Category: Heart Disease

How Can Daily Aspirin Really Help Me?

Low-dose aspirin can cut the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colon cancer for people between the ages of 50 and 69, according to a new recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The USPSTF initially published draft recommendations in September 2015, and now it has released the final recommendations.

“Aspirin’s anticlotting effect is useful for primary and secondary CVD prevention because it potentially decreases the accumulation of blood clots that form as a result of reduced blood flow at atherosclerotic plaques, thereby reducing hypoxic damage to heart and brain tissue,” the task force stated.

Exactly how much benefit an individual can get out of daily use of low-dose aspirin will vary depending on their age. People between the ages of 50 and 59 saw a moderate benefit and people between the ages of 60 and 69 had a small benefit.

“Fortunately, the Task Force found that for 50- to 69-year-olds at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, taking aspirin can help prevent heart attacks and strokes as well as colorectal cancer,” said Douglas K. Owens, M.D., M.S., a former member of the Task Force who led the review.

There was not enough information for people younger than 50 years and for people older than 70 years.

USPSTF noted that the benefits of daily intake of low-dose aspirin for colorectal cancer prevention will not become apparent until 10 years after initiation of the preventive treatment. As such, younger individuals in the age groups noted will see the most benefit.

“Aspirin use is more likely to have an effect when it is started between the ages of 50 and 59 years,” according to the USPSTF. “Because of the time required before a reduced incidence in CRC is seen, older persons (that is, 60 years or older) are less likely to realize this benefit than adults aged 50 to 59 years.”

Heart attacks and strokes are responsible for 30% of all deaths in the US and colorectal cancer—the third most common cancer—was responsible for 50,000 deaths as per recent statistics.

How Can You Determine If You Have Heart Disease

Heart AttackWhat if you have a heart problem and you are not aware of it? Well, it can happen. All of us are not aware of what is happening inside our body and hence, we live a peaceful life.

All heart problems do not come with clear symptoms; though, some common things may occur in your body if you have heart problems. To confirm or deny that you have a heart problem, you must always get regular checkups from your doctor and if you are facing any of the issues listed below, then you must contact your physician immediately or go to the nearest emergency room, especially if you are over 40*.

Chest Pains

Man grabbing his chest

Chest problems are one of the common signs faced by people suffering from heart disease. Chest problems often occur when you are either having a heart attack, feel some sort of pressure, feel pain or tightness in the heart, or have a blocked artery. Everyone cannot define this situation, attributing it to other reasons of their own. This kind of feeling is not normal and lasts more than a few minutes. Chest problems can occur either when you are doing some physical activity or you are at rest.

If you are feeling pain, pressure, or discomfort in the center of your chest or your arms, back, jaw, neck, or stomach, go to the nearest emergency room or call 9/11 for assistance. Do not ignore these symptoms.

Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath is another way your body is alerting that it could be a sign of heart trouble as a response to extra stress on your heart. Fatigue and shortness of breath are more common in women and may begin months before a heart attack

Nausea

You may think that nausea is common and can occur due to an upset stomach. Well, it is possible that you can have an upset stomach for countless reasons, such as eating something that you do not normally eat or something else along those lines. Even though it may have nothing to do with your heart, these are really serious matters and you need to be careful about them. Sources report that people often feel nauseous when they have heart diseases. If you vomit often, then you need to consider this matter and inform your doctor about it.    

Snoring

Is your significant partner irritated because of your snores? Although it is normal for some people to snore while they are sleeping, when you snore more loudly than usual, then that can be a symbol of sleep apnea. This actually puts in extra stress and pressure on your heart. If you think that this is becoming a common occurrence, then you need to consult your doctor.

Arm Ache

Doctors consider that when you feel pain in your left arm, you might have heart issues. Normally, this pain starts from your chest and spreads outwards, but sources report that people who have arm pains have had minor heart attacks in the past. Nowadays, even the smallest and normal pains in your body require attention; so, you must get them checked instantly if you are facing them.

Weariness and Exhaustion

Do you often feel weary, tired, and exhausted? Then, it is time to set up an appointment with your doctor. Things that never made you tired or exhausted and now affect you can be a clear symptom of a heart disease. If women face this, they should take it seriously and ask their doctor to prescribe them medicines to cure it.

In Summary:

You may experience any of the following that precedes a heart attack:

    • mild pain or discomfort in your chest that may come and go
    • pain in your shoulders, neck, and jaw
    • sweating
    • nausea or vomiting
    • lightheadedness or fainting
    • breathlessness
    • Anxiety or confusion

Please see our heart disease infographic for more information.

Now that you know the symptoms of heart disease, we are sure that you will be able to determine the cause and act in time before things get worse.

*This article is for information purposes only. It is highly recommended to seek the advice of an experienced medical professional or your physician regarding any concerns or abnormalities you may be experiencing.

Coronary Artery Disease

Described as the deadliest disease out there by some, Coronary Artery Disease is the most common heart disease in United States. Men and women both are victims to this disease. It is the leading cause of death in USA. If the blood vessels that are responsible for supply of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the heart are damaged or diseased, it eventually leads to development of Coronary Artery Disease.

Often, plaque (deposits made up of cholesterol) builds up in these blood vessels and blocks coronary arteries. This decreases the flow of blood to the heart and in turn one experiences chest pain, shortness in breath and many other symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease. In worst case, a complete blockage of blood flow can occur which can cause a heart attack and permanent heart damage.

Causes of CAD

As discussed above, plaque that eventually builds up due to accumulation of cholesterol deposits, leads to Coronary Artery Disease. This process can take years, and one may not even notice unless symptoms like chest pain, etc, start to surface. This process of plaque being built up on the insides of arteries is termed as atherosclerosis. The most common causes of having a coronary heart condition include smoking, continuously having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and resistance diabetes or insulin, and a laid-back daily routine. The dietary habits are also great contributors to this disease.

The risk of having coronary heart disease increases with time. If someone has a family history of this disease, the likelihood of inheriting it increases substantially. People who have a habit of smoking or have high blood pressure, higher levels of blood cholesterol, or have been diagnosed with obesity or diabetes, are prone to Coronary Artery Disease. Similarly, sedentary lifestyle and stressful life conditions are also strong triggers.

Symptoms

Over time, symptoms of Coronary Artery disease start to show up.

  • The most common is angina, or chest pain. Though it is felt for a few minutes when doing a stressful task, one feels discomfort or pressure in the middle or left side of the chest.
  • Shortness of breath is another symptom which occurs during an exertive task. It may also be accompanied with fatigue.
  • Many people also have a heart attack, which is severe pain in the chest extending till the left arm, and till neck and jaw line in case of women.

Treatment

Coronary Artery disease is diagnosed through a physical exam, considering medical and family history, evaluating the risk factors, and performing diagnostic tests like electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, etc.

Treatment is usually done through medication and considering the factors which have caused the disease to occur in the first place. Measures are taken to remove those risk factors. In much complicated cases, surgeries and other procedures are also done. Other options include Angiogenesis and Enhanced External Counterpulsation.

The risk of developing complexities in this disease is very high, hence the high death toll. Therefore, doctors usually suggest keeping a healthy and active lifestyle to patients who show the earliest symptoms.

Heart Disease, Cancer Top Two Leading Causes of Death

Animated man with bacteria showing moving towards himThe CDC has presented a report on the 10 leading causes of death in 2016, which accounted for 74% of all deaths that occurred in the US that year, with heart disease and cancer topping the list.

The National Vital Statistics Report was compiled using information from all death certificates filed in the 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2014. According to the findings, the 10 leading causes of death, in rank order, were: diseases of the heart; malignant neoplasms (cancer); chronic lower respiratory diseases; accidents; cerebrovascular diseases (stroke); Alzheimer’s disease; diabetes; influenza and pneumonia; nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis (kidney disease); and suicide.

“Cause-of-death ranking is a popular method of presenting mortality statistics and is a useful tool for illustrating the relative burden of cause-specific mortality, but it must be used cautiously with a clear understanding of the limitations underlying the method,” the researchers wrote in the report.

Of the 10 leading causes, 8 saw significant increases in the number of deaths, led by Alzheimer’s disease, which increased by 10.4% from 2013 to 2014. The other causes that saw large increases in the number of deaths from year to year were: unintentional injuries (4.2% increase); suicide (3.9%); cerebrovascular diseases (3.2%); nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis (2.2%); malignant neoplasms (1.2%); diabetes (1.2%); and diseases of the heart (0.5%). Meanwhile, the number of deaths caused by chronic lower respiratory disease and influenza and pneumonia decreased by 1.4% and 3.1%, respectively.

Diagram of the Human HeartHeart disease and cancer were the top two causes of death and accounted for 45.9% of all deaths in 2014. They were the two leading causes of death for both men and women. However, men and women diverged in the ranking of other causes of death. Unintentional injuries were the third-leading cause of death for males, while chronic lower respiratory disease ranked third for women.

In addition, while suicide ranked seventh and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis ranked tenth for men, neither was among the 10 leading causes of death for women. In addition, kidney disease ranked ninth and septicemia ranked tenth for women, but neither were among the top 10 for men.

An Aspirin a Day Can Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Colon Cancer

Daily use of aspirin could help prevent cardiovascular disease and colon cancer, according to a new recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). For people between the ages of 50 and 69 who have an increased risk of heart disease, taking an aspirin could be beneficial.

However, how much an individual could benefit from taking aspirin daily depends on their age and risk of the disease, according to the report, which was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

“Before starting to take aspirin for primary prevention, people aged 50 to 69 should talk to their primary care clinician to understand their risk of cardiovascular disease and risk for bleeding,” USPSTF Chair Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS, said in a statement.

Adults between the ages of 50 and 59 with a 10% or greater 10-year cardiovascular disease risk will see the most overall benefit and USPSTF recommends aspirin initiation for this group. However, for adults between the ages of 60 and 69 with an equivalent risk of cardiovascular disease, aspirin initiation should be decided with a primary care physician based on the patient’s risk of cardiovascular disease and bleeding, overall health, and personal values and preferences.

For colorectal cancer, the benefits of low-dose aspirin are not apparent until 10 years after initiation of the preventive treatment.

“Aspirin use is more likely to have an effect when it is started between the ages of 50 and 59 years,” according to the USPSTF. “Because of the time required before a reduced incidence in CRC is seen, older persons (that is, 60 years or older) are less likely to realize this benefit than adults aged 50 to 59 years.”

For adults young than age 50 or older than age 70, there is sufficient evidence to assess the benefits and harms of taking aspirin daily.

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are major causes of death with heart attacks and strokes responsible for 30% of all deaths in the US and colorectal cancer responsible for 50,000 deaths in 2014. Colorectal cancer is also the third most common cancer.

The USPSTF reminds people that daily aspirin use is just 1 part of preventing cardiovascular disease and cancer. People can reduce their risk of these diseases through smoking cessation, healthy diets, and physical activity. Regular screening is important to prevent colorectal cancer. Plus, keeping blood pressure and cholesterol under control can prevent heart attacks and strokes as well..

Please consult your physician or medical professional regarding the above, prior to taking any type of aspirin.