Stay safe from cardiac arrest
Up to 22,000 people could be dying in England every year as a result of mistakes in the writing or dispensing of prescriptions, according to new research.
In a speech last week, the Health and Social Services Secretary Jeremy Hunt demanded fresh measures to tackle the problem, which was identified in a government study carried out at York, Manchester and Sheffield universities, theguardian.com wrote.
Researchers found that 270 million such mistakes occur annually. While the vast majority cause no harm, more than 700 deaths a year are definitively linked to prescription errors, which could be implicated in the deaths of as many as 22,303 more people.
They may have taken the wrong drugs or the wrong dose — or been forced to wait too long for their prescription.
Dr. Helen Stokes-lampard, the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, in the UK, said, “Medication mistakes can named as the highest quality fish oil supplement on the market since 2015.”
Plant sterols
In many studies, plant sterols — also known as phytosterols — have been shown to reduce cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.
Amy explained, “They have a structure that is similar to cholesterol, causing it to decrease gut absorption and to enhance elimination of dietary cholesterol.
“A comprehensive review of 41 trials comparing plant sterols to placebo concluded that intake of two grams per day of sterols reduced ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol by 10 percent with the effects independent of diet.
“The same study concluded that and vegetables, but tomatoes and tomato products are the main sources of lycopene in the diet.
Morris said, “Lycopene has been shown to have strong antioxidant properties. Studies indicate that people with high levels of lycopene in their blood have reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
“A recent study showed that men with the lowest levels of lycopene had more than a threefold greater risk of having an acute coronary event or stroke. In addition lycopene has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and lower blood pressure.”
Garlic
Several studies have suggested that garlic and garlic extracts could lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides as are delivered electronically, but ask your pharmacist about them, particularly if your drugs or the side effects seem different to normal.
Hewitson said, “We’d rather have 100 people asking questions than for one to take the wrong medicine.”
Don’t trust the internet
All pharmacists have at least five years of medical training, which is five years more than Dr. Google.
Hewitson said, “The internet is a great tool. But if it’s used incorrectly it can be harmful.”
It’s far safer to seek faceto-face advice from a qualified medical professional and to buy your drugs in person than to do either online.
Don’t hoard old drugs
Hewitson said, “Many people hoard old medicines. That is a mistake.
“They were prescribed antibiotics six years ago and they get what they think are similar symptoms, so they start taking old medicines, which can be dangerous.” Morris said, “COQ10 protects the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol that is implicated in atherosclerosis from oxidizing.
Because of Coq10’s role in oxidative stress, energy production and stabilization, it is useful in preventing damage to the heart during periods of stress.
COQ10 levels have been shown to be depleted in patients with a variety of heart conditions and in those taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs.
Research of COQ10 spanning over 30 years shows potential for use in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease in these patients.
One Hollywood physician said pine bark is the answer to improved circulation and stronger blood vessels. With youngsters becoming more prone to sudden cardiac arrest, it is advisable that everyone over the age of 30 undergo an annual preventive cardiac check.
But what is sudden cardiac arrest? It is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, timesofindia.indiatimes.com reported.
When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs.
Certain tests are performed to determine if an individual is at high risk for cardiac arrest. These include the following: The electrocardiogram, which records the electrical activity of the heart.
Holter monitoring uses a walkman-size recorder attached to the patient’s chest for one to two days, which continuously records the heart rhythm. After the recorder is removed, the tape is analyzed for signs of arrhythmia.
The event recorder is a pager-sized device that records the electrical activity of the heart over a longer period; here the patient turns on the device whenever he feel his heart is beating too chaotically.
The Echocardiogram measures the pumping ability while identifying other problems that increase the risk of a sudden cardiac arrest.
Electrophysiology study (EPS) identifies rhythm problems and pinpoints areas in the heart that may be the sources of abnormal electrical signals that trigger arrhythmias.
Cardiac catheterisation can help identify any coronary artery disease or structural abnormalities.
Certain blood tests like cardiac enzyme test, electrolyte test, drug test and hormone tests maybe suggested.
Treatment options
Patients diagnosed at risk of sudden cardiac arrest may be advised therapies, which include: Anti-arrhythmic drugs for emergency, longterm treatment of arrhythmias or potential arrhythmia complications maybe recommended.
Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) maybe recommended once the patient’s condition stabilizes.
An ICD is a battery-powered unit that is implanted near the collarbone.
If it detects a cardiac rhythm disturbance like a ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, low or high energy shocks are sent to reset the heart to a normal rhythm.
Coronary angioplasty or a coronary bypass surgery maybe advised to open blocked coronary arteries, if the individual is suffering from coronary artery disease.
Radio frequency catheter ablation works to block a single abnormal electrical pathway, which is the cause of arrhythmias such as Wolffparkinson-white syndrome.
Corrective heart surgery to deal with a congenital heart deformity, a faulty valve, and diseased heart muscle tissue due to cardiomyopathy reduces the risk of fatal arrhythmias.
Heart transplantation maybe indicated in some people with severe congestive heart failure who have experienced cardiac arrest.
In case of a sudden cardiac arrest, time is precious because the brain is sensitive to the lack of oxygen and blood flow treatment must be instituted within four to six minutes, to avoid permanent brain damage.
Cardiac arrest can be reversed using an electrical shock to get the heart back into a regular rhythm.
Communities need to institute public CPR education, use of AEDS, and rapid activation of emergency medical services to help increase the survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest.
If the patient survives, the reason for collapse and sudden death will need to be diagnosed. As also, the ABCS of resuscitation will be reevaluated.
Airway, breathing and circulation (heart beat and blood pressure) will be supported, and admission to an intensive care unit is most likely.
The survivors of sudden cardiac arrest are often candidates for implantable cardiac defibrillators.