Fayette Piedmont Cardiac Rehab

I attended two sessions of the cardiac rehab program at Fayette Piedmont Hospital. It was very good and helped me to get back in the swing of things. I would recommend the program after a stent, angioplasty, etc..

Family Trips!

It seems to cause stress even though it should be fun. When I was growing up we took a couple of trips and we left when our parents told us we were leaving. Relax and make family trips fun by not having a predetermined schedule or outline in your mind of how you believe the trip should go! That is exactly what it is a family trip for all family members; so relax and be open to what others are feeling and how they can enjoy the trip too!

Drugs prove as effective as stents for heart attack patients

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsstent21-nws,0,259961.story

When you go to the hospital with a 99% occlusion in the heart artery it is a little difficult to just take medication for it but the story shows that some occlusions would be better off treated with medication instead of stenting.

Platelet Inhibitor, Statin and Ace Inhibitor

The protocol at least for me after having the last occlusion which was opened with a stent includes: Plavix 75mg, Simvistatin 40mg, Niaspan 3,000 mg, 20 mg Lisinopril, low glycemic low fat diet, walk 30 minutes 4-5 times per week.

I believe there is a typical protocol for stenting in order to alleviate re-occlusion to occur. I personally know one person who had a blocked artery in 11/2003. Since that time he has not stayed on any medication regimen recommended nor eaten a diet described as heart healthy. He has not exercised at all. He just went through an angiogram three months ago to determine any new occlusions or build-up and there was none!

So all of the protocols are just that protocols. What has worked the majority of the time for the majority of patients. I myself will do my best to stay on recommended protocol and at least do everything I know to do on my part!

Heart Healthy restaurant review!

You can actually eat heart healthy at Waffle House! Believe it or not!

Two poached eggs; don't eat yolk
Wheat toast
A few bites of the grits or hashbrown (order them steamed; no grease)
Unsweet tea

No matter where you eat when you are out in the field you can always find something that will fit in with your heart healthy eating plan. You and I just have to make the choice to do it! The only places that really don't have heart healthy choices are the fast food chains. I never eat at them and I don't consider Waffle House a fast food chain. It is and will always be the Great American Diner!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Show a little love to your sweetheart and also your own heart! Happy Valentine's Day!

Under pressure!

Addressing the underlying causes of hypertension can give patients some help in the battle for heart health

By Jennifer Sygo, National Post

http://www.canada.com/health/Under+pressure/1286633/story.html

Saint Joseph's Adds Renowned Cardiothoracic Surgeon

World Leader For Robotic, Totally-Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypasses (Tecab)
ATLANTA Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Sudhir P. Srivastava, MD, the pioneer and world leader in performing beating heart, totally-endoscopic, coronary artery bypass surgeries, has joined the staff at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta. Dr. Srivastava comes to Atlanta from the University of Chicago Medical Center where he served as assistant professor of surgery and director of robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery........................

http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20090202/CL6559702022009-1.html

Steady Cholesterol-Pill Use Found to Cut Death Risk Almost Half

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ahA00e4msjms&refer=home

Time will tell if it is working with me!

Patient Feedback!

Calling all cardiac patients and friends and family. February is heart month. Let's all make an effort to exercise, eat a balanced diet and strengthen bonds with family and loved ones. Relationships are crucial for long term health. If you had a cardiac event recently encourage your family to spend time with you and do something with your children, grandchildren or spouse that will refresh and lift your body and soul!



To Good Health!



http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4441

Stress!

Economic, work, physical and family issues all play a part in each individuals life. How we react to those whether good or bad dramatically increases or decreases our stress levels. Dr. Ornish has proven that stress particularly in individuals with the genetic tendency towards elevated cholesterol affects their arteries. The pressure over time on the arterial wall slowly chips away til a "crack" or "tear" occurs. The body is designed to repair that area with cholesterol. You know without cholesterol we would not live long. When there is a genetic deficiency in the cholesterol profile though that repair mechanism can go into overdrive.

Learn as much as you can about the disease and study the Spectrum program. It is the only program I have found which provides the answer to stopping the disease!

Inflammation! It may be the real reason.

I know several individuals who have had high cholesterol levels throughout their life without any blocked arteries well into their seventies. Then there are individuals such as myself who have had high cholesterol and had issues at a young age!

Elevated Lp(a), LDL along with low HDL all play a part but those elevated levels are sticking to the artery wall for a reason. I believe it is caused from the wall itself becoming "inflamed". This in my case could have resulted from high glycemic diet, elevated blood pressure and stress! This could answer why some individuals with elevated levels do not have issues while someone with low levels of cholesterol does; Inflammation!

A vegetarian diet, exercise, yoga have all proven to reduce inflammation in your body. Has anyone ever thought why blockages occur mostly in the heart and not over the entire body? It is not always the cholesterol, if so then blockages would be everywhere. But they mostly manifest in the heart where there is more pressure put on the "inflamed" arteries and then the cholesterol enters in as a repair mechanism. Unfortunately that repair when levels are high causes build up which eventually leads to a blockage. Check out the Spectrum program on the Dr. Ornish site. It seems to provide the answer for alleviating the inflammation problem!

Niacin in the prescription form "Niaspan"! It worked for me.

In October 2007 my LDL and Lp(a) cholesterol levels were high along with low levels of HDL. I was told to take 40mg of Simvistatin. After the last blocked artery in March 08 my physician added 500mg daily of prescription Niaspan. I increased the dosage by 500mg every two weeks til I reached a therapeutic dosage which I am now on of 3,000mg daily. Obviously, they keep monitoring my Liver Enzyme levels for any toxicity issues. My liver enzymes to date have actually gone down. I was told by my gastroenterologist that years of high cholesterol along with high glycemic diet had actually caused me to have a non-drinking fatty liver. The cholesterol medicine has allowed my level to process the fat or I assume the cholesterol thus reducing enzyme levels.

The Niaspan (prescription Niacin) alone has helped to change my lipid profiles particularly the Lp(a) reduction and increase of HDL. The Niaspan has decreased the LDL's from a high of 175 to 76. Also, Niaspan is the only prescription that I was told reduces the Lp(a). It has dropped from 85 to 19. The Niaspan has also increased my HDL from 34 to 52. Now keep in mind that I am also on 40mg of Simvistatin but the Lp(a) and the HDL levels were not changed while on the Simvistatin alone. I have also seen a change in the LDL particle size from small to large. This is particularly important because if two people had the same LDL levels of 175 one may not be at risk as much as the other because one may have large particle LDL while the other has small particle LDL. Mine obviously was the small particle LDL. But it seems the Niaspan is changing the profile of the LDL also!

Taking the Niaspan by itself would be a closer natural alternative to regulate cholesterol than the statins although to reach a decision of taking this drug alone would obviously be determined with proper submolecular cholesterol testing in conjunction with consultation with your physician. The Niaspan though in my case has delivered beneficial results which include decreasing LDL and Lp(a) levels along with raising HDL numbers. I don't believe there is any other prescription which does all three simultaneously! http://www.niaspan.com/

Experts Urge Limits on Use of Cardiac CT Scans...

Radiation-linked cancer risks are small, but need to be considered, AHA panel says
Posted February 2, 2009

MONDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Certain kinds of heart imaging tests should be used cautiously to minimize patient exposure to ionizing radiation, which has been linked to cancer.
That's the conclusion of a new American Heart Association science advisory released in the Feb. 2 issue of Circulation.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/02/02/experts-urge-limits-on-use-of-cardiac-ct-scans.html



I guess you die from one or the other. If the cancer don't get you; what about the heart disease? The Dr. Ornish program I believe is really what I along with all those with risks should be on. JUST DO IT!

Steelers Win!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV-vVMbWQMA&eurl=http://ballhype.com/video/superbowl_2009_santonio_holmes_game_winning_catch/&feature=player_embedded

Well, at least I did get some cardio while watching the game. That was an awesome game! Now for me to get back on track. It has been a challenge.

B-egg white omelet w/jalapenos, 5 pc. of ham, onions, hashbrown, toast, unsweet tea
L-slice of pizza, unsweet tea
D-Chili w/turkey, 1/2 pc. cornbread, tea
Snack-small salad

Super Bowl Sunday!

I am too ashamed to mention what I ate today so today is a "freebie"! Go Cardinals!!!!!!!!!!!

Man, I bet it feels great to be able to run like one of the football players!