When your cholesterol level is high, or maybe you happen to be in danger of heart related illnesses, your doctor may perscribe a medicine to lower your cholesterol. There are many kinds of medications available, each kind with a different action.

Statins – These are the most often prescribed medication utilized to reduce cholesterol. Those who may have a chance of developing what is known as plaque inside the arteries, are often given this. The way it works is it inhibits the production of cholesterol by limiting the enzyme which is used by the liver to make it. This not merely shrinks the plaque that\’s already accumulating, it also slows the growth. This lowers the likelihood that the plaque could loosen up and come free from the arteries, which could cause a stroke or a cardiac event. Some risks for artherosclerosis are:

High cholesterol levels;

Diabetes;

A family history of early-age heart attack or cardiovascular illnesses;

Advancing age.

There are many statins that are commonly perscribed. These medications have several differences, including their cholesterol-blocking ability, their side-effects, the way they connect with other drugs, and their ability to reduce heart attack and stroke. Some common statins which are frequently perscribed include:

Atorvastatin (Lipitor);

Rosuvastatin (Crestor);

Fluvastatin (Lescol);

Simvastatin (Zocor);

Lovastatin (Mevacor);

Pravastatin (Pravachol).

Most side-effects of the statins are mild, like vomiting and nausea, but one major side-effect that\’s rare, is rhabdomyolysis, which could cause muscle damage and in the end kidney failure. Any muscle or pain experienced while taking a statin should be reported immediately to your doctor.

Resins – Resins are another cholesterol-lowering medication. They bind with cholesterol-containing bile acids in the intestines and tend to be then excreted. Resins actually reduce LDL cholesterol and are generally often perscribed with statins for a combined effect of lowered LDL cholesterol. Currently perscribed resins include:

Cholestyramine (Questran);

Colestipol (Colestid);

Colesevelam (WelChol).

Resins have few side-effects (gas, bloating, nausea and constipation); however, they might interfer with the absorption of other medications taken at the same time.

Resins have few side-effects (gas, bloating, nausea and constipation); however, they might interfer with the absorption of other medications taken at the same time.

Niacin;

Niacor;

Slo-Niacin.

Nicotinic acid interacts with medications, including hypertension medication, and your doctor should be consulted.

Gemfibrozil (Lopid) — Gemfibrozil reduces triglycerides and increases HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol, in the blood. It interacts with medications, such as Coumidin, that could lead to increased bleeding, and glyburide, which might cause low blood glucose. Probably the most serious, but rare, side-effect is rabdomyolysis, that could cause kidney failure. Your personal doctor needs to be consulted and also your current medications discussed before starting therapy on gemfibrozil.

Clofibrate (Atromid-S) — Clofibrate also acts by reducing Cholesterol levels levels; however, because of its many side-effects, it is usually perscribed only when all other strategies of reducing cholesterol are ineffective. All current medications, including over-the-counter drugs, need to be discussed together with your doctor before using clofibrate.

Ursodiol (Actigall, Urso) – Ursodiol is created by the liver and cuts down on the output of cholesterol by the liver and absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Side-effects are GI related, including nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation; and rash and lumbar pain. Other medications may interfer with its function, reducing its usefulness.

There are many more medications, including supplements and over-the-counter medications that can help in reducing levels of cholesterol. Before thinking about medications, discuss them with your personal doctor and allow your doctor know what medications you\’re taking already, to decide which may be best for you.

If you have reason to become concerned about your blood pressure, you should begin monitoring it yourself at home. High blood pressure or hypertension is known as \’The Silent Killer\’ because you cannot know whether you have it unless you measure it. You cannot guess or just feel it. First of all, you ought to talk to your GP and he will give you some numbers, then you can buy a blood pressure monitor and keep an eye on your situation.

When you are given your blood pressure reading by either your physician or your machine, you will be given two figures, say 120/80.

The first figure is your systolic blood pressure. The systolic pressure is when your heart \’beats\’ or contracts, pumping your blood around you body.

The second number is when your heart expands, sucking blood back into itself. This is the diastolic blood pressure. These numbers are of the blood pressure in your arteries.

There are four categories that your blood pressure readings can fall into. The first is normal and it is by and large accepted that that means readings below 120/80. These figures relate to a healthy person but can be gained by almost anyone by keeping a healthy active lifestyle.

The second stage is known as \’Prehypertension\’ and relates to blood pressures between \’normal\’ and 140/90. This is the warning stage that you ought to be doing something to reduce your blood pressure. This could mean: a modification of diet; drinking less alcohol, tea or coffee; losing weight; taking more exercise; smoking less or giving up smoking altogether.

The third stage is known as \’Hypertension Stage One\’ and is reflected by numbers between prehypertension and 160/100. If you get into this stage then you really have to see your doctor and he will advocate serious changes to your lifestyle along the lines suggested above or / and he will put you on tablets.

The fourth stage is called \’Hypertension Stage Two\’ and is anything above 160/100. This is fairly dangerous and your GP will want to get you to make radical alterations to your lifestyle and / or take medication which could be for the rest of your life. If you reach this stage go to your GP\’s as soon as you can.

Whilst you are discussing your blood pressure with your doctor, be sure you tell him about any other medication you are taking, because some medication will raise blood pressure as well. Examples of medication that can raise your blood pressure are: anti-depressants, oral contraceptives and anti-flu or anti-cough treatments.

There are other things that can have an effect on blood pressure too. lack of sleep is one. Do you have a new-born baby, a sick child, money problems, sleep apnoea or a snoring spouse that inhibit you from sleeping in the correct manner?

Fear, anger and anxiety are also reasons for high blood pressure. So is constipation, drinking too much and smoking. So, before you let your doctor prescribe medication to reduce your blood pressure, make certain he is aware of all your conditions.

Introduction

High blood pressure or hypertension refers to high pressure (tension) in the arteries. It does not mean overly excessive emotional tension, although emotional tension and stress can increase blood pressure temporarily. Hypertension normally has no symptoms, but it can create serious problems such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack and kidney failure. It causes the heart to work a lot harder and can harm the arteries, causing them to narrow a lot faster. It can also damage other parts of the body and is a major health problem in North America affecting 33% of Americans, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Hypertension

Hypertension, most commonly referred to as \”high blood pressure\”, HTN or HPN, is a medical problem in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated and is considered to be present when a patient\’s systolic blood pressure is consistently 140 mmHg or more, and/or their diastolic blood pressure is routinely 90 mmHg or more. It can be designated as either primary or secondary and is one of the most common complex disorders, with genetic implications averaging 30 percent.

Hypertension can be a short term or lifelong disease, depending on the reason and is dangerous because it causes the heart to work harder than normal. Pre-hypertension is high blood tension between 120 and 139 for the top number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number. For example, blood pressure readings of 138/82, 128/89, or 130/86 are all in the pre-hypertension range. Should your blood tension be in the pre-hypertension range, it is more probable that you will end up with hypertension unless you take action to stop it. If you have this form of hypertension, you may not necessarily require medicine.

Heart

Some person\’s may not know they have HBP until they have trouble with their heart, brain, or kidneys. When it is not diagnosed and treated, it can cause the heart to increase in size, which may cause heart failure. With HBP, the heart works harder, your arteries take a beating, and your chances of a stroke, heart attack, and kidney problems are larger. If you don\’t have hypertension by age fifty five, you have a 90 percent chance of developing it at some time in your life, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Unattended, it will cause the heart to eventually overwork itself to the point at which serious damage can happen. About 1/2 of people having first-time heart attacks and 2/3 of people having first-time strokes suffer from HBP.

Did you know, laughing heartily 100 times each day gives the same cardio results as working out for twenty minutes?

Treatment

Treatment is focused on reducing water retention and reducing HBP to normal limits. When you first begin treatment, your doctor may ask you to come to the office regularly. Your doctor will go over the information with you and decide if your treatment program is working or if you need to alter it. Among the 61% who are under treatment, only 35% have their blood tension sufficiently under controlled. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

Conclusion

Hypertension is called the silent killer because it usually produces no symptoms and is a risk factor for heart and kidney disease and stroke. HBP does not occur evenly throughout the population and occurs disproportionately more often in minority communities. High blood pressure rates are also rising among US children, alongside an epidemic of obesity. Hypertension in adults will usually be measured on at least 2 different MD visits before a diagnosis can be made. It can be treated with both lifestyle modifications, usually as the 1st step, and, if necessary, with medications. Diuretics work in the kidney and flush excess water and sodium from the body. Nearly one third American adults have high blood pressure. Once It begins, it normally lasts a lifetime. Fortunately, it can be easily diagnosed, and once you know you have it, you can work with your MD to control it.

You have a few options for lowering your cholesterol. Your doctor will no doubt go through them with you if your blood test indicates that you have high cholesterol. For instance, there are medications that your doctor may prescribe that are very effective in lowering cholesterol. However this is generally not the first option that will be suggested.

Many people are encouraged to take a more active approach to lowering their cholesterol. In the long run it is better for the body to naturally lower it’s cholesterol than rely on medicine to do the job. Taking a more active role in solving the problem requires improving your diet and getting the right amount of exercise. This is obviously a bit more work than slugging back a pill each day but it can also have other benefits to the body and general health that make it a worthwhile approach to follow.

Focus on obtaining information on cholesterol and the methods of naturally lowering cholesterol in your bloodstream. There are a number of good cookbooks available in bookstores which will provide details of foods that will help reduce cholesterol. Eating these types of foods is the natural way to bring down cholesterol and perhaps the most effective way to improve your health. These types of cookbooks will have many recipes of delicious foods that you will like and thus keep you on the track to better heart health.

You will be pleasantly surprised by the side effect of learning to prepare and enjoy heart healthy foods for naturally lowering cholesterol. You will no longer feel bloated or overstuffed from eating too much after a meal. Eating a healthy diet leaves you feeling healthy and satisfied after a meal. After you have changed your eating habits, you may occasionally be in a situation where you will eat some heavy, high cholesterol food. You will be surprised to find that you no longer like it!

Finding ways for naturally lowering cholesterol can be a family adventure. Even though you may find favorite foods on the “no-no” list, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go completely without them. Substitution is the key. Use light cream instead of heavy cream, skinless ground chicken instead of beef. All these little changes can make a big difference when you are preparing the foods your family loves.

Dieting is a wonderful method to use for naturally lowering cholesterol, but exercising just as important too. You don’t have to work out like a professional runner in a cross country race. Just include some basic exercise in your life everyday such as something easy like taking a stroll. Any kind of exercise can benefit you if you did not exercise before, but remember to check with your doctor first. Gradually build up the amount or intensity over time.

Once you start naturally lowering cholesterol, your appearance will improve and you’ll feel better if you incorporate a regimen of good exercise into your day to day life. Soon, you’ll be amazed at how you ever managed to cope without it and be champing at the bit to get that exercise fix. Exercise is fun and relaxing, and you should look for and choose a plan which includes activities that are appealing to you. Exercise can also reduce stress that is thought to contribute to many health problems.

Naturally lowering cholesterol involves taking control of your health on your own by ensuring that your body is provided with the best nourishment. It also means toning up your body to its full potential. Healthy diet and exercise benefits are not limited to just bringing down your cholesterol levels. You will also get an overall sense of well-being and you will feel less tired.

Pedernales Electric Coop has announced that American Med Supply will be its supplier for automatic external defibrillators (AEDs). American Med Supply has won the contract to supply 82 defibrillators to the States largest electric coop. PEC will also be training more than 800 employees in CPR and defibrillators use.

Sudden cardiac arrest, or SCD, is the most common cause of death in the United States. Approximately 340,000 deaths occur from sudden cardiac arrest every year. Having automatic external defibrillators on site can literally mean the difference between life and death.

C Allyn Cutts, Vice President of American Med Supply, states, “It’s our mission to make sure anyone in America is within four minutes of a defibrillator. They save lives. It’s just that simple.”

Pedernales Electric Coop (http://www.pec.coop) has been in operation since 1938. It’s located in Texas and is member-owned. It provides electricity to about 227,000 members throughout nine districts, and is the largest electric cooperative in the US.

American Med Supply has offices in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida and is one of the nation’s leading providers of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), AED Batteries, AED Pads and AED Cabinets. American Med Supply supplies many of the largest cities and municipalities, gas & electric companies, police forces, government branches, the State Department, US Embassies, Fortune 1000, small businesses, as well as hundreds of YMCA’s, and school districts across the nation with their emergency medical equipment.

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Struggling with weight loss can be frustrating, but it is miserable when youre also tired all the time. For people with apnea, there is a scientific connection between weight gain and sleep loss.

Yes, sleep is necessary for not only mental focus and physical stamina but is essential to regulate your weight!

If you find it practically impossible to stop gaining weight then you might have a hidden sleep problem, such as apnea that is harming your body’s hormone levels and causing your weight gain.

Sleep apnea related weight gain is all too common. It is estimated that 80 million Americans live with undiagnosed sleep apnea today.

Trying to lose weight without treating your apnea is a losing battle. Your body needs deep sleep night after night to regulate healthy functions, maintain your metabolism and to lose weight.

If you have apnea and are not regularly using CPAP, then you are almost certainly going to gain weight.

Here’s some things to understand about the connection between apnea and weight gain:

1. When your body feels tired it automatically craves fuel in the form of sugar, carbohydrates and other foods with a high glycemic index. In a study published by the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, people with the most severe cases of sleep disorders also had the highest intake of calories, protein, cholesterol and saturated fat.

2. In a report from the Quebec Family Study, people who regularly only get five to six hours of sleep per night are 35% more likely to gain up to 11-pounds of fat over six years compared to a person who sleeps between seven to eight hours per night.

3. It turns out that the best appetite suppressant is a good night’s sleep. Poor quality sleep causes levels of the hormone ghrelin to severely increase in your gastrointestinal tract. This hormone is in charge of making you feel hungry. You increase your levels of ghrelin every time you get a bad night’s sleep.

Pedernales Electric Coop now has 82 automatic external defibrillator units in service, thanks to its supplier, American Med Supply. Pedernales Electric Coop will be training more than 800 employees in CPR and defibrillator use.

Automatic external defibrillators [AEDs] can greatly reduce the incidence of death from sudden cardiac arrest, also known as SCD. SCD is in fact the most common cause of death in the United States today.

More than 300,000 deaths occur from sudden heart arrest every year. That’s a larger number of people than those who die from AIDS, traffic accidents, breast or prostate cancer, or house fires combined. For every minute that goes by after a cardiac arrest, the victim’s survival decreases by 7 to 10% unless treatment happens. With automatic external defibrillators in reach, many more lives can be saved.

C Allyn Cutts, Vice President of American Med Supply said, “It’s our mission to make sure anyone in America is within four minutes of a defibrillator. They save lives. It’s just that simple.”

Pedernales Electric Coop (http://www.pec.coop) has been around since 1938. Located in Texas, it’s the largest electric cooperative in the US, with nine districts, and providing electricity to about 227,000 members statewide.

American Med Supply has offices in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida and is one of the nation’s leading providers of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), AED Batteries, AED Pads and AED Cabinets. American Med Supply supplies many of the largest cities and municipalities, gas & electric companies, police forces, government branches, the State Department, US Embassies, Fortune 1000, small businesses, as well as hundreds of YMCA’s, and school districts across the nation with their emergency medical equipment.

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Clinical research from the Mayo Clinic shows that sleep apnea increases your risk of sudden death by heart attack. While apnea has always been serious, this new research emphasizes how important it is to treat apnea.

In a study of about 11,000 adults, researchers found that sleep apnea was the second biggest risk factors for sudden death among heart disease patients. (The second trait was an age of 60 years or older.)

Sleep apnea, a relatively common condition, causes the oxygen levels in the blood to decrease. This, in turn, puts a strain on the heart while it tries to pump adequate amounts of oxygen to the brain and body.

Due to the dangerously decreased oxygen levels, the blood vessels alter in a way that may lead to heart disease in the patient. Sleep apnea is being considered a risk factor that ranks with smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

There is a common thread. If you dont get oxygen to the blood, the whole body and brain start to shut down. But with apnea, your throat closes down, suffocating yourself and starving your body of oxygen.

All the more reason to get the most widely prescribed form of sleep apnea treatment: CPAP (continuous positive air pressure). CPAP therapy not only can save your life ” it can eliminate daytime drowsiness, alleviate depression, even help you lose weight.

Medical research points to how important it is to regularly use CPAP therapy. However, for many patients the nightly use of a CPAP mask connected to a CPAP machine is not an easy habit to make. That is why the national compliance average is only 50%.

Luckily there are three time-proven strategies to increasing your CPAP compliance and therefore your chances of improved health and long life:

1. For best results, only use doctor recommended, quality CPAP equipment. Doctors recommend three manufacturers: ResMed, Fisher & Paykel, and Respironics. These brands are known to invest millions in R&D every year to ensure health and safety for the customer. There are risks associated with the lower quality manufacturers, in particular the ones from China. Before you waste your money or risk your life, ask your doctor about any brand other than the above three.

2. Choose wisely when selecting a CPAP supplier. Avoid the dubious websites that sell grey-market CPAP equipment. You might end-up with a refurbished CPAP machine that just looks like new, but doesnt have warranty coverage or isnt even sterilized. (Many used machines on the grey market are from patients in nursing homes who have passed away, possibly from pneumonia or other respiratory diseases.) Be safe and smart: use a CPAP supplier that is certified by the National Apnea Association and/or is a ResMed Preferred Internet Provider.

3. Get help! A certified CPAP coach will help you with any problems that arise with your CPAP equipment. Your coach will save you time and keep you on track by helping you with using, cleaning, and maintaining your CPAP. Many studies have shown that CPAP chronic care or coaching increases patients probability of success from the national average of only 50% to over 90%. Best of all, some CPAP websites offer coaching for free to their customers.

Anyone who carries excess weight and has a raised level of cholesterol, will in all probability have an increased level of triglycerides at the same time. The association between cholesterol and triglycerides typically results from the foods that are being eaten and the way you choose to live your life.

The chemical triglyceride is the body’s way of storing excess fat from food for future use. There are a lot of things that can be done to reduce your cholesterol and triglycerides. The first step is to figure out if the foods you eat and the type of life you live influences your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

There are many information sources that could help answer your questions regarding what foods to consume for you to achieve healthier levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in your body. Learning as much as you can about different the foods that you eat can assist you making better food choices.

You should plan a menu that includes meals that will keep your cholesterol levels within healthy ranges and this will promote better heart health. It is necessary that you know which kinds of food can keep you healthy and the foods that you eat that can cause problems or place you at risk of heart disease.

Many people are uninformed of food items that result in elevated cholesterol and triglycerides. When you understand which food choices are problematic, you can switch them out with healthier substitutes. Try identifying the healthy foods that you enjoy eating that can be replaced for the unhealthy ones. Once you implement this strategy, you will start liking the healthy foods much better than the unhealthy foods that you have been eating. The reason is the result of the overall sense of feeling better that you get by eating the healthier foods.

Moderately exercising for a minimum of a half hour for five days out of each week will help to decrease your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Exercising is good for your body because you will feel renewed and full of energy. When you feel like you are worn out and groggy the majority of the time, just including a half hour of fast paced walking each day this could help you feel well. You will be surprised with how much energy you will have after you have exercised.

Two ways of the best ways through which you can lower your cholesterol and triglycerides levels are diet and exercise. Medications prescribed by your doctor can also bring down the cholesterol levels. However, the best solution that you can attempt is to maintain your health through making better food choices and staying with a diet plan dedicated to promoting good heart health. Making these changes to your lifestyle is not hard. Make small changes and continually build on your healthy living plan. You will benefit for the years to come with these simple changes.