New Year Resolutions To Take Care Of Your Heart Health

 Do you want to make your New Year's resolutions count this year? Given the recent events, this is a great time to look forward to a brighter, better, and healthier future. Improving the health of your heart is one of the finest ways to take control of your overall health. Make improving your heart health one of your New Year's resolutions. Investigate the steps you could take this year to improve your heart health.

Tips For Staying True To Your Resolutions

The following tips will boost the likelihood that you will complete your heart-healthy New Year's resolution:

Set realistic goals - When you set goals that you know you can meet, you are far more likely to succeed.

Keep it simple - If you're just starting out as a runner, it's unlikely that you'll be able to run 10 miles per day. Instead, begin with a brief 15-20-minute workout that alternates running and walking intervals. You'll be able to work your way up to that 10-mile objective over time.

Maintain your resolve - Making a lifestyle change is difficult. You may make mistakes from time to time. This is typical. The goal is to persevere and make every attempt to get back on track as quickly as possible.

Resolutions For Heart Health

Improve Your Workout Routine: This is one of the simplest ways to boost your heart health. Increasing your physical activity will yield big returns in terms of general fitness.

Stress Reduction: Stress is detrimental to your body and can be fatal to your heart health. Individuals who are under a lot of stress are more likely to have a heart attack or a stroke. As a result, you must take steps to relax more. Some stress-reduction techniques include Yoga, meditation, work out, deep breathing exercises, reading and going outside for a walk every day.

Get an Annual Physical: If you don't get an annual physical, you should start including it in your health routine. These checkups are covered by insurance, so you won't have to pay anything to acquire critical information about your health.

During your physical, your doctor will be able to:

Check to see if you have any major health difficulties.

Identify any possible issues as soon as they arise.

Keep track of vital health indicators like your glucose levels and blood pressure.

Discuss lifestyle changes that will benefit your health in the future year.

Get yourself a portable EKG machine from Nasiff Associates and keep track of your heart health all year.

Key Advantages of PC Based Resting ECG System

 As a medical expert, you might advise your patients to undergo an electrocardiogram, or ECG, to look for any heart disease symptoms. It is a test that looks at the heart's electrical activity when it is at rest. It can offer details on heartbeat rhythm, rate, or other issues like high blood pressure or myocardial infarction. But if you are still diagnosing using a traditional ECG machine that uses thermal paper, it's time to make a change.

PC Based Resting ECG systems can enhance accurate electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation, facilitate health care decision-making, and save costs. Annually, millions of ECGs are recorded worldwide, with the majority being automatically examined and then immediately interpreted through this.

Benefits Of PC Based ECG 

PC-based resting ECGs have a number of benefits over traditional ECG systems that use thermal paper, including:

• In comparison to conventional ECGs, digital data storage allows for thousands of records to be saved in a small amount of space and allows for cost-effective operation by printing records on standard paper rather than more expensive thermal paper.
• Easy patient database management: Instead of needing to file through patient cards, patient databases may be readily viewed on a screen.
• Filters: We can use a variety of filters to speed up the administrative procedure while looking for a patient's record.
• Reliable data storage: Unlike traditional ECG records, the record doesn't fade or crumple.
• Connectivity: The Nasiff CardioResting has USB connectivity as a standard, but it can also have Bluetooth connectivity or both USB and Bluetooth connections.
• Mobility of the record: It is simple to copy, upload to a portal, or email the record.
• Customizable views: displaying the various ECG channels on a computer screen is ideal,
• Automatic interpretation: The software's automatic interpretation can be checked by the physician, simplifying and speeding up the diagnostic process.

With PC Based ECG, channels can be turned on and off, paper speed and amplitude can be adjusted, median size can be set, and a doctor's diagnosis can be added to the record itself, unlike with typical ECG equipment.

PC-based ECG systems have become quite popular with doctors and clinics, and it’s time for you to get on board. Visit the Nasiff Associates website for more information.

Understanding the Relationship Between Alcohol Consumption and Heart Disease

The problem of alcoholism plagues the public health domain, especially in the United States. While most people are moderate drinkers, Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects about 15 million adults in the United States, and an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually. Consuming copious amounts of alcohol can not only affect the quality of life but also have long-term health consequences such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease.

Considering the statistics and the lack of awareness of the gravity of the situation, Alcohol Awareness Month, organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, strives to increase awareness around the dangers of alcoholism and related issues.

In the light of Alcohol Awareness Month, here’s what you should know about alcohol consumption and heart health. 

Does Alcohol have any Benefits for your Heart Health?

Some people believe that moderate alcohol consumption can mitigate the risks of dying from heart diseases. But does a glass of wine keep the doctor away? Some studies reinforce this claim, but it is hard to determine the veracity of these studies vis-a-vis their cause and effect. There is some evidence that moderate amounts of alcohol might help slightly raise “good” HDL cholesterol levels. But that does mean you have to pop a cork to reap these benefits. 

What are the Effects of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Health?

Unhealthy patterns of alcohol consumption are associated with severe health implications including cardiovascular disease. Several studies suggest that heavy drinking in both men and women can lead to high blood pressure or hypertension, which is one of the most common risk factors associated with a heart attack or stroke. 

Furthermore, excessive drinking can also weaken the heart muscle (also known as cardiomyopathy), i.e., the heart can’t pump blood as efficiently as it should, which ultimately leads to heart failure. 

How can you Reduce the Risks of Heart Disease?

Alcohol being the third leading preventable cause of death in the nation, it becomes imperative that we make conscious efforts to mitigate the risks of heart disease and untimely deaths. One of the best ways to keep your heart health in check is to cut down on your alcohol intake. Additionally, leading cardiologists recommend regularly monitoring your cardiovascular health to prevent further complications. 

When it comes to monitoring heart health, healthcare professionals use an electrocardiograph to record the changes of electrical potential occurring during the heartbeat or any abnormalities in the functioning of the heart. 

If you run a healthcare facility and are looking to upgrade your existing equipment, reach out to Nasiff for portable ECG units

National Sleep Awareness Month: The Link Between Sleep and Heart Health

 

Every year, March is celebrated as National Sleep Awareness Month, which sheds light on the connection between sleep and our health and allows us to look into our sleep habits and find ways to improve the quality of sleep we get. 

This year’s National Sleep Awareness Month is focused on the importance of sleep for our cardiac health. Though many people don’t consider it vital to maintaining heart health, studies reveal that getting good sleep is just as important as eating right and exercising regularly for a healthy heart. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults between 18 and 65 should get at least 7 hours of quality sleep every night to keep cardiovascular problems away. It is also important for medical practitioners to monitor patients’ heart health regularly using a mobile ECG unit. 

How does sleep impact heart health?

Studies show that poor sleep quality or short sleep duration is associated with the increased risk of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and developing Atherosclerosis, all of which are among the leading causes of heart disease. Not getting enough sleep is also correlated with weight gain, obesity, Type-2 diabetes, and many sleeping disorders. Research also suggests that long-duration sleep (sleeping for more than 9 hours at a time) can increase the risk of stroke, which is often fatal. 

The link between sleeping disorders and heart health

Research also finds a connection between sleeping disorders and cardiovascular disease. People with obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, or other common sleeping disorders also are more likely to have heart arrhythmias, heart failure, plaque buildup, and coronary artery disease than the general public. 

Evidence also reveals that neurological sleep disorders may increase the risk of developing heart disease; however, more research is required to better understand the link. 

Conclusion

This March, let’s educate ourselves and everyone around us to pay attention to their sleeping habits and follow a lifestyle that emphasizes good sleep more than binging shows or the use of mobile devices late at night. Also, keep track of your patients’ heart health using a mobile ECG unit and prevent the onset of heart disease before they snowball. 

“Go Red for Women”: Raising Public Awareness About Women and Heart Disease

 Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of mortality in men and women in the United States, yet prior research has shown a lack of awareness of risk among women. According to the CDC, despite an increase in awareness over the past decades, only about half (56%) of women recognize that heart disease is one of the primary causes of death, which only alludes to the gaps that persist in disseminating knowledge around heart diseases in women.

It was in 2004 that the American Heart Association (AHA) launched an international campaign — Go Red for Women to educate women about the signs and symptoms of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. In the light of American Heart Health Awareness Month, here’s what you should know about women’s heart health. 

Heart Diseases Can Present Differently in Women

While chest pain is considered to be the primary symptom associated with heart attack, it might not be the case for women. Women often describe heart attack pain as pressure or tightness. In women, a heart attack can present itself as shortness of breath, pain in the arms, nausea, or fatigue. Since symptoms of a heart attack in women are less noticeable and vague than in men, there is a wedge in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases in men and women. 

Potential Risk Factors for Women

There are several traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease — such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and obesity, that affect both women and men. However, factors that affect women’s heart health include mental stress and depression, smoking, inactivity, menopause, broken heart syndrome, and pregnancy complications.

Mitigating Risks Associated with Heart Diseases in Women

 Some risk factors of heart disease are out of any individual’s control, such as your age, gender, race or ethnicity, and family history. But by making a few lifestyle changes and adopting healthy habits, you can alleviate the risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. 

Leading cardiologists recommend keeping your weight in check, controlling blood pressure, keeping cholesterol low, regular exercise, quit smoking. Additionally, incorporating regular checkups in your routine can help ensure you don’t have any major health issues and identify any potential problems in their earliest stages. 

When it comes to monitoring heart health, healthcare professionals use a portable ECG monitor that performs and manages tests while saving money and working with your existing equipment.

If you run a healthcare facility and are looking to upgrade to a Portable ECG system, reach out to Nasiff.