Total Artificial Heart Surgery

A total artificial heart (TAH) is a device that replaces the two lower chambers of the heart. These chambers are called ventricles. You may benefit from a TAH if both of your ventricles don’t work due to end- stage heart failure.Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is damaged or weakened and can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. “End stage” means the condition has become so severe that all treatments, except heart transplant,...

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Heart Transplants

          A heart transplant is surgery to remove a person’s diseased heart and replace it with a healthy heart from a deceased donor. Ninety percent of heart transplants are done on patients who have end-stage heart failure. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart is damaged or weakened and can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. End-stage means the condition has become so severe that...

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Carotid Endarterectomy

Carotid endarterectomy, or CEA, is surgery to remove plaque from the carotid arteries. These are the two large arteries on each side of your neck. They supply oxygen-rich blood to your brain. CEA is used to prevent stroke, or “brain attack,” in people who have carotid artery disease. Carotid artery disease occurs when plaque builds up in the carotid arteries.Plaque is made up of fat, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances found in the blood....

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Getting Back into Your Life after a Heart Attack

How soon can I return to my regular activities? The amount of activity you can do after a heart attack will be based on the condition of your heart. Your doctor will work with you to develop a recovery plan. Most people can return to work and the activities they enjoy within a few months of having a heart attack. Others may have to limit their activity if the heart muscle is very weak.You will need to start slowly. For the first few days after your...

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Post stroke Rehabilitation

        In the United States more than 700,000 people suffer a stroke each year, and approximately two thirds of these individuals survive and require rehabilitation. The goals of rehabilitation are to help survivors become as independent as possible and to attain the best possible quality of life. Even though rehabilitation does not “cure” stroke in that it does not reverse brain damage, rehabilitation can substantially...

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The Future of Cardiovascular Disorder Treatment: Stem Cell Research

American Heart Association (AHA) PolicyThe American Heart Association funds meritorious research involving human adult stem cells as part of our scientific research grant program. We do not fund any research involving stem cells derived from human embryos or fetal tissue. The American Heart Association recognizes the value of all types of stem cell research and supports federal funding of this research. We are committed to supporting medical and...

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(7) Preventing Disease and Regaining Cardiovascular Health

The Importance of a Healthy WeightBeing overweight or obese increases your risk for many diseases and conditions. The more you weigh, the more likely you are to suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, and certain cancers. On the other hand, a healthy weight has many benefits: It helps you to lower your risk for developing these problems, helps you to feel good about yourself, and gives you more...

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Physical Activity and Heart Health

Physical ActivityPhysical activity is any body movement that works your muscles and uses more energy than you use when you’re resting. Walking, running, dancing, swimming, yoga, and gardening are examples of physical activity.According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ “2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,” physical activity generally refers to bodily movement that enhances health. Exercise is a type of physical activity...

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Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health

What Is Heart-Healthy Eating? Excerpted from “Heart Healthy Eating,” by the Office of Women’s Health (www.womenshealth.gov), January 1, 2008.Why do I need to be concerned about heart healthy eating?      What you eat affects your risk for having heart disease and poor blood circulation, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Heart disease is the number one killer and stroke is the number three killer of American women and men.In...

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Lower Blood Pressure with the DASH Eating Plan

What you eat affects your chances of developing high blood pressure (hypertension). Research shows that high blood pressure can be prevented—and lowered—by following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, which includes eating less salt and sodium. High blood pressure, which is blood pressure higher than 140/90 mmHg [millimeters of mercury], affects more than 65 million—or one out of every three—American adults. Another 59...

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What is a calorie?

What is a calorie? When talking about a calorie in food, it is a measure of the energy that the food supplies to your body. When talking about burning calories during physical activity, a calorie is a measure of the energy used by your body. To maintain the same body weight, the number of food calories you eat during the day should be about the same as the number of calories your body uses. The number of calories you should eat each day depends on...

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Other Lifestyle Changes

Making other lifestyle changes while following the DASH eating plan is the best way to prevent and control high blood pressure.Lose Weight, If Necessary, while Following DASHDASH is rich in lower calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables, so it can easily be changed to support weight loss. You can reduce calories even more by replacing higher calorie foods, such as sweets, with more fruits and vegetables.The best way to take off pounds is to do...

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Dietary Supplements and Cardiovascular Health

Omega-3 Fatty Acids“Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids,” reprinted with permission.© 2009 American Heart Association, Inc. (www.americanheart.org).American Heart Association (AHA) RecommendationOmega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of—or who have—cardiovascular disease. We recommend eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times a week. Fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated...

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Cardiovascular Benefits of Fish Oil Canceled by High-Fat Diet

Study highlights: • In an animal study of heart failure, fish oil supplementation was helpful to animals on a low-fat diet, but not to those on a high-fat diet.• Researchers think that a high-fat diet may block the heart cells’ ability to absorb the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil. Fish oil (EPA & DHA [eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid]) supplementation helped the heart when paired with a low-fat diet, but not when added to a high...

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Garlic and Cholesterol

From “Garlic for LDL Cholesterol,” National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM, www.nccam.nih.gov), part of the National Institutes of Health, 2007.  LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is widely known as “bad cholesterol” and is believed to be a leading contributor to heart dis-ease. This 2007 study’s results cast doubt on garlic’s effectiveness in lowering LDL cholesterol levels in adults with moderately high cholesterol. Dr....

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Vitamin D and Heart Disease

“Lack of vitamin D may increase heart disease risk,” reprinted with permission. © 2009 American Heart Association, Inc. (www.americanheart.org).  The same vitamin D deficiency that can result in weak bones now has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Framing ham Heart Study researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association [2008].“Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular...

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Vitamin E 70.5

Excerpted from “Vitamin E Fact Sheet,” by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS, ods.od.nih.gov), part of the National Institutes of Health, May 4, 2009.  Vitamin E is found naturally in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin E is the collective name for a group of fat-soluble compounds with distinctive antioxidant activities. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, which are...

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Quitting Smoking: Why to Quit and How to Get Help

What health problems are caused by smoking?  Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and diminishes a person’s overall health. Smoking is a leading cause of cancer and of death from cancer. It causes cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia.Smoking also causes heart disease, stroke, lung disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema),...

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Does tobacco smoke contain harmful chemicals?

Does tobacco smoke contain harmful chemicals?Yes. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that are harmful to both smokers and nonsmokers. Breathing even a little tobacco smoke can be harmful. Of the 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful. The toxic chemicals found in smoke include hydrogen cyanide (used in chemical weapons), carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust), formaldehyde (used as an embalming fluid), ammonia (used in household cleaners), and toluene (found in paint thinners). Of the 250 known harmful chemicals in...

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Alcohol and Heart Disease: Learning Healthier Behaviors

Alcohol and Heart Disease: Learning Healthier Behaviors Most people don’t think of alcohol as a drug but it is. Alcohol abusehas destroyed more lives, broken apart more families, caused morediseases, and contributed to more auto fatalities than any other drug.It is the major contributing factor in the growing epidemic of domes-tic violence.More than half of all adults drink, but, not everyone who drinks isan alcoholic. Alcoholism is a complex psychosocial disease. Those whodrink risk becoming an alcoholic. It impairs your judgment and af-fects...

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The Twelve Steps

The Twelve  Steps1. We admitted that we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could re-store us to sanity.3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.7. Humbly asked Him to remove our...

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Stress Management

Stress ManagementWhat are some of the most common causes of stress?Stress can arise for a variety of reasons. Stress can be brought about by a traumatic accident, death, or emergency situation. Stress can also be a side effect of a serious illness or disease.There is also stress associated with daily life, the workplace, and family responsibilities. It’s hard to stay calm and relaxed in our hectic lives. With all we have going on in our lives, it seems almost impossible to find ways to de-stress. But it’s important to find those ways. Your health...

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How does stress affect my body and my health?

How does stress affect my body and my health? Everyone has stress. We have short-term stress, like getting lost while driving or missing the bus. Even everyday events, such as planning a Excerpted from “Stress and Your Health,” by the Office on Women’s Health (www.womenshealth.gov), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, August 1, 2005. meal or making time for errands, can be stressful. This kind of stress can make us feel worried or anxious.Other times, we face long-term stress, such as racial discrimination, a life-threatening...

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