We’ve made mention of this many times before, but it’s worth repeating time and time again—heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, so it’s important to do everything you can do to ward off this deadly killer.

We’ve recently read about a study in the British Medical Journal relating eating chocolate to decreasing the risk of heart disease. Problem is, there is still no hard evidence to back this claim up. However, the results of the test showed that people who TOLD researchers that they ate lots of chocolate were 1/3 less likely to have heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes.

More research needs to be done to validate these claims. Scientists will next feed chocolate to a controlled trial group and monitor their health over time.

The doctors who conducted the study were candid about its shortcomings. From an article about the study on npr.org: 

“For one thing, it didn't measure how much chocolate the healthier people ate. And since the people had reported their chocolate intake themselves, it's impossible to know if they told the truth. Obese people tend to underreport their eating in surveys, and they are also more likely to have cardiovascular disease. So it could be that fat chocolate-eaters are much worse off than we think.”

So for the time being, chocolate lovers can only hope that the claim turns out to be true. Our advice… enjoy your chocolates, but eat it in moderation. Nothing is good for you if you intake too much of it. And if you eat chocolate, make sure it’s dark chocolate, which is packed with natural anti-oxidants thanks to its high percentage of cocoa solids (natural plant nutrients). Natural compounds in dark chocolate may aid the cardiovascular system by improving blood flow and reducing blood pressure.

Talk to your Orlando cardiologist at Florida Heart Group to learn more.

It's important to understand some of the social and psychological factors that increase the risk of developing coronary heart diseases.

Cardiology physicians have determined that negative emotions such as depression, anxiety and anger have all shown to increase the risk of heart problems. Being depressed, anxious and angry also leads to behaviors that put the human heart at risk. It has been observed that some people generally tend to drink and/or smoke excessively when they are tense or depressed. Nibbling on high-fat foods is also common for some in such scenarios. Studies also show that negative emotions impact the body in ways that trigger atherosclerosis or blood clot formation in arteries.

Not getting enough sleep can also cause severe problems. Working adults usually need 7 to 8 hours of night sleep to feel well rested during the day. The heart also needs rest and sleeping for 5 hours or less can double the risk of high blood pressure for people between the ages of 32 and 59. High blood pressure is one of the early heart attack warning signs in some patients of coronary heart diseases. To get a quality sleep that the heart needs, one can follow some of these practices:

     • Have fixed timings for going to bed and waking up daily, including weekends.
     • Read a relaxing book or take a warm water bath before going to bed if you have trouble falling asleep – do not use sedatives or ‘sleeping pills’
     • Maintain a time gap of at least 1 to 2 hours between your dinner and bed time.
     • Avoid alcohol, caffeine and smoking close to bedtime.
     • Ensure that your bedroom is dark and quiet for a comfortable night’s sleep.

Some research has shown that women who start an estrogen therapy around the time of menopause are less likely to develop a heart disease; however, a large part of studies by US National Institutes of Health showed different results. The research found that Estrogen alone does not affect heart attack warning signs. Indeed in some cases, estrogen did increase the risk of a stroke. It also increased the risk of blood clots in legs causing peripheral vascular diseases. Researches continue to study this issue.

The best way to avoid severe stages of heart diseases is to respond early to heart attack warning signs. Florida Heart Group has a team of efficient cardiologists who not only provide angina treatment but also educate patients on factors that should be taken care of to prevent heart diseases.
 

This month, the FDA released a statement about the popular antidepressant Celexa (generically known as citalopram). According to the agency, high doses of the drug can lead to problems with the heart’s “QT Interval,” which is basically the reset of the hearts between beats. Celexa may cause irregular, disorganized rhythms in the pumping chamber of the heart.

The FDA says that doctors should not prescribe more than 40 milligrams a day of Celexa. It notes that patients taking other drugs with Celexa, specifically Tagamet (an antacid), should take even less.

The irregular heartbeats caused by the drug can lead to blackouts because of the lack of blood being pumped to the brain. In extreme cases, this can be life-threatening.

If you are taking antidepressants, make sure to let your cardiologist at Florida Heart Group know. He or she may give you an electrocardiogram.

Cardiologists at Florida heart hospitals and medical centers have observed certain trends for symptoms of heart attack in women. It has been noticed that 70 percent of women patients experience early heart attack warning signs with sudden onset of weakness that may feel like flu. Often, there is no chest pain at all.

As compared to men, the symptoms of heart attack in women are quite different. Typically, the following facts have been noticed by FL cardiologists for patients of coronary heart diseases:

• For men, plaque gets accumulated in form of clumps, but for women it gets distributed more evenly throughout the artery walls. This is why the results of angiographic tests in women are often mistakenly taken as normal.
   
• Women tend to wait longer than men before going into an emergency room while having a heart attack. According to experienced Orlando doctors, sometimes cardiology physicians are slower to recognize heart attack warning signs in women because the typical chest pain and EKG changes are not noticed.
   
• Women fail to take medicines such as beta blockers, nitroglycerine and aspirin on time. The nitroglycerine tablets work by dilating the coronary artery to improve the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. However as per female cardiologists, these tablets are usually taken to relive angina pain. Since women do not have a chest pain prior to heart attack, they fail to take action and may suffer serious consequences later.
   
• Statistics reveal that 38 percent of women as against 25 percent of men die within one year of first recognized heart attack.
   
• After a heart attack the chances of survival in next few weeks are slim in women as compared to men.
   
• Female cardiologists in US have also noticed that women’s hearts respond better than men’s to healthy lifestyle changes. If they quit smoking and adapt healthy eating habits, women can prevent coronary heart diseases and also peripheral artery diseases.

Even mild signs of heart attack should not be ignored by women, especially if they have had an attack in the past. Female cardiologists at a good heart hospital can be consulted for diagnosis and treatment.  A woman planning a child must also consult a female cardiologist if she suffers from any heart problems.

At Florida Heart Group we have all facilities for diagnosis and treatment of coronary diseases including heart and cardiovascular problems. We have an efficient support staff and the best Orlando doctors to offer prompt services for any emergency issues.

Angina is the chest pain or discomfort when the heart muscle cannot get enough blood flow. For the most effective angina treatment, cardiology physicians check whether a patient suffers from stable or unstable angina. The unstable angina is called so primarily because of two reasons:

1. In contrast to stable angina, the symptoms of unstable angina are more random and unpredictable. Exertion, fatigue, anger or some kind of stress usually trigger stable angina symptoms in the patients of coronary heart diseases. However the unstable angina symptoms can occur without any apparent reason. In fact the chest pain due to unstable angina can also occur at rest and can wake a person from restful sleep.

FL doctors advise that anyone with a history of coronary diseases can suspect an unstable angina if the angina pain begins to occur at a significantly lower-than-normal level of exercise or if it occurs at rest and persists longer than usual. Also, if the common angina treatment medicines prescribed by your FL cardiologist fail to relieve the symptoms, direct medical attention is an immediate requirement.

For unstable angina treatment, the cardiology physicians begin intensive medical therapy to stabilize the heart. The objective of this stabilization effort is to protect the jeopardized heart muscle and to prevent the further growth of the blood clot that accompanies plaque rupture and obstructs blood flow.

To stop the chest pain, the cardiologist may use oxygen and morphine, especially if the angina pain is intense and continuous. The patient may have to take beta blockers to reduce the effect of adrenalin on the heart muscle. Timely angina treatment can help to relieve the unstable symptoms.

Florida Heart Group has an efficient team of best FL doctors for effective angina treatment. We have all facilities to deal with medical emergencies like unstable angina. Visit our practice for the right diagnosis and timely treatment of coronary artery diseases and peripheral artery diseases.

Many people with chest pain fear that they are having a heart attack. However, there are many possible causes of chest pain. Some causes are not dangerous to your health, while other causes are serious and even life-threatening.

Any organ or tissue in your chest can be the source of pain, including your heart, lungs, esophagus, muscles, ribs, tendons, or nerves. Pain may also spread to the chest from the neck, abdomen, and back.

If you have any of the following symptoms, your heart pain is serious, and an indicator that you should call 911 immediately… these could all be indicators that you are having a heart attack:

• • You have sudden crushing, squeezing, tightening, or pressure in your chest.
• • Pain radiates to your jaw, left arm, or between your shoulder blades.
• • You have nausea, dizziness, sweating, a racing heart, or shortness of breath.
• • You know you have angina and your chest discomfort is suddenly more intense, brought on by lighter activity, or lasts longer than usual.
• • Your angina symptoms occur at rest.
• • You have sudden sharp chest pain with shortness of breath, especially after a long trip, a stretch of bed-rest (for example, following an operation), or other lack of movement that can lead to a blood clot in your leg.

Heartburn symptoms include:

• • A burning feeling in the chest just behind the breastbone that occurs after eating and lasts a few minutes to several hours.
• • Chest pain, especially after bending over, lying down or eating.
• • Burning in the throat — or hot, sour, acidic or salty-tasting fluid at the back of the throat.
• • Difficulty swallowing.
• • Feeling of food "sticking" in the middle of the chest or throat.
• • Heartburn may cause chronic cough, sore throat, or chronic hoarseness.

Heartburn is usually accompanied by indigestion. Symptoms of indigestion include:

• • Bloating
• • Belching and gas
• • Nausea and vomiting
• • Acidic taste
• • Growling stomach
• • Burning in the stomach or upper abdomen
• • Abdominal pain
• • These symptoms may increase in times of stress

In summary, heartburn and indigestion can both cause chest pain, but the chest pain radiating from a heart attack is completely different. It’s “crushing pain” say medical experts. If you are experiencing crushing chest pain that is constant and lasting five minutes or longer, you may be having a heart attack and will require immediate emergency medical attention. Call 911 or drive to the hospital immediately. Make it happen… a false alarm is better than death.

Other symptoms that are not typically associated with heartburn or indigestion include cold sweat and tightening of the chest. If you experience these symptoms together, make the call and get to the hospital.

If you have frequent heartburn, ask your doctor if you should be taking aspirin or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Other alternatives exist and can be prescribed, depending on your specific case.

Florida Heart Group is home to many knowledgeable, experienced, friendly cardiologists who can help protect your heart from heart attack and other heart diseases. We also work in partnership with Florida Hospital. Make an appointment today to ensure the health and well-being of your heart… at every age.

It has been shown that heart diseases are a major cause of death for women over fifty years of age. In fact, statistics now show that heart disease is the number one killer of women. More than 500,000 women die in the U.S. each year of cardiovascular disease, making it, not breast cancer (40,000 deaths annually).

Also, records show that a lower number of women survive a heart attack compared to men. As per female cardiologists, there are some typical causes of heart attack noticed in most of their patients.

Obesity and high cholesterol are the biggest risk factors that cause heart attacks. Women with frequent angina pain and other symptoms of heart attack often suffer from these problems. Excessive weight exerts pressure on coronary arteries and when the cholesterol level also increases above a normal level, the woman is at a higher risk of developing coronary artery disease. According to female cardiologists, factors like smoking, high blood pressure, stress, diabetes, lack of physical activity, and certain hereditary factors also become causes of heart attack in women.

The symptoms of heart attack or the heart attack warning signs in women can be different than those for men. After talking to their patients, female cardiologists of Florida Heart Group have often observed that women over 50 years tend to ignore heart attack warnings signs and may consider them as other health issues. For instance nausea, dizziness, vomiting and heartburn may be considered as signs of indigestion and not a possible heart attack. Some of the more severe symptoms of heart include:

• Breathlessness or shortness of breath which may or may not be followed by angina pain.
• A squeezing pain or feeling of tightness in the chest.
• Pain originating in the left part of chest and spreading to shoulders, arms and neck.

Angina treatment must be obtained by women when heart attack warning signs become too frequent. The reason why most women fail to comprehend that they may have developed coronary heart disease is that there may not be any chest pain even if the arteries are affected or blocked. Weakness, excessive perspiration, shortness of breath and giddiness if experienced too frequently could be symptoms of mild or major heart attack. Proper medication and treatment by experienced cardiologist is imperative in such cases.

At Florida Heart Group, we have the team of best Orlando doctors including female cardiologist to offer the best diagnosis and treatment for heart and peripheral artery diseases. We also have excellent facilities to deal with any emergency issues.