Heart attack or Heartburn: How You Can Find Out

With heart diseases being one of the major causes of death in India, it is perhaps not surprising that most people presume any pain in the chest area to be an attack. As a result, in a large number of cases a patient is rushed to the hospital, only to find that it is a mere heartburn. To prevent the panic following a presumed attack, the victim and the people around him must exhibit the capacity to use the resources at their disposal and differentiate between the two. According to…

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Can Added Sugar in Diet Cause Heart Attack?

Increased intake of food and drink with added sugar may possibly raise the risk of heart attack or myocardial infarction by about a third, in some people, a study has warned. Although sucrose occurs naturally in fruit and vegetables, most of which is consumed through added inclusion. Besides sweetened beverages, cakes and sweets, sucrose is added to many other foods — dairy products, bread and jam, the study said. “For the vast majority (of people), the consumption of added sugar does not appear to be a problem — the risk…

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Heart Failure Not as Life-Threatening as Heart Attack: Experts

Heart failure may be a serious health hazard but not life-threatening like a heart attack, health experts say. “Heart failure refers to the heart’s inability to circulate blood through the body. Blood flow is slower than normal, which compromises the blood flow to the vital organs of the body like kidneys, liver and brain, leading to the malfunction of these organs,” Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Cardiology, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, told IANS. Heart failure is not similar to a heart attack and it is important for people to understand…

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Beware Extremes: Exercise, Anger May Trigger Heart Attack

If you’re angry or upset, you might want to simmer down before heading out for an intense run or gym workout. A large, international study ties heavy exertion while stressed or mad to a tripled risk of having a heart attack within an hour. Regular exercise is a healthy antidote to stress and can help prevent heart disease — the biggest problem is that too many people get too little of it. But the new research suggests there may be better or worse times to exercise, and that extremes can…

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98% Indians Unaware of Life-Saving Technique During Heart Attack

Around 98 per cent Indians are not trained in basic life-saving technique of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during sudden cardiac arrest, shows a survey conducted by Lybrate, an online doctor consultation platform. In India, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a major cause of death due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and shockingly 60 per cent of the people who suffer an SCA succumb to it even before they reach hospital. The survey conducted in 20 Indian cities among the age group of 25-50 showed that less than two per cent of the…

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Why It’s Bad to Skip Prescribed Medications After a Heart Attack

Many patients who have clogged arteries or survive a heart attack don’t consistently take medications prescribed to prevent life-threatening complications, a study confirms. Taking drugs at least every four out of five days lowered the odds death, heart attack, stroke or surgery to restore blood flow, the study found. But less than half of patients took their meds that often. “We have effective, safe inexpensive drugs that prevent stroke, death and heart attack but they don’t work unless the patient chooses to take them,” said Dr. Marie Brown, a researcher…

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