Your Heart Health e-News - November 2011

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November 04, 2011

In This Issue
Earthquakes Put Millions of Lives, Major Cities at Risk
Weighing Weight-Loss Programs
Rx for Heart Patients: Healthier Living, Medication
FDA OKs Heart Valve That Does Not Require Open-Heart Surgery
Artificial Heart Valve Doesn't Require Open-Heart Surgery
Device Approved to Remedy Abdominal Aneurysms
No Such Thing as the 'Freshman 15,' Study Finds
Women No More Likely to Die After Angioplasty
Today's Feature

Welcome to Dr. Caren and Dr. Urman's
Heart Health e-Newsletter

We hope you find this complimentary monthly educational service for our patients and their families helpful. Please click on the header above or here to enter our website and learn more about our practice. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or wish to make an appointment.  

The column on the right has heart-related stories from the last several weeks which we feel are most important and most likely to be of interest to our patients.  Additional general information and recent news about our office can also be found to the right. The latest news items from the last week about heart health are found below under "Health News."


Introducing the Enhanced Access Membership Program

  • Personalized concierge services not covered by Medicare or Private Insurance
  • Increasing levels of priority and enhanced access for routine appointments and testing
  • Increased phone and email access to our staff and doctors on routine matters
  • Priority completion of administrative paper-work with fees waived
  • Validated parking and convenient VIP parking for office visits

Three Plans to choose from.  Please contact our office for more information.


It's flu season.  Call our office to make an appointment!


Even if your cholesterol & blood pressure are normal...
    your heart may still be at risk


CardioHealth®
 

Call our office to see if you are a candidate for a carotid IMT test.


Health News

Earthquakes Put Millions of Lives, Major Cities at Risk

One of three victims will die from their injuries in massive temblors, researchers estimate

THURSDAY, Nov. 3 When an earthquake hits, up to 8 percent of a city's population can suffer fatal injuries, a new report suggests.

That's because the mass casualties, lacerations, broken bones and crushing injuries associated with these natural disasters occur when ... » Read the full article



Weighing Weight-Loss Programs

Commercial ones found more effective, cheaper than primary-care programs

THURSDAY, Nov. 3 A new British study finds that commercial weight-loss programs are more effective and less costly than primary care-based programs led by specially trained staff.

University of Birmingham researchers compared weight loss among obese and overweight w... » Read the full article



Rx for Heart Patients: Healthier Living, Medication

New guidelines on managing heart disease also call for cardiac rehab

THURSDAY, Nov. 3 A healthy lifestyle and appropriate medications can help people with heart disease live longer and avoid a heart attack or stroke, according to new guidelines from the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Heart Association.

F... » Read the full article



FDA OKs Heart Valve That Does Not Require Open-Heart Surgery

Experts believe the device will expand options for frailer, sicker patients

THURSDAY, Nov. 3 The first artificial heart valve that can be implanted without open-heart surgery has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve is designed to replace an aortic heart valve damaged by senile aortic v... » Read the full article



Artificial Heart Valve Doesn't Require Open-Heart Surgery

Implanted via catheter

THURSDAY, Nov. 3 The first artificial heart valve that can replace a diseased aortic valve without requiring open-heart surgery has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

A patient's aortic valve can be damaged by stenosis, a narrowing of the valve c... » Read the full article



Device Approved to Remedy Abdominal Aneurysms

In people with smaller arteries

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 2 A device that helps repair abdominal aneurysms in people with small arteries has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

An aneurysm is a bulge in a weak part of an artery. If the bulge bursts, the patient is at risk of dying from in... » Read the full article



No Such Thing as the 'Freshman 15,' Study Finds

But, after college graduation, the typical young adult gains 1.5 pounds each year

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 2 Although many college students are wary of gaining the dreaded "freshman 15," most only put on between 2.5 to 3.5 pounds during their first year in college, a new study shows.

And, the researchers noted, this weight gain is typical for all young adu... » Read the full article



Women No More Likely to Die After Angioplasty

But study finds they have more risk factors for heart disease than men

TUESDAY, Nov. 1 Women undergoing angioplasty, a procedure to unblock a clogged artery, show more indicators for heart disease than men, according to new research.

However, the study also shows that women are at no higher odds of dying after an angioplasty than male ... » Read the full article



Featured:
FDA approves first artificial aortic heart valve placed without open-heart surgery
  Regulators have approved the sale of Edwards Life Sciences Corp's heart valve for patients deemed too sick to have open-heart surgery. Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute enrolled more patients than any other center in the US for the research that lead to this approval.
What is Aortic Stenosis?
  Learn more about the condition that new non-surgical technology might be able to treat in many patients.
Exercise Might Help Thwart 'Obesity Gene'
  Researchers find genetic risk lower in those who stay physically active
Health Tip: Get Into the Habit of Exercising
  Suggestions to make it part of your day
Market Volatility May Be Linked To Increased Heart Attack Risk
  Investors are more likely to suffer from heart attacks and cardiac deaths when market volatility rises
Stress Linked to Higher Mortality Risk Among Men
  Even moderate but sustained stress might have deadly effects, study suggests
Gender Gap: The Risks Of Heart Disease For Women
  For women, the toll from a heart attack can be worse than it is for men, researchers increasingly are finding.
Newer 'Pill' May Raise Blood Clot Risk
  Agency said it plans public hearing in December on safety of brands like Yaz, Yasmin
Could Happy Lives Be Longer Lives?
  Study shows an association, but cause-and-effect isn't clear
'Hunger Hormones' May Drive Post-Dieting Weight Gain
  Appetite-suppressing hormones drop while appetite-stimulating ones rise, small study finds
Insomnia Might Boost Heart Attack Risk
  Trouble sleeping may increase risk as much as 45 percent, researchers say
Health Tip: Metabolic Syndrome Raises Chance of Cardiovascular Disease
  Here are its risk factors including increased waist size
Many Young Adults Unaware They're Developing Heart Disease
  Waist size predicts fatty buildup in arteries better than weight, study says
U.S. Health Officials Urge Lifestyle Changes to Cut Stroke Risk
  Million Hearts initiative aims to reduce strokes, heart attacks by 1 million in five years
Handheld Metal Detectors Don't Seem to Affect Pacemakers: Study
  But more research is needed to confirm these findings, experts say
Python Findings Shed Light on Human Heart Health
  After feeding, snake blood has high levels of enzymes that protect the heart
Could HPV Raise Women's Risk for Heart Disease?
  Study suggests a link, but more research is needed
Study Suggests Origins of Pregnancy-Linked High Blood Pressure
  Father's cells inside the placenta trick mother's immune system, research says
Hypertension, Not Blood Pressure Drugs, Linked to Birth Defects
  Study found medications did not raise risk any further
Taking Blood Pressure Meds at Bedtime May Be Better
  Patients doing so had better heart health than those on a morning schedule, study shows
Learn more about Hypertension
  The higher your blood pressure is, the higher the risk of heart disease. How to treat hypertension with medications and lifestyle changes.
Health Tip: Suggestions to Help Manage Angina
  Recognize changes to the normal pattern
Healthy Diet May Counteract Heart Disease Gene
  Piling plates with fruit, veggies, berries reduced genetic risk in large study
Environmental Toxins Linked to Hardening of Arteries
  Certain pollutants, even if banned, can still linger and cause damage to major heart vessels, study says
Chocolate Could Be Sweet Defense Against Stroke
  Swedish study found women who ate more lowered their risk by 20%
Fewer Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure, U.S. Study Finds
  Number of cases is down, but there are still too many, expert says
Dietary Supplements Offer Risks, Little Benefit
  Multivitamins and many other dietary supplements provide little benefit for most people and may be harmful, according to researchers behind a large new study
Learn more about Heart Failure
  Recognizing and treating congestive heart failure (CHF) can lead to therapeutic success
FDA Approves First Combo Drug for Diabetes, Cholesterol
  Previously approved meds, Januvia and Zocor, combined in one tablet to lower blood sugar and bad cholesterol
Is Female Hormone Disorder Tied to Familial Heart Risk?
  Various forms of heart disease seen in parents of polycystic ovary syndrome patients, study says
Are You at Increased Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke?
  Find out about the latest technology available at our office to look for hidden plaque which helps assess your risk of heart attack or stroke
Insurance and Billing FAQ's
  Also, learn why we believe our policies allow us to maintain our high level of personalized patient care.
Meet Dr. Caren
  Get to know the man behind the camera.
Meet Dr. Urman
  Learn more about the founder and medical editor of our patient newsletter
Office News
  Recent news about our doctors and office.
Newsletter Archive
  In case you have missed our previous newsletters
The news stories provided in this e-newsletter are a service of the nationally syndicated HealthDay news and information company. Stories refer to national trends and breaking health news, and are not necessarily indicative of or always supported by the physicians in our practice. This information is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please see our full Terms of Use for more information.

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