Lower back pain

Don't know what it is about the holiday season but for the fourth year in a row I have 'done' my lower back in. I know I have lower back degeneration around the L3/4 level and disc space narrowing issues around the L5/S1 but I try to do maintenance on my back including physio to try and avoid problems but for whatever reason I seem to always have a problem at this time of year.

I take chondroitin and glucosamine daily which I believe has helped, I do regular exercises and as I said above I see a physio for maintenance but I still manage to have this problem. Guess my TENS machine will be working overtime to help alleviate the pain.

I also use a magnetic back belt which I find can be useful when I wear it around the house and if I am out.

In 2011 my physio sent me for an xray and this is the report. Might be time to have another one I think to see what is going on.

Got your attention now?

Got your attention now? Good. Now talk to your wife, partner, lover, sister, daughter, niece, etc. and suggest they get a mammogram especially if there is a history of breast/ovarian cancer in the family or if they are over 40 or just to be on the safe side.

http://www.astrazeneca-us.com/responsibility/astrazeneca-healthcare-foundation/national-breast-cancer-awareness-month

And for you men with 'man boobs' remember, breast cancer is not unheard of in males!!!

Holiday check list

As we come into the Xmas/New Year Holiday period, I always pull out my check-list to make sure I am ready for the silly season knowing full well that some of the people I might need to see over late December and into January might be away on holidays. This list includes:

- Cardiologist - saw in November and all good but probably need angiogram in new year

- Diabetes clinic - checked and sugars in order

- Sleep Clinic re: apnoea - seen early Dec. referred to Respiratory clinic May, 2015

- Full blood test - done and all good except for iron levels

- Dentist - check

- Physio for back - check currently seeing weekly

- GP - to update and get scripts, done Monday

- Podiatrist - done Tuesday, all good

- Chemist - done yesterday, filled 15 scripts and got blood glucose test strips insulin needles

Now I am ready for the holiday season....

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

Happy to be celebrating my 8th Chanukah/Xmas/New Year's thanks to these great people who all contributed to saving my life following a massive heart attack in July, 2014 - Katherine and Brad, the paramedics who got to me in time to resuscitate me the first time I crashed, Dr Atifur Rahman who managed to stent me while I was still arresting on the table in the Cath Lab and Dr Masashi Ura who carried out the triple bypass.

Katherine and Brad

 Dr Rahman

Dr Ura

Breathing Issues

For as long as I can remember, I have had issues with breathing. When I was young I would constantly have a blocked nose/sinus problems and from a very young age started using nasal sprays, decongestants with anti-histamines to alleviate the problem.

I used to think that possibly my issues were related to hay fever or pollens in the air but that really did not account for my having the blocked nose problem at any given time of the year, winter, spring, summer or autumn/fall.

At one stage I did those pin prick tests for allergies with nothing of significance being detected. On another occasion I thought I might have a deviated septum although I never really got that checked out. I was told my condition was not related to asthma.

I used to surf a lot and found that the salt water tended to help. I can remember as a child my mother giving me inhalations which also tended to help. However, the problem never really went away.

As I grew older I would depend more and more on my nasal spray and never left home or traveled without it. I was warned many times not to use the spray more than 5-7 days in a row but I guess it would be fair to say that fell on death ears given this was usually the only way I could get relief and fall asleep.

At age 21 I took up smoking which no doubt more than likely only aggravated the problem.

This went on for years, through my teens, when I moved from Sydney to Melbourne and then later to Israel where even there I still had the same problem although it must be said the problem seemed to diminish somewhat living in Jerusalem where the heat is a lot drier and there was significantly less humidity.

On returning to Melbourne, Australia a number of years later the problem continued although with hindsight I can say that in Melbourne the problem seemed to have less impact as it did when I lived in Melbourne previously - possibly due to the fact there is less humidity there and the summer heat tends to be drier as compared to Sydney.

So life continued. I left Melbourne after a family breakup, moved back to Sydney where humidity can be horrendous and the blocked nose problem continued. Then later I moved to the Gold Coast in Queensland where the weather is tropical and with it comes high humidity. And the nose problem continued, and probably worsened.

I found my greatest relief would come from air-conditioning with cooler air and some of the moisture being taken out of the air.

Life continued with me smoking and using a nasal decongestant spray just about everyday.

Then in 2007 I had a massive heart attack. Whether the fact that I had Graves Disease and later was diagnosed with T2 diabetes contributed to the heart attack, I can only guess with an answer of YES! Whether smoking contributed? well I can only comment that I am sure it did.

Did my having many interrupted nights of sleep due to breathing issues contribute to my heart event, with hindsight and having read up on this since my heart attack, I am convinced that there was a relationship.

Through all this I continued to use a nasal decongestant spray although I should add the night of my heart attack I gave up smoking and have not had one since!

After my heart attack I had issues with anxiety and panic attacks and many times found I was struggling to breathe, to take oxygen in into my lungs. I was told that this was common for people like me who had had a heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery - nice to hear but didn't really solve the problem. As these attacks seemed to present mostly at night when I went to bed and would often prevent me from falling to sleep, I took to taking half a valium tablet which seemed to help.

I also had issues with going into a lift, especially if it was full, and would experience panic attacks in these situations.

In the first couple of years after my bypass surgery I did a couple of lung function tests to determine if there was a problem there. None were found. My medications were checked to see if possibly they might be causing a problem.

I was sent up to Brisbane to do a V02 Max test to check my lung capacity and again, no issue was found. Thoughts of COPD went through my mind but I was told this was not a concern.

VO2 Max Test

At some stage I was put on an inhaler called Symbicort 400 which it must be said seemed to improve my oxygen intake and after a year or so I stopped taking this as my lung issue seemed to have resolved itself. As this problem disappeared so did the incidence of anxiety attacks seem to lessen.

It would be fair to say that my lung issue, the actual taking in of breath was now no longer an issue although on occasion it would crop up again and I would use the Symbicort and it would resolve itself within a few days.

Whilst this was going on I was still using a nasal decongestant spray just about every night and sometimes during the day.

Now, over seven years after my heart attack my breathing issues have definitely deteriorated and the nasal decongestant spray is virtually of no assistance. I again started having issues lying down to go to sleep and struggled to breathe through my nose and on occasion would have panic attacks again and sometimes have trouble getting oxygen into my lungs. I bought some nose cones on eBay which helped having tried nose strips before this with minimal success.

Last year, after a two year wait to see an ENT specialist, I saw a doctor who determined that I have turbinate hypertrophy, a not unusual condition in older people and that surgery maybe indicated if the condition worsens. He put me on a steroid spray (Nasonex) and for eleven months I used this and a saline nasal spray to help with my problem. During this period I did not use a nasal decongestant spray but that changed about six weeks ago when I just couldn't cope anymore but it must be said the decongestants spray is having virtually no effect anymore.

Earlier this year I did a sleep test which determined I have mild sleep apnoea. I did a follow-up test to see if one of those machines would help but was unable to complete the test due to having a panic attack trying to sleep with the mask over my face.

I was referred to our hospital's sleep clinic and last month saw a specialist there and am now waiting for an appointment at the respiratory clinic which is scheduled for May next year with a view to ascertaining my issue and the impact it is having on my heart and diabetes - surgery is on the cards.

In the meantime I am struggling at night, sometimes taking a valium to at least get some sleep and all the time worrying about the impact the lack of quality sleep is having on my diabetes which no doubt is impacting on my heart and possibly contributing to some of my angina issues.

I decided to write the above after yet again another night of interrupted sleep seeing me get up at 3.30am in the morning with breathing issues. Thought it relevant to put down in writing what I have been dealing with for months, years knowing that I can not be the only person who has these issues to contend with on a day to day basis.

Driving Safe With Diabetes

You wouldn’t think it, but diabetes and driving can be a dangerous mix. Diabetes can bring us surprises, but when it comes to these surprises while you’re driving, not being prepared can be costly.

Watch as these diabetics talk about their unexpected hypoglycemic episodes while on the road, causing them now to think twice about what they need in case of a diabetes emergency before they get behind the wheel. Listen as they off tips on driving safely with diabetes.

Courtesy of: http://blog.thediabetessite.com/driving-safe-with-diabetes/#qYqk0R4jkwU0imtA.99

Cardiac Rehab Xmas Get Together

This morning I am off to a coffee morning at our local cardiac rehab unit where staff and current/past clients have been invited for a pre-Xmax get together. Will be nice to catch up with the staff including some of those who run the physical education classes and who were there when I did the programme in 2007 - I don't always get to see them when I come in to give my six weekly talk.

‘Heart disease doesn’t look like anything’

STORIES FROM THE HEART: Mother of 8 who collapsed in church warns others: ‘Heart disease doesn’t look like anything’.

Have to share this from the American Heart Association's blog - blog.heart.org

"Cynthia Essex knew something wasn’t right that Sunday morning before church.

Getting out of bed was a struggle. Exhaustion persisted as she showered and got dressed. To top it off, Cynthia, who loves her assortment of shoes, didn’t care which pair she put on.

Cynthia pressed on, figuring she was just worn out. After all, she’s a wife and working mother of eight children ranging in age from 11 to 27.

“Something would be wrong with me if I wasn’t tired,” she joked.

During the service, she began feeling worse. She gave her son her offering envelope, excused herself and made her way toward the door. As she passed an usher friend and reached the front steps of the sanctuary, Cynthia started to collapse.

The usher caught her and other friends and family quickly gathered around. Her husband, Levi, wondered if Cynthia was just hungry, but he had panic in his voice. A nurse friend said Cynthia felt cold and clammy.

Cynthia had trouble speaking, but many thoughts raced through her head. She worried about her kids seeing her ill. Keeping with her sense of humor, she worried that her dress was out of place and “who would see what.”

And, she had this realization:

“I remember thinking: I can’t die. I have too much to do. I have purpose in my life.”"

***

Cynthia was taken to a hospital, where doctors weren’t sure what had happened. She had no obvious conditions such as high blood pressure and was a seemingly healthy woman in her 40s with no notable family history of heart trouble.

Medical workers asked lots of questions and ran tests. Already, her sense of humor was showing again. When asked the routine question of whether she used illegal drugs, Cynthia said that’s not how she spends her money.

“I like shoes,” she quipped.

She was in the hospital four days before leaving with awearable defibrillator, which monitors the heart and checks for abnormal rhythms.

Physicians attributed her episode to an enlarged heart, which actually had shown up in medical tests a few days earlier when she sought treatment for shortness of breath and tiredness. The enlarged heart prevents the proper closure of her heart valves. Cynthia only later told her children of the seriousness of her situation, explaining that it is a form of congestive heart failure.

That frightening Sunday morning of June 9, 2013, caused Cynthia to make some lifestyle changes.

She no longer wears the defibrillator and is back at work as an administrator at Saginaw Valley State University, but she takes blood pressure medicine and watches her weight and salt intake, to be safe. Some days she needs rest. When planning a trip to an amusement park about three months after her hospitalization, her doctor warned her not to ride a roller coaster. It was “a temporary low point,” she said.

***

Most of the time, though, Cynthia is upbeat. She’s even found time to become a volunteer with the American Heart Association.

She shares her story in motivational speeches and tells others that “heart disease doesn’t look like anything,” that it can affect even those who seem perfectly healthy.

“It really shook me, and I would tell you it’s probably the greatest thing that ever happened to me,” Cynthia said. “Life is too precious to do nothing, so I’ve told my story everywhere I’m invited. … My message is hope.”

In February, she was one of the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women spokespeople in the Saginaw, Michigan, area. She also spoke at her community’s Heart Walk in May.

Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States, and Cynthia urges women to join her in listening to their bodies and eating healthy.

“I appreciate life. I appreciate people. I appreciate the chance to get a redo,” she said. “What you do for people comes back to you.”

Photos courtesy of Cynthia Essex

Read original story here: http://blog.heart.org/stories-heart-mother-8/

If in doubt see your cardiologist/specialist

Time and again posts are put up on any one of a number of heart support groups I am member of on Facebook asking for medical advice. A short time ago I came across this question from a member on one such group:

"General question. I had my bypass 6 months ago but just recently my leg is swelling up considerably so I wondered has anyone else had this?"

My response was: "Is it the leg you might of had a graft taken from for the bypass? Whatever the case, you should get it looked at asap - internet 'doctor's like us can't diagnose and certainly can't advise, only a professional or your specialist can so would be seeing him/her asap".

**********

While I am a strong believer in the benefits of people joining a support group and sharing concerns, asking questions and giving support, time and again members can be found asking for advice for a medical issue.

When I see this I usually respond that for medical advice people should be seeing their specialist or family doctor since generally speaking, none of us in the group in question is a medical person qualified to give competent medical advice.

Diabetes Basics: What Is Diabetes?

What a Cool Animation! Tells You Everything You Need to Know About The Basics of Diabetes

Just in case you needed to know, here are the basics about diabetes.

If you or a loved one has just received a diagnosis, this video is a great place to begin learning about what it all means. Terms like “insulin” and “blood-glucose” levels can be confusing if you don’t know their role in the body. Learn about the process of turning sugar into energy — which is often disrupted in people with diabetes — watch the video below!

Produced by the American Diabetes Association.

Read more at: http://blog.thediabetessite.com/diabetes-the-basics/#eeReAYbyPbMwrUUM.99

Cancer Awareness - No Boundaries

It doesn't matter who or what you are, this evil disease has no boundaries.

Having been touched by cancer via my wife I can relate to this.

Girl:Boy

Young:Old
Rich:Poor

Nan:Pop

Mum:Dad

Sister:Brother

Daughter:Son

Aunty:Uncle

Neice:Nephew

Friend:Foe

Black:White

Yellow:Brown

Tall:Short

Fat:Skinny

Famous:Infamous

Healthy:Unhealthy

No Boundaries!!!

You Don't Look Sick

Cardiac Rehab Talk - May, 2012.

In 2008, a year after my heart attack and bypass surgery, I was invited by our local cardiac rehab unit to share my recovery experience with others doing the rehab program. After my first presentation, I was asked to come back and give my talk on a regular basis and have been doing so ever since - at my time of posting this, it is December, 2014.

In my talks, I cover issues I had to deal with including depression, anxiety and changing my lifestyle. In this video presentation which is a recording of one my talks coupled with photos taken over the years since my heart attack you will get an idea of some of the material I cover in each talk including:

• assessing my lifestyle and making changes
• dealing with stress, exercise and poor diet
• coping with depression and anxiety
• the role of cardiac rehab in my recovery process - turning 'negatives' into 'positives'
• finding a new hobby - in my case getting involved in helping my wife look after injured wildlife and adopting birds
• rediscovering an old hobby, that of photography (some photos included in this video)
• volunteering - becoming involved in spreading the awareness of CVD, Heart Attack and Diabetes in the community including creating bumper stickers and T shirts to help spread the message.

Talk given in May, 2012

Please feel free to share this video with others.

It should be noted that topics can vary from talk to talk depending on circumstances and the time available to me and with this in mind I am listing links to two other talks to provide a better overview of the topics I cover.

Cardiac Rehab Talk, Oct. 2010 - Recovering from a Heart Attack and Dealing with Depression:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZNX5oCdhO0&index=6&list=PLEBBB26999588AD14

Cardiac Rehab Talk, Sep. 2011 - Recovering from a Heart Attack and Dealing with Depression:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdEHO6VqyHg&index=7&list=PLEBBB26999588AD14

These are some items I have created to promote the awareness of CVD, Heart Attack and Diabetes in the community:

More of these items can be found at www.heartattackstore.com.

Cheers.

Dani

The Need to Exercise

I posted this on April 21, 2012 as a 'note' on my Facebook page and feel this is as relevant today as it was two and a half years ago when I first posted it.

**********

Having checked my weight earlier this week and seeing it had blown out to 100.8kg I realised I needed to do something, and do it soon, about my weight gain in recent months.

At the time of my heart attack in July, 2007 my weight was around 95kg and thru diet and exercise changes after my bypass, I was able to get it down to 85-87kg and was able to keep it at that level until early in 2011 when I started on insulin due to my diabetes worsening.

Within 2-3 months I was back up to 90kg and in July, 2011 I started on a second insulin. By October/November, 2011 my weight was back up to 95+kg, my heart attack level.

When I queried my weight gain at one of my regular reviews at the diabetes clinic at our local hospital I was advised that insulin can result in weight gain – would have been nice to have been told this when I started on insulin, not months later.

And during the period since starting on insulin, my diet and exercise regime had not changed – in fact, when I noticed my weight was increasing shortly after commencing on insulin and before being told insulin could cause weight gain, I had increased my daily walking from 30 mins a day to 30+ mins twice daily but still the weight kept increasing.

About two months ago, I had an issue with my left heel. When I saw my podiatrist he commented that more than likely it was something called 'plantar fasciitis' and the best thing for this was to rest the foot and do some heel exercises which he gave me. Dutifully I did this, the pain was excruciating at times making it very hard indeed to walk on and resulting in my needing to take a pain killer like Tramadol. So for a couple of weeks I did very little walking and then slowly started to do a bit more but without any vigour as the pain was still there.

Then early this week I weighed myself and found I was now over 100kg and I realised I needed to do something about this NOW!!!

When I came out of hospital after my heart attack and bypass surgery and after being given the all clear to start exercising, I pulled out a piece of exercise equipment I had not used for years called an Airofit Air Walker – it is very low impact and allows you to control how much energy you want to exert and the intensity of your time on the equipment.

Well I used that piece of equipment just about every day until around the end of 2010 when it literally fell apart so we discarded it and instead I started doing my 30 mins a day walking. So when my left foot started playing up I started looking on eBay and Gumtree and in our local paper for another Airofit Walker and yesterday we found a second hand one in very good condition for $20.00 – from memory we paid $199.00 for ours new in 2002.

Airofit Walker

Well talk about a duck taking to water, I jumped on board it yesterday afternoon and did 40+ mins and again this morning did another 30+ mins and had sweat pouring off me probably due to my lack of conditioning and my ‘fatness’. I am confident this equipment will help me get my weight back under control.

It is my intention to use this now twice a day for at least 30 mins a day with the aim of getting my weight back under 90kg within a month and maybe even back to around 85kg within 3 months – I will keep you posted on this.

I am hopeful that if I can do this, get my weight down with increased exercise then maybe my sugar levels will improve and then just maybe I might be able to reduce some of my diabetes meds – need to live with hope these days, don’t you?

However, whatever happens, I am sure that not only will l lose some weight and possibly tone my body a bit due to the variety of exercises you can do on this machine, but also I will feel better for improving my stamina and breathing.

As they say, exercising is an essential activity everyone should be doing daily, especially those of us with a heart condition and/or diabetes but sometimes what holds us back is finding an exercise program we enjoy. Finding my $20.00 walker is doing it for me, and maybe something similar could do it for you!!!

Since first posting this in April 2012, I have amended my exercise regime to that of mainly walking, 20-30 mins in the afternoon and a similar amount in the morning when I have the time. Today, November 30, 2014 I weigh 88.7kg but I need to mention my insulin dosage has been amended and I now take a second injectable medicine for my diabetes called Byetta which is known to be an aid in weight reduction - a nice side benefit when you are a bit overweight.

Did you know that Tom Hanks has type 2 diabetes?

Tom Hanks Looks At His Type 2 Diabetes In Such A Humorous, But Inspiring Way

"We’ve said it time and time again that diabetes doesn’t make any exceptions for anyone. In an interview with David Letterman on the Late Show, Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe award-winner, Tom Hanks, announced his most recent type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Dealing with high-blood sugar levels since the age of 36, his doctor was quick to let him know that he “graduated” and now had type 2 diabetes. Finding humor and the silver lining of his diagnosis, Tom let the audience know that despite his diagnosis it’s still a controllable disease. However, it did mean he would have to “pull off a level of actorly weight control to rival Christian Bale and Robert De Niro.” Take it from Tom, you are the boss of your diabetes don’t let it dictate your life!"

Courtesy of TheDiabetesSite.com Blog

From: http://blog.thediabetessite.com/award-winning-actor-tom-hanks-diagnosed-with-type-2/#Z3kXfOoRSu2RaPkt.99

Medical Bracelets and Necklaces

For a number of years now, I have been giving talks to our local cardiac rehab unit about my heart attack and what I did  regarding changes to lifestyle, diet and exercise.

During my talks I mention that I keep a list of my medicines and what they are for in my wallet and I also talk about ICE - In Case of Emergency - which refers to making a couple of entries in your mobile/cell phone's address book which in the case of an emergency would direct first responders, paramedics or police for example, to who to call in the event that you have a medical emergency while you are out and about.

Another thing I mention, because I have a number of medical issues, is that I wear a medical alert bracelet which lists some of my issues including my have having a heart attack, have stents and have had bypass surgery, that I am on insulin for diabetes and on oroxine for my thyroid condition.

An example of a Medical Alert bracelet/necklace

I show those present my bracelet and suggest that people might want to consider wearing one of these, especially if like me, they have more than one serious health/medical condition.

I personally wear a bracelet from Medic Alert but know there are many companies out there that produce a similar product. A Google search will help find a company/supplier where you live.

This is just a thought but one worth considering in my opinion.

More information on Medic Alert products can be found here: https://www.medicalert.org.au/
(Please note I am not an agent or representative for Medic Alert).

For Healthcare Professionals: https://www.medicalert.org.au/Healthcare_Professionals

MedicAlert® can help you make a quick diagnosis or prevent incorrect medication or procedures being administered in emergency situations.

This is my bracelet:

Card with information for wallet or purse:

 Larger Card with information for fridge:

I saw my cardiologist today for a check-up/follow-up - Not believing everything you read on the internet

I saw my cardiologist today and brought up the question about an FDA warning regarding a drug interaction between Plavix and Nexium even though I was taken off my Plavix (Iscover) six or so months ago - I have been on Nexium since my heart attack and before that was on Zoton. My cardiologist said he was aware of the research/discussion about these two classes of drugs - should point out my cardiologist is an assoc. professor at our hospital which is a teaching hospital and I would suggest is pretty much up to date on medications etc. for people like me.

On reviewing my case today and in view of ongoing/increasing episodes of angina and his being fully aware of my bleeding issues and history of stomach ulcer/reflux type issues he wants me to now drop my daily aspirin and go back on Iscover and said to come back in March for a review.

I also brought up the question of changing my statin, Lipitor, to which he replied that given my combination of issues - coronary heart disease, stents and severe blockages in both carotids - he felt very strongly that with my heart history and my being T2 diabetic I should continue with Lipitor as my cholesterol levels are pretty good but bad cholesterol LDL is up a bit - in my case, he said Lipitor was my best option for my range of issues.

Now my cardiologist saved my life the night of my heart attack July, 2007 and he tended to me as I was arresting on the table as he was putting in three stents and I have full trust in him and it is on this basis that I will be guided by his directions. We talked about if my angina episodes continue and increase in number and intensity and if my GTN spray after two shots doesn't work to get myself to hospital asap as I did in May with a view another troponin test and angiography/angiogram. He will review me in March at which time there is a good possibility I will have an angiogram anyway if I have not had one between now and then and if I am still having angina episodes.

I guess it is fair to say that you can not rely on what is reported on the internet and that outcomes from research may not always apply to everyone and that at the end of the day you need to have faith, trust in your cardiologist/specialist/GP etc. and if you don't then you need to find one whom you do trust.

-----------------------------------------------

Why I Raised the Question about Plavix and Nexium?

Because it was brought up in a heart support group I am a member of on Facebook:

FDA Warns Plavix Patients of Drug Interactions - Plavix Dulled by Nexium, Prilosec, Tagamet, Prozac, Other Drugs

Read more about this article at: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20091117/fda-warns-plavix-patients-drug-interactions

Mechanical CPR is Producing Resuscitation Results Beyond Expectations

This is indeed interesting and exciting news:

"The Memphis Fire Department (MFD) and Richmond (Va.) Ambulance Authority (RAA) have a lot in common. Both services are innovators in EMS, have an enthusiastic staff that continues to implement ways to improve the care they render to their patients and both have been searching for ways to improve their resuscitation success rates.

Each also believes they’ve found that way by implementing mechanical CPR in their agency. MFD uses the Physio-Control LUCAS 2 chest compression system and RAA uses the ZOLL AutoPulse non-invasive cardiac support pump.

Though they’re using different devices, their results have been dramatic and have convinced their medical and administrative leadership that mechanical CPR offers many benefits over manual CPR, not the least of which is the ability to maintain consistent and uninterrupted CPR—a key ingredient in the successful resuscitation and discharge of patients neurologically intact from the receiving hospital.

MFD and RAA are both keenly aware that sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death among adults over the age of 40 in the United States, that approximately 424,000 people experience EMS-assessed out-of-hospital nontraumatic SCA annually (more than 1,000/day) and nine out of 10 victims currently die.

The number of people who die each year from SCA is roughly equivalent to the combined number of people who die from Alzheimer’s disease, assault with firearms, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, diabetes, HIV, house fires, motor vehicle accidents, prostate cancer and suicides combined.

SCA can be best impacted by early intervention with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation, advanced cardiac life support, therapeutic hypothermia and other measures of comprehensive post-resuscitation care.

When bystanders intervene by providing early, high-quality CPR and using automated external defibrillators (AEDs) before EMS arrives, four out of 10 victims survive.

This article will detail the path each service has taken to success in implementing mechanical CPR on their frontline ambulances."

You can read the full article by clicking on this link: http://www.jems.com/article/patient-care/mechanical-cpr-producing-resuscitation-r

The merits of mechanical CPR: http://www.jems.com/article/patient-care/merits-mechanical-cpr

World Diabetes Day - November 14

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations.

About World Diabetes Day

World Diabetes Day (WDD) is celebrated every year on November 14. The World Diabetes Day campaign is led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and its member associations. It engages millions of people worldwide in diabetes advocacy and awareness. World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes now poses. World Diabetes Day became an official United Nations Day in 2007 with the passage of United Nation Resolution 61/225. The campaign draws attention to issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. 

World Diabetes Day is a campaign that features a new theme chosen by the International Diabetes Federation each year to address issues facing the global diabetes community. While the themed campaigns last the whole year, the day itself is celebrated on November 14, to mark the birthday of Frederick Banting who, along with Charles Best, first conceived the idea which led to the discovery of insulin in 1921.

Read more about WDD here: http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday/about

Researchers at UAB Are Putting This Potential Diabetes Cure to the Test

Published on Nov 6, 2014
New research conducted at UAB has shown that the common blood pressure drug verapamil completely reverses diabetes in animal models. Now, thanks to a three-year, $2.1 million grant from the JDRF, UAB researchers will begin conducting a potentially groundbreaking clinical trial in 2015 to see if it can do the same in humans. Enrollment info and more details here: http://www.uab.edu/news/innovation/item/5508-in-human-clinical-trial-uab-to-test-drug-shown-to-completely-reverse-diabetes-in-human-islets-mice

The trial, known as “the repurposing of verapamil as a beta cell survival therapy in type 1 diabetes,” is scheduled to begin early next year and has come to fruition after more than a decade of research efforts in UAB’s Comprehensive Diabetes Center.

Verapamil, a rather common blood pressure medication, has recently reversed diabetes in mice. Thanks to a generous grant from JDRF, University of Alabama-Birmingham researchers will soon begin testing on humans with diabetes, in hopes that they can encounter similar results.

How would Verapamil reverse diabetes? View video below to find out.

Courtesy of  TheDiabetesSite.com Blog - http://blog.thediabetessite.com/verapamilcuretesting/?utm_source=social%20&utm_medium=dbsaware&utm_campaign=verapamilcuretesting&utm_term=20141112

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Mitral valve regurgitation

Last month I posted about my having on-going issues with racing, fast heart beat and arrhythmias and I mentioned that an echocardiagram earlier this year following another episode found I had mild mitral valve regurgitation. Here is a bit more information about this condition:

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Mitral valve regurgitation — or mitral regurgitation — is when your heart's mitral valve doesn't close tightly, allowing blood to flow backward in your heart. As a result, blood can't move through your heart or to the rest of your body as efficiently, making you feel tired or out of breath.

Treatment of mitral valve regurgitation — also called mitral insufficiency or mitral incompetence — depends on how severe your condition is, whether it's getting worse and whether you have symptoms. For mild cases, treatment may not be necessary.

You may need heart surgery to repair or replace the valve for severe cases. Left untreated, severe mitral valve regurgitation can cause heart failure or heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias).

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mitral-valve-regurgitation/basics/definition/con-20022644

Heart Medical Terms

The following will be of interest to anyone who has had a heart event and/or for family and carers of someone who has had a heart attack.

ACE—Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor

Medication given to reduce the workload of the Heart

AF—Atrial Fibrillation

Irregular Heart Rhythm

AMI—Acute Myocardial Infarction

Medical term for a Heart Attack

Angiogram

Procedure for examining the Coronary Arteries

Angioplasty

Procedure to stretch narrowed Coronary Arteries to improve the Blood Flow to the heart

Angina

Chest pain or breathlessness caused by lack of Blood Flow to the Heart.

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Anti-arrhythmic

Medication given to treat an Arrythmia.

Anti-platelet

Medication which prevents the Blood clotting

Arrhythmia

Medical term for irregular Heart Rhythms

ASA—Aspirin

Anti-platelet medication

ASD—Atrial Septal Defect

Small hole in the top part of the heart

Atheroma

Build up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels which restricts blood flow

Atherosclerosis

Build up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels which restricts blood flow

B-B—Beta-Blocker

Medication given to control the Heart Rate and Rhythm

BNP—Brain N Peptide

Blood enzyme which can be measured to diagnose Heart Failure (HF)

BP—Blood Pressure

Measurement of the pressure within the Arteries

Bradycardia

When the Heart Rate (HR) is slow (< 60 beats per minute)

CA—Coronary Artery

Blood vessel which supplies blood to the tissues of the heart.

CABG—Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts

Surgical treatment for severe heart disease

CAD—Coronary Artery Disease

Narrowing of the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart

Cardiac

Medical term for all things to do with the Heart

Cardiac Arrest

Emergency where the Heart stops beating

Cardiac Enzymes

Found in a blood test to diagnose a heart attack

Cardiology

Medical term for all Heart care

Cardiomyopathy

Disease of the Heart muscle which can impair its movement

CCU—Coronary Care Unit

Ward of a hospital where you would be taken with an emergency heart problem

CHD—Coronary Heart Disease

Narrowing of the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart

CHF—Chronic Heart Failure

Condition when the heart muscle is weakened and less efficient at pumping blood around the heart

Cholesterol

Fat which leads to fatty deposits in the Arteries

CK—Creatinine Kinase

A Cardiac Enzyme used to diagnose a Heart Attack

CVD—Cardiovascular Disease

Disease affecting the Heart and its circulation

CVP—Central Venous Pressure

A measure of the pressure in the internal Vessels in the body

CVS—Cardiovascular System

Describes the heart and all the blood vessels in the body

Defibrillator

Machine used to deliver an electric shock to the heart to correct abnormal fast Heart Rhythm

Diuretic

Medication used to remove excess fluid from the body in Heart Failure (HF)

ECG—Electrocardiogram

A tracing on paper of the activity of the heart of the Heart Rate and Rhythm.

ECHO—Echocardiography

An ultrasound to look at the structure and movement of the heart muscle

Embolism

A clot in a Blood Vessel

EP Studies—Electrophysiological Studies

A detailed look at Heart Rhythm.

ETT—Electrocardiogram Treadmill Test

A recording of the Heart’s Rate and Rhythm while walking on atreadmill

Heart

Muscle which pumps Blood around the body, its Rate and Rhythm are controlled by electrical conduction

Heart Attack

Damage to the heart caused by a clot in the Coronary Arteries—requires emergency treatment in hospital

HB—Heart Block

Interruption of the electrical pathway causing a slowing of the heart rate

Heart Rhythm

The regulatory rhythm with which the Heart is beating

Heart Transplant

Operation which involves replacing diseased Heart with the healthy Heart of a donor

HBP—High Blood Pressure

When the pressure within the arteries is too high

HF—Heart Failure

Condition when the heart muscle is weakened and less efficient at pumping blood around the heart

HM—Heart Manual

A manual given to patients which details their cardiac rehabilitationprogramme after heart illness.

HR—Heart Rate

The speed at which the heart is beating

Hypertension

High Blood Pressure

Hypotension

Low Blood Pressure

ICD—Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator

A device put inside the chest to correct Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) and Ventricular Fibrillation (VF).

Infarct

Area of tissue damaged by lack of blood and oxygen

IHD—Ischaemic Heart Disease

Narrowing of the coronary arteries which supply blood to the heart

MI—Myocardial Infarction

Medical term for a heart attack

Myocardium

The heart muscle

NSTEMI—Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

A ‘smaller’ Heart Attack, not requiring Thrombolysis

Pacemaker

Small electrical device implanted surgically to correct an abnormal heart rhythm

Palpitation

Small bursts of fast Heart Rhythms

PCI—Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Term for any investigation or procedure which looks at the coronary arteries

PHT—Pre-Hospital Thrombolysis

Thrombolysis given by the Scottish Ambulance Service en route to hospital.

PTCA—Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty

Procedure to stretch narrowed coronary arteries to improve the blood flow to the heart

RACP(s)—Rapid Access Chest Pain Service

System of referral from Primary Care to Secondary Care for the assessment of chest pain

Septum

The area of the Heart which divides the Atria and the Ventricles

Statin

Generic name for cholesterol lowering medications

STEMI—S-T Elevation Myocardial Infarction

A serious heart attack

Tachycardia

When the Heart Rate (HR) is fast (> 100 beats per minute)

Thrombolysis

A ‘clot busting’ drug used to dissolve a blood clot which is causing a heart attack

Thrombosis

Blockage in a blood vessel due to a blood clot

TOE—Trans-Oesphageal Endoscopy

A procedure to view the structure of the heart from the oesophagus (which leads into the stomach)

Tn I/T—Troponin I/T

A Cardiac Enzyme used to diagnose a heart attack

Valve

Controls the flow of Blood into and out of the Heart

VF—Ventricular Fibrillation

Life threatening irregular heart rhythm

VSD—Ventricular Septal Defect

Small hole in the bottom part of the heart

VT—Ventricular Tachycardia

Irregular heart rhythm (can be life threatening)

Courtesy of: http://www.chss.org.uk/voices_scotland/glossary/heart.php