Heart disease is the leading killer of Americans. According to the American Heart Association, more than 13 million Americans are affected and, when diagnosing heart disease, using the best medical imaging technology available is crucial.

Until recently, diagnosing heart disease was difficult without a costly and invasive surgical procedure, especially for patients with little or no history of a heart condition.

But now, new medical imaging technology has vastly improved the area of computed tomography or CT scanning, which renders 3-D images of internal parts of the body, including the heart, brain and other organs, to make noninvasive diagnoses of heart disease and even stroke faster and more accurate.

As with most medical imaging procedures, image quality is key. If the scanned image does not clearly represent all the minute details, the diagnosis may not be as accurate. And today's latest CT technology allows doctors to not only see things they've never seen before, meaning patients are getting the most accurate diagnosis possible, but also conduct faster exams on critically ill patients who might find it difficult to remain still for long periods of time.

For instance, the new Toshiba Aquilion 32 CFX multislice CT system is currently the industry's finest resolution scanner available for cardiovascular imaging, producing 32 slices of detailed images as thin as .5 millimeters.

Using this new equipment, a detailed three-dimensional image is produced to allow doctors to see the heart from virtually any angle, which results in greater confidence in diagnosing heart diseases and abnormalities.

Inevitably, better diagnosis leads to better treatment. As we become more aware of the dangers of heart disease, we should also be aware of the medical technology available to our doctors. If you have the option of seeing a doctor with access to the latest medical imaging technology versus another doctor with access to dated technology, which one would you prefer?

You can be a better-informed patient. Ask your doctor about the quality of the imaging equipment on which you will be scanned.





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If preventing heart disease were simple, heart disease would not still be the leading cause of death in the US. And while medical research has clearly established the underlying factors which can lead to heart disease, it has yet to come up with a pill which can motivate people to adopt the lifestyle changes which will ensure the health of their own hearts. Preventing heart disease, in other words, is a matter of personal responsibility.

Only three things are required of those serious about preventing heart disease: sound nutrition; regular exercise; and avoidance of tobacco products. Three things do not sound like many, but these three things unfortunately encompass activities which are hot-button issues for many Americans.

Nutrition
Good nutrition, for instance, does not include the huge amounts of fat which usually accompany restaurant meals and processed snack foods. Food without fat does not taste nearly as appetizing as food with it, and fats of the wrong kind--saturated or trans fats, are leading causes of artery-blocking plaque. Preventing heart disease will mean drastically reducing the amounts of unhealthy fats you consume.

When you try preventing heart disease by losing the bad fats, boot the sodium out the door with them. Sodium--plain old table salt--is notorious for encouraging the body to retain fluids. Having more fluid in your system than you need will mean your blood volume increases, raising your blood pressure. When your blood pressure is high, your heart has to work harder to move the blood through your body, and one key to preventing heart disease is to reduce the amount of work your heart has to do.

Exercise
Regular exercise, even if it takes you away from the relaxation to which you think you’re entitled after a day of hard work, is another must for preventing heart disease. A fifteen minute walk at a brisk pace each morning, lunchtime, or evening will go a surprisingly long way in preventing heart disease.

Tobbacco
Finally, eliminating tobacco, no matter how much you depend on nicotine to get you through the day, is an absolute in preventing heart disease. Both men and women over forty who smoke have three times the risk of dying from heart disease as non-smokers, and the Center for Disease Control estimates that over 150,000 US deaths each year are from heart disease related to smoking. Even second-hand smoke can aggravate the development of arteriosclerosis and stroke.

Even worse, smoking will raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol, so if you are a junk food addict who smokes, you are at a double risk for developing heart disease.

Preventing heart disease is not easy, but it is possible. You just have to want it badly enough.





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Heart disease is a disorder, which affect the proper functioning of the heart. Child heart disease is common affecting many newborn and older children. This article examines the various child heart diseases and their treatment.

Congenital Heart Disease

Heart disease is a serious ailment and often leads to premature death. Many children can also suffer from heart disease. Child heart disease is actually quite a common worldwide. When a child is born with an existing defect in the heart, it is called congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease is fairly. It affects almost one percent of all newborn.

Often, the first diagnosis of child heart disease is made during routine examination when the pediatrician detects heart murmur. Heart murmur is the noise that the blood makes as it flows through the heart. Heart murmurs are fairly common in children. It is not necessarily a sign of child heart disease.

If a heart murmur is due to a problem in a child's heart, it is caused either by a hole in the heart, a leaky heart valve, or constricted heart valve. To confirm the diagnosis, an examination by a pediatric cardiologist is necessary. Pediatric specializes in child heart disease.

Abnormalities of the heart may or may not be noticeable at birth. For example, a hole in the heart wall will allows blood to travel from one side to the other. In such case, the baby may have blue lips or fingers. This is one of the signs of child heart disease.

Another example of child heart disease is an abnormal heart valve, which allow blood to flow in the opposite direction. Such a problem will usually require surgery once the child is older.

Congenital heart disease must be treated promptly or it will lead to more serious complications. Hence, early detection is important. Unfortunately, many heart defects are not detected at birth resulting in more damage to the heart and requiring more extensive treatment.

Some forms of congenital heart disease are actually self-healing. However, in many cases, major surgery will be required to rectify the problems.

While there are risks associated with surgery, the chances of full recovery and a normal life are very high. So the situation is not hopeless.

Connection between Premature Infants and Heart Disease

A baby is considered premature if born before 37 weeks. Most premature babies are born with some form of heart problem. A premature infant's organs are also not fully developed, and thus require special care in a nursery or intensive care unit while their organ systems continue growth.

Although there is no sure way to avoid premature labor, one of the most important preventive measures to receive proper prenatal care. Statistics show that proper prenatal care greatly reduces the odds of premature birth and related deaths.

The pregnant mother should also maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat a diet that is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, keep well hydrated and have at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.

Hereditary Heart Disease

Hereditary heart disease refers to heart disease, which is passed down through genes. It is not preventable. If one has a history of heart disease in the family then one is at risk of hereditary heart disease.

The risk is greater when first-degree relatives, such as your mother, father, brother, sister and so on, have heart disease.

In rare cases, high cholesterol level runs in the family. This is called familial hypercholesterolaemia. It is a genetic problem, which results in exceptionally high level of cholesterol. As a result, there is a high of heart disease.

Hereditary heart disease is caused by various factors. Sometimes, it is merely a pattern of heart disease rather than true hereditary heart disease. These are actually avoidable. For example, the family lifestyle such as poor diet, lack of exercise and smoking. All of these factors contribute to heart disease and can be the start of the chain of hereditary heart disease. In such cases, changing these risk factors will reduce the likelihood of heart disease. This means eating a proper well-balanced diet, getting plenty of exercise, as well as avoids smoking and excessive drinking.

By living a healthy lifestyle, it is possible to reduce the risk of developing heart disease, even if one's genes are predispose to heart disease.

For more information, visit Cure For Heart Disease to find out how do you get heart disease.





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