Whole Grains Reduce Heart Failure Risk

Food sources are increasingly becoming recognized for disease prevention. It’s difficult to give enough emphasis to the benefits, given our current rates of diabetes, heart disease and obesity. According to a new study, eating whole grains can modestly reduce your risk of heart failure, a condition that affects 5 million Americans. Past studies suggest that heart failure risk can be reduced by eating whole grains. Results of a large analysis, published in the November 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, examining 14,000 White and African American adults shows that though the results were modest, whole grain consumption can certainly help.

Jennifer A. Nettleton, Ph.D writes, "Although risk estimates were modest, the totality of literature in this area suggests it would be prudent to recommend that those at high risk of HF increase their intake of whole grains and reduce intake of high-fat dairy and eggs…” In addition to eating more grains, it would also be prudent to reduce dietary fat and egg intake – the study found that heart failure risk increased by 23% per one serving of eggs.

Risks for heart failure include coronary artery disease, hypertension, obesity and insulin resistance. Good dietary habits are extremely important for protection from heart disease. According to the study, anyone at high risk for heart failure should reduce their intake of high fat and dairy products, focusing more on the benefits of whole grains. Follow the American Heart Association’s dietary guidelines for a healthy heart. It’s never too late to start.

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Eating whole grains lowers heart failure risk, according to new study ◦

Whole Grains Reduce Heart Failure Risk

Elderly Patients with Heart Failure Require Special Treatment

Older adults with heart failure require frequent hospitalization, accounting for significant burden on the patient, families, and our healthcare system. As more people reach age 65, elder care will escalate. Most people in the senior population have multiple health issues, which require clinical trials to meet increasing demands for healthcare delivery. However, few clinical trials target elderly patients with heart failure. Co-morbidities such as kidney failure and urinary incontinence, which may inhibit therapy with diuretics, cognitive impairment, arthritis, lung disease, and heart rhythm disturbances, require special approaches for heart failure in the presence of advanced age.

Many factors have an indirect impact on treating elders with heart failure, though medication standards are the same whether a patient is young or old. Targeted treatment should address specific issues that are unique to our increasingly older population.

As we age, kidney function declines, as does the ability to eliminate sodium and water. The result leads to disturbances in electrolyte (sodium, potassium, chloride) balance. Urinary tract abnormalities, resulting in incontinence (inability to hold urine in the bladder) may not be reported to physicians due to embarrassment. Many patients avoid taking their medications as a result.

Heart failure causes shortness of breath and decreased exercise tolerance, yet elderly patients with chronic lung disease should not be withheld from receiving beta-blockers, medications that are shown to improve symptoms of heart failure.

Low blood pressure can result from standard heart failure treatment, causing falls and additional hospitalizations. Evaluation is needed to replace medications that may contribute to worsening problems, making it necessary to choose different medications for treatment.

Arthritis requires the use of pain medications, such as anti-inflammatories, that are known to impair kidney function and promote bleeding, providing yet another challenge to physicians.

Recommendations also include screening for coronary artery disease via cardiac catheterization, much the same as in younger patients. Evidence shows that treatment with cholesterol lowering drugs and medications to treat angina improve prognosis. Surgery can also be considered to repair heart valve disease and bypass coronary artery disease, depending on other health risks.

Short-term treatment for depression is also shown to improve survival of elderly patients with heart failure, but it is recommended that they be used with caution.
It is estimated that elderly patients with heart failure have a survival rate of less than three years, making the prognosis worse than those who have cancer. Many patients are at a disadvantage because they have less understanding of their disease process.

If you or a family member has a diagnosis of heart failure, make it a priority to become educated about treatment options. Report medication problems and new symptoms to your doctor. Recognize that multiple approaches may be necessary to improve survival and quality of life. A look at the special needs required to treat elders with heart failure makes it apparent that the problem is challenging for patients as well as physicians.

There are many other treatment options, such as pacemakers, implantable cardiac defibrillators, and daily exercises, and this article highlights a few of the special treatments needed to treat heart failure in elders.

The best approach for the management of heart failure includes risk factor reduction, patient and family education, and the proper use of medication. The benefits include fewer hospitalizations, improved quality of life and increased survival.

From International Journal of Clinical Practice ◦

Elderly Patients with Heart Failure Require Special Treatment

Cholesterol Lowering Medication May Help with Heart Failure Treatment and Prevention

According to experts, heart failure patients may benefit from taking cholesterol medications. Statins (cholesterol medications) help prevent heart disease by delaying the progression of atherosclerosis (plaque in the arteries); preventing heart attack. Newer studies show that patients with heart failure, or those at risk for heart failure, may experience overall health benefit from taking statins.

Patients who develop heart failure are 8 times more likely to die from heart disease when compared to those who have actually had heart attacks without heart failure. Heart failure may occur post heart attack, as the result of heart valve disease, high blood pressure, infection, congenital abnormalities, or cardiomyopathy(enlarged heart from heart muscle disease).

Research also shows that patients with heart failure experience fewer hospitalizations when statins are prescribed. For patients who are at risk for heart failure, taking cholesterol medication seems to decrease the chance of developing congestive heart failure by 45% - 50%, even when blood flow to the heart is good (non-ischemic heart disease). Several studies have also shown improvement in heart function (ejection fraction) when statins are prescribed to heart failure patients, though studies are ongoing.

Hypothetically, statins may treat small blood vessel, or microvascular disease, accounting for better outcomes. In addition, we all have some form of atherosclerosis (artery plaque), making prevention of heart attack more important for those who already have diagnosed heart disease.

According to experts, 50% of the population is likely to die from blockage of the coronary arteries; most of them will not have a prior diagnosis of atherosclerotic heart disease. There are ongoing studies designed to support the use of statins in heart failure, but the preliminary evidence is positive that management of risk factors can provide benefit for patients with heart failure and possibly provide improvement of heart function.

Unanswered questions include why and how this all works. Long before science knew how Aspirin worked, they knew that it was valuable to prevent heart attacks.
In spite of unanswered questions, we do know that it’s important to maintain healthy blood vessels. Heredity, diet, and lifestyle all play a role in prevention of inflammatory response in large and small blood vessels.

Many people balk at the proposition of taking cholesterol medication due to side effects, cost and the need for ongoing blood work. If you have a family history of heart disease, are at risk for heart failure from hypertension, or have damage to the heart muscle, consider speaking with your doctor about what you can do to prevent heart attack or stroke.

Continue to follow dietary guidelines for a healthy heart. Eat foods that are high in antioxidant properties and can help reduce inflammation. Food and exercise can promote much of the same effect as cholesterol medication. It's important to take an active role in managing your own health, in addition to following your doctor's recommendations.

Source: Cardiosource Video Network ◦

Cholesterol Lowering Medication May Help with Heart Failure Treatment and Prevention