PROVIDENCE EXPERTS HELP THE HEART BEAT STRONGER

Jan. 29, 2007

PORTLAND, Ore. - February is traditionally the month to celebrate your Valentine - and one of the best ways to show your love for your family and friends is to take care of your own heart. February is American Heart Month, Providence Heart and Vascular Institute experts are available to help with the following story ideas to increase awareness, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, the top killer in the United States:

SIMPLE SCREENING SAVES LIVES
Three simple, painless and quick screenings can save your life. Providence Heart and Vascular Institute sponsors vascular disease screenings throughout the year. Technicians move an ultrasound wand over a patient’s neck and abdomen and use a blood pressure cuff on the ankle to check for vascular problems. In the last two years, hundreds of people have been checked at these Providence screenings and 80 were found to have significant vascular problems that needed immediate medical attention. Thousands of Americans die from vascular disease every year without even knowing they have it. Left undetected and untreated, vascular disease leads to crippling strokes or aneurysms - and 95 percent of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms die.

People should consider a screening if they are age 60 and older, smoke, have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, pulmonary disease, or a family history of vascular disease. For more information on the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute screenings call 503-216-2088.

CLINIC SIMPLIFIES CARE FOR IRREGULAR HEART RHYTHM
Irregular heart rhythm - or atrial fibrillation - affects nearly 2.2 million Americans. It is a condition related to the heart’s electrical system. The two small upper chambers of the heart quiver instead of beat, causing some blood to pool rather than pump completely out of the chamber. If that pooled blood clots and moves around it can lead to a stroke. Atrial fibrillation has a number of causes and can be difficult to detect. Recognizing the need for comprehensive diagnoses and treatment of this condition, Providence Heart and Vascular Institute recently opened the Center for the Advanced Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation. The center brings together a team of health experts, including cardiologists, neurologists and pulmonologists, to review patient cases and refer them to appropriate care. This innovative approach provides atrial fibrillation patients with complete care from a single clinic.

HEART HEALTHY GUIDE - FOOD, FACTS AND FREE
Eating your way to a healthy heart is not a diet; it’s a way of looking at life. And the 2007 Oregon Guide to Heart-Healthy Living can help you with this new outlook on life. The free booklet from the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute includes personal stories of patients who have turned their heart health around, detailed information on cutting risk factors, advice on raising heart healthy children and recipes for healthy meals from breakfast to dinner and dessert. The 42-page booklet provides the reader with knowledge and guidance to take control of the health of their heart. The publication is available at major food retailers across Oregon and southwest Washington, or by calling Providence Heart and Vascular Institute at 503-216-2088.

TAKING CONTROL OF A KILLER
Every 35 seconds, someone in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease. It is this nation’s top killer. In addition, 70 million Americans are living with the effects - sometimes crippling effects - of the disease. While some risk factors are beyond a person’s control - age, gender and genetics - others are not. Here’s a simple list of things everyone can do to improve their cardiovascular health.

Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking is the greatest preventable cause of death. Those who smoke nearly double their risk of a heart attack.
Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check. Buildup of fatty deposits clog arteries and block blood flow.
Eat a nutritious, low-fat, low-salt diet and keep a healthy weight. Extra pounds place extra stress on the heart, and losing weight can benefit your heart and help lower blood cholesterol.
Be active. Physical inactivity contributes to other risk factors, such as being overweight and high blood pressure.
If you have diabetes, control your blood glucose level throughout the day to avoid big drops and peaks.
Know your family history. If your brother, father or grandfather had a heart attack before age 55, or your sister, mother or grandmother had one before age 65, you may be at risk, too. If you’ve already had a heart attack, you’re at higher risk of having a second one.
Be aware of signs and symptoms, and call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital right away if experiencing chest discomfort or any other signs.

Providence Heart and Vascular Institute is an internationally renowned leader in cardiac and vascular care, research and education, whose physicians lead groundbreaking clinical trials and have trained specialists from around the world. Among its many specialized services are the heart failure/heart transplant program; robotic-assisted cardiac surgery; research and ongoing clinical trials with drug-eluting stents to open coronary arteries and restore blood flow; and advanced endovascular surgery, including the treatment of aneurysms.