If you have leg pain during exercise, it’s time to take notice.
Peripheral artery disease – PAD – results from narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to your legs. PAD is dangerous since it could lead to complications like heart disease, stroke or (yikes!) lower limb amputation.
None of that sounds like much fun. The good news is that screening for the disease is simple. Doctors compare the blood pressure in the feet or leg to that of the arm. If an abnormal ratio is found, additional tests like an ultrasound or MRI may be performed.

“People don’t recognize that leg cramps …read more

A three-year study of 170,024 patients has found that two low-cost medications – one for lowering cholesterol and one for lowering blood pressure – taken for two years reduced their risk of having a heart attack or stroke by more than 60% for the following year.
The patients were divided into three groups at the start of the study. The high-exposure group was composed of 21,292 patients. They took both medications  (40 milligrams of lovastatin and 20 milligrams of lisinopril) more than half the time throughout the two years. The amount of time they took the medications was determined by a …read more

People who experience a stroke, or a CVA (cardiovascular accident) may have experienced a smaller warning stroke, or a TIA (transient ischemic attack), say researchers from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.
TIAs are strokes that last only a few minutes. The blood flow is blocked, as in a full-blown stroke, but then is restored. Symptoms of a TIA may range from very mild stroke-like symptoms to very severe ones. The researchers found that one of out every eight strokes followed an earlier TIA. The findings of the study were published in the September 29th issue of the …read more

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) occurs when your blood circulation is compromised, because your arteries are narrowing, making it more difficult for the blood to flow through. Your arteries are the blood vessels that carry refreshed and oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. Having PAD raises your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.
People at highest risk of PAD are those who smoke or have diabetes, but also people who are African American and seniors have a higher risk than most others.
PAD isn’t rare. It’s estimated that about 10 million American live with PAD.
Since PAD doesn’t have …read more

One quarter of all pregnant women experience migraines. Now, a new study suggests that migraines can be an indicator of stroke, heart disease, or vascular problems as well.
According to the Ithica Journal, pregnant women who have migraines “are 15 times more likely than other women to suffer a stroke, twice as likely to have heart disease and three times more likely to have blood clots and other vascular problems during pregnancy.”
The study also found that women over 35 were more likely to experience migraines. The condition was also present in white more often than in other ethnic or …read more

A new study suggests that a woman’s heart health may be affected by changes in her reproductive system. Two situations in particular were looked at: giving birth prematurely (or delivering a smaller baby), and the removal of a woman’s ovaries.

In the first condition, women showed an increased risk for cardiovascular disease later in her life. In the second, a woman’s overall risk of dying, stroke, and heart disease increased.
Studies like this are often scary if not properly explained and understood. If you have had a preemie or underweight baby, you should ask your doctor how it could affect …read more

My sister married when I was 8 years old, her husband was like another father to me. Don was my hero he was always so full of life and included me in his mad adventures, with his children.
Don was over six feet three inches tall and weighed about 240, he was always outdoors, his only faults were smoking and eating fatty foods. He was never sick so there was no need to go to the doctor, so he thought.
Imagine our surprise when we found that he was an extremely ill man with diabetes.
He fought a good fight in every …read more

Not all headaches are warnings of a stroke, not all chest pains are the onset of a heart attack, you need to learn the signs to look for. If you have shortness of breath and sweating, this is your body telling you that something more serious going on.
There are normal headaches caused by stress, eyestrain or allergies this type of headache will fade. If the headaches persist you should see your health care provider. If you experience a headache that feels as if your head will explode and it persists you need to see your health care provider immediately, this …read more

NuvaRing was approved for use as in birth control October of 2001. NuvaRing is considered a third generation combination hormonal contraceptive.
There are ongoing lawsuits due to the side effects of the contraceptive which include risks of blood clots, stroke.
You should always research any medications before having them prescribed for you.
Here are a few more side effects of the NuvaRing birth control.

Deep Vein Thrombosis
Pulmonary Embolysm
Heart Attack
Death

To find more information on this type of birth control click here NuvaRing

CRP or an inflammatory marker is a protein that is made when there is inflammation present in the body. CRP inflammation can be caused by high blood pressure, high blood sugar or smoking, it is also the way your body reacts to injury or infection.
CRP(C-reactive protein) inflammation encourages plaque to form in the blood vessels. This plaque will eventually cause the blood vessels to rupture causing a heart attack or stroke.
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is often shortened to CPR. When your health care provider is explaining your disorder they will usually use the term CRP.  You will see CRP in …read more