Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Really random question about heart disease

Really random question about heart disease?
I'm trying to write this story about a teenage boy who has a problem with his heart. What are some heart diseases that could fit this description. I guess it doesn't really have to be a heart disease, any disease, really. It has to be something that he can usually function on a daily basis, but then he has a serious relapse (or whatever the term is) and is hospitalized, in need of a heart(/or another surgery depending on whatever suggestions you guys give me) transplant. I know this question sounds a bit dumb, but I don't really know that much about this kind of issue...thanks
Medicine - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
He could have a viral cardiomyopathy. That is a virus like a cold or flu, but it infects the heart, and suddenly the heart gets very, very weak and a young person could urgently need a transplant. You would have to check details online if you use it in a story though to avoid having wrong details in your book. The other is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which causes blackout like fainting spells. He would need the electrical system of his heart treated with "ablation" in the hospital. Also called WPW.
2 :
he could have a hole in is heart and if u get it publishd and it becomes famise u should say too mandie hick who is loveing and crap like that lol jkng
3 :
Teenage boy so congenital heart defect would fit. Let's go with mitral valve prolapse. He then get a bacterial infection seeding into the blood stream (sepsis). Next, he develops infective endocarditis (bacteria growing on the valve). It causes scaring and further damage the defective valve. Then he needs surgery to replace the valve with a prosthetic one. Good luck

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Saturday, September 24, 2011

Can you be a healthy weight but still get heart disease from fat build up

Can you be a healthy weight but still get heart disease from fat build up?
Can you be a normal healthy, even slight underweight weight but still have fat build in the arteries?
Diet & Fitness - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Absolutely. Weight is not the same as health. People of any weight can be very unhealthy. That's why everyone needs to keep to a healthy diet, even if their metabolism means they don't gain weight anyway. Just because it doesn't show on their body doesn't mean it isn't happening. X
2 :
Yes. I know skinny people that have died from heart disease, and i know fat gutys that look like sh*t but we run hill sprints together and their hearts are completely healthy. Its all about what your body can do.
3 :
Generally it's less likely than if you are overweight, but definitely possible, especially if you have a family history of those issues or other risk factors like smoking. Cardiovascular disease is closely related to diet and exercise habits, and so is weight, so they are correlated with each other, but the disease doesn't directly depend on the weight. It's possible to eat crappy food and not exercise and still be skinny, either through genetics or undereating the crappy food or destructive behaviors like eating disorders and drug abuse - but that person will have an increased risk of heart disease relative to someone of the same weight who eats healthy and is moderately active.
4 :
Even if you are a "normal" weight, that does not mean you eat healthy food. Fried food and processed food with trans fat can contribute to heart disease. Also, in theory, a person could actually be underweight but be obese in terms of body fat (over 40%

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

does heart disease in dogs get progressively worse

does heart disease in dogs get progressively worse?
i ask this because my dog is occasionally lethargic, but other days not. over the past few months my dog has seemed overly tired some days and ok others (she's only 5)...we've had blood tests done and they were fine. I'll talk to the vet, but if this were heart disease, would it get continually worse over months? she's not coughing or having breathing problems thanks for your answers...I feel less worried now :)
Dogs - 7 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
It's definately possible. There's no law as to how fast heart disease progresses. Of course it depends on the disease and the nature of it. I'm sure the symptoms can wax and wane with somedays being better than others. I'm sure your vet can give you a far more indepth answer as he knows more of your dogs situation than any of us. :) I hope your dog feels better soon!
2 :
Lethargy can be indicate of hundreds of conditions, heart disease one of them, but not without other symptoms. If she was having generalized heart disease with lethargy or weakness, you'd expect decreased urine output, coughing, increase breathing, murmurs, and increase heart rate among other things. It does get progressively worse, just like in humans. I don't know that there's any reason to think that the lethargy is being caused by heart disease (versus any other of the possible causes). If you're concerned, bring your dog to the vet. Your vet will be sure to find heart disease if it exists.
3 :
Depends on the severity of the problem - goes from Grade 1 to Grade 5 - but your dog hasn't been diagnosed with heart disease, so why worry. If she did have it, there are all sorts of medications now to control it in dogs - it's far from a death sentence. We have taken several dogs into our rescue with heart problems, they are o.k., some just need regular medication - no big deal usually.
4 :
Actually it can get worse if not brought to the vet immediately and cured. But if it is not abnormal, maybe he is just getting old . Did you know that a dogs age is x7? Example if he is 3 years dog age, that is 21 years human age
5 :
There are a few different types of heart disease, so yes talking with the vet is what you should be doing. No one can narrow it down to what is going on. Make sure to ask the vet to do a blood test. What you have described really can be a number of things, could be associated with the heart, could be something to do with the nerves, the immune system...really anything Until you see one, make up a journal of everything that is going on, even write down things that to you may not seem important..you never know they very well could be.
6 :
Yes, it would worsen over time. Lethargy is just one symptom, and on its own doesn't necessarily mean that your dog has a heart problem. Your Vet would want to listen to the heart to see if there is a murmur present, or do x-rays to see if the heart is enlarged. An EKG or ultrasound may also be recommended. At 5yrs, heart disease is relatively rare - unless you have breed such as a Dobie that is prone to heart problems. Advanced heart disease would certainly cause coughing due to fluid backing up into the lungs, as well as exercise intolerance, difficulty breathing (turns blue easily) or fainting. Note: heart disease is not detected by doing routine bloodwork. However, you may want to see if the bloodwork included a thyroid level. Hypothyroid dogs can tire easily and seem lethargic. They also tend to put on weight fairly easy - even if they aren't eating much. At this point, I wouldn't jump to a diagnosis of heart disease. But I would certainly advise getting her in to see the Vet sometime soon to discuss her lethargy.
7 :
Unfortunately, yes. Do you know what is wrong with her heart? My dog, like my last, has a heart murmur and although she does not display and symptoms like coughing or fainting yet, (she is now 6 years old). He said the murmur has gotten worse in the last few months and she really needs an EKG done and a cardiologist to look at it. They have meds to slow the deterioration of the heart, and give a little more time. The earlier you start, the better they work from what I understand. Its hard and sad knowing years in advance what you dog is going to die from. The best of luck to both of you, and talk to your vet

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Friday, September 16, 2011

How long do you live if your heart has an ejection factor of 20% from coronary heart disease

How long do you live if your heart has an ejection factor of 20% from coronary heart disease?
It has been this way since last fall. Not me, my father in law! Takes a slew of meds including lexipro, don't know the rest.
Heart Diseases - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
It depends on how compliant you are with your activity restrictions, medications, diet, check-ups, and follow up appointments. i have seen worse! also remember the mind is much more powerful over the body than you think...try to stay happy and keep stress to a minimum. Give me a list of the medications you are taking and a little more health history, and i will give you some more specific advice, and maybe some tips to improve your quality and duration of life. * lexapro is an anti depressant
2 :
I don't think anyone on line is in a position to give a prognosis here. People can live with that ejection fraction, but it's a fragile balance of medication, rest, activity, seeing the doctor, reducing stress, keeping weight normal, etc. Lexipro has nothing to do with this cardiac condition. It's for something else. A question like this is for his doctor, who knows his particular health and health history. Encourage him to ask when he sees his doctor, or ask if you can go with him to see the doctor next time he goes, and ask. Good luck.
3 :
This is a difficult question to answer for several reasons. There are many causes for a low ejection fraction, and each has its own outcome. Ejection fraction does not always correlate with symptoms or outcome. It is also dependent on the therapies being used and the response to these therapies. Doctors even have a difficult time predicting the outcome in heart failure patients. Factors that influence outcome include the presence of symptoms, weight, kidney function, age, other medical issues, presence of coronary artery disease (blockages in blood vessels of the heart), etc. He should discuss this with his doctor. Sorry I could not help more. Good luck

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Monday, September 12, 2011

why do african americans eat a poor ,high fat diet that leads to a greater rate of heart disease

why do african americans eat a poor ,high fat diet that leads to a greater rate of heart disease?
i have read that african americans ,on average have poor deit conscious lifestyles. as a result they suffer a disproportionate amout of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.Is it just a cultural thing where they were raised in households that had poor dietary choices?
Other - Health - 8 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
its mainly because the poorer poplations, not just african-americans, have more access to processed, fatty foods,
2 :
Sadly enough, a lot of them are unskilled and have low paying jobs. Sometimes they don't have the proper fundation or guidence to show how thing should be done the right manner; when they were younger!
3 :
why just lump African Americans. what about the Native Americans who drink alot of alcohol? the poor white trash who spend each meal at Burger King and Taco Bell? don't forget about the upper middle class Whites who eat alot of red meat and over butter their bread? how 'bout the Mexicans who cook everything in corn oil and eat very few vegetables? the Indians who cook with oils, cheeses, and breads? ............
4 :
Both cultural and poor diet choices. Southern women love to cook and fried food and fatty foods and high starch foods is part of that culture. Eating is a big part of the mechanics of the family. I think that education is the key and parents being accountable for what their children eat. It is not just the african americans that eat so poorly, the majority of americans from all races and both male and female. We have become a lazy society where TV, computer dictates how we live. I see a trend with healthy eating, now if the tv was turned off a few nights a week and was replaced with exercise we may all live to be a 100.
5 :
First of all, most American's have poor diets. But there a few reasons any person could have a poor diet, african or otherwise. Socio-economic status could play a factor, whether it be because of limited income, being on a government program that only allows you to buy certain food, lack of education to know how to have a "proper diet," lack of resources around town where you could actually buy good food...etc etc....but again - this can apply to whites OR blacks. Obviously, culture can also play a part in it. But for some diseases, a higher percentage of blacks get the disease because of stress and poor diets (hypertension, for example). The stress of living in a systematically racist society, plus the stress of everyday life, in combination with crappy diets and limited activity that is common to American life, leads to more of a risk of developing a disease.
6 :
I do believe that it is a cultural thing. African Americans have the great tradition of "Soul Food", which is a diet rich in high fats. Foods such as fried chicken, shredded pork, ribs, any part of the pig for that matter, and they cook it in gallons of oil. Don't get me wrong it tastes good and everything, but its very high in saturated fats. And culturally African Americans make a tradition out of having big Sunday dinners with the family with these food. But since these foods are high in saturated fats, they are at a greater risk for heart disease. Because saturated fats have been directly linked to heart disease.
7 :
They eat it for the same reason i do, it tastes better. Fatty foods are very good tasting. I think they have the same attitude i do, have a good time while you are alive. If i had the choice to have a lot less fun and live longer or more pleasure and have a shorter life, I would choose the latter. It's more of a cultural thing than a race thing by far.
8 :
it's called economics. statistically "african americans" earn less. by extention they have less purchasing power. eating well costs more. not a race thing, although that can certainly be a factor. no, it's an economic minority thing

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Thursday, September 8, 2011

How many people die each year from heart disease, heart attacks and colon cancer

How many people die each year from heart disease, heart attacks and colon cancer?
Is that attributed to poor diet?
Vegetarian & Vegan - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
A lot. But genetics play a huge role.... I know a vegetarian daily runner who dropped dead at 50 from a heart attack.
2 :
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org/veg/alternativeliving/cost_of_meat/english.htm http://www.naturalnews.com/025957_meat_cancer_disease.html actual numbers here
3 :
Many. Part of it is due to poor diet, but genetics, side effects from medication, and poor lifestyle habits (lack of exercise, not dealing with stress, etc.) are also major contributing factors.
4 :
Lots. At least some of the time it may be diet related

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Sunday, September 4, 2011

What is the difference between cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease

What is the difference between cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease?

Heart Diseases - 3 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
cardiovascular is pertaining to blood vessels or organs that are heart related or go to or from the heart. Coronary is the name of the arteries that feed the heart muscle. Therefore, a clot in the vessel could be referred to as a coronary thrombosis.
2 :
CVD involves not only the heart, but the arteries, capillaries, veins, and possibly the lymphatic system. CHD involves only the heart muscle itself.
3 :
Cardio-vascular is the heart and the veins and arteries it pumps blood to. Coronary heart disease is a problem with the veins and arteries that distribute blood to the heart itself to keep it working properly

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Thursday, September 1, 2011

What are some fun, interactive, easy ways to teach high schoolers about heart disease and stroke

What are some fun, interactive, easy ways to teach high schoolers about heart disease and stroke?
I want to do it in a way so that I won't seem boring, preachy, or lame. I want to be able to do it under 10 minutes....and make sure everybody learns and isn't bored! Thanks!
Teaching - 11 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
bring in some actual heart attack victims .
2 :
Stuff handfuls of sugar down their unsuspecting throats and make a game out of seeing who dies first within the next ten minutes. Then that'll make them afraid and they'll never eat sugar again, because they'll all be dead. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnjJc8m4XnLLDlhCTncakU7sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20081214111312AAeB4Y1
3 :
Highschoolers are hard to teach, Maybe you could bring in a dummy, or some kind of health doll that you could usually find in hospitals, and teach them from that.
4 :
act it out for them or get somebody else to do it. be funny
5 :
What a loaded question. Sorry but I cannot help but look for some humor here.
6 :
get a pig heart to demonstrate with! our school did it, and everyones eyes were fixed
7 :
I don't believe there are fun ways because it is heart attack and stroke, but give out scripts and do a short skit and have the main characters in the skit do an action like a heart attack or something. They will be learning and they would get a kick out of it. HOPE THIS HELPS
8 :
I'll send my mother over...She is a walking time bomb who has already had 2 heart attacks, smokes, is overweight, doesn't exercise and has high cholesterol.
9 :
I would think that on a high school level, with only ten minutes, you would barely have time to get in the necessary facts. Fun/interactive reminds me of younger grades and topics that aren't as serious. It's just my take on it. Give the kids the facts in true or false form and ask how many think something is true, and how many think it's false. Like "heart disease is something that happens after you are 45." which would be false, but in high school you don't realize that.
10 :
Go to a retirement home in Florida and wait for one of them to have a stroke.
11 :
Time is a factor here.... explaining and describing each (a heart attack and a stroke) will take close to 10 min. If time allows, bring in a Para-Medic that works for an ambulance company or a hospital and have them explain. They would know a lot more and can be creative with some of their equipment. Also, a Red Cross trainer for CPR is a good resource. He/she can actually demonstrate and have the students participate in how to use the equipment as well as do CPR. If that takes too much time and/or work on your part, I would give your local city ambulance office or Red cross office for some participation and assistance. Even the Fire department personnel would be happy to come in and do some presentation for you. There are local hospitals that have public relations department that also conducts classes for students as well as the public. They will be a good resource to invite and do a presentation for you. Most of them have very good presentation materials including DVD and other hands on items like rubber heart models gotten from various drug companies. So it's not "easy" for you but definitely easy and interesting for your students

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