Tag Archives: Hypercholesterolemia

Straight, No Chaser: Cholesterol – What you should know.

cholerestor awareness month

Most people know just enough about cholesterol to be able to do something about it should they choose. Still, seventy-one million American adults have abnormally high cholesterol, but only one-third of that total has the condition appropriately managed. In observance of National Cholesterol Education Month, consider getting your cholesterol screened. Why, you might ask? A high blood cholesterol level is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and stroke—two leading causes of death and two diseases that can strike without warning. If you’re serious about being healthy, you have to consider maintaining normal cholesterol levels. This Straight, No Chaser answers some frequently asked questions about cholesterol and tells you what you need to know, what you need to do and how that can make a difference in your lives.
Just what is cholesterol?
cholesterol label
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body needs to strengthen cell membranes and form steroids the body uses. Dietary cholesterol is mainly derived from animal fats.
How does cholesterol affect my health?

cholesterol MI CVA

When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries and form blockages.

  • Blockage of arteries that supply the heart itself can lead to heart disease, including a heart attack.
  • Blockage of arteries that supply the brain can cause a stroke.
  • Blockage of arteries that supply the legs can cause peripheral artery disease.

Aren’t there different types of cholesterol? Is this important?

cholesterol hdl ldl

You will commonly hear of two types of cholesterol: LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) and HDL (the “good” cholesterol).

  • LDL cholesterol contributes to thick, hard substance known as plaque. Plaque can stiffen and clog arteries, resulting in reduced blood supply to the artery’s destination. This is called atherosclerosis and explains much of how hearts attack, strokes and peripheral artery disease develop.
  • HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries and carries it to the liver for elimination from the body. As such, it is protective against heart attacks and strokes; low HDL levels have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.
  • It stands to reason that you want to maintain relatively higher HDL levels and lower LDL levels.

How do I lower the bad cholesterol?

Cholesterol-Education-Month-480x330

It’s all about diet, exercise and better choices (or if you like A-B-C, try “Avoid tobacco, Be more active, Choose good nutrition.”

  • Eating a healthy diet. If you remember to associate the word “saturated” with the word “fat”, remember this becomes easy. Saturated fats and trans fats tend to raise “bad” cholesterol levels (known as LDL), so avoid these. Polyunsaturated fats can actually lower blood cholesterol levels. Additionally, eating fiber also can help lower cholesterol (in addition to keeping your bowel movement more regular).
  • Exercising regularly. The Surgeon General recommends that adults engage in moderate-intensity exercise for 2 hours and 30 minutes every week. Check this Straight, No Chaser for what moderate-intensity exercise is.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight. Losing weight and keeping it off is likely to lower your cholesterol level. Being overweight or obese brings with it a strong probability that your cholesterol levels are elevated.
  • Not smoking. If you smoke, quit as soon as possible.

If your physician deems it necessary, cholesterol-lowering medications can be prescribed, but this is not a reasonable first approach.
cholesterol types
How do I increase the good cholesterol?

  • Exercising regularly (see above) is the single best way to increase your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise (e.g. via five 30-minute sessions each week) can increase HDL 5-10%
  • Lose weight: If you’re overweight or obese any amount of weight loss will help.
  • Stop smoking: Your HDL levels will increase by up to 20% after you quit smoking.
  • Eat healthy foods: Avoid trans fats and highly refined carbohydrates (e.g. white-flour products).
  • Consider medications: Specifically, niacin is the most effective HDL-raising medication available. If you’re obtaining it over-the-counter, please consult your physician or SterlingMedicalAdvice.com expert consultant regarding appropriate usage.

Do I need to get checked?

cholesterol-level

It’s a great idea for you to know your baseline cholesterol level. Get it checked. You will likely be advised to have more frequent checks if you are discovered to have any of the following:

  • Your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or higher.
  • You are a man older than age 45 or a woman older than age 50 it’s a must, although The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that adults aged 20 years or older have their cholesterol checked every 5 years.
  • Your HDL cholesterol is lower than 40 mg/dL.
  • You have other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Erectile Dysfunction, Part Two – Causes

In my last post on erectile dysfunction (ED), I gave a simplistic way to understand and address it.  However, the truth of the matter is the overwhelming majority of cases of ED are not related to stress or other psychological issues.  First, some sense of ‘reasonable’, expected performance should be established, especially as one ages (as discussed here).  Beyond that, you should know that approximately 90% of ED cases involve an underlying medical concern, including, but not limited to, the following:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

Changes/disease to your blood vessels

Low testosterone

Kidney disease

Smoking

Alcohol and Drug abuse

Obesity and High cholesterol

Effects of your medications

erectile-dysfunction

Therefore, today’s message is simple and brief, but I’d suggest it’s probably more important than you have previously thought. You should consult your physician if and when you or your partner’s sexual performance becomes an issue. You may actually discover something that will not only save his performance, but his life.
Finally, in the next post we will review the wide variety of treatment options for ED.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2018 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Heart Attack Recognition – Time is Tissue

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser is about heart attack recognition.

 heart attack recognition

Heart Attacks. Myocardial Infarctions. Acute Coronary Syndromes. Coronary Artery Disease. Unstable Angina. There are many names to describe one main phenomenon. Heart attacks are the most common manifestation of heart disease, the #1 cause of death in the United States. Today’s post is to heighten your sensitivity to risk factors and symptoms of a heart attack, because we’ve gotten very good at treating them—especially if you get to us in time.

Risk Factors

Who’s at risk of having a heart attack? If any of the following considerations look or sound like you, you should be especially sensitive to the symptoms I describe below. Please understand these are the rules. I also see the exceptions nearly every day.

  • Age: especially men over 45 and women over 55
  • Cocaine or amphetamine (meth) use
  • Family history of heart attacks: sibling, parents, or grandparents if their heart attacks occurred by age 65
  • High blood pressure: higher risk with obesity, smoking, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
  • High cholesterol or triglyceride levels
  • Obesity/inactivity: especially due to associations with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol
  • Smoking: including prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke

Again, if you have any of the above risk factors, your symptoms are more likely to be attributable to a heart attack. You may still have a heart attack without any of these risks.

Symptoms

How do you know if you’re having a heart attack? There’s no one-answer-fits-all response (like using FAST for strokes, which we’ll discuss in the next post). Heart attack pain comes in many varieties and is usually associated with other symptoms. What you should be aware of are the pain patterns that should prompt you to get evaluated. These may include the following:

  • Chest discomfort like pressure (something sitting on your chest), squeezing, fullness, indigestion, or just pain
  • Radiation of chest discomfort or just pain in other areas, such as one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Breaking out in a sweat
  • Racing, fluttering, or forceful beating of the heart
  • Lightheadedness up to or including blacking out

Again, you may have all of these symptoms or none of these symptoms in the face of a heart attack. We evaluate you based on the combination of your risk factors and your symptoms.

Summary

Bottom Line 1: If you have risks, symptoms and/or concerns, I’d much rather give you good news and education than give your family condolences. Get evaluated.

Bottom Line 2: I’m not discussing specific treatment options today (that’s for a future post), but remember two things:

  • Time is tissue, so the sooner you get to the Emergency Room, the more treatment options we have and the better your outcome is likely to be. This is not the disease to think, “It’ll just go away.” We can do our absolute best for you if you get to us within three hours of the start of your symptoms.
  • If and when something like this happens to me, the first thing I’m doing on my way the hospital is taking an aspirin.

As per routine, the combination of adequate prevention and prompt symptom recognition are key. I hope you share this with your families, especially those at immediate risk.

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, as a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright ©2013- 2019 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Erectile Dysfunction, Part Two – Causes

In my last post on erectile dysfunction (ED), I gave a simplistic way to understand and address it.  However, the truth of the matter is the overwhelming majority of cases of ED are not related to stress or other psychological issues.  First, some sense of ‘reasonable’, expected performance should be established, especially as one ages (as discussed here).  Beyond that, you should know that approximately 90% of ED cases involve an underlying medical concern, including, but not limited to, the following:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

Changes/disease to your blood vessels

Low testosterone

Kidney disease

Smoking

Alcohol and Drug abuse

Obesity and High cholesterol

Effects of your medications

erectile-dysfunction

Therefore, today’s message is simple and brief, but I’d suggest it’s probably more important than you have previously thought. You should consult your physician if and when you or your partner’s sexual performance becomes an issue. You may actually discover something that will not only save his performance, but his life.
Finally, in the next post we will review the wide variety of treatment options for ED.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress
 

Straight, No Chaser: Erectile Dysfunction, Part Two – Causes

Causes-of-Erectile-Dysfunction-ED-Treament-Today
In my last post on erectile dysfunction (ED), I gave a simplistic way to understand and address it.  However, the truth of the matter is the overwhelming majority of cases of ED are not related to stress or other psychological issues.  First, some sense of ‘reasonable’, expected performance should be established, especially as one ages (as discussed here).  Beyond that, you should know that approximately 90% of ED cases involve an underlying medical concern, including, but not limited to, the following:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

Changes/disease to your blood vessels

Low testosterone

Kidney disease

Smoking

Alcohol and Drug abuse

Obesity and High cholesterol

Effects of your medications

erectile-dysfunction

Therefore, today’s message is simple and brief, but I’d suggest it’s probably more important than you have previously thought. You should consult your physician if and when you or your partner’s sexual performance becomes an issue. You may actually discover something that will not only save his performance, but his life.
Finally, in the next post we will review the wide variety of treatment options for ED.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Heart Attack Recognition – Time is Tissue

 MIrecog

Heart Attacks. Myocardial Infarctions. Acute Coronary Syndromes. Coronary Artery Disease. Unstable Angina. There are many names to describe one main phenomenon. Heart attacks are the most common manifestation of heart disease, the #1 cause of death in the United States. Today’s post is to heighten your sensitivity to risk factors and symptoms of a heart attack, because we’ve gotten very good at treating them—especially if you get to us in time.
Risk Factors
Who’s at risk of having a heart attack? If any of the following considerations look or sound like you, you should be especially sensitive to the symptoms I describe below. Please understand these are the rules. I also see the exceptions nearly every day.

  • Age: especially men over 45 and women over 55
  • Cocaine or amphetamine (meth) use
  • Family history of heart attacks: sibling, parents, or grandparents if their heart attacks occurred by age 65
  • High blood pressure: higher risk with obesity, smoking, diabetes, or high cholesterol.
  • High cholesterol or triglyceride levels
  • Obesity/inactivity: especially due to associations with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol
  • Smoking: including prolonged exposure to second-hand smoke

Again, if you have any of the above risk factors, your symptoms are more likely to be attributable to a heart attack. You may still have a heart attack without any of these risks.
Symptoms
How do you know if you’re having a heart attack? There’s no one-answer-fits-all response (like using FAST for strokes, which we’ll discuss in the next post). Heart attack pain comes in many varieties and is usually associated with other symptoms. What you should be aware of are the pain patterns that should prompt you to get evaluated. These may include the following:

  • Chest discomfort like pressure (something sitting on your chest), squeezing, fullness, indigestion, or just pain
  • Radiation of chest discomfort or just pain in other areas, such as one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Breaking out in a sweat
  • Racing, fluttering, or forceful beating of the heart
  • Lightheadedness up to or including blacking out

Again, you may have all of these symptoms or none of these symptoms in the face of a heart attack. We evaluate you based on the combination of your risk factors and your symptoms.
Bottom Line 1: If you have risks, symptoms and/or concerns, I’d much rather give you good news and education than give your family condolences. Get evaluated.
Bottom Line 2: I’m not discussing specific treatment options today (that’s for a future post), but remember two things:

  • Time is tissue, so the sooner you get to the Emergency Room, the more treatment options we have and the better your outcome is likely to be. This is not the disease to think, “It’ll just go away.” We can do our absolute best for you if you get to us within three hours of the start of your symptoms.
  • If and when something like this happens to me, the first thing I’m doing on my way the hospital is taking an aspirin.

As per routine, the combination of adequate prevention and prompt symptom recognition are key. I hope you share this with your families, especially those at immediate risk.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, AmazonBarnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2015 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Erectile Dysfunction, Part Two – Causes

Causes-of-Erectile-Dysfunction-ED-Treament-Today
In my last post on erectile dysfunction (ED), I gave a simplistic way to understand and address it.  However, the truth of the matter is the overwhelming majority of cases of ED are not related to stress or other psychological issues.  First, some sense of ‘reasonable’, expected performance should be established, especially as one ages (as discussed here).  Beyond that, you should know that approximately 90% of ED cases involve an underlying medical concern, including, but not limited to, the following:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

Changes/disease to your blood vessels

Low testosterone

Kidney disease

Smoking

Alcohol and Drug abuse

Obesity and High cholesterol

Effects of your medications

Therefore, today’s message is simple and brief, but I’d suggest it’s probably more important than you have previously thought. You should consult your physician if and when you or your partner’s sexual performance becomes an issue. You may actually discover something that will not only save his performance, but his life.
Finally, in the next post we will review the wide variety of treatment options for ED.
Copyright © 2015 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Cholesterol Awareness

cholerestor awareness month

Most people know just enough about cholesterol to be able to do something about it should they choose. Still, seventy-one million American adults have abnormally high cholesterol, but only one-third of that total has the condition appropriately managed. In observance of National Cholesterol Education Month, consider getting your cholesterol screened. Why, you might ask? A high blood cholesterol level is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and stroke—two leading causes of death and two diseases that can strike without warning. If you’re serious about being healthy, you have to consider maintaining normal cholesterol levels. This Straight, No Chaser answers some frequently asked questions about cholesterol and tells you what you need to know, what you need to do and how that can make a difference in your lives.
Just what is cholesterol?
cholesterol label
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that your body needs to strengthen cell membranes and form steroids the body uses. Dietary cholesterol is mainly derived from animal fats.
How does cholesterol affect my health?

cholesterol MI CVA

When you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can build up on the walls of your arteries and form blockages.

  • Blockage of arteries that supply the heart itself can lead to heart disease, including a heart attack.
  • Blockage of arteries that supply the brain can cause a stroke.
  • Blockage of arteries that supply the legs can cause peripheral artery disease.

Aren’t there different types of cholesterol? Is this important?

cholesterol hdl ldl

You will commonly hear of two types of cholesterol: LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) and HDL (the “good” cholesterol).

  • LDL cholesterol contributes to thick, hard substance known as plaque. Plaque can stiffen and clog arteries, resulting in reduced blood supply to the artery’s destination. This is called atherosclerosis and explains much of how hearts attack, strokes and peripheral artery disease develop.
  • HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries and carries it to the liver for elimination from the body. As such, it is protective against heart attacks and strokes; low HDL levels have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.
  • It stands to reason that you want to maintain relatively higher HDL levels and lower LDL levels.

How do I lower the bad cholesterol?

Cholesterol-Education-Month-480x330

It’s all about diet, exercise and better choices (or if you like A-B-C, try “Avoid tobacco, Be more active, Choose good nutrition.”

  • Eating a healthy diet. If you remember to associate the word “saturated” with the word “fat”, remember this becomes easy. Saturated fats and trans fats tend to raise “bad” cholesterol levels (known as LDL), so avoid these. Polyunsaturated fats can actually lower blood cholesterol levels. Additionally, eating fiber also can help lower cholesterol (in addition to keeping your bowel movement more regular).
  • Exercising regularly. The Surgeon General recommends that adults engage in moderate-intensity exercise for 2 hours and 30 minutes every week. Check this Straight, No Chaser for what moderate-intensity exercise is.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight. Losing weight and keeping it off is likely to lower your cholesterol level. Being overweight or obese brings with it a strong probability that your cholesterol levels are elevated.
  • Not smoking. If you smoke, quit as soon as possible.

If your physician deems it necessary, cholesterol-lowering medications can be prescribed, but this is not a reasonable first approach.
cholesterol types
How do I increase the good cholesterol?

  • Exercising regularly (see above) is the single best way to increase your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. Moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise (e.g. via five 30-minute sessions each week) can increase HDL 5-10%
  • Lose weight: If you’re overweight or obese any amount of weight loss will help.
  • Stop smoking: Your HDL levels will increase by up to 20% after you quit smoking.
  • Eat healthy foods: Avoid trans fats and highly refined carbohydrates (e.g. white-flour products).
  • Consider medications: Specifically, niacin is the most effective HDL-raising medication available. If you’re obtaining it over-the-counter, please consult your physician or SterlingMedicalAdvice.com expert consultant regarding appropriate usage.

Do I need to get checked?

cholesterol-level

It’s a great idea for you to know your baseline cholesterol level. Get it checked. You will likely be advised to have more frequent checks if you are discovered to have any of the following:

  • Your total cholesterol is 200 mg/dL or higher.
  • You are a man older than age 45 or a woman older than age 50 it’s a must, although The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that adults aged 20 years or older have their cholesterol checked every 5 years.
  • Your HDL cholesterol is lower than 40 mg/dL.
  • You have other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what 844-SMA-TALK and http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offer. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress.

From the Health Library of SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: What is high cholesterol?

fatchol-718351

Hypercholesterolemia (aka high cholesterol), is a condition in which your blood cholesterol level is higher than normal. High cholesterol by itself has no symptoms. Unfortunately, over time, cholesterol may stick to the inside of blood vessels, resulting in clogged arteries, heart disease, and stroke. Many of you are familiar with the many different factors that can lead to high cholesterol, including a high-fat diet, lack of exercise, heredity and excess weight.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Heart Attack Recognition – Time is Tissue

 MIrecog

Heart Attacks. Myocardial Infarctions. Acute Coronary Syndromes. Coronary Artery Disease. Unstable Angina. There are many names to describe one main phenomenon. Heart attacks are the most common manifestation of heart disease, the #1 cause of death in the U.S. Today’s post is to heighten your sensitivity to risk factors and symptoms of a heart attack, because we’ve gotten very good at treating them—especially if you get to us in time.
Risk Factors
Who’s at risk of having a heart attack? If any of the following considerations look or sound like you, you should be especially sensitive to the symptoms I describe below. Please understand these are the rules. I also see the exceptions nearly every day.

  • Age: especially men over 45 and women over 55
  • Cocaine or amphetamine (meth) use
  • Family history of heart attacks: sibling, parents, or grandparents if their heart attacks occurred by age 65
  • High blood pressure: higher risk with obesity, smoking, diabetes, or high cholesterol[J1]
  • High cholesterol or triglyceride levels
  • Obesity/inactivity: especially due to associations with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol
  • Smoking: including prolonged exposure to second hand smoke

Again, if you have any of the above risk factors, your symptoms are more likely to be attributable to a heart attack. You may still have a heart attack without any of these risks.
Symptoms
How do you know if you’re having a heart attack? There’s no one-answer-fits-all response (like using FAST for strokes[J2] ). Heart attack pain comes in many varieties and is usually associated with other symptoms. What you should be aware of are the pain patterns that should prompt you to get evaluated. These may include the following:

  • Chest discomfort like pressure (something sitting on your chest), squeezing, fullness, indigestion, or just pain
  • Radiation of chest discomfort or just pain in other areas, such as one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Breaking out in a sweat
  • Racing, fluttering, or forceful beating of the heart
  • Lightheadedness up to or including blacking out

Again, you may have all of these symptoms or none of these symptoms in the face of a heart attack. We evaluate you based on the combination of your risk factors and your symptoms.
Bottom Line 1: If you have risks, symptoms and/or concerns, I’d much rather give you good news and education than give your family condolences. Get evaluated.
Bottom Line 2: I’m not discussing specific treatment options today (that’s for a future post), but remember two things:

  • Time is tissue, so the sooner you get to the Emergency Room, the more treatment options we have and the better your outcome is likely to be. This is not the disease to think, “It’ll just go away.” We can do our absolute best for you if you get to us within three hours of the start of your symptoms.
  • If and when something like this happens to me, the first thing I’m doing on my way the hospital is taking an aspirin.

As per routine, the combination of adequate prevention and prompt symptom recognition are key. I hope you share this with your families, especially those at immediate risk.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Erectile Dysfunction, Part Two – Causes

Causes-of-Erectile-Dysfunction-ED-Treament-Today
In my last post on erectile dysfunction (ED), I gave a simplistic way to understand and address it.  However, the truth of the matter is the overwhelming majority of cases of ED are not related to stress or other psychological issues.  First, some sense of ‘reasonable’, expected performance should be established, especially as one ages (as discussed here).  Beyond that, you should know that approximately 90% of ED cases involve an underlying medical concern, including, but not limited to, the following:

Diabetes

High blood pressure

Changes/disease to your blood vessels

Low testosterone

Kidney disease

Smoking

Alcohol and Drug abuse

Obesity and High cholesterol

Effects of your medications

Therefore, today’s message is simple and brief, but I’d suggest it’s probably more important than you have previously thought. You should consult your physician if and when you or your partner’s sexual performance becomes an issue. You may actually discover something that will not only save his performance, but his life.
Finally, in the next post we will review the wide variety of treatment options for ED.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress