Microsoft word - heart attack-stroke prevention.doc

K I R K P A T R I C K
5 Easy Ways to Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes
Keep Your Weight Down

People who are overweight and obese have a much higher risk for heart attack and strokes than those who have less body fat and are in better physical condition. Lower Your Cholesterol

High levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol lead to the build up of plague in the arteries, decreasing blood flow and eventually causing heart attacks or strokes. To decrease your risk of heart attack or stroke, remember the motto “lower is better” and keep in mind the following guidelines for LDL cholesterol levels: Medium Risk Patients/Diabetics = 100 mg/dL Your LDL cholesterol levels can be maintained at safe levels through healthy eating habits, exercise, and with the assistance of medications called statins. Brand Name Statins
Generic Names
Healthy Artery
Advicor
Altocor
Crestor
Lescol, Lescol XL
Lipitor
Niaspan
Zocor
Clogged Artery
Other Helpful Meds.
Generic Names
Pravachol
Tricor
Vytorin
Welchol
Zetia
plaque
According to research results, statins are extremely effective. The main worry with these drugs is that they may cause a breakdown of muscle tissue (a condition known as myositis) and resulting in kidney impairment. Risk of liver inflammation is very small. You should see your doctor promptly if you are on these kinds of medications and experiencing sore muscles. Maintain a Healthy CRP
CRP, known as C-Reactive Protei n, is a protein responsible for inflammation, specifically in the body’s vascular system. High levels of CRP indicate inflammation of the arteries, meaning a person is at risk for a heart attack or stroke. Some researchers argue that high levels of CRP are a better indicator than high LDL cholesterol levels. As with LDL cholesterol levels, however, it is good to remember that lower is better. CRP levels can be easily measured through a simple blood test and the following guidelines should be kept in mind: Control Your Diabetes
Diabetic patients are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease and
strokes.
Blood-Sugar Levels
The recommended blood-sugar levels for diabetics are from 100-125.

A1C Scores
A1C scores are a percentage-based measurement of blood-glucose
levels over a time period of three months. The American Diabetes
Association recommends a target score of 6.5 for diabetics. A drop of
only 1% in your A1C score decreases your risk of a heart attack by
18%. Once again, lower is better.
The two targets can be reached through a healthy diet, exercise, and a combination of 1-5 different types of medicines. Such medicines include short and long-acting insulin drugs, drugs that secrete insulin, medications to boost insulin effectiveness, and other pills to decrease the amount of sugar released by the liver into the blood. Regulate Your Blood Pressure
Chronic high blood pressure also puts you at risk for heart attacks and strokes. The ideal
blood pressure is 120/75. You can also regulate your blood pressure using a combination
of different medications. Some of these medicines are ACE-Receptor
Blockers/Inhibitors like Altace and Benecar, Beta Blockers like Coreg and Toprol,
Diuretics like Lasix or HCTZ, Calcium-Channel Blockers like Norvasc, Lotrel, and
Plendil, and other drugs such as Catapres and Nitroglycerine.
You can even regulate your blood pressure without medicines by eating a healthy diet,
exercising, and making adjustments in your lifestyle as needed. Bioimpedance technology,
also known as hemodynamic monitoring, can help doctors create the best mix of the
categories above. The average patient with high blood pressure (nationwide) takes three
medications.
Office Hours:

Source: http://kirkpatrickfamilycare.com/newsletter/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/heart-attack-stroke-prevention.pdf