AHA Infographic: Love Your Heart Help Your Brain

As part of their "Love your heart, help your brain" campaign, the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) released a new infographic highlighting the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables.

The infographic cites new research that drives home the fact that eating fruits and vegetables, around 4 to 5 servings a day based on a 2000 calorie diet, may prevent the risk of stroke and improve health.

The campaign aims to boost the consumption of fruits and vegetables worldwide to reduce the global impact of stroke.

Learn more about how to understand more about the risk factors that affect stroke at StrokeAssociation.org/prevent.

Men Lead A Better Quality Of Life After A Stroke Than Women

Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center find that men lead a better quality of life than women after have a stroke. Three months after suffering a stroke, the study shows that women were more likely than men to report problems with mobility, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression.

According to the American Heart Association. women face higher risk of stroke than men with 1 out of 5 women experiencing a stroke sometime in her life. They also note that 55,000 more women than men suffer from a stroke each year. It is the 3rd cause of death for women while it is the 4th for men.

A stroke is a condition when blood to the brain is cut off. Because of this, the brain is deprived of oxygen and immediately starts to deteriorate. Stroke victims suffer physical impairment, mood and behavioral swings, and bouts of depression afterwards. Rehabilitation is a long journey for stroke victims

Quality of life refers to the well being of a person. With regards to healthcare, it includes the physical and mental health perceptions, functional status, social support, and socioeconomic status.

What is Atrial Fibrillation - An American Heart Association Infographic

The American Heart Association released an infographic on atrial fibrilation to further inform people as well as bridge knowledge gaps on the condition.

Atrial Fibrillation, AF or Afib, is a condition where the the heart's atria beats too fast and irregularly. Afib is the most common type of arrhythmia (the condition where the heart beats too fast, too slow, or at an irregular pace).

The atria is the heart's two upper chambers. In atrial fibrillation, the blood pools in the atria and does not get completely pumped to the ventricles, which are the two lower chambers.

Unless checked, people may not notice that they have atrial fibrillation. As the AHA Infographic states, 90% of afib patients find about afib from their doctors. Afib is a health risk as 15% to 20% of strokes are attributed to it.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF) depends the symptoms, severity, and whether the person already has heart disease. General treatment for afib include medicines, medical procedures, pacemakers, and lifestyle changes.

Energy Drinks Cause Heart To Significantly Increase Contraction After One Hour

An ongoing study is measuring the effect of drinking energy drinks on heart function using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Initial data shows that consuming these drinks significantly increase heart contraction rates after one hour.

The results were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

There has been ongoing debate on the health risks involved in consuming energy drinks; rapid heart rates being the major factor. Other known side effects associated with high consumption of these drinks are palpitations, rise in blood pressure and, in the most severe cases, seizures or sudden death.

These drinks which primarily uses caffeine, sugar and taurine as its primary ingredient provide an energy boost to drinkers by providing mental and physical stimulation.

Compared to coffee and regular sodas, energy drinks contain up to three times more caffeine.

Long term risks of drinking energy drinks are still unknown but study team member, Jonas Dörner, M.D, advises that people with known cardiac arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat) should avoid energy drinks.