What Causes Heart Palpitation?

The rhythm of the heart may be abnormal or normal when having palpitations. The heart normally beats from 60 to 100 times a minute. On the other hand, tachycardia is a fast heart rate and bradycardia is the former’s opposite. Extrasystole is an extra heartbeat that exists occasionally. 

Some people with heart palpitations find it disturbing and alarming while others just ignore them.   Although palpitations in most cases are not crucial, it can still indicate an abnormal heart rhythm called arrhythmia. A person could likely have that bad heart rhythm if palpitations start during an underlying problem such as a recognized heart disease, significant heart risk factors, abnormal heart valve, blood abnormality, hyperthyroidism, or certain medications like treating asthma, heart problems, or high blood pressure. 

Heart palpitations, medically called as ectopic beat, are also known as heartbeat sensations or irregular heartbeats. They can be caused by fever, anxiety, fear, stress, panic attacks, anemia, dehydration, diet pills, low level of blood sugar, or use of caffeine, cocaine, nicotine, and other illegal drugs. 

Gastrointestinal disturbances and musculoskeletal problems also contribute to heart palpitations with similar symptoms as arrhythmia. Sometimes during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopausal stage, hormones change that also cause palpitations. However, these happen temporarily so there is nothing to worry about.     

However, the usual causes of irregular heartbeats are premature atrial complexes (PACs), episodes of atrial fibrillation, premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), episodes of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), or ventricular tachycardia that is more severe arrhythmia. Furthermore, life-threatening arrhythmias are often diagnosed in patients who have heart diseases. 

To prevent heart palpitations, below tips should be followed.

• Do not smoke.

• Limit your intake of drugs such as caffeine and nicotine.

• Avoid stress and anxiety.

• Get regular exercise.

• Try to relax your muscles through breathing exercises.   

• Practice tai chi, meditation, or yoga.           

The doctors in white scrubs are the one that can evaluate heart sensations through physical examinations, taking the patient’s medical history, and knowing about his or her diet and lifestyle.          

Neck Ultrasound Helps Predict Stroke

Deadly strokes may be prevented if people at high risk already know that they would suffer from it. Necessary medications and surgery may be done before such a terrible thing befall. A light to that has came this way already. A study published in Neurology found non-invasive imaging tests or neck ultrasound to be capable of predicting if a person is highly likely to suffer stroke, thus would need surgery to lower risk.

Identifying who’s at high risk of stroke can be predicted by the use of ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound tests. Common neck ultrasound helps determine whether the patient has ACS or asymptomatic carotid stenosis or narrowing of carotid arteries, the ones responsible for bringing blood into the brain. When the inner lining of a carotid artery is blocked with plaque build-up or fat deposits, the patient would eventually get stroke. If diagnosed with such condition, experts will have to wear their lab coats of their nursing scrubs to necessarily open their carotid arteries. And through Doppler ultrasound tests, microemboli or tiny blood clots or blood particles that may travel from the arteries to the brain may be detected, allowing doctors to prevent occurrence of stroke.

Pin-pointing patients who are at risk of stroke is not as easy as it seems, though. It’s a long and complex procedure that may yield different results, depending on the technician who performed the test. The composition of the plaque must be identified to be potential for embolization. Thorough medical history and neurological tests are necessary for patients with ACS. And depending on results, the patient may only need medications, closely monitored dietary program, and necessary physical activities, and not surgery at all.

Pre-Antibiotic Era Dawns at Emergence of Gonorrhea Superbug

Penicillin class gonorrhea drug introduced about 70 years ago lost its power against the sexually transmitted disease. Class 1, 2, and 3 were also rendered useless by continual development of Neisseria gonorrhoeae drug-resistant strains. All of cephalosporin-class antibiotics, the class 4, which is the last remaining effective gonorrhea treatment is also now losing grip as an extremely drug-resistant gonorrhea strain emerged.

Dubbed as H041, the gonorrhea superbug, first identified in Japan, is resistant to all cephalosporin-class antibiotics. Experts are alarmed that if no immediate effective treatment is developed, it will spread rapidly. In other countries, such as Canada, health agencies are not aware of any existence of the superbug as of now. Significantly, the best teams of men and women in nursing scrubs and lab coats from different countries are expected to hand over reports in the coming months.

Gonorrhea is a genital disease considered to be among the most common sexually transmitted bacterial disease. Caused by gonococcus bacterium, gonorrhea causes inflammation of the genital mucous membrane, burning pain when urinating, and a discharge. Chronic gonorrhea is associated with neonatal infections, infertility, increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, and chronic pelvic pain. People with gonorrhea are also more likely to infect or get infected with HIV/AIDS. Expectant mothers can also pass on to the child the disease during delivery. It can also cause blindness, joint infection and fatal blood infection in the baby.

Diet Alone Undermine Diet and Exercise for Type 2 Diabetes Patients

A recent study found a very unlikely result about the effectiveness of diet and exercise combo. Researchers from the University of Bristol, England, reports diet alone did no better than diet and physical activity for type 2 diabetes patients. It further says that diet is better than the standard care being received by such patients.

The results followed three groups of recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, numbering to 500 30 to 80-year-old participants. Individuals in the first group received regular help and advice on improving their diet. The second group was given the same dietary advice, but also received help to increase their daily levels of exercise. The final group, which served as control group, received standard care only. At the end of one whole year, blood sugar levels of those in standard care group spiked and the mean HbA1c rose. On the other hand, the diet only group as well as the diet and exercise group had mean HbA1c drop.

The study faces more questions, though, than the results that it considered as light shed. First question concerns the significantly short period of study. It doesn’t necessarily spell the long term effect of combined diet and exercise versus the diet only and or the standard and diet care. There was not even a plausible suggestion as to what these groups will be able to achieve in a period of more than one year.

Scrutinizing the picture more critically, the study did not consider the effects that could have been achieved if participants did undergo more intense exercise and other physical activities. Neither did the study consider whether there has been any kind of reward system, such as food reward, which could have affected the results of the study.

As for the researchers, the findings must be treated as suggestion that intervention at the early stage of type 2 diabetes should focus on improving diet, since the additional cost of training health-care workers to promote activity might not be justified.

“Translation of these results into community settings requires concerted efforts by patients, dietitians, and clinicians... There is little doubt that improved nutrition and physical activity are beneficial for individuals with or without diabetes, and research into the most effective way to deliver these benefits (including individual behavioural changes and creation of a supportive food and social environment) deserves high priority," the researchers admitted.

Note: The research is not recommended by any medical institution or authorized health care organizations. Patients view of the treatment that they are currently receiving should unnecessarily be affected. Otherwise, both the patients and out dedicated professionals in nursing scrubs will have to deal with needless burden.

Health Care Overhaul to Limit Hospital Readmissions

Readmission to hospital is first of all costly, but patients would have no other choice if their condition needs close medical attention. But why has this really been happening significantly? What’s the reason behind avoidable readmission of patients who have just been discharged from a hospital?

According to the 2007 report of Medicare Payment Advisory or MedPAC, and independent agency that advises the Congress, about three-quarters of readmission cases may have been prevented. The possible solution is achieving better handoff from hospital to people or institutions that will be with the patient as he recovers. In fact, proper coordination of the patient care has showed significant improvements in hospitals that have already been practicing the method, like Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.

Piedmont Hospital first looks into the high-risk of readmission, and provides a checklist of logistical and psychosocial issues that needs to be addressed before letting go of these patients. Schedule of follow-up visit is also ensured. Also provided is an easily understandable form explaining reasons of hospitalization as well as necessary things for recovery, which include medications, diet restrictions, and warning signs. The form also contains details about whom to call for related problems. Further, there is a nurse who will call to check on the patient after 3 days.

Although it means additional budget for doctors to buy scrubs, new scrub tops, scrubs pants, drinks and vacations, the health-care overhaul would penalize hospitals having higher-than-expected readmission rates for Medicare patients who had been treated for heart failure, heart attack, or pneumonia. More conditions that could result to penalties will be specified as the law expands in the coming years. In the meantime, hospitals are expected to have 1% reduction on Medicare payments by 2012, 2% in 2013, and 3% in 2014.

The said program is expected to put additional baggage for healthcare workers, especially on the adjustment period, but will surely pay off. 30-day readmission among patients under 70 years of age as well as those ageing above 70 declined in the said hospital.

The FDA's Stand on Chelation

Chelation has long been under attack by its own critics, but the latter has won the long alternative treatment debate having been favored by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA sent several companies, letters notifying that the chelation substances they sell without prescription are actually unapproved drugs and devices, illegal drugs in short.

Chelation substances should be available only with prescription, and must be administered only by a trained medical professional. It cannot be done by just anyone wearing Cherokee scrubs or Grey’s Anatomy scrubs because of the risks of complications. Serious possible effects include dehydration, kidney failure, and possible death. Subsequently, FDA sent warnings to World Health Products; Hormonal Health; Evenbetternow; Maxam Nutraceutics/Maxam Laboratories; Cardio Renew; Artery Health Institute; and Dr. Rhonda Henry.

Chelation is believed by proponents to be effective in treating atherosclerosis and many other serious health problems involving exposure to high levels of metal. Chelation claims to restore blood flow and reverse arterial hardening on atherosclerosis sufferers, as well as able to correct underlying causes of arterial blockage. It is also believed to help prevent production of free radicals.

Chelation might work by removing calcium in fatty plaques that block arteries, by lowering cholesterol levels or by reducing inflammation in the arteries and improving blood vessel function. None of the ideas has been well tested in scientific studies. Meanwhile, a large study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health will determine whether such claims are correct, and results are expected to be release on 2012, washingtonpost.com reports

Basic Ways to Reduce Risk of Cancer

66 years ago, 10-year survival of breast cancer patients was only 25 percent. In 2004, it climbed to 76.5 percent! Early detection and effective modern ways of breast cancer treatment made possible of the notable rise of survival rate. Significant improvements can still be achieved by making the public more aware of the deadly disease. Even the simple steps of taking care of ones health can give a great deal of help in avoiding breast cancer.

You are right if you’re thinking of exercise and healthy diet. These things are the same ways a person needs in order to keep the cardiovascular health in optimal state. Keeping the right weight, eating healthy food, and enough exercise do not guarantee that one will not contract the disease. However, it sure helps improve the odds.

How did we come to the conclusion that these common health tips actually reduce breast cancer risk? Well, according to the American Cancer Society, of the 550,000 deaths among American cancer patients, about 1/3 is linked to obesity, poor diet and inactivity. In the case of lung cancer, smoking is the strongest link.

Reduce Weight. According to American Institute of Cancer Research, breast cancer and several more types of cancers are believed to have something to do with estrogen stored in and produced by fat cells, insulin-like growth factor, and chronic inflammation, with which obesity is a major factor. By watching weight responsibly, the possible risk booster is controlled.
Be physically active. A study found 50% reduced colon cancer risk can be achieved through moderate exercise. In 2003, another study reported 20% reduced breast cancer risk through 30-minute walk everyday.
Drink less alcohol. One drink a day for women. Heavy drinking has long been found to dramatically increase risk of mouth, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, and liver cancers. But as to breast cancer, even moderate amounts of alcohol have recently been linked to increased risk of the disease. Alcohol’s association to breast cancer is still unclear, though. Estrogen levels and genetic differences are among the aspects that researchers are looking into.
Say no to tobacco. Stop smoking, chewing or breathing somebody else’s smoke and live longer. If smoking among those people in Dickies scrubs, health care workers themselves will be able to set a good example to patients and the public in general about the importance of quitting tobacco use. Whether they wear mens scrubs or womens scrubs, they should lay a healthy lifestyle for people to look up to.
Eat right. The Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found in a study that eating variety of fruits, vegetables, as well as herbs and spices could decrease certain types of cancer. While there are foods that are believed to reduce cancer risk, there are also those that can increase.