Heart and Cardio-vascular

The difference between conventional X-ray therapy and proton therapy – and why we are re-examining the way we treat left-side breast cancer.  The majority of breast cancer patients today are able to preserve their breasts as they undergo a lumpectomy followed by post-operative radiation. However, research shows that left-side breast cancer patients treated with radiation have an increased risk of radiation-induced heart problems. Here, Dr. Brian Chon writes about the connection…

Think you know all the reasons? Prepare to be surprised. By family practitioner and marathoner Dr Gita Mathai. Plus, how much to exercise to get its real benefits. We all want to look good, be slim and healthy. There’s one magic pill for this and it’s called exercise. Even if you’re ‘too tired’ or ‘too busy’, you need to get off that couch now.  Benefits of regular exercise Exercise helps to achieve ideal body weight if also combined with calorie restriction.…

What causes arrhythmias? CARDIAC HORMONAL MEDICATIONS OTHER High blood pressure Hyperthyroidism –Over production of thyroid hormone Certain medications used to treat irregular heartbeats Eg. Β-blockers, Ca-channel blockers Stress Coronary artery disease Dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], a natural steroid hormone. When taken as a supplement is known to produce palpitations as a side effect. Thyroid medications Low blood oxygen Valvular heart …

Keeping up with the carb-bashing can be tough. One day they’re in, the next day they’re on the chopping block.  A diet that includes whole grains may help protect your heart, finds new research published Monday in JAMA InternalMedicine. Every 28 gram-per-day serving of whole grains was associated with a 9% lower rate of death from cardiovascular disease and a 5% lower rate of death from any cause.  It’s best to remember the simple mantra: eat real food. We need…

Yoga has roots as an ancient mind-body practice that incorporates physical, mental and spiritual elements. Originating in India, yoga has been proven effective in numerous studies to improve cardiovascular risk factors, with a reduction in the risk of heart attacks and strokes. When compared with no exercise, yoga was associated with significant improvement in each of the primary outcome risk factors measured: Body mass index (BMI) reduced by 0.77 kg/m2 (measured as a "mean…

India and South-east Asia has high incidence of anaemia. Family practitioner Dr Gita Mathai tells you all you need to know about this often-silent threat that can pose many complications.  What is anaemia? Anaemia (or Anemia) is a generic term for low haemoglobin in the blood from any cause. It is not a disease by itself. It can occur in different forms and be caused by many factors.  Anaemia is diagnosed when the haemoglobin value checked in the laboratory is…

For some people, the smell of good food can trigger a feeding frenzy. But others find it much easier to resist such temptations. What’s the explanation? Is it willpower ? A recent study in the journal Molecular Psychiatry suggests the answer to what fuels susceptibility to food cues may be far more complex, related to subtle differences in brain chemistry. The PET scans showed that, compared to their leaner counterparts, obese individuals had more dopamine-triggered signaling activity in…

A Mediterranean diet may be a better way of tackling obesity than calorie counting, leading doctors have said. Writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ), the doctors said a Mediterranean diet quickly reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The PMJ editorial argues a focus on food intake is the best approach, but it warns crash dieting is harmful. They criticise the weight-loss industry for focusing on calorie restriction rather than "good nutrition". And they make the case…

By family practitioner Dr Gita Mathai What is a heart attack? A “heart attack” is a general, rather vague, term used to describe damage to the heart muscle. This occurs when the blood supply to that particular part of the heart is compromised. The blood vessel may be abnormally situated from birth. It may be blocked with atherosclerotic plaques. The vessel may have a compromised lumen (channel inside the vessel) and then go into spasm so that the blood supply falls below critical levels and…

Just choose one of the following options, says nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju • Yong Tau Foo (Hakka dish)  Make it healthier still by choosing bee hoon, mee sua or kway teow (100-140 calories) instead of yellow noodles (200 calories per 100g of cooked noodles). Limit the intake of crab sticks, fish balls and cakes, and fish-paste stuffed veggies, which are loaded with sodium (15g of fresh fish comes with 10mg of sodium compared to 15g of crab stick with130mg…