ArticlesBase.com - Free Articles Directory
Free Online Articles Directory
12.10.2008 Sign In Register Hello Guest
Email:
Password:
Remember Me 
forgot your password?


When the Cardiologist says you have heart disease -- part-2

Author: Abigail Franks Author Ranking Gold | Posted: 08-07-2006 | Comments: 0 | Views: 214 | Rating:  (54) Article Popularity - Blue (?) Got a Question? Ask.
Related Videos
How to Prevent Heart Disease on Valentines' Day

Prevent Heart Disease, the leading cause of death in women ages 25...

What is Heart Disease

Learn about the causes of heart disease and the effects it has...

Health Tip: Heart Disease & Cholesterol

Joe Graedon dispenses helpful information on heart disease, high cholesterol levels and...

Sign Up Now!

So angiogram was in my immediate future. I'm told this is a safe and relatively painless procedure and not to worry. There were plenty of things to worry about however. They don't want to shove a camera up through my body and into my heart because of no reason. Still, an angiogram is an outpatient procedure where the cardiologist opens an artery in your leg and works a camera into the heart muscle arteries. It sounds a lot worse than it is but the benefit is that you know exactly what the status of your heart and arteries are at that point in time. So I'm ready!

At least this will finally answer how serious a problem, if any, I truly had. The Cardiologist however must have been concerned because he scheduled the angiogram 4 days later.

On the day of this adventure, I checked into the Cardiology center at a local hospital and prepared to undergo the angiogram. An IV was inserted and I was ready to go. Once in the angiogram theater, I was given sedatives that although kept me conscious, there was no pain, nor did I hear anyone working as they sent through me to check out the problem. When the nurses and technicians talked directly to me in a loud enough voice however, I was able to respond.

The good thing about an angiogram is that if blockages are found, the cardiologist can usually place metal stents or pipe like devices in the arteries to maintain blood flow if needed. This is a far cry from the open heart, crack your chest type of surgery that would have been required just a few years ago. After about an hour, the doctor apparently lowered the dosage of sedative as I remember him giving me a status on my condition.

The Verdict!
The bad news was that I did have calcium deposits on the inside walls of my arteries. This was what they had seen with the other tests. The good news however was that my arteries or pipes were absolutely smooth on the inside and were considered very large. Big pipes with a thin smooth coating of calcium equaled a potential problem only.

Being a big person from a family of big people for many generations, the fact that my arteries were considered "big" didn't surprise me. I can't prove it but have to think that the vitamins and minerals I've been taking for over a decade have protected me from developing a life threatening heart disease at this point in my life. The cardiologist however continued to be concerned for long term survivability given the high calcium scores from the blood tests.

Where we go from here!
So it's changes in lifestyle for me. I've gone from a relatively sedentary person to one who rides an exercise bike almost 7 miles a day, everyday. I continue although now on doctors orders, to take an adult aspirin daily and have changed my eating habits. It's a process so there's some good days and some worse but I'm now sensitive to how much and what I eat. Although my bad cholesterol is at 90 (anything under 110 is considered good) the Cardiologist has prescribed statins to lower the bad cholesterol even more. Once again I can't prove it but I do believe that statins will soon be considered a critical part of living a long healthy life.

So that's my story. Exercise and an aspirin a day to thin out the blood. Statins to lower bad cholesterol even more and daily vitamins just because I've done so well with them up to this point. With any luck, I'll live long without having to deal with the debilitating effects of serious heart disease.

Rate this Article: Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/when-the-cardiologist-says-you-have-heart-disease-part2-40221.html

Print this Article Print article   Email to a Friend Send to friend   Publish this Article on your Website Publish this Article   Send Author Feedback Author feedback  
About the Author:

Abigail Franks writes on many subjects having to do with home, family, and health. For more information on heart issues and heart monitoring visit the site at http://www.livingwellzone.com

Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free!

Article Comments

Comment on this article Comment on this article
Your Name
Your Email:
Comment Body
Enter Validation Code: Captcha


Got a Question? Ask.

Ask the community a question about this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

Alzheimer's disease diagnose with a simple blood test
By: vena_cava | 16-10-2007
I've recently read about the pathbreaking research done in Stanford, that will enable doctors diagnose Alzheimer's disease with a simple blood test.So far for diagnosing, but what about curing this awful disease? aren't there any  breakthroughs in finding a medication for it?

Lyme Disease - 2nd time around
By: jake.brown | 08-10-2007
I'm curious to know, has anyone ever had lyme disease? And if so, have they ever treated it and had it re-occur years later? If so, what kind of symptoms did you experience the 2nd time around? And was it easier to treat the 2nd time around or harder?

When referring to an agent of a disease, what is ...
By: lfaraci | 06-10-2007
When referring to an agent of a disease, what is the definition of agent, is there another word that means the same?

Anybody have stents done to there veins???
By: ammo284 | 11-09-2007
Anybody have stents done to there veins???

Today my doc examined me (checked my blood ...
By: Kwalon5 | 06-09-2007
Today my doc examined me (checked my blood pressure and chest) and gave me an EKG but I'm still getting random pains around different parts of my body. I also get pressure pains around my heart that are off and on and my heart seems to flutter at times as if I had a heart murmur of some sort. Should I be concerned still of my heart having some sort of ailment or could it just be all in my head?

Today my doc examined me (checked my blood ...
By: floydian1987 | 05-09-2007
Today my doc examined me (checked my blood pressure and chest) and gave me an EKG but I'm still getting random pains around different parts of my body. I also get pressure pains around my heart that are off and on and my heart seems to flutter at times as if I had a heart murmur of some sort. Should I be concerned still of my heart having some sort of ailment or could it just be all in my head?

Q&A Powered by:
Powered by Yedda 

Latest Health Articles

Alberta Cosmetic Dentist - Let Them Put a Smile Back on Your Face
By: Hilary Lowe | 12/10/2008
Looking for the best Alberta Cosmetic Dentist? Someone to help make your smile a prettier one? Or are you looking to get some teeth surgery or procedure done? It is vital for a person to choose the person who would be working on their teeth carefully because a smile is...

Finding the Right Los Angeles Sedation Dentist For You
By: Claire Goldstein | 12/10/2008
How many times have you suffered from the discomfort that a toothache can bring but endured it anyway because you were too afraid of paying your dentist a visit? Well, you do not have to fear no more. With a Los Angeles sedation dentist, the last thing you have to...

Hair Care With Essential Oils
By: Louise Forrest | 12/10/2008
When it comes to caring for hair the best methods are to use a range of essential oils to help keep the hair healthy and strong. The oils that you use will clearly depend on your hair type but will range from sage to fenugreek. These oils will help to nourish...

Natural Plant Phytoestrogens Can Ease Symptoms of Low Estrogen in the Body
By: Darrell Miller | 12/10/2008
Phytoestrogens mainly belong to a group of phenolic compounds known as flavonoids: the coumestans, prenylated and isoflavones are three of the most active in estrogenic effects. Phytoestrogens are not considered as nutrients because the lack of in the diet will not produce any characteristic deficiency syndromes nor do they participate...

Support the Immune System With Natural Supplements
By: Darrell Miller | 12/10/2008
The immune system is the ultimate bodyguard that can prevent illnesses before it even takes hold in the body when it is properly taken care of. Immune impairment has become a major concern within recent decades among health professionals. The strength of the immune system directly influences the quality of...

To Compare Diet Pills and Analyze How They Work!
By: Stewart C | 12/10/2008
Thanks to continuous scientific innovations, people who find it hard to lose weight now have various options that can help them shed off some extra pounds in no time. A prime option that most people find is the use of diet pills. They are many types of diet pills that are...

Stress Relief Made Easy and Fun With the Right Exercise
By: Cindy Papp | 11/10/2008
How to get stress relief through exercise

Restoration Via Meditation: Sleep Better Tonight!
By: Daniel Topp | 11/10/2008
Meditation is a simple and powerful way to improve sleep and enhance dreams. By entering sleep with a clear mind and a relaxed body, you tap into an amazing resource for rejuvenation - physically, mentally as well as spiritually.

More from Abigail Franks

Anxiety Treatment Options
By: Abigail Franks | 13/08/2007 | Health
It should be reasonable to assume that finding a generalized anxiety treatment would take some research and careful consideration. There is no simple answer to any mental condition and anxiety is particularly difficult to treat.

Do You Want To Find Cheap College Textbooks And Save Big Bucks?
By: Abigail Franks | 27/06/2007 | Education
A cheaper college textbook is an especially good deal for the local bookstore as the profit margins are very healthy. Not that you should really care about how much they make on your purchases. Still , if they were as concerned about your education as they claim, wouldn't...

Is There Really A Good Home Cure For Head Lice?
By: Abigail Franks | 23/06/2007 | Medicine
If you need a home cure for head louse, don't worry. Getting rid of an infestation of head parasites may be a nuisance but it's not difficult if you use the right treatment. With the ever growing number of head lice infections, there has been a lot of...

Getting the Best Price.- are Half Priced Sales Better Than Discounted Collete Textbooks
By: Abigail Franks | 20/06/2007 | Education
Of all the services provided by your college administration, the buying and selling a discount used college textbook along with other resources materials are the most profitable for them. This is because the discount is usually offered direct from the publisher so it's not a burden to pass it along to the students.

Treating Toenail Fungus Is Easy With The Right Cure
By: Abigail Franks | 18/06/2007 | Medicine
Finding the right method of treating toenail fungus that works for you may take some effort but is definitely worth it to get rid of the toe fungus. While you may have fought or are fighting this condition now, if you're reading this, the lack of a complete cure...

Tips To Potty Train Your Puppy
By: Abigail Franks | 18/06/2007 | Pets
The idea of potty training a puppy may seem more than a little daunting with all the information available today. Fact is though that it's not hard if you have the right tools and methods. Below are a few tips that will start you on this adventure of...

A Toenail Fungus Treatment From The Internet!
By: Abigail Franks | 10/06/2007 | Medicine
Looking for a toenail fungus treatment is typically started by disappointment in different treatment ideas. Fighting this problem is a long term effort and many have feelings of annoyance due to a lack of effective remedies. The problem is the very nature of this condition. Once you have it,...

House Training a Puppy - Easy Tips
By: Abigail Franks | 09/06/2007 | Pets
So you have a new pet and are starting to think about how you plan to successfully accomplish dog house training, well good for you! Dog house breaking is critical if you want to have a pet that will be happy and contented. Most dogs prefer to be with their human (that's you) and will not be very happy living outdoors.

Article Categories






Give Feedback

Sign up for our email newsletter

Receive updates, enter your email below