cardiovascular diseases
10 things you should know about stroke
Every five minutes someone in the UK has a stroke. A stroke is a brain attack. A stroke happens due to a clot or bleed in the brain, which causes brain cells to die. The signs of a stroke are: Facial weakne...read more
3 steps to recognize a stroke
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize...read more
A mediterranean approach to health
One of the most fascinating things to happen in the field of medicine over the past few decades is that scientists are now validating what herbalist and traditional healers have known for centuries – that many plants have amazing heali...read more
A stroke: what is it and how do you recognize it ?
What is a stroke? A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack." A stroke can injure the brain like a heart attack can injure the heart. A stroke occurs when part of the brain doesn't get the blood it needs. There are two types of stroke: <...read more
After a stroke: psychological changes
Feelings of anger, despair, frustration and grief are all normal for people who have had a stroke – and their families. Worries about work, money, close relationships and loss of confidence can lead to anxiety and depression. The tiredness that usually...read more
After a stroke: rehabilitation
In the first few days after a stroke, good nursing care focuses on assessment and preventing complications. Once the person is stable, the stroke team works out an individual rehabilitation programme (sometimes called a care pathway), designed around the per...read more
Alcohol and stroke
If you drink alcohol you have probably wondered whether it is doing you any long term harm. This factsheet describes the link between drinking alcohol and stroke and explains how "binge" drinking puts men and women at an increased risk of stroke. It outlines ways y...read more
Angina
Angina describes the pain, and sometimes breathlessness or choking feeling, caused by restricted blood flow in the arteries that supply the heart. The word angina comes from the Latin angerer, which means to strangle. Angina pain A first attack of angina pain typically sta...read more
Aspirin and stroke
Aspirin is one of the most commonly used medicines. It has been used for over 100 years as a painkiller and to reduce fever. Today, Aspirin is widely used in preventing heart attacks and strokes. This factsheet describes how aspirin works to...read more
Aspirin's two conflicting sides
The era of modern pharmaceuticals began in 1900 when the first aspirin tablets were manufactured by a German company called the Friedrich Bayer Corporation. Ninety years later, the Harvard Medical School research known as the Physicians Health Study concluded that men who ta...read more
Atrial Septal Defect: symptoms and treatments
In this defect there is a hole between the top chambers (receiving chambers or atria). Due to the higher pressure in the left side of the heart, this allows oxygenated blood to flow through the hole from the left to the right side of the heart, and back to the lungs, in addi...read more
Atrioventicular Septal Defect with Fallot's Tetralogy
A small percentage of babies have a complex heart condition which combines the most common defect associated with Down’s Syndrome, the Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD) with another defect called Fallot’s Tetralogy.Generally it is possible to...read more
Blood cells gone missing
What is anemia? Anemia is a condition in which a person’s blood has a lower than normal number of red blood cells (RBCs), or the RBCs don’t have enough hemoglobin (HEE-muh-glow-bin). Hemoglobin—an iron-rich protein that gives the red color...read more
Blood pressure gone hypertensive
Quick refresher: the basics of our circulatory system Our circulatory system consists of several components that act in harmony to transport nutrients and oxygen to our tissues and remove waste products. Let’s quickly review the key components. Blood A fluid made up of blood...read more
Brain attack
A stroke is a brain attackA stroke is what happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to the brain. Without a blood supply, brain cells can be damaged or destroyed and won’t be able to do...read more
Cardiovascular disease and diabetes
In Illinois, heart disease is the leading cause of death for people with diabetes. Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke than people without diabetes. Keep your blood sugar under control. Keeping your bloo...read more
Cardiovascular Disease and Physical Activity
What is physical activity? Physical activity is big muscle movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle; such movement substantially increases energy expenditure. Physical activity includes walking, jogging, rowing, stair climbing, yard work, hik...read more
Cardiovascular Disease and Tobacco
What is the connection between smoking and heart disease and stroke? Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Contrary to public perception, smoking-caused heart disease actually results in more deaths per year than smoking...read more
Cardiovascular diseases: something to avoid
Cardiovascular diseases are usually caused by the silting up of the arteries. Bad cholesterol also known as LDL-cholesterol attaches itself to the inside of the blood vessel walls. Underneath this a yellowy goo of fats and blood remainders i...read more
Check out whether you are at risk
Understanding the risk factors that cause heart disease can be the first step towards a healthier heart. There are three main types of risk factors that can cause heart disease; lifestyle, clinical and natural risk factors. You can help your heart by eating a healthy diet, t...read more
Children and heart disease
Research has shown that heart disease originates in childhood. With obesity on the increase in children and young people it is easy to see why. Poor diet and inactivity are growing problems among children today. It is only now that the problem has reached epidemic proportion...read more
Cholesterol and strokes
Cholesterol plays an important part in the body, but too much is not good for us. Having a high cholesterol level increases the chance of having a stroke. All men over 35 and women over 45 should have their cholesterol checked. This factsheet provides information about what...read more
Cocoa powder for high blood pressure
Dark chocolate is good for you According to a study published in Hypertension, eating approximately 3 ounces of dark chocolate (which contains flavonols) on a daily basis helps in a small but significant degree to combat high blood pressure, insulin r...read more
Common problems after a stroke
There are several problems or disabilities stroke survivors may face in the first few weeks after having a stroke. Most of these will improve over time as the brain recovers. In severe cases, they may cause long-term disability. Weakness or paralysis Weakness, clumsiness or paralys...read more
Common symptoms of a stroke
The first signs that someone has had a stroke are very sudden. Symptoms include: Symptoms of stroke numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of the body (signs of this may be a drooping arm, leg or lower eyelid, or a dribbling mouth); slurred speech o...read more
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