Protect your heart: Check out these uncommon warning signs that might put you at risk.



High blood pressure, stress, and diabetes are all familiar warning signs that someone's at risk for cardiovascular disease. But there are other red flags that most of us are not aware of, such as hair loss, or problems in the bedroom. By paying attention to risk factors, and using them as cues to make healthy changes in your life, there's a lot that can be done to prevent cardiovascular damage early on, says Rene Alvarez, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute. Here are six unusual signs of heart disease--and what you can do to protect yourself. (While you're at it, avoid these 6 Unexpected Heart Attack Triggers, too.)

1. Male pattern baldness Loss of hair is more than an issue of appearance--it may mean loss of circulation, according to a correlation between top rear head balding and cardiovascular disease described in a recent t issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Dr. Alvarez says lack of circulation to the hair follicles may be related to heart circulation, although other factors may play a role in the connection. "Some patients who have male pattern baldness may smoke, have hypertension, or a genetic predisposition relating to heart disease," he notes.

Do this. Watch and be aware. Knowing your family history--both of baldness and heart disease--can help you assess your own risk. If either runs in the family, it's extra reason to take steps to prevent hypertension and high cholesterol levels, and to avoid or quit smoking.

2. Snoring and sleep apnea Sawing logs may cause your heart to struggle. A study from Emory University in Atlanta found that the obstructed airways in people who have sleep apnea or snore were linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Disturbed sleep may be a predisposition of high blood pressure and diabetes, both contributing to heart disease, says Dr. Alvarez.

Do this. Prevent future problems now. The good news is that this warning sign gives you lots of time to take action. "Sleep-disordered breathing typically occurs decades before it's diagnosed, and decades before signs of cardiovascular disease events," says Dr. Alvarez. If you have these nighttime symptoms, take a sleep test and get advice from a specialist to improve your quality of sleep and quality of life, he suggests.

3. Migraines Headaches may lead to heartaches as well. Women who experience migraines with visual or sensory disturbance at least once a month are twice as likely to develop heart disease, says a study published in June by the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Alvarez says circulation irregularities that cause the severe headaches may contribute to heart problems. "If you find a vascular abnormality in one territory of the body, you're likely to find it in another," he says.

Do this. Mind the warning sign. Talk with your physician about what a migraine may mean for your heart. Circulatory problems anywhere in the body should stimulate doctors to look for other areas of the body affected as well, Dr. Alvarez says.


4. Eating and drinking plastic Toss your plastic water bottles into a recycling bin. According to a University of Cincinnati study, the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) found in hard plastic food and beverage containers can produce an estrogenlike molecule that mimics estrogen's effects, creating a heightened risk for heart disease in women. Dr. Alvarez says BPA "could create too much estrogen or block the effects of its benefits." And that's not all--check out these 5 Crazy Things BPA is Doing to Your Body for the full list of health risks.

Do this. Replace # 7 plastic food containers and water bottles--that's the type likely to contain BPA--with stainless steel, glass, or ceramic ones. If you're not ready to banish other types of plastic containers, be sure you never heat them up, since this can cause other chemicals to leach into their contents.

5. Marital stress Frequent arguments in your relationship may increase a woman's odds of an actual broken heart. A University of Utah study found women suffering from marital stress were at risk for additional symptoms of heart disease. Differences in hormones and how the sexes handle stress may explain why men were not similarly affected. "Women's hearts are very different than men's hearts in terms of circulation and receptors they have for certain hormones," says Dr. Alvarez.

Do this. Take a deep breath. Stress can result in high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and depression. Dr. Alvarez suggests people with difficulties controlling stress should seek help with coping. "We all have stress and how we respond is very different, but there are methods to deal with your perception of stress and limit it," he says. Try stress-reduction tactics like regular exercise, yoga, and mindfulness mediation. For relationship-related stress, discuss the option of marital counseling with your partner.


6. Sexual dysfunction Heart disease may be the last thing on your mind when you're cuddling close to your significant other, but trouble performing may be a concern for heart health as well as sexual health. Dr. Alvarez says that although sexual dysfunction in men and women is different, the issue linking it to heart disease is the same: When blood vessels don't work well, sexual problems can occur. "If you have dysfunction in one circulatory area you have it in others," he says.

Do this. Treat both issues. With good medical therapy and healthy lifestyle changes, both sexual dysfunction and heart disease can be avoided. Dr. Alvarez recommends regular exercise, and talking with your physician about daily aspirin use and your vascular health, to resolve both problems.

By Dana Blinder, Rodale News

Feed me more: 4. Eating and drinking plastic Toss your plastic water bottles into a recycling bin. According to a University of Cincinnati study, the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) found in hard plastic food and beverage containers can produce an estrogenlike molecule that mimics estrogen's effects, creating a heightened risk for heart disease in women. Dr. Alvarez says BPA "could create too much estrogen or block the effects of its benefits." And that's not all--check out these 5 Crazy Things BPA is Doing to Your Body for the full list of health risks.

Do this. Replace # 7 plastic food containers and water bottles--that's the type likely to contain BPA--with stainless steel, glass, or ceramic ones. If you're not ready to banish other types of plastic containers, be sure you never heat them up, since this can cause other chemicals to leach into their contents.

this is unnecessary propaganda. Plastics are polymers... polymers are long chains of monomeric units that are not absorbed at all in the body. The level of BPA in BPA-containing plastic is too small to be of any serious consequence. The noise about BPA really needs to start being based on facts. To say that BPA increases risk of heart disease in women is nonsense... particularly as birth control drugs, some of which are estrogen analogs, carry no such risks.

Feed me more: 1. Male pattern baldness Loss of hair is more than an issue of appearance--it may mean loss of circulation, according to a correlation between top rear head balding and cardiovascular disease described in a recent t issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Dr. Alvarez says lack of circulation to the hair follicles may be related to heart circulation, although other factors may play a role in the connection. "Some patients who have male pattern baldness may smoke, have hypertension, or a genetic predisposition relating to heart disease," he notes.

Dr. Alvarez should know that correlation is not the same as causation. That there is a correlation between the increase in the consumption of ice cream and murder rate does not mean ice cream is the cause.

Very informative. Thanks for sharing.

HMM

Baldness,Snoring... This means most elderly Nigerian men(from 50 up) are at risk to this heart disease....

Nice information.... Op thanks 4 sharing

Hmmm

Noted...thanks

Na wah ooo

na so?

Nos 3 and Nos 5 . Unmarital stress though

#Subscribing

Noted.

I think the global health community has been hijacked by psuedo-scientists spreading useless propaganda like this. This is an ambiguous fallacy, it has nothing to do with 'warning signs'.

Guykhena: Baldness,Snoring... This means most elderly Nigerian men(from 50 up) are at risk to this heart disease....

Lolzzz... Dem neva old reach to begin dey @ risk Abeg, park well, joor!!!

davidylan:

this is unnecessary propaganda. Plastics are polymers... polymers are long chains of monomeric units that are not absorbed at all in the body. The level of BPA in BPA-containing plastic is too small to be of any serious consequence. The noise about BPA really needs to start being based on facts. To say that BPA increases risk of heart disease in women is nonsense... particularly as birth control drugs, some of which are estrogen analogs, carry no such risks.

Feed her more.

Feed me more: 1. Male pattern baldness Loss of hair is more than an issue of appearance--it may mean loss of circulation, according to a correlation between top rear head balding and cardiovascular disease described in a recent t issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Dr. Alvarez says lack of circulation to the hair follicles may be related to heart circulation, although other factors may play a role in the connection. "Some patients who have male pattern baldness may smoke, have hypertension, or a genetic predisposition relating to heart disease," he notes.

Do this. Watch and be aware. Knowing your family history--both of baldness and heart disease--can help you assess your own risk. If either runs in the family, it's extra reason to take steps to prevent hypertension and high cholesterol levels, and to avoid or quit smoking.

2. Snoring and sleep apnea Sawing logs may cause your heart to struggle. A study from Emory University in Atlanta found that the obstructed airways in people who have sleep apnea or snore were linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Disturbed sleep may be a predisposition of high blood pressure and diabetes, both contributing to heart disease, says Dr. Alvarez.

Do this. Prevent future problems now. The good news is that this warning sign gives you lots of time to take action. "Sleep-disordered breathing typically occurs decades before it's diagnosed, and decades before signs of cardiovascular disease events," says Dr. Alvarez. If you have these nighttime symptoms, take a sleep test and get advice from a specialist to improve your quality of sleep and quality of life, he suggests.

I thank you very much for this piec of Education. Articles like this is what we need on Nairaland front page.

This is a major problem with today's working class. Work the whole day and come home late without proper rest.

Please how can we stop sleep apnea and snoring at night?

davidylan:

Dr. Alvarez should know that correlation is not the same as causation. That there is a correlation between the increase in the consumption of ice cream and murder rate does not mean ice cream is the cause.

Dude try to read and assimilate before jumping into conclusion..The Doctor never stated for a fact that lack of circulation to the hair follicles was the cause of heart diseases but might be a "WARNING SIGN" that the heart might not be as healthy as you think as inferred in his statement

"Dr. Alvarez says lack of
circulation to the hair follicles "MAY BE"
related to heart circulation, although
other factors may play a role in the connection"

So Bro it might be foolhardy to just disprove his findings without making proper research yourself, because you might need this piece of information someday that could eventually save a fellas life..

.

If the Lord doesn't build, the builders build in vain...
God Is In Charge Of My Heart...

noted


SEE What We Are Doing To Christianity Today >>>> http://www..com/what-we-are-doing-to-christianity-today/

I am not against modern science oo... but i still think most of these health hazard are because of change in the natural course of things...

our fore fathers in Africa b4 the 1980s ... most of them snored; had bar heads, ate red meat.. did alot of things that today`s doctors are against... yet most of them outlived more than 70years... why

because they followed the course of nature... they walk to their farms (which is exercise); they ate natural food not Agric fowls or generic modified plants; not even can food like Sardine etc...

They lived a stress free live... infact the men had over 10 wives yet no divorce & heartache...

there are alot of them... all these diseases came because we decided to embrace the western world so called fast life... Am not against it ooo... but try ur best to do some natural things... like walk 4 atleast 30mins a day.. buy native fowl instead of Agric... run away 4rm can food... and lastly have a good family life...

Ok

jude33084:

I thank you very much for this piec of Education. Articles like this is what we need on Nairaland front page.

This is a major problem with today's working class. Work the whole day and come home late without proper rest.

Please how can we stop sleep apnea and snoring at night?

U can get a snoring aide is in d market google it.

Im sorry to say there is too much grammar here! Anyway i hear.

I've been suffering from sleep apnea which I discovered in 2007, lately it got worse with high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and even weakness in the left side of my body. Diet change has brought slight relief but I still need help

Feed me more: 1. Male pattern baldness Loss of hair is more than an issue of appearance--it may mean loss of circulation, according to a correlation between top rear head balding and cardiovascular disease described in a recent t issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Dr. Alvarez says lack of circulation to the hair follicles may be related to heart circulation, although other factors may play a role in the connection. "Some patients who have male pattern baldness may smoke, have hypertension, or a genetic predisposition relating to heart disease," he notes.

Do this. Watch and be aware. Knowing your family history--both of baldness and heart disease--can help you assess your own risk. If either runs in the family, it's extra reason to take steps to prevent hypertension and high cholesterol levels, and to avoid or quit smoking.

2. Snoring and sleep apnea Sawing logs may cause your heart to struggle. A study from Emory University in Atlanta found that the obstructed airways in people who have sleep apnea or snore were linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Disturbed sleep may be a predisposition of high blood pressure and diabetes, both contributing to heart disease, says Dr. Alvarez.

Do this. Prevent future problems now. The good news is that this warning sign gives you lots of time to take action. "Sleep-disordered breathing typically occurs decades before it's diagnosed, and decades before signs of cardiovascular disease events," says Dr. Alvarez. If you have these nighttime symptoms, take a sleep test and get advice from a specialist to improve your quality of sleep and quality of life, he suggests.