New research says that “implantable defibrillators to protect against deadly heart rhythms do not prevent deaths in women with advanced heart failure.” These types of defibrillators are inserted into the body and help to restore a normal heartbeat. They work differently in women, and scientists now realize they need to study the effects on women more closely.

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Defibrillators Not as Effective for Women

What this study shows is that while it’s still good to quit smoking, exercise, eat right, and drink moderately, the real lifetime impact comes when you do most of those things. Each piece helps the heart become a better functioning part of the body.

Image: sxc.hu.

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How to Cut Risk of Heart Disease

The trend among women was more alarming, with hypertension rates in the 1990s reversing and beginning to increase, researchers said. Between the early 1990s and early 2000s, the prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension in adult women increased from 17 percent to more than 22 percent. At the same time, the rate of hypertension in men decreased from 19 percent to 17 percent.

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Women- take care of yourself!

… he has identified how two different kinds of Chlamydia can cause both coronary artery disease and miscarriages. Solving one mystery gave him clues that he needed to figure out the other. By focusing on the immune system mechanisms in Chlamydia infections, Azenabor has identified an important link in seemingly unrelated health problems. The result could be new treatments and prevention strategies for both heart disease and infertility. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a microbe that normally causes pneumonia and bronchitis, but it has long been associated with atherosclerosis, a cardiovascular disease also called “hardening of the arteries.”

Huh? Chlamydia? Yes, when the macrophages’ cell walls are infected with the C. pneumoniae their usually tight cholesterol, which they regularly store, traffics that cholesterol into the cell membrane’s and cause them to become rigid and unable to move…

The bacteria also “hijacks” the cells signaling in a way that helps promote the existence of the Chlamydia pneumoniae. The bacterium also disturbs the macrophage’s production of toxins in a process that transforms them into “signaling molecules,” which support functions that keep the bacterium alive. Because of this the bacteria can very quickly reproduce and accumulate in the blood vessels causing stiffening and heart disease, ie. atherosclerosis.

Find this interesting? Hey- your not alone! Check out more here.

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Chlamydia and heart disease…

1. Author of Frankenstein Mary Shelley kept her dead husband’s, poet Percy Shelley, heart wrapped in silk until she died. Imagine how that smelled!

2. You can purchase the largest model of a human heart for a small price of $5795.95 US dollars. Um huh, I said five thousand. It is 8 times the size of an anatomical heart at 100×90×70 cm. Wow, that is a lot of money!

3. The smallest person believed to ever have open heart surgery was just over 25 weeks gestation and about 1.4 lbs. This was back in 2002 and I think it to still be the smallest baby to have open heart. I searched and searched. If you know different, shoot me a hello.

4. Throughout your life your heart contracts about 70 times a minute and pumps about 5 liters of blood each minute. That is amazing!

5. You heart muscle, or myocardium, is unique to just that… your heart. It is not found anywhere else in your body!

6. When you are in love, you really do “feel” with your heart. Yes, it is true. Your heart, more than any other organ, feels and senses emotions and responds accordingly. Everybody now… awwwww!

7. During an average lifetime, your heart will beat over 2.5 billion times. Seriously, that is one hard working muscle!

8. About 1.2 million Americans have heart attacks every year and over 400,000 of them will never make it to the hospital.

9. The word heart, meaning soul or feeling, is termed cor in Latin.

10. The cardiovascular system is my favorite by far, and always has been. Anatomy, micro, nursing, physiology, biology, chemistry, psychology… the heart is so fascinating in every capacity! I am absolutely amazed by it and at times can not even wrap my brain around the fact that it’s muscle never, ever gets a break and keeps us going from the time we are born till the time of our death. Wow!!!

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10 Hearty trivia facts…

Anyway- there was a thirty something year old women that had issues with herself due to scares from many heart operations. She was born with a very rare type of congenital heart defect- where her heart did not form properly and needed to be rebuilt- and she had some large scars on her chest and back and belly from chest tubes and incisions.

She was so beautiful and a great person. She was very pretty and when I looked at her all I saw was a gorgeous young women- and all she saw was someone who was not perfect.

Do you have scars that you wish where not there? Whether it be form open heart or something else? Do you feel non perfect because of your heart disease?

I have many scars and each tell a story- kind of like a map of my life! My hubby loves them and I do not see them when I stare at myself in the mirror! I hope you know you are perfect and we are all beautiful on the inside.

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Scars from heart disease- Love them or hate them?

We all know that an essential part of heart health is weight control, nutrition and an active lifestyle. With this being said, I want to share a story of success with you. Weight Watchers runs a yearly contest for the most inspiring weight loss story. There are many, many, many… did I say many, applicants every single year. But this year’s winner has a tremendous hearty story to boot!

Carrie sample, 33, from Indianapolis, Indiana has been selected as one of the 2007 weight Watchers Inspiring Stories Of The Year. Her determination and motivation helped Carrie seal the deal.

Being a single mom is never easy and Carrie new the stresses of this everyday of her life. And you know that saying, “somethings gotta give”? Well it did… her heart.

Both her and her doctor were shocked when Carrie suffered a heart attack at the age of 33. How scary indeed and what a wake up call. Carrie decided to do something about it though. After all, she has a child to raise.

Carrie has already begun her journey with Weight Watchers prior to her heart attack. But after her MI, she had even more fighting power.  She was forced to take a hard, long look at herself in the mirror and frankly, on the scale. There could be no cheating. You either do or you don’t. That is part of the beauty of programs like Weight Watchers.

Carrie has lost 41 pounds to date, which may not seem like a heck of a lot, but she has saved her own life in doing so. Congratulations to her and I hope she enjoys the trip to New York that she has won to receive a fashion styling with Mr. Isaac Mizrahi.

hat tip to Philippa Morrow

via Weight Watchers Inspiring stories

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Weight Watchers- Inspiring Story

Here is further proof to stop smoking…Women who quit smoking significantly reduce their risk of dying from heart disease and cancers very soon after.

There was a 47% reduction in risk for coronary heart disease within the first five years of quitting and a 21%  reduction in lung cancer death within the first five years.

via IrishHealth.com 

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Short fact about lung cancer and heart disease

A young Michigan teen, 17 year old Danielle, was given the gift of life today. At a little past 2 AM, the young lady– who had been diagnosed with CHF earlier this Spring received her second heart transplant. Her first was when she was 5 weeks old.

Good luck to this Port Huron teen and her family! Thoughts and prayers are with you.

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Young girl gets the gift of life- a heart!

Depression, women and heart disease.  I have written about this so many times in the past. Our emotional and physical self all works as one. Never be too proud to admit when it is time to seek help for depression.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Loss of interest in normal daily activities
• Feeling sad or down
• Feeling hopeless
• Crying spells for no apparent reason
• Problems sleeping
• Trouble focusing or concentrating
• Difficulty making decisions
• Unintentional weight gain or loss
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Being easily annoyed
• Feeling fatigued or weak
• Feeling worthless
• Loss of interest in sex

Learning to control our emotions as women will help our heart health and decrease our risk of heart disease.

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Depression and the increased risk of heart disease in women