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Archive for the 'Seniors' Category

How does cholesterol affect with age?

July 18th, 2011 by admin

Since most information we know from studies of middle aged people, researchers are working today to learn more about cholesterol and how cholesterol-lowering therapy works for women, young and old.

Cholesterol in women

Heart diseases are considered an appropriate killer as the main cause of death in the world for both sexes, although mainly aimed at older women. For a period of 10 days, scientists have conducted a study to examine effects during treatment for lowering cholesterol.

Assumption that occurred in women may be equally is untrue and dangerous. Thus, risk factors, e.g. diabetes, is often the case for coronary artery disease in women, and less frequently in men, also women respond differently to treatments, tests carried out on men may have unanticipated effects in women. According to studies, both women and men are healthy from the moment they decide to follow a cholesterol-lowering treatment.

Cholesterol in young

Durable diet habits and exercise are necessary for young. That means it is particularly important for children to eat healthy to practice a sport and not to smoke. Risk factors are family history, early heart disease or high cholesterol.  Children are not “miniature adults”, which is why their treatment differs from that of an adult. If high cholesterol levels, experts recommend a diet in two steps, which consists of a healthy diet and exercise. Only if these steps did not give favorable results, should followed drug treatment.

Children who have extremely high cholesterol levels, usually due to a genetic disorder, they need a treatment based on medicines to prevent stroke at a very early age. In this case, a study in 2004 showed that statin-based drugs are effective and do not present any risk to children from families with hypercholesterolemia.

Cholesterol in the elderly

Generally, severe heart problems occur in people who have turned 65. Many tests show that low level of HDL is, in particular a factor risk for this group. For example, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health, conducted on 2500 women and 1400 men, aged 70-90 for 6 years, participants who had HDL levels below 35mg/dL were about three times more likely to die from a heart disease than those who had high HDL levels.

Therefore, it is important that older people who have heart problems or diabetes, talking with their physicians about options they have to follow a cholesterol control treatment, according to their preferences.

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Category: Cardio, Cholesterol, Fitness, General health, Hypertension, Hypotension, Nutrition, Obesity, Seniors | No Comments »

Hypotension: treatment and prevention

May 15th, 2011 by admin

Syncope and fainting syncope is a clinical syndrome characterized by sudden loss of consciousness and vital functions due to transient and reversible cessation of cerebral circulation.

Lipotimia or fainting is a slight loss of knowledge, appears to emotional person with mental lability, emotional highs after having favored pathogenic background: aortic stenosis, hypotension, myocardial infarction, the rapid pace, congenital heart disease.

Syncope symptoms – patient is inert, immobile, pale, not react to excitation, no breathing, no pulse, hear no heartbeat, blood pressure is low, pupils are mydriatic. Patient is in a state of clinical death, which ends either by returning consciousness, either by biological death.

The first step in treatment is to put the patient with feet slightly elevated location. Production mechanism is controlled – hypotension, decreased rate, standing. Do not give fluids by mouth. Treatment consists of applying resuscitation of violent punches, cardiac massage, breath “mouth to mouth.”

Treatment of hypothension consists of the following means:

  • Psychotherapy
  • Gymnastics to improve neuro-vegetative disorders and insignificant increases voltage.
  • Pressor drugs

Patient needs to know the point: how to take medicines, drug overdose preliminary signs, medical examination.

Prevention of hypotension aims primarily to educate the patient, knowledge of symptoms related to hypotension and strategies to prevent complications. For example, those with orthostatic hypotension should know and observe techniques of high calorie diet, oxygenation and avoiding toxic substances.

Hypotension can be treated successfully, and many people who suffer from this disease lead a normal and healthy life. If you are one of the people with hypotension is important in preventing and minimizing the symptoms.

Home care tips to prevent hypotension

  • Get up and sit down slowly in case of orthostatic hypotension
  • Not stand very long if you suffer from symptomatic hypotension;
  • Eat slowly and consume low amounts of carbohydrates if you suffer from postoprandial hypotension (is triggered only after eating);
  • Alcohol consumption should be reduced or eliminated
  • Increase consumption of salt;
  • Exercise.

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Category: Cardio, Education, Fitness, General health, Homecare, Hypotension, Medicine, Seniors | No Comments »

How to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate)

April 20th, 2011 by admin

Tamsulosin_Structural_Formulae

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Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or more commonly, emnlarged prostate, is a frequent affection in males older than 50, although earlier manifestation (at 40) is also frequent.The most prevalent symptom of benign prostatic hyperplasia is difficult urination: the flow of urine is not continuous, it takes longer to start, need to urinate appears more frequently and sometimes causes pain.

Tamsulosin is a popular choice to relieve the symptoms of prostatic hyperplasia. This drug is an alpha-adrenergic blocker that functions by relaxing the muscles that surround the prostate and the area of the bladder neck. This reduces the pressure on the urethra, making it urination easier.

Tamsulosin was originally developed by the Japanese company Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals and distributed and sold by other companies under licence, including Boehringer-Ingelheim. The extended-release capsules of tamsulosin are marketed under the commercial names Flomax, Flomaxtra and Urimax, but since the expiration of the U.S. patent in 2009 generic capsules were approved and marketed in many countries, such as Canada. In the U.S., the FDA approved generic Flomax in March 2010. Generic Flomax is a safe and affordable alternative to branded Flomax and is readily available at online stores for less than one dollar each pill (click here for more details and buy generic Flomax)

Do not use Flomax if you are allergic to tamsulosin. Avoid Flomax if you are taking similar drugs such as alfuzosin (Uroxatral), doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress), silodosin (Rapaflo), or terazosin (Hytrin). Side effects may include dizziness or fainting, especially when you first start taking it or when you start taking it again. Caution must be taken when driving or operating machines. Standing for long periods of time and heat exposure should also be avoided when taking Flomax. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position. Call your doctor if you discontinued the treatment before you start taking it again. A dose adjustment may be indicated. If you need cataract surgery inform your eye doctor  ahead of time that you are using Flomax. Ask your doctor about othermedications that can interact with Flomax.You may need a different dose if you had a history of prostate cancer.  Flomax is not for use in children.

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Category: Medicine, Men's health, Prostate, Seniors, Sexuality | No Comments »

Risk factors for Cardiovascular disease

December 26th, 2010 by admin

Two charts representing the absolute risk for ...
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Cardiovascular disease risk factors

The more a person shows several factors, the greater the chances of developing heart disease. The best way to prevent heart attacks is represented by reducing risk factors. Risk that can be controlled and treated:

  • High blood pressure (hypertension) disrupts the smooth functioning of the heart, amplifying the state of weakness. Both heart and arteries are prone to strokes. High blood pressure increases the risk of stroke, of atherosclerosis, causing congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, kidney failure and eye disease. When this pressure is associated with obesity, smoking, cholesterol increases the risk of sudden attack. High blood pressure tends to increase with the age. Men are exposed to greater risks than women. After the age of 55 years men shows similar trends for accelerating blood pressure. Instead, after 75 years, women are more prone to such risks than men. HTA’s are not usually defined by symptoms, is a real silent killer. If you are suspected of hypertension, should pay more attention to your health. Keeping a proper diet, losing weight (when applicable), practicing a sport regularly, avoid salt and following a strict medication from a medical specialist, you can keep blood pressure under control (ie lower blood pressure to normal levels), decreasing the worsening condition health;
  • Hypercholesterolemia (high levels of blood cholesterol) – coronary heart disease risk increases as you achieve a high cholesterol. When present and other risk factors such as hypertension and smoking, exposure from cardiovascular disease is even greater. Cholesterol is found only in animal fats. Some herbal oil, often used in cooking, are high in saturated fats. Transfats results by adding hydrogen to vegetable oils are often used in restaurants and fast foods. Fruits and vegetables contain no cholesterol, are therefore recommended in any diet. If you need medicines to lower cholesterol is better to resort to a healthy diet reduce the amount of cholesterol and improve your cardiovascular health;
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Category: Cardio, Cholesterol, Diabetes, General health, Medicine, Obesity, Seniors, Smoking, Sports | No Comments »

Aspirin and heart disease

December 22nd, 2010 by admin

An example of a heart attack, which can occur ...
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Aspirin and cardiovascular diseases

Aspirin is one of the oldest drugs, which continue nowadays to surprise us. This common product, inexpensive protects the heart of a future attack or even death. Thus, it was found that aspirin help to reduce the number of deaths that occur in less than an hour after a heart attack.

A research has brought to the surface a clear evidence regarding the evaluation of aspirin in preventing heart attacks for men and treating coronary artery disease for both sexes. Dozens of studies involving thousands of people, showed that low doses of aspirin reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or a heart attack by 25%.

A study reported in 2005 concluded that the records are not very clear on how to prevent heart attacks in women. But except is that you are allergic to aspirin that will trigger other problems, other people should take an aspirin if:

  • Have diabetes;
  • Have angina;
  • Had a cardiovascular attack;
  • Had a heart attack or a preinfarct;
  • Coronary artery disease;
  • Shows a high risk for cardiovascular disease.

Despite the benefits of aspirin, it has some side effects. According to existing records, the risks are higher in men than in women, at least in terms of primary prevention (i.e. avoiding a cardiovascular event).

Aspirin increases the risk of significant gastrointestinal disease. Even people who are treated with aspirin occasional may have problems and go through painful experience if aspirin is administered regularly over a long period of time. Particular, aspirin might not be a good choice for people who have uncontrolled hypertension (the leading cause of bleeding in brain).

Tips – If you’re one of the women who already suffered a heart attack or other cardiovascular events, is recommended to take aspirin to reduce your risk of a second event.

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Category: Anemia symptoms, Cardio, Cholesterol, Gastric health, Medicine, Pain, Seniors, Smoking | No Comments »