At least four complex processes, alone or combined, can lead to diabetic heart disease (DHD). They include coronary atherosclerosis; metabolic syndrome; insulin resistance in people who have type 2 diabetes; and the interaction of coronary heart disease (CHD), high blood pressure, and diabetes .

Researchers continue to study these processes because all of the details aren’t yet known.

Coronary Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a disease in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. The exact cause of atherosclerosis isn’t known. However, studies show that it is a slow, complex disease that may start in childhood. The disease develops faster as you age.

Coronary atherosclerosis may start when certain factors damage the inner layers of the coronary (heart) arteries. These factors include:

• Smoking
• High amounts of certain fats and cholesterol in the blood
• High blood pressure
• High amounts of sugar in the blood due to insulin resistance or diabetes

Plaque may begin to build up where the arteries are damaged. Over time, plaque hardens and narrows the arteries. This reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle.

Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture (break open). When this happens, blood cell fragments called platelets (PLATE-lets) stick to the site of the injury. They may clump together to form blood clots.

Blood clots narrow the coronary arteries even more. This limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart and may worsen angina (chest pain) or cause a heart attack.

Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of risk factors that raises your risk of both CHD and type 2 diabetes.

If you have three or more of the five metabolic risk factors, you have metabolic syndrome. The risk factors are:

• A large waistline (a waist measurement of 35 inches or more for women and 40 inches or more for men).
• A high triglyceride (tri-GLIH-seh-ride) level (or you’re on medicine to treat high triglycerides). Triglycerides are a type of fat found in the blood.
• A low HDL cholesterol level (or you’re on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol). HDL sometimes is called “good” cholesterol. This is because it helps remove cholesterol from your arteries.
• High blood pressure (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood pressure).
• A high fasting blood sugar level (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood sugar).

It’s unclear whether these risk factors have a common cause or are mainly related by their combined effects on the heart.

Obesity seems to set the stage for metabolic syndrome. Obesity can cause harmful changes in body fats and how the body uses insulin.

Chronic (ongoing) inflammation also may occur in people who have metabolic syndrome. Inflammation is the body’s response to illness or injury. It may raise your risk of CHD and heart attack. Inflammation also may contribute to or worsen metabolic syndrome.

Research is ongoing to learn more about metabolic syndrome and how metabolic risk factors interact.

Insulin Resistance in People Who Have Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance means that the body can’t properly use the insulin it makes.

People who have type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance have higher levels of substances in the blood that cause blood clots. Blood clots can block the coronary arteries and cause a heart attack or even death.

The Interaction of Coronary Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, and Diabetes

Each of these risk factors alone can damage the heart. CHD reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. High blood pressure and diabetes may cause harmful changes in the structure and function of the heart.

Having CHD, high blood pressure, and diabetes is even more harmful to the heart. Together, these conditions can severely damage the heart muscle. As a result, the heart has to work harder than normal. Over time, the heart weakens and isn’t able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. This condition is called heart failure.

As the heart weakens, the body may release proteins and other substances into the blood. These proteins and substances also can harm the heart and worsen heart failure.

Whether it was the Black Death in 14th century Europe or Ebola in present day Africa, the loss of human life and cost to society has been astronomical.  We should take actions in PREVENTIONS of disease if we can.

CDC

4: Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases)

• Deaths: 128,932
• Males: 52,335
• Females: 76,597
• Rate: 41.4
• Age-adjusted rate: 37.9
• Percentage of total deaths: 5.12%.

Cerebrovascular diseases are conditions that develop as a result of problems with the blood vessels that supply the brain. Four of the most common types of cerebrovascular disease are:

• Stroke
• Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

• Subarachnoid hemorrhage that highly leads into a stroke, depending on how quick the hemorrhage is detected with how bad of a hemorrhage it is When a pt comes in the ER and shows symptoms of a TIA or stroke the first thing the MD does within 10 minutes by law is order a CT of the head to see if its a clot or a hemorrhage in the brain that is causing the stroke or TIA to decide his or her pathway of treatment.       It would tell the MD decide whether to decide as surgery for a hemorrhage or if a clot start rTPA a con-             tinuous IV infusion to treat the clot if the stroke symptoms started in the past 6 (using a vein) or to 8 hours (using an artery) or another treatment would be decided if it was a clot with s/s that past.

• Vascular dementia.

Every year more than 795,000 people in the US have a stroke; risk of having a stroke varies with race, ethnicity, age and geography. Risk of stroke increases with age, yet in 2009 34% of people hospitalized for stroke were younger than 65 years.

The highest death rates from stroke in the US occur in the southeast.

Major warning signs and symptoms of stroke

During a stroke, every second counts. Fast treatment can reduce the brain damage that stroke can cause.

Signs and symptoms of stroke include sudden:¹³

• Numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speech
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or lack of coordination
• Severe headache with no known cause.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if any of the above symptoms are experienced.

If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do the following simple test:

• F – Face: ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
• A – Arms: ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S – Speech: ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
• T – Time: if you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Note the time when any symptoms first appear. Some treatments for stroke only work if given within the first 3 hours after symptoms appear.

Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.

How can stroke be prevented?

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are major risk factors for stroke. About half of Americans (49%) have at least one of these three risk factors. Several other medical conditions and unhealthy lifestyle choices can increase your risk for stroke.

Although you cannot control all of your risk factors for stroke, you can take steps to prevent stroke and its complications.¹²

Stroke prevention measures may include:^14,15

• Eating a healthy diet
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Getting enough exercise
• Not smoking
• Limiting alcohol use
• Checking cholesterol
• Controlling blood pressure
• Managing diabetes
• Managing heart disease
• Taking medicine correctly
• Talking with a health care team.

Potassium-rich foods could lower stroke risk in older women

Researchers have found that older women whose diets involve potassium-rich foods may be at a reduced risk of stroke and have a greater life expectancy than women consuming less potassium-rich foods.

Stroke risk lowered with a high-protein diet

A diet higher in protein may reduce stroke risk by 20%, while every additional 20 grams of protein consumed each day could reduce stroke risk by 26%, according to new research.

5: Accidents (unintentional injuries)

• Deaths: 126,438
• Males: 79,257
• Females: 47,181
• Rate: 40.6
• Age-adjusted rate: 39.1
• Percentage of total deaths: 5.02%.

Accidents, also referred to as unintentional injuries, are at present the 5th leading cause of death in the US and the leading cause of death for those between the ages 1 to 44. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say that highway crashes alone have an annual price tag of around $871 billion in economic loss and social harm, with speeding accounting for $210 billion of that figure.

Data for accidents include the following:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Other land transport accidents
• Water, air and space accidents
• Accidental discharge of firearms
• Accidental drowning and submersion
• Falls
• Accidental exposure to smoke, fire and flames
• Accidental poisoning and exposure to noxious substances.

Possible prevention measures

Accidents cause loss and suffering to the victims and their loved ones. Methods of safety and prevention can help toward avoiding some forms of unintentional death.

Seat belts have saved an estimated 255,000 lives between 1975 and 2008.

In 2010, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the US.¹ In 2010, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.³ That is 1% of the 112 million self-reported episodes of alcohol-impaired driving among US adults each year.⁴

Information on saving lives and protecting people from violence and injuries can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Some facts or statistics show:

Violence or injury ‘responsible for almost 80% of deaths in Americans under 30’

More Americans between the ages 1-30 die due to preventable causes such as car crashes, falls and firearm-related injuries, according to a new report.

How a smartphone could prevent falls

Purdue University researchers have created a smartphone tool – called SmartGait – that can measure a person’s walking gait, which they say could prevent falls.

“Many of the leading threats to women’s health can be prevented — if you know how.”

Mayo Clinic

3: Chronic lower respiratory disease

• Deaths: 142,943
• Males: 67,521
• Females: 75,422
• Rate: 45.9
• Age-adjusted rate: 42.5
• Percentage of total deaths: 5.68%.

Chronic lower respiratory disease (CLRD) is a collection of lung diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related issues, including primarily chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but also bronchitis, emphysema (is due to alot of smokers) and asthma.

Bronchitis (chronic) has active and inactive stages where most get it through their lifetime. How often has depending factors. Bronchitis may be either acute or chronic.  Often developing from a cold or other respiratory infection, acute bronchitis is very common.

*Chronic bronchitis, a more serious condition, is a constant irritation or inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes, often due to smoking.

*Acute bronchitis usually improves within a few days without lasting effects, although you may continue to cough for weeks. However, if you have repeated bouts of bronchitis, you may have chronic bronchitis, which requires medical attention.

A study released by The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) estimated that 16.4 million days of work were lost annually because of COPD, and total absenteeism costs were $3.9 billion. Of the medical costs, 18% was paid for by private insurance, 51% by Medicare, and 25% by Medicaid. National medical costs are projected to increase from $32.1 billion in 2010 to $49.0 billion in 2020.^8,9

Major warning signs and symptoms of COPD

Signs and symptoms of COPD may include:

• Increased breathlessness when active
• A persistent cough with phlegm
• Frequent chest infections.

How can COPD be prevented?

In the US, tobacco smoke is a KEY FACTOR in the development and progression of COPD, although exposure to air pollutants in the home and workplace, genetic factors, and respiratory infections also play a role.⁷

Smoking is a primary risk factor of COPD, and approximately 80% of COPD deaths can be attributed to smoking. So regular daily smokers why don’t you just drink poison? Best is to not smoke at all but at least do it once in a awhile. Abusing anything usually turns into injury (For example take alcohol to simply verbally or physically abusing and doing it over and over again which makes it easier to do which isn’t right to do at all. Abuse is just used as an exampte not that it is right at all, I reenforce)

To prevent COPD:¹¹

• Quit smoking
• Avoid secondhand smoke
• Avoid air pollution
• Avoid chemical fumes
• Avoid dust

The FDA have approved the once-daily inhaled drug olodaterol (brand name Striverdi Respimat), a long-acting beta-agonist, for the treatment of airflow obstruction in COPD patients.

Doctors are missing chances to diagnose COPD early in up to 85% of cases

COPD is a progressive disease that causes irreversible damage to the lungs. Now, a new study reveals that doctors are missing chances to diagnose the condition early.  If this is correct than that gives us as people responsibility, whch we should of been doing prior to this knowledge and not to depend just on the MD but to take care of ourselves in particular on preventative measures.  This is to give you higher odds that you will not even have to deal with the diseases we have listed or the previous ones we talked about.

“As violent as we can be towards one another, throughout history the biggest executioner of the human race has been deadly disease.”

Science and Technology                                                                                            http://list25.com/25-deadliest-diseases-in-human-history/

The news is filled with stories about Ebola, breast cancer and Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus (MRSA) gets a lot of press too. Would it surprise you to know that neither makes the list of the 10 deadliest diseases in the USA? Even more surprising, perhaps, is that several of the deadliest diseases, including the number one killer in the world, are at least partially preventable. It is right under are nose people but it doesn’t seem to be a topic of discussion in SCHOOL you when young, taught at that grade level for the child to comprehend. It is not even a standard topic in college to pass on health education which obviously our country needs based on the statistics of disease and Obesity alone which causes alot of the diseases after being obese for a long period of time which could have been prevented but for millions of people its not the priority over food. Why? It takes the intiative of the individual to want to make change in their life either drastically or gradually depending on how much to you need to lose. Supporting that cause helps one you and all the people around you; like you children and even significant other to family and friends. If we all made this a cause our health care system would end up being alot more affordable but we the society make it difficult with too many staying unhealthy. Wake up Americans take care of yourself to help yourself and all around you. Where a person lives, access to preventive care, and quality of healthcare all factor into their risk.

Surprisingly news is that we due to not regarding our health USA statistics show the following:

Of all the causes of death in the US, the leading top 10 causes account for nearly 75% of all deaths and the top 3 causes account for over 50% of all deaths in the country, with the main culprits remaining relatively consistent for at least the last five years.

The top leading 10 causes of death are:

1. Heart disease
2. Cancer (malignant neoplasms)
3. Chronic lower respiratory disease
4. Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases)
5. Accidents (unintentional injuries)
6. Alzheimer’s disease
7. Diabetes (diabetes mellitus)
8. Influenza and pneumonia
9. Kidney disease (nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis)
10. Suicide (intentional self-harm).

1.)Heart Disease shows:

• Deaths: 596,577
• Males: 308,398
• Females: 288,179
• Rate: 191.5
• Age-adjusted rate: 173.7
• Percentage of total deaths: 23.71%.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the US and also the leading cause of death worldwide. More than half of the deaths that occur as a result of heart disease are in men.

Coronary heart disease costs the US $108.9 billion each year and is the most common type of heart disease.³

Heart disease is a term used to describe several problems related to plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries. Ending line clogging up the vessels closing up the pipelines our blood is carried through (vessels) to give oxygen to our blood tissues with taking carbon dioxide to the lungs for more 02 when its used up by our cells who carry oxygen to our tissues (02 is the fuel for our body to stay alive).

As the plaque builds up, the arteries narrow, making it more difficult for blood to flow and creating a risk for heart attack or stroke due to ischemia (Lack of oxygen to the tissues. If its lack of 02 to the heart angina to an MI if its the brain a TIA-transient ischemic attack or worse a CVA-stroke). Remember, prevention=protection is the first step so you don’t get this problem at all. Ending line the better you take care of yourself the higher the odds you will not get this problem.

How can you take this step in PREVENTION;

Protecting the heart

Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol can significantly lower heart disease risk.

• Follow instructions on medication usage if your already on it
• Make sure diet is low in salt, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fresh fruits and vegetables
• It is recommended that exercise in the form of a brisk 10 minute walk takes place 3 times a day, 5 days a week
• Avoid excessive alcohol use
• Quit smoking
• All steps listed above if you follow has even caused patients to stop medications completely because the changes listed above caused the problem in high statistics with the individual having no heredity.

2: Cancer (malignant neoplasms)

• Deaths: 576,691
• Males: 302,231
• Females: 274,460
• Rate: 185.1
• Age-adjusted rate: 169.0
• Percentage of total deaths: 22.92%.

Cancer affects men and woman of all ages, races and ethnicities.⁵ The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimate the total costs of cancer in 2009 were $216.6 billion: $86.6 billion for direct medical costs and $130.0 billion for indirect mortality costs.

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled, it can result in death.

In 2014, about 585,720 American are expected to die of cancer – almost 1,600 people per day.

Lung cancer accounts for more deaths than any other cancer in both men and women. Deaths from cancer of the trachea, bronchus and lung stand at 157,017 annually with this figure expected to rise to 159,260 in 2014.

Estimated cancer-related deaths for 2014

Leading causes of death from cancer for males:

1. Lung and bronchus – 86,930 (28%)
2. Prostate – 29,480 (10%)
3. Colon and rectum – 26,270 (8%)
4. Pancreas – 20,170 (7%)
5. Liver and intrahepatic bile duct – 15,870 (5%)
6. Leukemia – 14,040 (5%)
7. Esophagus – 12,450 (4%)
8. Urinary bladder – 11,170 (4%)
9. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma – 10,470 (3%)
10. Kidney and renal pelvis – 8,900 (3%).

Leading causes of death from cancer for females:

1. Lung and bronchus – 72,330 (26%)
2. Breast – 40,000 (15%)
3. Colon and rectum – 24,040 (9%)
4. Pancreas – 19,420 (7%)
5. Ovary – 14,270 (5%)
6. Leukemia – 10,050 (4%)
7. Uterine corpus – 8,590 (3%)
8. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma – 8,520 (3%)
9. Liver and intrahepatic bile duct – 7,130 (3%)
10. Brain and other nervous system – 6,230 (2%).

Can cancer be prevented?

A substantial proportion of cancers could be prevented. All cancers caused by cigarette smoking and heavy use of alcohol could be prevented completely. In 2014, almost 176,000 of the estimated 585,720 deaths will be caused by tobacco use.

The World Cancer Research Fund has estimated that up to one-third of cancer cases that occur in economically developed countries like the US are related to being overweight, obese, inactive or having poor nutrition. These are all potentially preventable.

Particular cancers are related to infectious agents such as human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) – these may be prevented through behavioral changes and use of protective vaccinations or antibiotic treatments.

Many of the more than 3 million skin cancer cases that are diagnosed annually could be prevented by protecting skin from excessive sun exposure and avoiding indoor tanning.

Screening offers the ability for secondary prevention by detecting cancer early, before symptoms appear. Early detection usually results in less extensive treatment and better outcomes.

Screening for colorectal and cervical cancers can prevent cancer by allowing for detection and removal of pre-cancerous lesions.

Awareness about changes in the body to breasts, skin or testicles may result in detection of tumors at an earlier stage.

Learn more about cancer at the American Cancer Society or Caner treatment.com with so many other places on the internet to our library to our MD and more.

Non-surgical sciatica treatments encompass a broad range of options, with the goal of relieving pain caused by compressed sciatica nerve   The range encompasses  exercises to steroid injections to microscopic surgery to more invasive surgery techniques after a trial run of ruling out less invasive treatment as unsuccessful.

Joseph H. Feinberg M.D. & Neil L. Speilhotz PhD. (authors of “Peripheral Nerve Injuries in the athlete).

In many cases, sciatica will improve and go away with time. Initial treatment usually focuses on medicines and exercises to relieve pain. You can help relieve pain by:

*Avoiding sitting (unless it is more comfortable than standing).

*Alternating lying down with short walks.  Increase your walking distance as you are able to, without pain.  

* Takingacetaminophen (tylenol) or Motrin (Ibuporfen) or Advil or Aleve (Naproxen). All are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which decrease the swelling of the inflammation around the area or injury to the back which will decrease the pain. More inflammation=more pinching on the nerve.

*Using a heating pad on a low or medium setting for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 or 3 hours. Try a warm shower in place of one session with the heating pad. You can also buy single-use heat wraps that last up to 8 hours. You can also try an ice pack for 10 to 15 minutes every 2 to 3 hours. There is not strong evidence that either heat or ice will help, but you can try them to see if they help you.

*Additional treatment for sciatica depends on what is causing the nerve irritation. If your symptoms do not improve, your doctor may suggest physical therapy, injections of medicines such as steroids, stronger medicines such as muscle relaxants or opiates.                                                                                  

*Physical Therapy or chiropracter therapy or some form of therapy for 6 to 8 weeks.

* If the therapy is uneffective than the last resort in most cases is surgery that ranges from:

– Laser surgery

– Scrapping of the vertebrae pinching the nerve with leaving the rest of the vertebrae spacing the spinal cord in place or removing the vertebrae pinching the nerve and replacing it with cement (not cement we use for sidewalks that we know of).  It’s natural to want to return to your regular activities as soon as possible after surgery, but a lot depends on the type of operation you get.

 *In two common methods, vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, your surgeon makes a small cut in your back, which lets you recover faster. If you get spinal fusion surgery, the cut is larger, and it will take a longer time to heal.

 -Small endoscopic surgery that is microsurgery removing pieces of the vertebrae pinching which has a test called a disco-gram (injecting a dye right into the injured disc and than a ultrasound of the area is done to show the surgeon the exact route he has to follow to cure the problem. The surgeon numbs the area that he will repair with the patient wide awake; he makes a incision about 2/10 of an inch, using the cat scan as a guide for his eyes inserting a scope inserting a grabber that goes in the scope removing disc fragments that are pressing on the nerves causing the pain. It takes about 30 minutes for this procedure with only a small bandage covering the incision followed with the patient leaving the hospital in less than a few hours

*Other self-care treatments that may be helpful include:

–Cold packs. Initially, you may get relief from a cold pack placed on the pain-ful area for up 20 minutes several times a day. Use an ice pack or a package of frozen peas wrapped in a clean towel.

–Hot packs. After two to three days, apply heat to the areas that hurt. Use hot packs, a heat lamp or a heating pad on the lowest setting. If you continue to have pain, try alternating warm and cold packs.

–Stretching. Stretching exercises for your low back can help you feel better and may help     relieve nerve root compression. Avoid jerking, bouncing or twisting during the stretch and try to hold the stretch at least 30 seconds.

-Over-the-counter medications. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) and naproxen (Aleve) are sometimes helpful for sciatica.

References:

National Cancer Society

Web MD

Mayo Clinic

Dr. Bruce Hensel M.D. (chief medical editor channel 4)/Dr. David Ditsworth Surgeon – does back scoping -Robert Forrest Physical Therapy in Santa Monica, California.