Cardiovascular - August 2014 Archives

ROCHESTER, Minn. ― Here are highlights from the August issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Reprinting is allowed for a fee. Mayo Clinic Health Letter attribution is required. Include the following subscription information as your editorial policies permit: Visit www.HealthLetter.MayoClinic.com or call toll-free for subscription information, 1-800-333-9037, extension 9771. Full newsletter text: Mayo Clinic Health Letter August 2014 (for journalists only). Full special report text: Mayo Clinic Health Letter Special Report August 2014 (for journalists only).   Hand pain not inevitable with aging Chronic hand pain and dysfunction aren’t inevitable aspects of aging, but hands are vulnerable to injury and degenerative conditions after years of wear and tear. The August issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter includes an eight-page Special Report on Hand Pain, including common causes and strategies to alleviate, manage and even prevent hand pain. Health concerns covered included arthritis, tendon and nerve conditions, trauma and infections. A primary care provider can treat and diagnose some hand conditions. Depending on the concern, a hand surgeon, rheumatologist, neurologist or rehabilitation specialist could be involved in treatment.

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Fitting in fitness: Finding time for physical activity You know fitness is important, but making time to exercise can be tough. Try these tips for fitting more physical activity into your day. Cancer prevention: 7 tips to reduce your risk Simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference in helping prevent cancer. Find out what you can do, starting today. Heart disease in women: Understand symptoms and risk factors Heart disease is often thought of as a problem for men. But more women than men die of heart disease each year. Learn the risks and how to protect yourself. EXPERT ANSWERS Diabetes: Does alcohol and tobacco use increase my risk? Find out how your risk of type 2 diabetes increases with smoking and drinking. Demyelinating disease: What causes it? Demyelinating diseases, which include multiple sclerosis, result in neurological problems. Learn the causes. Caffeine: Is it dehydrating or not? Caffeinated drinks usually won't dehydrate you, but water is still your best option. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSU9SROVeZY&feature=youtu.be&hd=1 A Mayo Clinic task force challenges some recommendations in the updated guideline for cholesterol treatment unveiled by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) in 2013. The task force concludes, based on current evidence, that not all patients encouraged to take cholesterol-lowering medications, such as statins, may benefit from them and that the guideline missed some important conditions that might benefit from medication. Furthermore, the task force believes an emphasis needs to be placed on an individualized treatment approach with each patient and exercising shared decision-making. Recommendations of the task force, made up of Mayo Clinic experts in cardiology, endocrinology and preventive medicine, with no conflicts of interest or links to the drug industry, will be published Aug. 14 in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. An editorial will accompany the paper. Mayo Clinic physicians are adopting the task force’s guideline. “The ACC/AHA cholesterol guideline was last updated in 2001, so it needed to be updated. We agree with many points of the guideline, but there are some key areas where we do not completely agree or we wanted to expand and provide more guidance,” says Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, M.D., task force chairman and director of preventive cardiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Kullo and Dr. Lopez-Jimenez are available in the downloads, as well as animations of statins' effects in the bloodstream and carotid artery plaque formation. 

Chemotherapy side effects: A cause of heart disease? Chemotherapy side effects may include an increased risk of heart disease, especially cardiomyopathy. Get the facts. ...

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville has been recognized as one of the first facilities in the nation to receive the Blue Distinction Centers+SM designation in the area of transplant care. Awarded through Florida Blue as part of a national program from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, the designation recognizes hospitals shown to deliver high-quality specialty care based on objective, transparent measures for patient safety and health outcomes that were developed with input from the medical community. Mayo Clinic in Florida is also recognized as a Blue Distinction Center for its quality care and services in the areas of cardiac care, hip and knee replacements and spine surgery.