Six Popular Foods That Are High In Sodium: An American Heart Association Infographic

The infographic from the American Heart Association highlights the six popular foods that have high levels of sodium. These are bread and rolls, cold cuts, cured meat, pizza, poultry, soup, and sandwiches.

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Researchers Study How Heart Stem Cells Work

Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have discovered the heart stem cell components responsible for regenerating and repairing the heart.

Stem cells are are cells that can transform itself into a higher biological component such as muscle, tissue or an organ. There are different type of stem cells that are exclusive to a biological system. Brain stem cells are responsible for the brain, blood stem cells for the blood, and heart stem cells for the heart. There are also pluripotent stem cells that can change into any type of cell or tissue in the body.

Their research show that cell membranes called exosomes are an important factor in promoting the growth of new heart tissue and also develops healthy blood vessels.

Although the study is still in its early stages, it is a promising discovery that can aid millions of heart patients towards a better quality of life.

American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity - Infographic

The American Heart Association released an infographic on its recommendations for adult physical activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

With today's more sedentary lifestyle at home and at work, it is a challenge for most adults to be physically active. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Aside from that, it also reduces other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, excess body weight and diabetes.

Any regular physical activity from climbing stairs, walking the dog, or just stretching can have have a positive effect on the body.

Dr. Russell Pate, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Exercise at the University of South Carolina notes that one of the great public health challenges of this century is building back physical activity back into a person's daily life. “Our bodies were designed to be physically active, and they don’t do well with long-term exposure to sedentary living. Lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease”, he adds.

The infographic gives a general outline on the AHA's recommendations for regular physical activity that would help bring about a healthy adult lifestyle.

American Heart Association Releases 2014 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update

The American Heart Association (AHA) with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies compiled the 2014 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update. The report is the only source for current prevalence data on cardiovascular health and is published in the journal, Circulation.

The AHA statistical report updates statistics on heart disease, stroke, other vascular diseases and their risk factors.

With one in six deaths in the US resulting from heart disease, it is the number one cause of death in the U.S. Stroke is the 4th ranking cause of death in the US with one in nineteen deaths.

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.

Study On Coffee Improving Blood Flow In Small Blood Vessels Presented at AHA Scientific Sessions 2013

Coffee can significantly help small blood vessels in improving blood flow. Researchers from the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan presented the study at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013.

The study based on observations done on 27 adults showed a 30% increase in blood flow over a period of 75 minutes compared to those who drank decaffeinated coffee. It should be noted that the test subjects were not regular coffee drinkers.

Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world. It is the primary source of caffeine which stimulates the central nervous system. It makes the brain more alert and active. The US FDA treats caffeine both as a drug and a food additive. It is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world.

Aside from the latest study, regular consumption of coffee has been linked to other health benefits such as a lowered risk of heart disease and stroke, improved function of large arteries, and improved brain metabolism in diabetic patients.

Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy For Heart Failure Researched

Researchers are looking into a non-invasive treatment of heart failure using cardiac stem cells or heart stem cells.

In late 2011, researchers discovered a source of stem cells located in the heart. These cardiac stem cells can form into different types of heart cells including muscle, bone, neural and heart cells.

Located near the blood vessels, these heart stem cells can be developed into regenerative therapies aimed to enhance tissue repair in the heart. A damaged heart has difficulty repairing itself well because of the incredibly hostile environment and wide-scale loss of cells, including stem cells, after a heart attack.

The use of heart stem cells in treatment has many benefits including less invasive treatments since cardiac stem cells naturally goes to the heart when injected or inserted into the body. It can also be a preventive treatment to patients who are at risk of heart failure.

For the past few years, medical science have been looking into stem cells as treatment for numerous diseases and conditions. Stem cells have the natural ability to transform or differentiate into other types of tissues, cells, and organs.

Miracle Anti Cancer Molecule JQ1 Found To Also Protect and Treat Heart Failure

A protein molecule previously known to have anti-cancer properties have recently been discovered to also be able to treat and protect against heart failure.

JQ1, initially developed as a male contraceptive drug, has shown potential to treat cancer and even HIV. It does this by inhibiting cells from behaving abnormally (as shown on the embedded video).

JQ1 attacks by targeting the BRD4 cancer-causing gene. Studies show that for specific blood and lung cancers like myeloma and leukemia, JQ1 mitigates the early growth of the cancerous cells.

The same researchers have also recently discovered that JQ1 also inhibits the growth of bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins. BET proteins are responsible in activating genes that contribute to heart failure.

Protein GDF-11 Reverse Aging of the Heart

Richard T. Lee, M.D., and Amy Wagers, PhD, Harvard Stem Cell Institute Principal Faculty members, have identified a protein that can restore the enlarged, weakened hearts of aging mice to the size and functional status of the hearts of healthy young mice.
Credit: B. D. Colen/Harvard University

Researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have discovered that the protein GDF-11 have a restoring effect on the aging process of the heart. The GDF-11 protein can restore enlarged, weakened hearts back to its young and healthy status as evidenced in their experiments with hearts of young mice.

Age related disease are harder to treat since there is little or no treatment available aside from constant monitoring and regulating the targeted function. One such disease that is age related is diastolic heart failure.

Diastolic heart failure is the decline of performance of one or both ventricles of the heart during its relaxed phase (diastole). During diastole, the heart is filled with incoming blood that is being returned from the body through the inferior vena cava (IVC) and superior vena cava (SVC) to the right atrium and from lungs through pulmonary veins to the left atrium.

In Diastolic heart failure, the ventricle does not fill properly with blood because of thick and rigid walls or that the ventricle cannot relax. Age is one of the common risk factors for the disease and there is no treatment for this except for therapy targeting the affected ventricle.

With the discovery of the effect of GDF-11 to the heart, age-related heart disease such as diastolic heart failure may one day be treated.

Regenerative Heart Treatment Through Stem Cells, Nanoparticles, and Ultrasound

Researchers at Stanford University have devised a technique that may allow the treatment of damaged heart tissues through mesenchymal stem cells guided by nanoparticles and ultrasound. Mesenchymal stem cells are a type of stem cells found in human fat that can differentiate into beating heart cells

A common problem with using stem cell therapy in treating medical conditions is guiding the stem cells to the right organ. Short of an invasive surgical procedure such as surgery to directly apply stem cells to the affected area,it is virtually impossible to guarantee that the stem cells will address the specific problem by just injecting the stem cells into the body using a syringe.

Stem cell technology has been in the forefront of medical science research in addressing medical conditions that affect the brain, heart, and other complex organs. Although the premise is simple (stem cells can regenerate into tissues) the application is complicated.

With the use of silicon nanoparticles and ultrasound, the Stanford researchers have devised a way to track the movement of the stem cells as it travels through the body.

AHA News: Women's Awareness of Heart Disease On The Rise But Still Needs Improvement

According to a study by the American Heart Association, women's awareness of the risks of heart disease has doubled in the last fifteen years. But for minorities and younger women, that does not seem to be the case.

Heart disease is a growing concern among adults. In the United States, 18% of the adult population consider heart disease a major health problem. According to the American Heart Association, each year, around 785,000 in the US suffer their first heart attack.

The AHA's Go Red For Women campaign (now on its 10th year), encourages women to be aware of the risk for heart disease and provides tools to lead a heart healthy life. Go Red For Women has lots of ways to participate in helping all women make healthy choices.

Stroke is Preventable, Treatable, and Beatable: A Stroke Infographic By The AHA and ASA

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), stroke is the leading cause of long term disability among adults in the U.S. Every 40 seconds, someone suffers a stroke. In the U.S alone, 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death with someone dying of a stroke every four minutes. It kills about 128,000 people annually.

But stroke can be prevented. Statistics from the AHA and ASA show that 80% of strokes can be prevented. By simply lowering blood pressure by an average of 10 mmHg on both systolic and diastolic, the risk of a stroke and ischemic heart disease goes down by about 50%.

Also monitoring daily sodium intake and limiting it to just around 1500 mg of sodium per day can also help.

This infographic from the AHA and the ASA summarizes all this info in a visual way.

AHA Study Shows Eating Flavonoid Rich Berries Reduce Heart Attack Risk in Women by 30%

A study released by the American Heart Association shows that women who ate at least three servings of blueberries and strawberries per week reduce their risk of a heart attack by 30%.

Flavonoids are organic chemicals that are found in plants. These nutrients have beneficial effects on the human body. Chemicals that are found naturally in plants are called phytochemicals.

Berries, tea, apples, soy food, and red wine are some of the food that are rich in flavonoids.

The Zutphen Elderly Study, the Seven Countries Study and a cohort study in Finland show that consuming flavonoid has an inverse effect with coronary disease. Results of the study show that people who consumed about five to six cups of flavonoid-rich tea per day had a lower death rate from heart disease than people with a low intake of flavonoids.

The link between flavonoids and coronary heart disease like atherosclerosis (the accumulation of fat deposits in the arteries), may be due to the antioxidant properties of flavonoids. Flavonoids also have been shown to inhibit the aggregation and adhesion of platelets in blood, which may be another way they lower the risk of heart disease. Soy foods which contains isoflavones (a major flavonoid category) have been reported to lower plasma cholesterol and also to have effects similar to estrogen.

American Heart Association Infographics on Heart Disease

The American Heart Association released a series of infographics to disseminate information about stroke and heart disease. The series focused on risks and statistics about the disease.

The two infographics posted are about the facts and risks of heart disease as illustrated by numbers and statistics. There is also has a PSA video on heart attack featuring Elizabeth Banks.

The mission of the American Heart Association is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. The infographics are part of AHA's drive to educate and raise awareness on the dangers of heart disease and the steps to lead a healthy life.

The release of these AHA infographics are designed towards a fast and easy to understand means of spreading information without overcomplicating it.

Infographics are becoming a popular way to spread and explain information, data, or facts about a particular topic. They are graphic visual representations of these. The process of creating infographics can be referred to as data visualization, information design, or information architecture.

Post Stroke Depression Increases Risk of Death By A Factor of Three

Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability for 2012 in the U.S. This is according to the American Heart Association.

The most widely recognized risk factors for stroke are diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, and lack of exercise. But these factors does not fully account for the excess stroke risk observed in the population. Drug and alcohol use are some of the factors that are not as documented.

There are also factors that affect the risk of stroke that cannot be controlled. These are age, sex, race, and family and medical history.

For people who suffered a stroke, the number of risk factors of suffering another stroke increase. One factor that is being studied is depression.

Depression results from the frustration of not being able to live normally after a stroke. The need for medical care, temporary paralysis, cognitive problems, and motor and speech impediments are some of the results of a stroke. This affects the patient as the treatment and therapy process is long and difficult. Depression sets in because of this.

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is considered the most frequent and important neuropsychiatric consequence of stroke.

Virulent Form of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) Bacteria May Protect Against Stroke and Cancer

Researchers suggest that an especially virulent strain of the gut bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)may protect stroke and some types of cancer.

A stroke is a disease where blockages (called clots) in the artery obstruct the flow of blood to the brain. Without the blood that carries oxygen and nutrients to it, brain cells start to die and may cause permanent damage.

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. The most popular type of stroke are Ischemic strokes. 87% of all strokes are of this type.

The American Heart Association defines it as an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. This is due to the development of fatty deposits lining the vessel walls. This condition is called atherosclerosis.

Depending on what part of the brain is affected, cognitive and physical activities deteriorate. If the stroke affects the right side of the brain the following may occur:

• Paralysis on the left side of the body
• Vision problems
• Quick, inquisitive behavioral style
• Memory loss

If the left brain is affected, the person may experience the following:

• Paralysis on the right side of the body
• Speech/language problems
• Slow, cautious behavioral style
• Memory loss

There are some cases where the stroke targets the brain stem. This would result in having both sides of the brain are affected. Patients who experience this would experience total paralysis from the neck down and would be unable to speak.

Treatment for stroke victims should be immediate. The patient must be in the hospital where anti-clot medication is administered within 3 hours of experiencing symptoms.

Long term treatment requires physical, cognitive, and psychological therapy as well as medication to avoid future strokes.

Being Aware and Preventing Heart Disease: An Infographic From The American Heart Association

The American Heart Association's mission is to build healthier lives free of heart disease.

As the saying goes, An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. With medical advancements on cardiovascular care, nothing beats taking good care of the heart. Knowing the risk factors, the steps to preventing heart disease, as well as making an effort to follow these steps can greatly improve one's well-being and lead a healthy life.

This is the first of a series of infographics released by the American Heart Association to promote heart care awareness: What Are My Chances Of Getting Heart Disease - 3 Questions.

American Heart Association Names Top 10 Advances in Heart Disease and Stroke Research for 2012

Since 1996, the American Heart Association has been compiling a list of the years top 10 major advances in heart disease and stroke research. They recently released the top 10 advances in heart disease and stroke research for 2012.

The American Heart Association advocates healthy living to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. They publish a standard for providing basic and advanced life support, including standards for proper performance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Technological especially medical advances in heart disease and research has grown leaps and bounds. With this, progress in the care, treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease has also improved.

From 1999 to 2009, the death rate from cardiovascular disease (CVD) went down by 33%. But despite the decline, CVD still takes the lives of more than 2,150 Americans each day, an average of 1 death every 40 seconds.

In the same period, the death rate caused by stroke went down 37% and the actual number of stroke deaths declined by 23%. Stroke is still the 4th leading cause of death in the United States and the 1st leading cause of disability.

The AHA recently released the top 10 advances in heart disease and stroke research for 2012. These are:

1. Extended CPR saves lives
2. Converting “non beating” heart cells into “beating” heart cells
3. Biopsied heart cells improved heart function and reduced scars
4. “Disconnecting” the kidneys might be the key to treating high blood pressure
5. Progress for children in transplant bridging and Kawasaki Disease
6. Why children and adolescents should “just say no” to sugary drinks
7. Global impact: ECHO screening for rheumatic heart disease
8. Devices for stroke
9. Ideal cardiovascular health practices lead to longer life, lower risk
10. Bypass surgery vs. drug-coated stents for diabetes patients

A more detailed overview of the topics are covered below.

Children With Heart Devices May Benefit From Psychotherapy In Coping With Lower Quality of Life

Children with heart conditions and carry an implantable cardiac device (ICD) may benefit from psychotherapy to deal with a lower quality of life based on their self perception, self worth, and athletic ability.

Implantable Cardiac Devices (ICD) are used to treat heart conditions such as arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). Pacemakers and implanted defibrillators to ensure that the heart is beating normally at all times.

Having an ICD and coping with the change in lifestyle it brings is an ongoing process. It affects the person both physically and psychologically.

Most patients with ICD have frequent anxiety whether the device is working or not. And even in the event that the device such as the implanted defibrillator does work, it doubles the patient's stress levels.

Transcendental Meditation Increases Survival Rate in Heart Patients And Reduces Risk of Stroke and Heart Attack

New research show that heart disease patients who regularly practice transcendental meditation reduces the risk of death, heart attack, and stroke.

Meditation is a practice where the person produces a deep state of relaxation, tranquility, and calmness. It is done by focusing attention to a mental image, train of thought, calming word or phrase, or imagining oneself in a calming situation. Meditation also requires removing oneself from stress and distractions during the practice.