48 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • MAY 3, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
One cause of heart disease that might surprise you
One in four deaths in the U.S. is caused
by heart disease. More than 610,000 people
die of heart disease in the U.S. every
year, making it the leading cause of death
for both men and women, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. It’s no surprise heart health is
a priority for many people.
You know you need to eat a nutritious
diet, exercise and avoid smoking.
However, there’s a lot more you need to
know to protect yourself and your family.
Consider these fi ve surprising facts about
heart disease.
1. Heart disease can be caused
by a genetic disorder
You may not have heard of familial
hypercholesterolemia (FH), a common,
but inherited genetic disorder that causes
heart disease. FH aff ects approximately
one in 250 people worldwide, but 90
percent of people born with this genetic
condition are not diagnosed. Individuals
with FH have a high amount of low density
lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol
in their blood from birth. Th is lifelong
burden of cholesterol is a reason FH
leads to early and severe heart disease.
Th e good news is that FH is manageable
if detected and treated early in life. If high
cholesterol and early heart disease run in
your family, learn more at thefh foundation.
org.
2. Many heart attacks occur
outside the hospital
About 47 percent of sudden cardiac
deaths occur outside a hospital, according
to the CDC. Th is suggests that many
people with heart disease don’t recognize
or act on early warning signs.
Heart attacks have several major warning
signs and symptoms:
• Chest pain or discomfort.
• Upper body pain or discomfort in the
arms, back, neck, jaw or upper stomach.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea, lightheadedness or cold sweats.
Know the signs. Trust yourself. If you
have any of these symptoms or sense
something is just not right, call 911.
3. Heart disease aff ects
young people
Many people think heart disease occurs
in old age, but it can aff ect people of all
ages. Even if you or your family members
are 30 years old or younger, you could be
aff ected, especially if you have risk factors
like high cholesterol or a family history
of heart disease. Keep in mind, each
child with a family member with FH has
a 50 percent chance of inheriting the disorder,
which is present at birth. Untreated
individuals with FH have up to a 20 times
increased lifetime risk of early heart disease,
yet 90 percent of people with FH are undiagnosed,
according to the FH Foundation.
4. Children (even infants)
can have high cholesterol
Many adults are regularly screened for
high cholesterol, but it’s not as common
for children to be screened, although the
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
that all children between the ages
of 9 and 11 be screened for high cholesterol.
Th ese guidelines also recommend
screening for FH as early as age 2 if there
is a family history of high cholesterol,
early heart disease or known FH. Talk to
your children’s doctor about screening.
FH is characterized by an LDL-C level
of over 190 mg/dL in adults, or over 160
mg/dL in children. FH may also be confi
rmed with a genetic test, although this is
not necessary for diagnosis.
5. You can maintain a
healthy heart at any age
Being diagnosed with high cholesterol,
heart disease or even FH is not a death
sentence. Every person’s health considerations
are unique, but by working with
your doctor, you can come up with a plan
to help manage your health and maintain
the strongest heart possible. Th is
could include lifestyle changes and medications
to manage the LDL cholesterol
level in the blood. Th e key is to keep asking
questions, learn about your specifi c
health needs and stay dedicated to your
heart health plan.
Courtesy BPT
Don’t suff er in silence if you have these symptoms
“As a doctor, I want patients to have
open conversations with me about any
symptoms they may experience without
feeling uncomfortable,” said Dr.
Howard Franklin, MBA, vice president
of medical aff airs and strategy at Salix
Pharmaceuticals. “But, I understand that
patients may sometimes choose not to
talk about symptoms they fi nd embarrassing.”
Such is the case when it comes to discussing
bowel movements. For people
who experience abdominal pain and diarrhea,
it is important to discuss these
symptoms with your doctor as they may
be signs of irritable bowel syndrome with
diarrhea (IBS-D).
A report published by the American
Journal of Gastroenterology found that
up to 75 percent of individuals living with
irritable bowel syndrome may be undiagnosed.
You are not alone.
For the up to 16 million Americans living
with IBS-D, it is oft en an uncomfortable
disorder that can reduce a patient’s
quality of life. IBS-D aff ects twice as many
women as men and oft en occurs in people
younger than 45. It can cause interference
with daily activities and avoidance of
certain foods.
If you’ve experienced these symptoms,
Franklin off ers two important steps you
can take.
Understand the disorder
IBS-D is a disorder of the large intestine
and though the precise cause is unknown,
it is believed that there are various factors
that can play a role in creating symptoms.
Stronger, longer muscle contractions
in the intestines and poorly coordinated
signals between the brain and the
intestines are all possible causes for IBSD.
Oft en, IBS-D is triggered by food, caffeine,
stress, carbonated drinks, artifi cial
sugars or infectious diarrhea.
Changes in bacteria in the gut have
also been linked to symptoms of IBS-D.
In a healthy state, the microbiome and
the human host have a mutually benefi -
cial relationship as the host intestine provides
the bacteria with an environment to
fl ourish and the bacteria provides physiological
stability. A change in the number
of bacteria and in their type can disrupt
this relationship.
Talk to your doctor
Don’t hesitate to initiate the conversation
with your doctor if you experience
symptoms of IBS-D.
It’s time to talk to your doctor if:
• Your abdominal pain keeps coming
back at least one day per week in the last
three months
• Th e frequency of your bowel movements,
and/or the way your stool looks
has changed
Here are a few ways you can prepare for
a conversation with your doctor:
1. Write down your symptoms and triggers.
2. Make a list of all your medications.
3. Plan questions in advance, such as:
What are the likely causes of my symptoms?
Should I make any changes to my
diet or lifestyle? What treatment options
do you recommend for me?
Th ere is no need to suff er with IBS-D
in silence. Speak up to your doctor and,
together, fi nd ways to manage the disorder.
For more information about IBS-D,
visit www.LetsTalk-2.com.
Courtesy BPT
/www.LetsTalk-2.com
