholesterol, in the Bibliography. The review of his very misleading book, full of lies, includes a quote of him claiming that “killer cholesterol” has been the cause of death always, but just not recognized. there is no book I’ve reviewed which tells the drug story more assertively. Click Here
(http://www.oralchelation.net/heartdisease/Bibliography/page2.htm) to visit that Book Review within the Bibliography Section.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Copd

Plan of Attack
Definitions
Epidemiology
Goals of Management
Diagnosis
Managing Stable COPD
Managing Acute Exacerbations of COPD

A disease state characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. Airflow limitation is usually both progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles or gases. Symptoms, functional abnormalities, and complications of COPD can all be explained on the basis of this underlying inflammation and the resulting pathology.
Definitions
Chronic Bronchitis (clinical)
Sputum production more days than not for at least 3 months a year for at least 2 years
Emphysema (pathologic)
Parenchymal destruction airspace walls distal to terminal bronchioles, without fibrosis
Important: You can have either, but to have COPD you MUST demonstrate obstruction (thus the O in COPD)

Epidemiology
Fourth leading cause of death in U.S.
100,000 American deaths each year
15-20% of chronic smokers develop COPD
2.5% mortality for COPD hospital admissions
COPD with acute respiratory failure:
24% in hospital mortality
59% one year mortality
If you have COPD and PaCO2 > 50mmHg:
67% chance of being alive in 6 months
57% chance of being alive in 12 months

Diagnosis
Symptoms
Dyspnea
Sputum production (especially in the morning)
Recurrent acute chest illnesses
Headache in the morning possible hypercapnia
Cor pulmonale (Right heart failure)

Goals Of Management
Identifying and ameliorating (if possible) the cause of the acute exacerbation
Optimizing lung function by administering bronchodilators and other pharmacotherapy
Assuring adequate oxygenation and secretion clearance
Averting the need for intubation, if possible
Preventing complications of immobility, such as thromboemboli and deconditioning
Addressing nutritional needs at the time of the acute illness, most patients are in negative nitrogen balance, which is exacerbated by steroid therapy

Diagnosis:
Signs
Prolonged expiratory time
Expiratory wheezes
Increased AP diameter of chest
Decreased breath sounds (especially upper lung fields)
Distant heart sounds
End stage: accessory muscles, pursed lip breathing, cyanosis, enlarged liver and pedal edema (in case of cor pulmonale).

Diagnosis
Radiology
Chest X-ray
Hyperinflated lung fields more radiolucent
Bullae, often bilateral upper lobes in smokers
Flat diaphragms (best seen on lateral) and retrosternal airspace can indicate air trapping
High Resolution CT of Chest
Most sensitive to detect above changes
No role in routine care of COPD patients
Can be useful for giant bullous disease surgeries or lung volume reduction surgery planning

Diagnosis
Pulmonary Function Testing
Spirometry: Decreased FEV1/FVC
FEV1 percent predicted defines severity
Lung volumes: Increased TLC, RV, RV/TLC
DLCO: Decreased

Gold Staging Criteria
Stage O: Normal spirometry; chronic sx
Stage 1 (Mild):
FEV1/FVC 80% predicted
Stage 2 (Moderate):
FEV1/FVC
2A: FEV1 50-80% predicted
2B: FEV1 30-50% predicted

Diagnosis
Stage 3 (severe):
FEV1/FVC
FEV1
FEV1

Diagnosis
American Thoracic Society Spirometry
Low FEV1/FVC defines obstruction
FEV1%predicted Category

35-50% Severe
50-60% Moderately Severe
60-70% Moderate
70-80% Mild
80-100% Mild vs. Normal variant
> 100% Normal

Managing Stable COPD
Smoking Cessation Is KEY!
YOUR intervention will make a difference must address at each visit
Medication
Two therapies ONLY have been shown to improve mortality in stable COPD:
1) Smoking Cessation
2) Oxygen Therapy

Bronchodilator Technique
MDIs get better drug deposition than nebs
Use a spacer device with MDIs
Technique is key important for patient and doctor
Inadequate dosing can hamper treatment

Sympathomimetics
Beta-2 selectivity is good
Some additive vs. slightly synergistic effects of combining beta-2 agonist and ipratropium (Combivent)
Some data to support decreased H.influenzae pneumonia incidence with Serevent
Anticholinergic Agents (Atrovent, glycopyrrolate)
Similar ability to bronchodilate (in appropriate doses) as beta-agonists
Also reduces sputum volume; no change in viscosity
Usually under dosed
Recommend 2 (36 mcg) puffs qid
glycopyrrolate which is manufactured for IV/IM use for other indications, is available only “off label” for nebulized use in COPD (1 to 2 mg every two to four hours).
Aminophylline and theophylline are not recommended for the management of acute exacerbations of COPD. Randomized controlled trials of intravenous aminophylline in this setting have failed to show efficacy in excess of that afforded by therapy with inhaled bronchodilators and corticosteroids

Mucokinetic agents
There is little evidence supporting the use of mucokinetic (mucolytic) agents, such as N-acetylcysteine or iodide preparations, in acute exacerbations of COPD. In fact, some drugs of this class may worsen bronchospasm.

Oxygen. Yes.
Demonstrated to improve exercise performance, symptom indices and mortality
Goal in hypercapnic patients for SpO2 need not be greater than 88-90%
Always test COPD patients for oxygenation with ambulation if baseline at rest room air SpO2 ok

Systemic Corticosteroids
Never demonstrated to significantly impact mortality or exercise capacity
Slight improvements in symptom indices
Significant side effects
Rarely of benefit, generally of harm to your patient
Occasionally useful in a small subset failing other therapies AND with demonstrated bronchodilator response on PFTs

Inhaled Corticosteroids
Jury still out
Lots of recent research with some favorable data supporting its use
May be part of standard regimens in the future

Vaccines
Pneumovax, annual flu shots
Chronic antibiotic therapy BAD IDEA
Nutritional status Important
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Improved exercise capacity, symptom scores
Lung Volume Reduction Surgery
Transplant

Managing Acute Exacerbations of COPD
Common precipitants:
Infection esp viral or bacterial
Acute bronchospasm
Sedation

Who To Admit
Countless studies, few definite answers
Worsening hypoxemia and/or hypercapnia
Otherwise, mostly a clinical decision
Key points to consider:
Oxygen
Bronchodilators
Steroids
Antibiotics

Albuterol:
Neb or MDI neb MAY be better in acute setting, but MDIs have better drug deposition overall
Continuous nebulizer treatments confer no benefit over treatments every 1-2 hours
Generally should avoid subcutaneous beta-agonists
BEWARE: Hypokalemia, tachycardia (occasional)
Levalbuterol still with weak clinical data few situations where it is clinically indicated

ATROVENT (anticholinergic bronchodilator)
Bronchodilation
May decrease secretions
Few significant side effects
Usually significantly under dosed emerging data supports much higher doses than usually used currently

Corticosteroids Parenteral corticosteroids are frequently used in treating acute exacerbations of COPD. Methylprednisolone (60 to 125 mg intravenously, two to four times daily) or the equivalent glucocorticoid dose of other steroid preparations commonly is given.
Corticosteroids Utilization in this setting was initially based upon small randomized trials in which only a minority of patients benefit and the degree of improvement is modest
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 271 patients has confirmed the benefits of systemic corticosteroids given for up to 2 weeks to hospitalized patients with COPD exacerbation

Antibiotics
Winnipeg Criteria (give for 2-3 of the following):
Increased cough
Increased purulence
Increased sputum production
Antibiotics accelerate improvement in peak expiratory flow rates and lessen the rate of recrudescence in this setting
Amoxicillin, Doxycycline, TMP/SMX, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Levaquin for 10 days

Mucokinetic Agents JUST SAY NO.
N-acetylcysteine is actually contraindicated in patients with airway obstruction
No significant clinical benefit ever demonstrated
Chest PT, intermittent positive pressure breathing and postural drainage may actually be harmful in the setting of acute obstruction

Methylxanthines (Theophylline, Aminophylline)
Not recommended for acute exacerbations
No significant benefit ever demonstrated in large, prospective trials

Oxygen: YES!
Generally a good thing cells like that stuff
If requiring a significant increase in FiO2 over baseline requirement, start hunting for something other than just COPD exacerbation
BEWARE of CO2 RETAINERS! (goal SpO2 90%, PaO2 of 60 to 65 mmHg )
1) Altered V/Q relationships
2) Haldane effect (Hgb*O2 holds less CO2 goes out into plasma)
3) Decreased ventilatory drive (least impt mechanism)

Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation
BiPAP
Set FiO2, inspiratory (IPAP) and expiratory (EPAP)
Difference between IPAP and EPAP augments tidal volume, therefore improving minute ventilation. CO2 then gets blown off
MORTALITY BENEFIT in patients who will tolerate

Mechanical Ventilation
Respiratory distress
Acidemia that does not correct quickly with therapy
Inability to oxygenate adequately
Often a clinical decision relative to patients work of breathing

How depression may affect your heart

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide. several risk factors have been identified for the development of cardiovascular disease. the link between depression and cardiac disease has been extensively researched over the past two decades. there is mounting evidence that depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and outcomes have been noted to be worse in patients with cardiac disease who are depressed. depression has been associated with blood pressure changes, altered heart rhythms, altered blood clotting and elevated insulin and cholesterol levels.

Depression is a serious medical condition that affects the way a parson thinks, feels and carries out everyday functions. it affects 6% of men and 18% of women in the general population. symptoms of depression include feelings of guilt, hopelessness, worthlessness, persistent sad or anxious mood, loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed, decreased energy, fatigue, poor appetite, insomnia or oversleeping, restlessness, irritability, difficulty remembering, concentrating and making decisions, weight changes and thoughts of death or suicide attempts.

Heart disease includes two conditions called angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack. Interruption of the blood supply to the heart via the coronary blood vessels as result of narrowing or clogging of these vessels leads to coronary artery disease. The heart responds to this disease with pain called angina. This pain is felt in the center of the chest and radiates to the jaw, left arm and shoulder. When the blood supply is cut off completely to the heart and the heart tissue starts to die, the result is a heart attack.

Research has shown that people with heart disease are more likely to suffer from depression than healthy people and people with established depression are at greater risk of developing heart disease. People with heart disease who are depressed have an increased risk of death after a heart attack compare to those who are not depressed. After a heart attack the incidence of major depression is from 15% to 20%, and an additional 27% of patients develop minor depression.

A number of mechanisms have been suggested for the increased risk for heart disease seen in depressed persons. These mechanisms include excess cortisol, altered autonomic function and increased platelet activation. Increased brain activity especially in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and increased platelet activity commonly seen in depressed persons ultimately result in vascular damage and plaque formation. Patients with depression commonly show a decreased variability in their heart rate brought about by altered autonomic function. Decreased heart rate variability is associated with greater variation in blood pressure, increased risk of ventricular arrythmias and sudden death.

Diagnosing depression in persons with heart disease may be difficult as these persons may develop certain symptoms as poor appetite and fatigue which are also symptoms of depression. Careful observation and history taking may be essential to making a diagnosis in such patients. Prescription antidepressant medication particularly the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are safe and well tolerated in patients with heart disease. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have a good cardiac profile, and are effective in alleviating symptoms of depression. However, it is important to note that some antidepressant medications raise the level of some cardiac drugs by interfering with their metabolism. Patients taking cardiac drugs and antidepressants should be carefulyl monitored for possible side effects and adverse effects of these medications. Other treatment alternatives include psychotherapy, exercise and social support.