Walking vs Runninng? Which is more "heart healthy"
A study of almost 50,000 Americans has found that "brisk walking" to be just as effective as running for reducing known risk factors for heart disease like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. However, this only holds true if the expended energy is the same between the runners and the walkers. Remember, in the same amount of time, runners run further and expend more energy than walkers. Therefore, if you chose walking over running, understand that you will need to exercise for longer than if you went for a run to get the equivalent health benefit. IMPORTANTLY: Irrespective of the type of exercise...
Source: Dr Portnay - April 11, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
High Blood Pressure
CardioSmart (@CardioSmart)4/7/13, 2:31 PMGlobally, elevated BP is reported to cause 51% of stroke deaths & 45% of coronary heart disease deaths #WorldHealthDay #CutRisks (Source: Dr Portnay)
Source: Dr Portnay - April 9, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
More and more reasons to live healthy
Over the past week, numerous studies and reports have been published touting the benefits of healthy living. Much of this is directly related to how and what we eat but also our size and our level of physical activity also play a role. Here are brief descriptions of the recent news:Study links 180,000 global deaths to sugary drinks This includes almost 25,000 adult Americans1/100 deaths of obese people can be blamed on sweetened beverages3/4 of these deaths are due to diabetesUnited States was third in death attributable to sugary drinks among the 35 "large" countriesCuba was highest amongst all countriesExcess salt blamed...
Source: Dr Portnay - March 25, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Tweets by CardioSmart
CardioSmart (@CardioSmart)3/25/13, 11:01 AMDid you know that appropriate anticoagulation can reduce risk of stroke by over 66%? ht.ly/jgp0L To reduce the risk of a stroke & improve health, limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day for men & 1 drink a day for women http://t.co/MG1dg6VBel (Source: Dr Portnay)
Source: Dr Portnay - March 25, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Start eating for your heart
Three easy ways to start incorporating the Mediterranean style diet into your daily routine:- substitute olive oil for butter for cooking or dipping whole wheat bread - use low fat or nonfat milk products- start to eat a handful or two of almonds or walnuts every day (Source: Dr Portnay)
Source: Dr Portnay - March 20, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Heart healthy living also reduces risk of cancer
The American Heart Association (AHA) is reporting that not only are 7 simple lifestyle modifications strongly linked to reducing the risk of heart disease but also strongly linked to reducing the risk of cancer. Life's Simple 7 is a seven-point plan devised by the AHA as part of its My Life Check campaign to help Americans adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle. "The 7 simple steps are: Get Active: raise physical activity level to minimum of 150 minutes exercise a week (eg half hour brisk walking five days a week). Keep to a Healthy Weight: aim to have your body mass index (BMI) no higher than 25. Eat a Healt...
Source: Dr Portnay - March 19, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Heart-Healthy Living Cuts Cancer Risk
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Prevention/37957
Here's another good article about "Life's Simple 7" and it's health benefits (Source: Dr Portnay)
Source: Dr Portnay - March 19, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Rebates motivate shoppers to buy produce, whole grains
Very interesting study. For some time I have been troubled by the fact that eating healthy costs more than eating poorly. For some, this is a major barrier to improving family eating patterns. A study out of South Africa now has shown that if healthy food is made more affordable, people tend to eat more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff. Read more at the link below:Rebates motivate shoppers to buy produce, whole grains, study says http://t.co/WeMvo9WEoZ (Source: Dr Portnay)
Source: Dr Portnay - March 19, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Quality of Life Improves After Coronary Intervention In Octogenarians
A recent reveals that the Quality of Life (QoL) proves after percutaneous intervention (PCI -- angioplasty and stent) in octogenerains. The study was a meta-analysis. This mean it combined the results from 11 previously published articles to study this patient population. In total, there were 700 octogenarian patients identified within the 11 studies with a mean age of 82.9 years. Studies were heterogeneity in the populations, methodology and QoL tools utilised. Overall, older patients improved at least as much as younger patients. The benefits are greatest in the first 6 months and may continue until at least 3 years.Whil...
Source: Dr Portnay - March 18, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
You're killing your loved ones
A new study has recently shown that secondhand smoke increases the risk of atherosclerosis more than other well-known risk factors.Overall, the prevalence of atherosclerotic plaque in those exposed to secondhand smoke was 24%. Those exposed to the highest amount of smoke were 90% more likely to have plaque than the general public.This increased risk was greater than other traditional well-known risk factors like diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and kidney disease. Please, please -- if you smoke - STOP!!! But if you cannot, at least do it in private so you do not kill you loved ones. (Source: Dr Portnay)
Source: Dr Portnay - March 17, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Exercise - Just do it
Many times throughout the day, I spend time talking with patients about the importance of exercise.There are many ways to include exercise into your daily or weekly routines. Exercise can take the form of going for a walk, run or a bike outside. Alternatively, going to the gym and getting on the treadmill, elliptical or stationery bike work too. I also encourage patients to try doing classes like spinning, Zumba or water aerobics.I also tell my patients not to lose sight of things that were fun when they were kids. So if they liked to bike ride, try to start biking again. If they liked to play frisbee, find an ultima...
Source: Dr Portnay - March 17, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
You're killing you loved ones
A new study has recently shown that secondhand smoke increases the risk of atherosclerosis more than other well-known risk factors.Overall, the prevalence of atherosclerotic plaque in those exposed to secondhand smoke was 24%. Those exposed to the highest amount of smoke were 90% more likely to have plaque than the general public.This increased risk was greater than other traditional well-known risk factors like diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and kidney disease. Please, please -- if you smoke - STOP!!! But if you cannot, at least do it in private so you do not kill you loved ones. (Source: Dr Portnay)
Source: Dr Portnay - March 17, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
How I use my iPhone to keep me motivated
I love mobile technology and specifically smartphones. I was an early adopter. I started with a Treo 600. Then I transitioned to Blackberry and now to the iPhone.I love this device for many reasons but the app environment is what makes it so special.What I want to do today is share with you some of the apps I use on my iPhone to help keep me motivated while I exercise. They fall into different categories and I will share with you some of the apps that I find helpful. After reading my short blurbs about each app, follow the links -- each developer does a much better job than I do describing their apps in pictures and words....
Source: Dr Portnay - March 17, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Even Mummies Have Heart Disease
Fascinating new findings have been recent announced at the ACC and published in the Lancet.For many years, coronary artery disease (CAD) was felt to be a disease of the industrialized, modernized world. Our lack of exercise, diet filled with processed foods and saturated fats and our inhalation of cigarette smoke and pollution has led to CAD becoming the number one killer of men and women in the modern world. Now, researchers have announced that this is NOT true. Examining 137 mummies from four different ancient cultures (Egyptian, Peruvian, Ancestral Peubloan and Unangan), researchers have revealed the presence ...
Source: Dr Portnay - March 14, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
Not watching CPR more traumatic than watching it
French researchers have announced the finding of a very interesting study.For years, the medical community ushered patient's loved ones away from the patient so they did not have to experience the trauma of watching their loved one undergo CPR and attempt of resuscitation. The medical community felt that this was protecting the loved one. However, anecdotal accounts have shown that loved ones experience less trauma and achieve closure with the exeprience of watching the resuscitative attempt.Now, French researchers have tested this theory. Working with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims, some loved ones were offer...
Source: Dr Portnay - March 14, 2013 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr Portnay Source Type: blogs
