Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over 40 years old, especially after menopause.
Once a woman reaches the age of 50 (about the age of natural menopause), the risk for heart disease increases dramatically.
In young women who have undergone early or surgical menopause, the risk for heart disease is also higher.
Especially when combined with other risk factors such as:

• Diabetes
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol, especially high LDL or "bad" cholesterol
• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Family history of heart diseaseProblems during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, or high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or elevated sugars
• Rheumatologic and inflammatory diseases

Good oral health is important, but taking care of your teeth isn't a proven way to prevent heart disease.
Poor oral health has been debated as a possible cause of heart disease for many years.
In 2012, however, experts from the American Heart Association reviewed the available scientific evidence and concluded that poor oral health hasn't been proved to cause heart disease.
That treating existing gum disease hasn't been proved to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Both gum disease and heart disease involve swelling (inflammation), but swelling of the gums hasn't been proved to contribute to swelling elsewhere in the body.
Similarly, the presence of bacteria on the teeth and gums hasn't been shown to directly contribute to heart disease.
Even though oral health isn't a key to heart disease prevention, it's still important to take care of your teeth and gums:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
• Floss your teeth at least once a day.
• Replace your toothbrush every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles become frayed.
• See your dentist for regular dental checkups.

If you're concerned about heart disease prevention, ask your doctor about proven ways to reduce your risk.
Such as stopping smoking, following a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight.

According to the CDC, researchers have uncovered potential links between gum disease and other serious health conditions.
In people with healthy immune systems, the bacteria in the mouth that makes its way into the bloodstream is usually harmless.
But under certain circumstances, these microorganisms are associated with health problems such as. Stroke and Heart Disease.
Diabetes is not only a risk factor for gum disease, but gum disease may make diabetes worse.

Various researchers and government agencies continue to investigate the possible relationship between gum (periodontal) disease and heart disease.
Some researchers speculate that bacteria in the mouth that are involved in the development of gum disease move into the bloodstream and cause inflammation in the blood vessels.
Changes that in turn contribute to heart disease and stroke.

Numerous studies are being conducted that both support and refute the possible link between these two diseases.
One study, published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Found that people who had fewer than 25 teeth at the start of the 12-year trial (teeth loss is the ultimate end result of untreated gum disease) had a 57% greater risk of stroke compared with patients who had 25 or more teeth.

Another study involving over 4,000 patients and 17 years of follow-up showed no evidence of a decreased risk of coronary heart disease if chronic gum disease was eliminated.
Based on these results, these researchers speculate that the relationship between gum disease and an increase in cardiovascular risk is coincidental and that gum disease does not cause coronary heart disease.
The true role, if there is one, between gum disease and heart disease remains to be determined.

There are many risk factors that contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease.
Some people are born with conditions that predispose them to heart disease and stroke.
Most people who develop cardiovascular disease do so because of a combination of factors such as poor diet, lack of physical activity and smoking, to name just three.
The more risk factors you expose yourself to, the higher the chance of developing cardiovascular disease.

Many of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease cause problems because they lead to Atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing and thickening of arteries. Atherosclerosis develops for years without causing symptoms.
It can happen in any part of the body. Around the heart, it is known as Coronary Artery Disease, in the legs it is known as Peripheral Arterial Disease.

The narrowing and thickening of the arteries is due to the deposition of fatty material, cholesterol and other substances in the walls of blood vessels.
The deposits are known as plaques. The rupture of a plaque can lead to stroke or a heart attack.
An estimated 17.3 million people die of cardiovascular diseases every year.
80% of the deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Eating right is a powerful way to reduce or even eliminate some heart disease risk factors.
Adopting a heart-healthy nutrition strategy can help reduce total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar, and reduce body weight.
To reduce your risk of heart disease, try these tips:

• Increase your intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
• Limit fat intake. When you use added fat, use fats high in mono- and polyunsaturates only.
• Eat lean sources of protein, such as chicken, fish, and soy. Avoid red meat, as this tends to be high in fat and cholesterol.
• Limit intake of cholesterol.
• Eat complex (such as whole-grain bread, rice, pasta) and limit simple carbohydrates (such as regular soda, sugar, sweets).
• Eat small but frequent meals throughout the day (for example, eating five to six mini-meals).Reduce salt intake.
• Exercise regularly.
• Drink 32 to 64 ounces of water daily (unless you are fluid restricted).

There are many very good organizations, foundations, agencies, etc which have some excellent information.
There are also many places for support and/or envolvement in matters concerning Heart Disease.
Here are a few to get you started:

• Healthline What do you want to know about Heart Disease?
• Everyday Health Surprising physical signs of Heart Disease.
• Heart Foundation A lot of information about Heart Disease.
• Mended Hearts The oldest peer-to-peer support group in the country with 300 chapters and 20,000 members.
• Heart Disease Chat Room at Healthfulchat.org (meet, greet, share, support).

Here is a very good medical search engine at The Best Medical Search Engine
You may would like to use the MedlinePlus Search Box at the top of this page, top of right column. Click Here
You may also like to check out my Medical Links page HERE

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases, including Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, Refractory (non-reversible) Asthma, and some forms of Bronchiectasis.
This disease is characterized by increasing breathlessness.

Many people mistake their increased breathlessness and coughing as a normal part of aging. In the early stages of the disease, you may not notice the symptoms. COPD can develop for years without noticeable shortness of breath.
You begin to see the symptoms in the more developed stages of the disease. That’s why it is important that you talk to your doctor as soon as you notice any of these symptoms. Ask your doctor about taking a spirometry test.

Spirometry is the first and most commonly done lung function test. It measures how much and how quickly you can move air out of your lungs.
For this test, you breathe into a mouthpiece attached to a recording device (spirometer).
See more at:
The COPD Foundation

• Increased Breathlessness
• Frequent Coughing (with and without sputum)
• Wheezing
• Tightness in the chest

Most cases of COPD are caused by inhaling pollutants; that includes smoking (cigarettes, pipes, cigars, etc.), and second-hand smoke.
Fumes, chemicals and dust found in many work environments are contributing factors for many individuals who develop COPD.
Genetics can also play a role in an individual’s development of COPD—even if the person has never smoked or has never been exposed to strong lung irritants in the workplace.

Here is more information on the top three risk factors for developing COPD:

• Smoking: COPD most often occurs in people 40 years of age and older who have a history of smoking. These may be individuals who are current or former smokers.
  While not everybody who smokes gets COPD, most of the individuals who have COPD (about 90% of them) have smoked.
• Environmental Factors: COPD can also occur in those who have had long-term contact with harmful pollutants in the workplace. Some of these harmful lung irritants include certain chemicals, dust, or fumes.
  Heavy or long-term contact with secondhand smoke or other lung irritants in the home, such as organic cooking fuel, may also cause COPD.
• Genetic Factors: Even if an individual has never smoked or been exposed to pollutants for an extended period of time, they can still develop COPD.
  

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) is the most commonly known genetic risk factor for emphysema2.
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin related COPD is caused by a deficiency of the Alpha-1 Antitrypsin protein in the bloodstream.
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin protein, white blood cells begin to harm the lungs and lung deterioration occurs.

The World Health Organization and the American Thoracic Society recommends that every individual diagnosed with COPD be tested for Alpha-1 .

For more information about AATD and how to get tested, visit the
Alpha-1 Foundation Website or call 1-877-2 CURE-A1.

Because not all individuals with COPD have AATD, and because some individuals with COPD have never smoked, it is believed that there are other genetic predispositions to developing COPD.

There is no time limit on how long a person can live, even with very severe COPD.
If you exercise safely and effectively, and pay attention to early warning signs of acute exacerbation of COPD and act on those early warning signs.
You can live a full life.

It’s never safe to just stop taking a medication unless directed by your health care provider.
Check with your provider for free samples.
Ask the maker of your medications if they have a prescription assistance program, or the Partnership for Prescription Assistance Program.

Also ask a local social worker or discharge planner for programs available in your area that might be able to assistance you.

A trained respiratory health care professional can teach you techniques to keep yourself calm, even when you’re short of breath.
Participation in pulmonary rehabilitation is the best way to learn and get reinforcement for this important issue.

There is also treatment available, so be sure to bring this up at your next health care provider appointment.

Tubes, called airways, carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have COPD, these airways may become partly blocked from swelling or mucus.
This makes it more difficult to breathe.
At the end of the airways are many tiny balloon-like air sacs, which inflate and deflate when you breathe in and out

With COPD, these air sacs lose their elasticity.​
This can lead to the collapse of small airways and also make it more difficult for you to breathe.

To diagnose COPD, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, do a physical exam, and conduct a breathing tests.
The most common breathing test used to confirm a diagnosis of COPD is spirometry.

This easy, painless test involves breathing into a large hose connected to a machine, called a spirometer.
The spirometer measures how much air your lungs can hold and how fast you can blow air out of your lungs.

Your doctor may suggest additional tests to rule out other lung problems, such as asthma or heart failure, or to plan treatment.
These may include other lung function tests, a chest X-ray, or a test to measure the level of oxygen in your blood.

The goal of COPD treatment is to ease your symptoms, slow the progress of COPD, prevent or treat any complications, and improve your overall quality of life.
COPD treatment may include:

• Bronchodilators : medicines (often inhaled) that help open up the airways.
• Corticosteroids: medicines that reduce airway inflammation.
• Antibiotics : medicines to help fight bacterial infections.
• Daliresp: an oral drug that inhibits an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 4 (PDE-4); The drug prevents COPD flares in people whose condition is associated with chronic bronchitis only.
• Flu or pneumonia vaccines: immunizations to reduce the chances of getting the flu or pneumonia.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation : a program of exercise, disease management, and counseling to help you stay as healthy and active as possible.
• Oxygen therapy: extra oxygen to reduce shortness of breath, protect organs, and enhance your quality of life.

With COPD, you are more likely to:

• Get colds, the flu, or pneumonia
• Have an enlarged heart
• Have high blood pressure

You should call 911 right away if:

• You can't walk or talk
• Your heart beats very fast or it has an irregular beat
• Your lips or fingernails turn blue
• You breathe fast and hard, even when on medicines

The pulmonary rehabilitation team is a group of health care professionals who work together with the patient and his/her own doctor to develop and monitor rehabilitation programs for patients with chronic lung diseases.
Teams can includee a Doctor, a Nurse, a Respiratory Therapist, a Physical Therapist, an Occupational Therapist, an Exercise Therapist, a Sociologist, a Social Worker, and a Dietitian.

• A Doctor with a special interest in working with patients with lung problems usually leads the team.
• A Nurse with special training in lung problems can help evaluate patients, develop the treatment plan, and make sure the program works for the patient and that the goals of the program are being met.
• A Respiratory Therapist may help teach breathing techniques and proper use of equipment such as nebulizers and oxygen.
• A Physical Therapist may help with physical training to improve strength, flexibility, and ability to exercise.
• An Occupational Therapist can teach easier ways of doing everyday activities such as dressing, bathing, running errands, and doing chores.
• An Exercise Therapist is someone with special training to help people with their physical activity and exercise.
• A Psychologist, Social Worker, or other therapist may help with the emotional adjustments to living with chronic lung disease.
• A Dietitian can work with persons with chronic lung diseases to make sure they are getting enough nutrition in their diets.

If you smoke, the most important thing you can do to prevent more lung damage is to stop smoking.
It is also important to stay away from people who smoke and places where you know there will be smokers.

Avoid exposure to pollutants like dust, fumes, and poor air quality.
Take precautions to prevent flu and pneumonia.
Following your doctor's instructions with medications and rehabilitative treatment can help alleviate COPD symptoms and control the disabling effects of the disease.

For people with severe COPD and low levels of oxygen in the blood, doctors may recommend oxygen therapy to help with shortness of breath.

Using extra oxygen more than 15 hours per day can help you perform tasks or activities with less shortness of breath, protect the heart and other organs from damage, help you sleep more, improve your alertness during the day, and help you live longer.

For some people with severe COPD, surgery may be recommended.
Surgery is usually done for patients who have severe symptoms, have not gotten improvement from medications, and have a hard time breathing most of the time.

There are two types of surgery that are considered in the case of severe COPD; a Bullectomy, which removes a large air sac that may compress a good lung, or Lung Volume Reduction Surgery.
A Lung Transplant may be done for some people with very severe COPD.

Call your doctor right away if your symptoms worsen suddenly.
People with COPD may have symptoms that suddenly get worse. When this happens, you have a much harder time catching your breath.

Symptoms that worsen suddenly can include sudden chest tightness, more coughing, a change in your sputum (mucus), or fever.
Your doctor will look at things that may be causing these sudden symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms are caused by a lung infection.

Through recent research, we have come to realize just how severely women have been affected by COPD, 66 percent of COPD patients are women.
Women have more symptoms than men: shortness of breath, constant coughing, wheezing.
They have more flare-ups than men and more hospitalizations than men.

No one fully understood this until a 2012 report was released from an NIH-funded nationwide study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
COPD kills more women than breast cancer or ovarian cancer combined. They have smaller bodies. Their lungs are smaller, and the airways are smaller. And that may make Them more susceptible to COPD.

Part of what needs to be done is, of course, to educate. Make people know that not only does the disease manifest itself from middle age on, but also that women have a more toxic reaction.
Gender is not the only disparity in COPD. Those in the lower levels of socioeconomic tiers are typically hit the hardest.

More information on COPD is available at:
What is COPD?
Learn More, Breathe Better Campaign®

Get information on quitting smoking at:
Surgeon General's Website
http://www.Smokefree.gov

For information on the H1N1 flu and COPD, go to:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Heart failure describes the inability or failure of the heart to adequately meet the needs of organs and tissues for oxygen and nutrients.
This decrease in cardiac output, the amount of blood that the heart pumps, is not adequate to circulate the blood returning to the heart from the body and lungs, causing fluid (mainly water) to leak from capillary blood vessels.
This leads to the symptoms that may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Weakness
• Swelling

The term "Heart Failure" can be scary, and is misleading. The heart does not "fail" in the sense that it suddenly stops. It doesn't mean that you're about to die.
It means the heart is not working as efficiently as it should.
Heart "failure"occurs when the heart muscle cannot keep up with the needs the body has for blood flow.

It is not a disease itself, but is rather a "syndrome" (a syndrome is a collection of findings which may arise from a number of causes).
Most often, it is caused by weakening of the heart muscle ("cardiomyopathy"), leaving it unable to pump enough blood. It is termed "Congestive" Heart Failure (commonly referred to as "CHF") because fluids typically build up in the body, which is then said to be congested.

In addition to heart failure caused from a weakened heart, there are two other major varieties of heart failure.
These are CHF secondary to thick "muscle-bound" hearts (this is termed "diastolic dysfunction"), and CHF due to the body having needs which are too high for even a normal heart to keep up with.
Tlihis occurs, for example in some cases of thyroid disease in which too much thyroid hormone is produced, in persons with anemia, or several other conditions.

Many disease processes can impair the pumping efficiency of the heart to cause Congestive Heart Failure.
In the United States, the most common causes of congestive heart failure are:

• Coronary artery disease
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Longstanding alcohol abuse
• Disorders of the heart valves
• Unknown (idiopathic) causes, such as after recovery from myocarditis

Less common causes include viral infections of the stiffening of the heart muscle, thyroid disorders, disorders of the heart rhythm, and many others.

It should also be noted that in patients with underlying heart disease, taking certain medications can lead to the development or worsening of Congestive Heart Failure.
This is especially true for those drugs that can cause sodium retention or affect the power of the heart muscle.
Examples of such medications are the commonly used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include ibuprofen (Motrin and others) and naproxen (Aleve and others) as well as certain steroids.

The main symptoms of CHF related to the buildup of fluids. A substantial amount of extra fluid can build up without a person noticing much change.
The fluid will tend to collect in the "dependant" portions of the body, the feet, and is termed "Edema".
Fluid also collects in the very fine tissues of the lungs, which increases the work of breathing and decreases the ability to get oxygen into the body. Shortness of breath with exertion will result.

As more fluid builds up, the person may find it difficult to lie down flat, since this places parts of the lung in a more dependant position.
They may be awoken by severe shortness of breath, and need to sit up to get their breath (this is termed "Paroxysmal Nocturnal Dyspnea" or is also termed "PND").

It is sometimes to difficult to tell whether shortness of breath is due to CHF, diseases of the lung, other diseases of the heart including blockage of the arteries, or other conditions.
People with CHF also may experience weakness with exertion due to the inability to increase the output of the heart.
Not everyone with one or more of these symptoms however has heart failure!

Congestive heart failure is often a consequence of atherosclerotic heart disease and therefore the risk factors are the same:

• poorly controlled High Blood Pressure
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Family History

Heart Valve Disease becomes a risk factor as the patient ages.
Other causes of heart failure have their own set of risk factors and predispositions and it becomes a complication of those diseases.
Such causes may include:

• 0bstructive Sleep Apnea
• Systemic Lupus
• Erythematosus
• Sarcoidosis
• Amyloidosis.

Since heart failure is a syndrome (that is, a collection of findings), there is no single test which will diagnose it.
A physician's biggest clue is often obtained simply from talking to the person about their medical history.
There may be very important signs on the physical examination of the patient, including swelling of the ankles (there are several other causes for this, however), and sounds generated in the heart and lungs which are heard with the stethoscope.
The other tests noted below can be helpful in confirming the diagnosis, assessing the cause of heart muscle weakening, and judging the severity.

• The Electrocardiogram (EKG) does not diagnose heart failure. That is, a doctor cannot tell whether or not you have heart failure by looking at an ECG.
  There may be clues here as to the cause of the process and any associated problems of the heart's rhythm.
• The Chest X-ray may show that the heart is enlarged, and the particular configuration of the heart's shadow may also give clues as to the cause of the problem.
  The chest x-ray is a very useful tool in determining whether there is fluid on the lungs and how much. Again however, the chest x-ray cannot diagnose heart failure.
• A key technique for evaluation today is the Echocardiogram This sonogram of the heart can reveal the strength of the heart muscle, the size of the chambers, and associated valvular problems.
  The procedure, which can be completed in 15-60 minutes in the doctor's office.
• Nuclear medicine studies, such as a Radionuclide Ventriculogram (RVG), which is also known as a "MUGA Scan", are useful for assessing heart muscle function, and is particularly useful in assessing the "ejection fraction".
  
• These tests are also minimally invasive, simply requiring the injection of a very small amount of a radioactive compound into the blood stream through a simple intravenous catheter in the arm.
  Cardiac catheterization is accomplished by placing catheters in an artery and/or vein, typically in the groin or at the elbow, and advancing them into the heart to measure pressures and inject dye into heart chambers and arteries.
  This may sound scary, and it is certainly more invasive than the other techniques. It is safer and less painful than perhaps it sounds.
  It is often necessary to gain the specific information needed to determine the cause of CHF and treat the person in the most effective manner.

The first principle of the treatment of heart failure is to treat the underlying cause if possible.
For example, a defective valve may need to be replaced or a specific disorder of metabolism such as an over-active or under-active thyroid treated.
In many cases however, there is no specific therapy available for the underlying disorder.
Fortunately, there are numerous and potent medications available to slow, stop or reverse the process.
Physicians can do a lot about Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) these days, such as:

• Diuretics, or "fluid pills", convince the kidney to give up sodium and the water it holds with it. This can make patients feel a great deal better.
• Digitalis is a medicine that has been known for many years, and was originally discovered in the foxglove plant.
  This can be beneficial in patients who have a rapid heart beat, and is noted to help the strength of the heart beat.
• Vasodilators are relatively new to the scene of CHF, but are very effective.
  Control of blood pressure is very important.

• People with CHF should follow a low-salt diet. Salt causes retention of water along with it, causing edema.
• Some patients may be advised to cut down their fluid intake to a specified level.
• If the person is overweight, it is helpful to reach a more desireable weight. Fat tissue is richly supplied with blood, and this has to be pumped by the ailing heart. Do your heart a favor, and start to shed those excess pounds.
• Alcohol in excess can cause heart muscle weakening. This is called "alcoholic cardiomyopathy". A person with alcoholic cardiomyopathy should definitely quit drinking entirely.
  It is not as clear whether other people with other types of cardiomyopathy should totally stop drinking or not.
  Since alcohol can be associated with muscle weakening, I recommend my patients with CHF do not drink, or if they do, minimize their intake.
• Activity levels should be maintained which do not overtax the heart. On the other hand, a well-designed program can be very useful in obtaining increased exercise tolerance.
  It is important to have an exercise "prescription" from your physician which is designed for you.
• It is a good idea to weigh yourself daily. In this way, a sudden increase in weight may give you an indication that you are retaining fluid, even if you otherwise feel well.
  A gain of over 3 pounds in a day, or 5 pounds in a week is a good sign to call your medical caregiver.
• Plan your day . . . leave time for rest and relaxation. Slow down if you're tired.
• Do not smoke.
• Take your medications as prescribed. Do not stop taking them or adjust the dose unless your doctors instructs you to.
  Take your medicines as the same time each day, usually with another activity you will remember such as eating a meal or brushing your teeth.
  Consider a pillbox which you can fill at the beginning of the week so you can always be sure you've taken your medicines for that day.
• Let your doctor know if you think you're having problems.
  In CHF in particular, it is easier to treat problems earlier rather than later.

The goal of treatment for congestive heart failure is to have the heart beat more efficiently so that it can meet the energy needs of the body.
Specific treatment depends upon the underlying cause of heart failure.

Treatment may try to decrease fluid within the body so that the heart does not have to work as hard to circulate blood through the blood vessels in the body.
Fluid restriction and a decrease in salt intake may be very helpful. Diuretic medications (water pills) may be prescribed if appropriate.

Common diuretics include:

• Furosemide (Lasix)
• Bumetanide (Bumex)
• Hydrochlorothiazide

Medications are available that can make the heart pump more efficiently, increase Cardiac Output, and increase Ejection Fraction.

The "ejection fraction" (also known as the "EF") is the measure of the percentage of blood which is ejected from the main pumping chamber of the heart with each beat.
The heart usually ejects about 45-70% of the blood in its chamber with each contraction.
People with CHF and weak heart muscle and CHF will have an EF less than this.

While it is a useful number in some situations, it is not the "whole story" by any means.
People with EF"s of 40% can be severely disabled, while those with EF's of 15% may hardly have any symptoms at all.
It may be useful for following the course of the problem in some people.

Congestive heart failure life expectancy depends somewhat on the stage of CHF you are in. Later stages are of course more serious.
First is Stage A, which may often be overlooked, especially by someone in their twenties and thirties.
Most people consider any type of heart disease something that targets older people.

• Stage A: This stage means conditions are right for developing congestive heart failure from things such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
• Stage B: In this stage there may be evidence, usually found in an electrocardiogram, of systolic heart failure.
  That's when the heart can't pump enough blood. It includes people who may or may not have had a prior heart attack or valve disease.
• Stage C: In this stage the symptoms of shortness of breath and inability to exercise appear, plus exhaustion.
• Stage D: This advanced stage usually brings about more serious treatments such as surgery.

You have to remember, though, that fear builds stress. And stress is not good for your heart. Some die within 10 years, but that doesn't have to happen to you.
The most important thing to realize is that you are not in this alone.
Work with your doctors as a team and in addition to that make sure you like your doctors.
You all will be working together on an ongoing basis.

Sure, medically and physically speaking without any treatment Congestive Heart Failure life expectancy is limited, but no two people are alike.
Follow your personal treatment plan, research options, watch your diet, lose weight if needed, take your medicine on time and so on.
Doing so keeps your heart muscles healthier longer, and the healthier they stay the longer you live.
By monitoring how your illness develops and staying steadfast, Congestive Heart Failure is a condition you can live with.

This is too wide of an area to discuss with any precision over the Internet.
It must be answered by a physician with knowledge of a number of aspects of your care.
It is important to realize however that CHF is the cause of death of thousands each year, and that it is extremely important to follow the diet, medication and exercise program that is prescribed to help you live as long and as well as possible.
Great improvements have been made, and more will be coming, but only you can actually comply with these life-lengthening programs and medications.

Heart Failure clinics are relatively new developments in medical care.
They are a response to several problems in people with CHF.
Patients with CHF are admitted to the hospital frequently for episodes of worsening of their heart failure.
These episodes of worsening do not allow the patient to build up his strength, keeps him away from loved ones, etc.

Furthermore, in the age of cost-effectiveness, it is very expensive to the health care system as well.
Heart failure clinics have physicians, nurses, and other personnel who concentrate on the care of patients with CHF, checking to make sure they're taking their medications, that they're not gaining weight or showing other evidence of decompensating, providing home visits and a source to call for questions or problems.
This will hopefully lower the frequency, severity and duration of hospitalizations, and benefit the patient and the "system" as well.
They are not the standard of care at this time, but initial experience has been favorable.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is not really a hereditary condition.
However, many of the diseases that can cause CHF do run in families.
Examples of diseases that can lead to CHF and are hereditary include:

• Heart Valve Abnormalities
• Coronary Artery Disease
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

Coughing up blood (hemoptosis) is usually not associated with CHF.
More than likely, people will cough up blood if they are really coughing hard and are taking too much blood thinner medication.
Blood can also come from the lungs, but it is usually darker in color (like rust).

The blood could be coming from the nose. A nosebleed can drip down the back of someone's throat, which they then cough up, making them to think they are coughing up blood.
However, you would usually also see blood coming out of the nose as well.
Since this is a new symptom, contact your healthcare provider to arrange for an examination. This can be the sign of something serious.

It is natural to be scared when diagnosed with a heart problem so the important thing is to be supportive and sometimes that can help boost the spirits of someone with CHF.
You may want to check and see if there are any CHF support groups in your area.
Also CHF is a manageable disease, symptoms can be controlled by taking heart medications as prescribed and also taking an active role in lifestyle changes.


People with CHF need to watch their salt and fluid intake and weigh themselves daily.
Many people live for years with Congestive Heart Failure and can resume many of their previous activities. Boost their spirits by listening to their concerns and being supportive.
Also try and take an active role in their lifestyle changes.
Find out as much as you can about Congestive Heart Failure (CHF).

Many people with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) have trouble lying flat and seem to have the most trouble breathing while lying in bed.
In many cases, we find people propping themselves up with pillows or sleeping in recliners to help alleviate the difficulty breathing.

You should really let your cardiologist or healthcare provider know if you are having trouble with your breathing at night.
This may be an indicator that it is time to make some adjustments to your CHF medications.
It is more effective to treat the cause of the symptoms, which is the CHF, than try to temporarily alleviate the symptoms by propping up to try to sleep.

There are a number of possible causes. Sometimes palpitations (feeling the heartbeat) are the result of anxiety and have nothing to do with a heart abnormality.
Palpitations can also be caused by irregular heartbeats, which may feel like extra beats or skipped beats.
Even though this is common and usually isn't serious, it can still be worrisome.

On the other hand, palpitations can also indicate a more serious condition, such as atrial fibrillation, in which the heart beats rapidly and irregularly.
Palpitations can also represent bursts of abnormal heartbeats that can degenerate into rhythms that don't produce adequate blood flow, which may result in passing out or cardiac arrest.

How can you tell the difference between a benign cause and a more serious underlying condition?
If palpitations occur along with symptoms such as dizziness, passing out, or nearly passing out, this is a cause for concern.
A previous heart attack or heart failure increases the likelihood that the palpitations may reflect a more serious abnormality.

There are many places with very good medical information, but you will find that most places provide basically the same information.
However; different places may provide the same information with more detail and/or additional resources, services, etc.
Check out some and decide for yourself which is best for what you are looking for.
A few sites you may find useful:

• eMedicineHealth
• MedicineNet
• EveryDay Health
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Blood pumping through the circulatory system is under pressure, much like the water in the pipes of a house.
And just as too much water pressure can damage pipes and faucets, high blood pressure can spell trouble.
Hypertension occurs when the force exerted against artery walls is abnormally high.
Over time, the increased pressure can cause a wide range of problems.

Small bulges, called aneurysms, may form in blood vessels.
The heart can become enlarged, increasing the danger of heart failure.
Damage to blood vessels in the kidneys can cause them to fail.
Because tiny blood vessels in the eyes are especially vulnerable to damage, hypertension can lead to vision problems and even blindness.

Many factors can lead to high blood pressure. Clearly, diet plays a role.
Too much salt, too little potassium, and heavy drinking have all been found to increase the risk of high blood pressure.
Too much stress and too little physical activity both increase the danger of developing high blood pressure, as does being overweight or obese.
And as with many chronic illnesses, high blood pressure also tends to run in families, suggesting that genes play a role.
In some patients, high blood pressure is related to other medical problems or to the use of certain medicines.
This form of the disease is called secondary hypertension, because it is secondary to other medical conditions.

High blood pressure is usually diagnosed using the familiar blood pressure test that involves a cuff wrapped around the upper arm.
The cuff is inflated and then sensors measure the pressure of blood beating against the arteries.
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers ? systolic and diastolic pressure.
Systolic, the upper number, is the pressure when the heart is beating.
Diastolic, the lower number, is the pressure between beats.

Normal blood pressure is considered to be anything below 120/80.
Prehypertension is defined as a systolic reading between 120 and 139 and a diastolic reading between 80 and 89.
Hypertension is defined as blood pressure of 140/90 or higher.
For people with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, hypertension is defined as 130/80.

The blood pressure reading is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and is written as systolic pressure, the force of the blood against the artery walls as your heart beats, over diastolic pressure, the blood pressure between heartbeats.
For example, a blood pressure reading is written as 120/80 mmHg, or "120 over 80".
The systolic pressure is 120 and the diastolic pressure is 80.

The Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure has classified blood pressure measurements into several categories:

• Normal blood pressure is systolic pressure less than 120 and diastolic pressure less than 80 mmHg.
• "Prehypertension" is systolic pressure of 120-139 or diastolic pressure of 80-89 mmHg.
• Stage 1 Hypertension is systolic pressure of 140-159 or diastolic pressure of 90-99 mmHg.
• Stage 2 Hypertension is systolic pressure of 160 or greater or diastolic pressure of 100 or greater.

Several potentially serious health conditions are linked to high blood pressure, including:

• Atherosclerosis: a disease of the arteries caused by a buildup of plaque, or fatty material, on the inside walls of the blood vessels; hypertension contributes to this buildup by putting added stress and force on the artery walls.
• Heart Disease:Heart failure (the heart is not strong enough to pump blood adequately), ischemic heart disease (the heart tissue doesn't get enough blood), and hypertensive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickened, abnormally functioning heart muscle) are all associated with high blood pressure.
• Kidney Disease: Hypertension can damage the blood vessels and filters in the kidneys, so that the kidneys cannot excrete waste properly.
• Stroke: Hypertension can lead to stroke, either by contributing to the process of atherosclerosis (which can lead to blockages and/or clots), or by weakening the blood vessel wall and causing it to rupture.
• Eye Disease: Hypertension can damage the very small blood vessels in the retina.

healthy diet, such as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, is effective in helping to lower high blood pressure.
The DASH Diet calls for a certain number of daily servings from various food groups, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
The following steps can also help:

• Eating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods
• Eating less of foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, such as fried foods
• Eating more whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts
• Eating less red meat and sweets
• Eating foods that are high in magnesium, potassium, and calcium
• Eating foods with less sodium

High blood pressure treatment usually involves making lifestyle changes and, if necessary, drug therapy.
Lifestyle changes for high blood pressure include:

• Losing weight
• Quitting smoking
• Eating a healthy diet, such as the DASH diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains and low in salt and fat
• Reducing the amount of salt in your diet
• Regular aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking)
• Limiting alcohol consumption
• Seeking treatment for sleep apnea

Commonly prescribed high blood pressure drugs include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, diuretics, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and alpha-blockers (alpha-adrenergic antagonists).
If you are over age 60, the goal of hypertension treatment is a systolic pressure of 150 and a diastolic pressure of 90.
The goal of treatment is 140/90 for those under age 60.

If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, it's important to see your doctor on a regular basis.
He or she can answer your questions during these visits.
However, there may be other times when you may need to speak to your doctor. For instance:

• If you aren't responding to the prescribed treatment and your blood pressure is still high
• If you are having any side effects from the blood pressure medication; if this happens, your doctor may wish to adjust the dosage of the medication or put you on another medication.

Some drugs that you take for another condition may increase blood pressure.​
These include​:

• amphetamines,
• methylphenidate (Concerta,
• Metadate,
• Methylin,
• Ritalin),
• corticosteroids, hormones (including birth control pills),
• certain migraine medications,
• cyclosporine,
• erythropoietin

Also, many over-the-counter medications that contain pseudoephedrine and ephedrine (for example, allergy and cold medicines and appetite suppressants) can increase blood pressure.​
Don't stop taking any prescribed medication, including High Blood Pressure drugs, without talking to your doctor.

High blood pressure is the major cause of stroke, dementia, heart attacks and heart failure and is responsible for more than half of these.
These are the major causes of death and disability in the UK.
It is, therefore, vital that everyone knows what their blood pressure is and take steps to prevent developing high blood pressure later in life.
Steps such as; lifestyle and dietary changes, as well as making sure their blood pressure is well controlled if it is raised.

The answer lies in the difference between the short-term effects and the long-term effects.
It is true that being stressed causes our blood pressures to rise for a few minutes.
When we feel stressed our bodies release adrenaline and our heart rates and blood pressures rise as our bodies get ready for action.
(This is known as the “flight or fight” response.) But this effect only lasts a few minutes and then our blood pressures return to normal.

In contrast, true high blood pressure is having a permanently raised level for weeks, months and years.
So far, it has not been shown that regular short bursts of adrenaline-induced blood pressure rises have any lasting effect on the body.
In fact the rates of high blood pressure and heart disease are the same among people who do not have stressful jobs as among people with stress-filled jobs

However, people may deal with stress in ways that may increase their risk of high blood pressure.
They may eat processed foods that are high in salt, fail to eat enough fruit and vegetables, smoke or drink too much alcohol.
They may also struggle to find time to be active.

It is true that more people have heart attacks or strokes in the winter than in the summer.
Low temperatures make our blood vessels constrict to conserve heat and maintain body temperature.
But this means that there is less room for our blood to move in, increasing our blood pressure and heart rate, and thickening the blood.

If you have narrowed arteries, these factors may cause chest pains (angina) and increase the chances of blood clots forming in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
The risk of this happening is greater in people with high blood pressure.
The best advice is to avoid being out in the cold for long periods and to wrap up warm.

There is much information about Hypertension on the internet because it is a subject of very much concern in the medical community.
Also there are many Support Groups, Forums, Blogs, and Chat Rooms. Each of which you can correspond with others who share the same enterest as you, some with people in the medical field.
Here are a few links to sites for you to take a look at, there are many more on the internet:

• American Society of Hypertension Preventing and Treating Hypertension and its Consequences.
• Hypertension and High Blood Pressure at The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute What is High Blood Pressure?
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration High Blood Pressure and You: Infographic
• Hypertension & High Blood Pressure Community Support at WebMD.
• High Blood Pressure and Hypertension Forum at eHealth.com.

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You may would like to use the MedlinePlus Search Box at the top of this page, top of right column. Click Here
You may also like to check out my Medical Links page HERE

A stroke occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the brain is blocked.
Without oxygen, brain cells start to die after a few minutes.
Sudden bleeding in the brain also can cause a stroke if it damages brain cells.
If brain cells die or are damaged because of a stroke, symptoms occur in the parts of the body that these brain cells control.
Examples of stroke symptoms include:

• Sudden Weakness
• Paralysis or Numbness of the Face, Arms, or Legs (Paralysis is an inability to move)
• Trouble Speaking or Understanding Speech
• Trouble Seeing

A stroke is a serious medical condition that requires emergency care.
A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.
If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, call 9–1–1 right away.
Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you.
Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.
During a stroke, every minute counts.

Overview
The two main types of stroke are ischemic (is-KE-mik) and hemorrhagic (hem-ah-RAJ-ik).
Ischemic is the more common type of stroke.
An ischemic stroke occurs if an artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain becomes blocked.
Blood clots often cause the blockages that lead to ischemic strokes.

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs if an artery in the brain leaks blood or ruptures (breaks open).
The pressure from the leaked blood damages brain cells.
High blood pressure and aneurysms (AN-u-risms) are examples of conditions that can cause hemorrhagic strokes.
(Aneurysms are balloon-like bulges in an artery that can stretch and burst.)

Another condition that’s similar to a stroke is a transient ischemic attack, also called a TIA or “mini-stroke.”
A TIA occurs if blood flow to a portion of the brain is blocked only for a short time.
Thus, damage to the brain cells isn’t permanent (lasting).

Like ischemic strokes, TIAs often are caused by blood clots. Although TIAs are not full-blown strokes, they greatly increase the risk of having a stroke.
If you have a TIA, it’s important for your doctor to find the cause so you can take steps to prevent a stroke.
Both strokes and TIAs require emergency care.

Outlook
Stroke is a leading cause of death in the United States.
Many factors can raise your risk of having a stroke.
Talk with your doctor about how you can control these risk factors and help prevent a stroke.
If you have a stroke, prompt treatment can reduce damage to your brain and help you avoid lasting disabilities.

Prompt treatment also may help prevent another stroke.
Researchers continue to study the causes and risk factors for stroke.
They’re also finding new and better treatments and new ways to help the brain repair itself after a stroke.

The signs and symptoms of a stroke often develop quickly.
However, they can develop over hours or even days.
The type of symptoms depends on the type of stroke and the area of the brain that’s affected.
How long symptoms last and how severe they are vary among different people.
Signs and symptoms of a stroke may include:

• Sudden weakness
• Paralysis (an inability to move) or numbness of the face, arms, or legs, especially on one side of the body
• Confusion
• Trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Problems breathing
• Dizziness, trouble walking, loss of balance or coordination, and unexplained falls
• Loss of consciousness
• Sudden and severe headache

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) has the same signs and symptoms as a stroke.
However, TIA symptoms usually last less than 1–2 hours (although they may last up to 24 hours).
A TIA may occur only once in a person’s lifetime or more often
At first, it may not be possible to tell whether someone is having a TIA or stroke.
All stroke-like symptoms require medical care.

If you think you or someone else is having a TIA or stroke, call 9–1–1 right away
Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you.
Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.
During a stroke, every minute counts

After you’ve had a stroke, you may develop other complications, such as:

• Blood clots and muscle weakness. Being immobile (unable to move around) for a long time can raise your risk of developing blood clots in the deep veins of the legs.
  Being immobile also can lead to muscle weakness and decreased muscle flexibility.
• Problems swallowing and pneumonia. If a stroke affects the muscles used for swallowing, you may have a hard time eating or drinking.
  You also may be at risk of inhaling food or drink into your lungs.
  If this happens, you may develop pneumonia.
• Loss of bladder control. Some strokes affect the muscles used to urinate.
  You may need a urinary catheter (a tube placed into the bladder) until you can urinate on your own.
  Use of these catheters can lead to urinary tract infections.
  Loss of bowel control or constipation also may occur after a stroke.

Your doctor will diagnose a stroke based on your signs and symptoms, your medical history, a physical exam, and test results.
Your doctor will want to find out the type of stroke you’ve had, its cause, the part of the brain that's affected, and whether you have bleeding in the brain.
If your doctor thinks you’ve had a transient ischemic attack (TIA), he or she will look for its cause to help prevent a future stroke.

Medical History and Physical Exam

• Your doctor will ask you or a family member about your risk factors for stroke.
  Examples of risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking, heart disease, and a personal or family history of stroke.
  Your doctor also will ask about your signs and symptoms and when they began.
• During the physical exam, your doctor will check your mental alertness and your coordination and balance.
  He or she will check for numbness or weakness in your face, arms, and legs; confusion; and trouble speaking and seeing clearly.
• Your doctor will look for signs of carotid artery disease, a common cause of ischemic stroke.
  He or she will listen to your carotid arteries with a stethoscope.
  A whooshing sound called a bruit (broo-E) may suggest changed or reduced blood flow due to plaque buildup in the carotid arteries.

Diagnostic Tests and Procedures
Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following tests to diagnose a stroke or TIA.

Brain Computed Tomography

• A brain computed tomography (to-MOG-rah-fee) scan, or brain CT scan, is a painless test that uses x rays to take clear, detailed pictures of your brain.
  This test often is done right after a stroke is suspected.
• A brain CT scan can show bleeding in the brain or damage to the brain cells from a stroke.
  The test also can show other brain conditions that may be causing your symptoms.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the organs and structures in your body.
  This test can detect changes in brain tissue and damage to brain cells from a stroke.
• An MRI may be used instead of, or in addition to, a CT scan to diagnose a stroke.

Computed Tomography Arteriogram and Magnetic Resonance Arteriogram

• A CT arteriogram (CTA) and magnetic resonance arteriogram (MRA) can show the large blood vessels in the brain.
  These tests may give your doctor more information about the site of a blood clot and the flow of blood through your brain.

Carotid Ultrasound

• Carotid ultrasound is a painless and harmless test that uses sound waves to create pictures of the insides of your carotid arteries.
  These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your brain.
• Carotid ultrasound shows whether plaque has narrowed or blocked your carotid arteries.
• Your carotid ultrasound test may include a Doppler ultrasound.
  Doppler ultrasound is a special test that shows the speed and direction of blood moving through your blood vessels.

Carotid Angiography

• Carotid angiography (an-jee-OG-ra-fee) is a test that uses dye and special x rays to show the insides of your carotid arteries.
• For this test, a small tube called a catheter is put into an artery, usually in the groin (upper thigh).
  The tube is then moved up into one of your carotid arteries.
• Your doctor will inject a substance (called contrast dye) into the carotid artery.
  The dye helps make the artery visible on x-ray pictures.

Heart Tests

EKG (Electrocardiogram)

• An EKG is a simple, painless test that records the heart's electrical activity.
  The test shows how fast the heart is beating and its rhythm (steady or irregular).
• An EKG also records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart.
• An EKG can help detect heart problems that may have led to a stroke.
  For example, the test can help diagnose atrial fibrillation or a previous heart attack.

Echocardiography

• Echocardiography (EK-o-kar-de-OG-ra-fee), or echo, is a painless test that uses sound waves to create pictures of your heart.
• The test gives information about the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart's chambers and valves are working.
• Echo can detect possible blood clots inside the heart and problems with the aorta.
  The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood from your heart to all parts of your body.

Blood Tests
Your doctor also may use blood tests to help diagnose a stroke.

• A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood.
  Low blood glucose levels may cause symptoms similar to those of a stroke.
• A platelet count measures the number of platelets in your blood.
  Blood platelets are cell fragments that help your blood clot.
  Abnormal platelet levels may be a sign of a bleeding disorder (not enough clotting) or a thrombotic disorder (too much clotting).
• Your doctor also may recommend blood tests to measure how long it takes for your blood to clot.
  Two tests that may be used are called PT and PTT tests.
  These tests show whether your blood is clotting normally.

Treatment for a stroke depends on whether it is ischemic or hemorrhagic.
Treatment for a transient ischemic attack (TIA) depends on its cause, how much time has passed since symptoms began, and whether you have other medical conditions.
Strokes and TIAs are medical emergencies. If you have stroke symptoms, call 9–1–1 right away.
Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you.
Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.
During a stroke, every minute counts.
Once you receive initial treatment, your doctor will try to treat your stroke risk factors and prevent complications.

Treating Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack
An ischemic stroke or TIA occurs if an artery that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the brain becomes blocked.
Often, blood clots cause the blockages that lead to ischemic strokes and TIAs.
Treatment for an ischemic stroke or TIA may include medicines and medical procedures.

Medicines
A medicine called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can break up blood clots in the arteries of the brain.
A doctor will inject tPA into a vein in your arm. This medicine must be given within 4 hours of the start of symptoms to work. Ideally, it should be given as soon as possible.
If, for medical reasons, your doctor can’t give you tPA, you may get an antiplatelet medicine.
For example, aspirin may be given within 48 hours of a stroke. Antiplatelet medicines help stop platelets from clumping together to form blood clots.
Your doctor also may prescribe anticoagulants, or “blood thinners.” These medicines can keep blood clots from getting larger and prevent new blood clots from forming.

Medical Procedures
If you have carotid artery disease, your doctor may recommend a carotid endarterectomy (END-ar-ter-EK-to-me) or carotid artery percutaneous (per-ku-TA-ne-us) coronary intervention, sometimes referred to as angioplasty (AN-jee-oh-plas-tee).
Both procedures open blocked carotid arteries.

Researchers are testing other treatments for ischemic stroke, such as intra-arterial thrombolysis (throm-BOL-ih-sis) and mechanical clot (embolus) removal in cerebral ischemia (MERCI).
In intra-arterial thrombolysis, a long flexible tube called a catheter is put into your groin (upper thigh) and threaded to the tiny arteries of the brain.
Your doctor can deliver medicine through this catheter to break up a blood clot in the brain.
MERCI is a device that can remove blood clots from an artery.
During the procedure, a catheter is threaded through a carotid artery to the affected artery in the brain. The device is then used to pull the blood clot out through the catheter.

Treating Hemorrhagic Stroke
Unlike ischemic strokes, hemorrhagic strokes aren’t treated with antiplatelet medicines and blood thinners.
This is because these medicines can make bleeding worse.
If you’re taking antiplatelet medicines or blood thinners and have a hemorrhagic stroke, you’ll be taken off the medicine.

If high blood pressure is the cause of bleeding in the brain, your doctor may prescribe medicines to lower your blood pressure.
This can help prevent further bleeding.
Surgery also may be needed to treat a hemorrhagic stroke.
The types of surgery used include aneurysm clipping, coil embolization (EM-bol-ih-ZA-shun), and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) repair.

Aneurysm Clipping and Coil Embolization
If an aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge in an artery) is the cause of a stroke, your doctor may recommend aneurysm clipping or coil embolization.
Aneurysm clipping is done to block off the aneurysm from the blood vessels in the brain.
This surgery helps prevent further leaking of blood from the aneurysm.
It also can help prevent the aneurysm from bursting again.

During the procedure, a surgeon will make an incision (cut) in the brain and place a tiny clamp at the base of the aneurysm.
You’ll be given medicine to make you sleep during the surgery.
After the surgery, you’ll need to stay in the hospital’s intensive care unit for a few days.

Coil embolization is a less complex procedure for treating an aneurysm.
The surgeon will insert a tube called a catheter into an artery in the groin.
He or she will thread the tube to the site of the aneurysm.
Then, a tiny coil will be pushed through the tube and into the aneurysm.
The coil will cause a blood clot to form, which will block blood flow through the aneurysm and prevent it from bursting again.
Coil embolization is done in a hospital. You’ll be given medicine to make you sleep during the surgery.

Arteriovenous Malformation Repair
If an AVM is the cause of a stroke, your doctor may recommend an AVM repair.
(An AVM is a tangle of faulty arteries and veins that can rupture within the brain.)
AVM repair helps prevent further bleeding in the brain.
Doctors use several methods to repair AVMs.
These methods include:

• Surgery to remove the AVM
• Injecting a substance into the blood vessels of the AVM to block blood flow
• Using radiation to shrink the blood vessels of the AVM

Treating Stroke Risk Factors
After initial treatment for a stroke or TIA, your doctor will treat your risk factors.
He or she may recommend lifestyle changes to help control your risk factors.
Lifestyle changes may include quitting smoking, following a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and being physically active.
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, you may need medicine to control your risk factors.

Quitting Smoking
If you smoke or use tobacco, quit. Smoking can damage your blood vessels and raise your risk of stroke and other health problems.
Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit.
Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke also can damage the blood vessels.

Following a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Choose a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains; half of your grains should come from whole-grain products.
Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
Healthy choices include lean meats, poultry without skin, fish, beans, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

Choose and prepare foods with little sodium (salt).
Too much salt can raise your risk of high blood pressure.
Studies show that following the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan can lower blood pressure.
Choose foods and beverages that are low in added sugar.​
If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation.

​Maintaining a Healthy Weight​ Maintaining a healthy weight can lower your risk of stroke.​
A general goal to aim for is a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25.
BMI measures your weight in relation to your height and gives an estimate of your total body fat.
A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. A BMI of less than 25 is the goal for preventing a stroke.

Being Physically Active
Regular physical activity can help control many stroke risk factors, such as high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and excess weight.
Talk with your doctor before you start a new exercise plan.
Ask him or her how much and what kinds of physical activity are safe for you.
People gain health benefits from as little as 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week.
The more active you are, the more you will benefit.

Taking action to control your risk factors can help prevent or delay a stroke.
If you’ve already had a stroke, these actions can help prevent another one:

• Don’t smoke. If you smoke or use tobacco, quit. Smoking can damage and tighten blood vessels and raise your risk of stroke.
  Talk with your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit.
  Also, try to avoid secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke also can damage the blood vessels.
• Make healthy eating choices. A healthy diet includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
  It also includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, and fat-free or low-fat milk or milk products.
  A healthy diet is low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you're overweight or obese, work with your doctor to create a reasonable weight-loss plan.
  Controlling your weight helps you control stroke risk factors.
• Be as physically active as you can. Physical activity can improve your fitness level and your health.
  Talk with your doctor about what types and amounts of activity are safe for you.
• Know your family history of stroke. If you or someone in your family has had a stroke, be sure to tell your doctor.

Although stroke is a disease of the brain, it can affect the entire body.
A common disability that results from stroke is complete paralysis on one side of the body, called hemiplegia.
A related disability that is not as debilitating as paralysis is one-sided weakness or hemiparesis.
Stroke may cause problems with thinking, awareness, attention, learning, judgment, and memory.

Stroke survivors often have problems understanding or forming speech.
A stroke can lead to emotional problems. Stroke patients may have difficulty controlling their emotions or may express inappropriate emotions.
Many stroke patients experience depression.

Stroke survivors may also have numbness or strange sensations.
The pain is often worse in the hands and feet and is made worse by movement and temperature changes, especially cold temperatures.
Recurrent stroke is frequent; about 25% of people who recover from their first stroke will have another stroke within five years.

Surgery
Surgery can be used to prevent stroke, to treat stroke, or to repair damage to the blood vessels or malformations in and around the brain.

• Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure in which a surgeon removes fatty deposits, or plaque, from the inside of one of the carotid arteries.
  The procedure is performed to prevent stroke.
  The carotid arteries are located in the neck and are the main suppliers of blood to the brain.

Vascular Interventions In addition to surgery, a variety of techniques have been developed to allow certain vascular problems to be treated from inside the artery using specialized catheters with the goal of improving blood flow.
(Vascular is a word that refers to blood vessels, arteries, and veins that carry blood throughout the body.)
A catheter is a very thin, flexible tube that can be inserted into one of the major arteries of the leg or arm and then directed through the blood vessels to the diseased artery.
Physicians trained in this technique called angiography undergo additional training to treat problems in the arteries of the brain or spinal cord.​
These physicians are called neurointerventionalists

• Angioplasty is widely used by angiographers to open blocked heart arteries, and is also used to prevent stroke.
  Angioplasty is a procedure in which a special catheter is inserted into the narrowed artery and then a balloon at the tip of the catheter is inflated to open the blocked artery.
  The procedure improves blood flow to the brain.
• Stenting is another procedure used to prevent stroke. In this procedure an angiographer inserts a catheter into the artery in the groin and then positions the tip of the catheter inside the narrowed artery.
  A stent is a tube-like device made of a mesh-like material that can be slipped into position over the catheter.
  When positioned inside the narrowed segment the stent is expanded to widen the artery and the catheter is removed.
  Angioplasty or stenting of the carotid artery can cause pieces of the diseased plaque to loosen.
  An umbrella-like device is often temporarily expanded above to prevent these pieces from traveling to the brain.
• Angiographers also sometimes use clot removal devices to treat stroke patients in the very early stage.
  One device involves threading a catheter through the artery to the site of the blockage and then vacuuming out the clot.
  Another corkscrew-like device can be extended from the tip of a catheter and used to grab the clot and pull it out
  Drugs can also be injected through the catheter directly into the clot to help dissolve the clot.

Brain plasticity is the brain's ability to learn and change, allowing it to adapt to deficits and injury and to take over the functions of damaged cells.
When cells in an area of the brain responsible for a particular function die after a stroke, the patient becomes unable to perform that function.
However, the brain's ability to rewire the connections between its nerve cells allows it to compensate for lost functions.

The type and severity of stroke symptoms depend on the area of the brain that is affected.
Signs and symptoms of stroke in both men and women may include:

• Sudden numbness, weakness, or inability to move the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body)
• Confusion
• Trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache (often described as “the worst headache of my life”)
• Trouble breathing
• Loss of consciousness

F-A-S-T
Learning this simple acronym can help you remember the signs and symptoms of stroke.
If you think that you or someone around you is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.

• F. Face drooping: Ask the person to smile. Is the smile uneven?
• A. Arm weakness: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one drift downward?
• S. Speech difficulty: Is speech slurred or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence like: “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
• T. Time to call 9-1-1 if someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away. Check the time so you’ll know when symptoms first started.

Another imaging technique used for stroke patients is the magnetic resonance imaging or MRI scan.
MRI uses magnetic fields to detect a variety of changes in the brain and blood vessels caused by a stroke.
One effect of ischemic stroke is the slowing of water movement through the injured brain tissue.
An MRI can show this type of damage very soon after the stroke symptoms start.

MRI and CT are equally accurate for determining when hemorrhage is present.
The benefit of MRI over a CT scan is more accurate and earlier diagnosis of ischemic stroke especially for smaller strokes and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs).
Also, MRI can be more sensitive than CT for detecting other types of neurologic disorders that mimic the symptoms of stroke.

However, MRI cannot be performed in patients with certain types of metallic or electronic implants, such as pacemakers for the heart.
Although increasingly used in the emergency diagnosis of stroke, MRI is not immediately available at all hours in most hospitals, where CT is used for acute stroke diagnosis.
Also, MRI typically takes longer to perform than CT, and therefore may not be the first choice when minutes count.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke sponsors a wide range of basic and clinical research aimed at finding better ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat stroke, and to restore functions lost as a result of stroke.
Currently, scientists are conducting stroke studies in animals. By studying stroke in animals, researchers hope to get a better picture of what might be happening in human stroke patients.
Scientists can also use animal models to test promising therapies for stroke.
If a therapy proves helpful for animals, scientists can consider testing the therapy in humans.

Scientists are also working to develop new and better ways to help the brain repair itself to restore important functions to stroke patients.
New advances in imaging and rehabilitation have shown that the brain can compensate for functions lost as a result of stroke.
Clinical trials are scientific studies using volunteers that give researchers a way to test medical advances in humans.

Clinical trials test surgical devices and procedures, medications, and rehabilitation therapies.
They also test methods to improve lifestyles and mental and social skills.
Scientists are using clinical trials to:

• Develop new and more effective treatments for stroke.
• Discover ways to restore blood flow to the brain after stroke.
• Improve recovery after stroke.
• Learn more about the risk factors for stroke.

Participating in a clinical study contributes to medical knowledge.
The results of these studies can make a difference in the care of future patients.
By providing information about the benefits and risks of therapeutic, preventative, or diagnostic products or interventions.

There is an awful lot of very good information on the internet about Stroke at some large institutions and hospitals from very professional people.
Here are a few places you may look for information, advice, and support:

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders Stroke: Hope through research.
• Seconds Count Understand Stroke.
• The Internet Stroke Center An independent web resource for information about Stroke Care and Research.
• National Stroke Association Help for survivors and caregivers; Free Magazine.
• Childrens Hemiplegia & Stroke Association Help for children who have had a Stroke and support for their families.

Some Support Groups, Blogs, Forums, Chat Rooms, etc.

• Global Stroke Resource Be inspired by user stories, books, music, and more.
• The Stroke Support Network Online Stroke Support Group.
• Stroke Blog Brand New: Stroke Forum/Discussion Board.
• Healthful Chat Stroke Chat Room, Stroke Forums, and Stroke Social Network.

Here is a very good medical search engine at The Best Medical Search Engine
You may would like to use the MedlinePlus Search Box at the top of this page, top of right column. Click Here
You may also like to check out my Medical Links page HERE

Lung disease is any problem in the lungs that prevents the lungs from working properly.
There are three main types of lung disease:

• Airway Diseases -- These diseases affect the tubes (airways) that carry oxygen and other gases into and out of the lungs.
  They usually cause a narrowing or blockage of the airways.
  Airway diseases include asthma, emphysema, bronchiectasis, and chronic bronchitis.
  People with airway diseases often say they feel as if they are "trying to breathe out through a straw."
• Lung Tissue Diseases -- These diseases affect the structure of the lung tissue.
  Scarring or inflammation of the tissue makes the lungs unable to expand fully (restrictive lung disease).
  This makes it hard for the lungs to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
  People with this type of lung disorder often say they feel as if they are "wearing a too-tight sweater or vest."
  As a result, they are not able to breathe deeply. Pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis are examples of lung tissue disease.
• Lung Circulation Diseases -- These diseases affect the blood vessels in the lungs.
  They are caused by clotting, scarring, or inflammation of the blood vessels.
  They affect the ability of the lungs to take up oxygen and release carbon dioxide.
  These diseases may also affect heart function. An example of a lung circulation disease is pulmonary hypertension.

Many lung diseases involve a combination of these three types.
The most common lung diseases include:

• Asthma
• Atelectasis
• Bronchitis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Emphysema
• Lung cancer
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary edema
• Pneumothorax
• Pulmonary embolus

Smoking causes lung cancer and many other types of lung disease.
Experts don't know the causes of all types of lung disease, but they do know the causes of some.
These incude:

• Smoking. Smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes is the number one cause of lung disease.
  Don't start smoking, or quit if you already smoke.
  If you live or work with a smoker, avoid secondhand smoke.
  Ask smokers to smoke outdoors. Secondhand smoke is especially bad for babies and young children.
• Radon. This colorless, odorless gas is present in many homes and is a recognized cause of lung cancer.
  You can check for radon with a kit bought at many hardware stores.
  Radon can be reduced in your home if you find out there are high levels.
• Asbestos. This is natural mineral fiber that is used in insulation, fireproofing materials, car brakes, and other products.
  Asbestos can give off small fibers that are too small to be seen and can be inhaled.
  Asbestos harms lung cells, causing lung scarring and lung cancer.
  It can cause mesothelioma (MEZ-oh-THEE-lee-OH-muh), which is a cancer that forms in the tissue covering the lungs and many other organs of the body.
• Air pollution. Recent studies suggest that some air pollutants like car exhaust may contribute to asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and other lung diseases.

Some diseases that affect the lungs, like the flu, are caused by germs (bacteria, viruses, and fungi).

Early signs of lung disease are easy to overlook.
An early sign of lung disease is not having your usual level of energy.
The signs and symptoms can differ by the type of lung disease.
Common signs are:

• Trouble breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling like you're not getting enough air
• Decreased ability to exercise
• A cough that won't go away
• Coughing up blood or mucus
• Pain or discomfort when breathing in or out

Make sure to call your doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

Usually there are no warning signs of early lung cancer.
By the time most people with lung cancer have symptoms, the cancer has become more serious.
Symptoms of lung cancer may include:

• A cough that doesn't go away or gets worse
• Breathing trouble, like shortness of breath
• Coughing up blood
• Chest pain
• Hoarseness or wheezing
• Pneumonia that doesn't go away or that goes away and comes back

In addition, you may feel very tired, have a loss of appetite, or unexplained weight loss.
If you have symptoms of lung cancer, it's important to talk to your doctor.
The doctor will ask about your health history, smoking history, and exposure to harmful substances.
He or she will also do a physical exam and may suggest some tests.
Common tests f​​or diagnosis of lung cancer include:

• Chest x-rays. Chest x-rays allow doctors to "see" abnormal growths in the lungs.
• Computerized tomography scans (CT scans). CT scans are more powerful than standard x-rays.
  The images can show subtle signs of cancer that don't show up on x-rays.
  This can increase the chances of finding the cancer before it spreads further.
• Sputum cytology. A sample of mucus that you cough up is studied to see if it has cancer cells in it.
• Bronchoscopy. Doctors pass a special tube called a bronchoscope through the nose or mouth and down into the lungs.
  They can see into the lungs and remove small bits of tissue to test.
• Fine-needle aspiration. Doctors pass a needle through the chest wall into the lung to remove a small amount of tissue or fluid.
• Thoracotomy (thohr-uh-KOT-oh-mee). Doctors cut open the chest and remove tissue from the lungs.

Testing for cancer before a person has any symptoms is called screening.
Screening may help find cancers early, when they may be easier to treat.
Many studies show that screening smokers with x-rays or sputum cytology does not save lives.

But recently a major study showed that CT scans of older people who smoke a lot (or used to smoke a lot) can save lives.
You can learn more about the results of the study, which is called the National Lung Screening Trial.
Experts are still working to figure out who should get CT screening.
There are risks and benefits to screening for lung cancer.

For now, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) makes no recommendation either for or against routine screening for lung cancer.
If you're concerned about your lung cancer risk, talk to your doctor about whether screening is right for you.
Of course, the best way to reduce your risk of lung cancer is not to smoke.

Things you can do to reduce your risk of lung diseases include:

• Stop smoking. If you smoke, the most important thing you can do is stop. Talk to your doctor about the best way to quit. All kinds of smoking (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and marijuana) can boost the chances of lung disease.
• Avoid secondhand smoke. If you live or work with people who smoke cigarettes, pipes, or cigars, ask them to smoke outside. Non-smokers have the right to a smoke-free workplace.
• Test for radon. Find out if there are high levels of the gas radon in your home or workplace. You can buy a radon test kit at most hardware stores. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers information on How to deal with Radon.
• Avoid asbestos. Exposure to asbestos can cause scarring of the lungs, lung cancer, and otheVr serious lung disease. Asbestos can be a particular concern for those whose jobs put them in contact with it. This includes people who maintain buildings that have insulation or other materials that contain asbestos and people who repair car brakes or clutches. Employers of those who work with asbestos should offer training about asbestos safety and should regularly check levels of exposure. They also should provide ways to limit exposure, such as special breathing masks that filter asbestos dust from the air.
• Protect yourself from dust and chemical fumes. Working in dusty conditions and with chemicals can increase your risk of lung disease. And the risk is not just from industrial chemicals. Many products used at home, like paints and solvents, can cause or aggravate lung disease. Read labels and carefully follow instructions for use. If possible, avoid using products that cause eye, nose, or throat irritation. If you can't avoid them, use them as little as possible and only in a well-ventilated area. Wear protective equipment such as a special mask. Make sure you know which type of equipment you need and how to wear it.
• Eat a healthy diet. The National Cancer Institute notes that studies show that eating a lot of fruits or vegetables may help lower the risk of lung cancer. Of course, diet can't undo the damage caused by unhealthy behaviors like smoking.
• Ask your doctor if you should have a spirometry test. Some groups recommend routine spirometry testing of at-risk people, such as people who are over 45 and smoke and those who are exposed to lung-damaging substances at work.
• Ask your doctor about protecting yourself from flu and pneumonia with vaccinations.
• See your doctor if you have a cough that won't go away, trouble breathing, pain or discomfort in your chest, or any of the other symptoms described here.

Tuberculosis is a highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Abbreviated TB. Tubercles (tiny lumps) are a characteristic finding in TB.
Diagnosis may be made by skin test, which if positive should/will be followed by a chest X-ray to determine the status (active or dormant) of the infection.
Tuberculosis is more common in people with immune system problems, such as AIDS, than in the general population.

Treatment of active tuberculosis is mandatory by law in the US, and should be available at no cost to the patient through the public health system.
It involves a course of antibiotics and vitamins that lasts about six months.
It is important to finish the entire treatment, both to prevent reoccurrence and to prevent the development of antibiotic-resistant tuberculos.
Most patients with tuberculosis do not need to be quarantined, but it is sometimes necessary.

Although there are millions of new cases of TB each year, not everyone exposed to the bacterium becomes infected nor does everybody infected with it develop clinical symptoms of TB.
A genetic region has been discovered to be associated with clinical TB.
People with at least one high-risk copy of this genetic region are ten times more likely to develop TB than normal.
The genetic region contains a gene, NRAMP1, that is known to be involved in the susceptibility to leprosy, which is caused by a bacterium related to TB.

For a list of questions and answers about TB go to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
For additional information on TB, please visit the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/tb

The most common lung diseases for which people are hospitalized include:

• Pneumonia
• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

It is important to remember the integral part the lungs play in our overall health.
Many people develop pulmonary symptoms, but these can be secondary to other conditions.
For instance, patients who experience a heart attack may develop shortness of breath because of the heart failure resulting from cardiac damage.
Patients who are infected in other organs, like the kidneys, can present with respiratory distress as pulmonary compensation for acids building up in the body from the infection.
That childhood song really characterizes it best, for example, "the ankle bone is connected to the shin bone...."

Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms.
This can help find cancer at an early stage when it may be easier to treat.
Lung cancer may have spread by the time a person has symptoms.
One reason lung cancer is so serious is because it usually is not found until it has spread and is more difficult to treat.

Screening may provide new hope for early detection and treatment of lung cancer. Scientists study screening tests to find those with the fewest risks and most benefits.
They look at results over time to see if finding the cancer early decreases a person's chance of dying from the disease.
Three screening tests have been studied to see if they decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer:​

• Chest x-ray: A plain x-ray of your chest. An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest.
  Chest x-ray is no longer recommended for screening.
• Sputum cytology: A sample of mucus you cough up from the lungs (called sputum or phlegm) is looked at under a microscope to see if cancer cells are present.
  Sputum cytology is a procedure in which a sample of sputum (mucus that is coughed up from the lungs) is viewed under a microscope to check fr cancer cells
• Low-dose spiral CT scan: A CT (or CAT) scan is a special kind of x-ray that takes many pictures as you lie on a table that slides in and out of the machine.
  A computer then combines these pictures into a detailed picture of a slice of your body.
  A procedure that uses low-dose radiation to make a series of very detailed pictures of areas inside the body.

Of these tests, studies showed that only low-dose spiral CT (LDCT) scan reduced the risk of dying from lung cancer in high-risk populations.
Chest x-ray and sputum cytology are two screening tests that have been used to check for signs of lung cancer but do not decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer.
Lung Cancer screening saves lives Get Started Here

There are many places online that may help in a lot of different ways
Here are leads to a few places where you are assured to receive professional help and advice from professionals that can help you if you are serious about quitting:

• I'm ready to quit A guide to help you quit cigarette smoking, including reasons to quit, steps to quit, tips on handling cravings, medications that can help, and what to do if you slip.
• Quit Smoking Proven strategies to help you quit.
• SmokeFree.gov It doesn't matter where you start Just Start
  Anything and everything you will need to help you quit if you are serious.
• QuitNet.com Providing tools, information, and Support, including message boards, chat rooms, interactive questionnaires, and personalized quitting suggestions.

Sometimes lung cancer treatments are used to try to cure the cancer.
Other times, treatments are used to stop the cancer from spreading and to relieve symptoms.
Your specific treatment will depend on:

• The type of lung cancer
• Where the cancer is and if it has spread to other parts of the body
• Your age and overall health

Your doctor may recommend one treatment or a combination of treatments.

• Surgery is used to remove the lung tissue that has the cancerous tumor.
  Sometimes a large part of a lung or all of it is removed.
  When the cancer has not spread, surgery can cure the patient.
• Radiation therapy uses a machine to aim high-energy x-rays at the tumor.
  mThis energy kills cancer cells. Radiation therapy can relieve pain and make a person feel better.
• Chemotherapy uses medicine to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy medicines can be given through a vein or taken as a pill.
• Targeted therapy uses medicine to block the growth and spread of cancer cells. It can be given through a vein or taken as a pill.

To find out about research studies on new treatments for lung cancer, visit clinical trials website of the National Cancer Institute.

Some of the possible ways are:

Lung Conditions

A study published in Diabetes Care compared the health records of more than 1.8 million California residents with and without diabetes.
The research found that adults with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes are:

• 8% more likely to have asthma.
• 22% more likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• 54% more likely to have pulmonary fibrosis, a disease in which scarring in the lungs interferes with your ability to breathe.
• Nearly twice as likely to have been hospitalized for pneumonia.

Lung Function

If you have type 2 diabetes, you have decreased lung function compared with people who don’t have diabetes.
Lung function is a measure of how well you’re breathing. It also refers to how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your body.
If you have type 2 diabetes, you tend to have 3% to 10% lower lung volumes than adults who do not have the disease.

Generally; reduced lung function won’t interfere with your daily life.
However, it could cause issues if you are obese, smoke, or have lung disease.
Poor lung function can also be a problem if you have heart failure or kidney failure, two diabetes complications.
Having diabetes doesn’t necessarily mean you have bad lung function

Some studies show that lung function gets worse as blood glucose levels increase.
The longer you’ve lived with diabetes, the worse your lung function may be.
In some studies, people who developed diabetes had low lung function to begin with. This has led some experts to wonder if poor lung health might contribute to diabetes. However, this idea hasn’t been proven.

Why Diabetes Hurts Your Lung Function

Scientists aren’t sure exactly why diabetes and lung function are related. Some experts say inflammation is to blame.
Diabetes may cause inflammation in your body.
If you have diabetes, you have higher levels of inflammatory compounds, such as C-reactive protein.
A study in Diabetes Care found that high markers of inflammation were linked to low lung function.

Obesity also may be part of the explanation.
In the same Diabetes Care study, obese people had lower lung function and higher rates of diabetes versus healthy-weight people.
Obesity-related inflammation may be the cause, says a study in the journal Lung.

A Note About Smoking

If you have diabetes, smoking harms more than your lungs.
Smoking also increases your risk for serious complications, such as poor blood flow, nerve damage, blindness, kidney disease, and heart disease.
Quitting smoking will improve your blood glucose levels and insulin resistance.
Make a plan to quit: Set a date and let your family and friends know that you’re quitting.
You can either go cold turkey or taper off—whatever works for you.
Nicotine patches, nicotine gum, or prescription medication from your health care provider can help.

Key Takeaways

• If you have diabetes, you are more likely to have lung conditions such as COPD and pulmonary fibrosis.
• Diabetes also has an impact on lung function, or how well you breathe.
• Some studies show that lung function gets worse as blood glucose levels increase.
  The longer you’ve lived with diabetes, the worse your lung function may be.
• Scientists aren’t sure why diabetes and lung function are related.
  Inflammation in your body may be to blame. Obesity may play a role as well.

Here is a Lung Disease Alphabetical Listing at the American Lung Association of 40 Lung Diseases.
Click on a disease to go to a page with information about that disease:

• ​Acute Bronchitis
• Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
• Asbestosis
• Asthma
• Bronchiectasis
• Bronchiolitis
• Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia (BOOP)
• Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
• Byssinosis
• Chronic Bronchitis
• Coccidioidomycosis (Cocci)
• COPD
• Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia (COP)
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Emphysema
• Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome
• Histoplasmosis
• Human Metapneumovirus
• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
• Influenza
• Lung Cancer
• Lymphangiomatosis
• Mesothelioma
• Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome
• Nontuberculosis Mycobacterium
• Pertussis
• Pneumoconiosis (Black Lung Disease)
• Pneumonia
• Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
• Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
• Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
• Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Pulmonary Vascular Disease
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus
• Sarcoidosis
• Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
• Silicosis
• Sleep Apnea
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
• Tuberculosis

As there are so many places covering so many diseases on the internet with much very good information about Lung Disease.
Some cover a particular disease or group of diseases. Here is a few of them as well as a couple of places for support:

• American Lung Association The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through Education, Advocacy and Research.
• HealthLine.com Description, information about, and more.
• Lung Institute Treatment for Lung Disease Stem Cell Therapy.
• Lung Diseases Overview Lung diseases are some of the most common medical conditions in the world.
  Tens of millions of people suffer from lung disease in the U.S.
  Smoking, infections, and genetics are responsible for most lung diseases.
• Support Groups List of Lung Cancer and Lung Disease Support Groups.

Lung Cancer seems to be the subject of most concern, here are some sites mostly about just Lung Cancer.

• Cancer.gov A snapshot of Lung Cancer, Incidence and Mortality.
• HealthLine.com What do you want to know about Lung Cancer?
• CancerCenter.com Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Here is a very good medical search engine at The Best Medical Search Engine
You may would like to use the MedlinePlus Search Box at the top of this page, top of right column. Click Here
You may also like to check out my Medical Links page HERE

Almost everyone knows someone who has diabetes.
An estimated 23.6 million people in the United States -- 7.8 percent of the population -- have diabetes, a serious, lifelong condition.
Of those, 17.9 million have been diagnosed, and about 5.7 million people have not yet been diagnosed.
Each year, about 1.6 million people aged 20 or older are diagnosed with diabetes.

Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism -- the way our bodies use digested food for growth and energy.
Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, the form of sugar in the blood.
Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body.

After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by cells for growth and energy.
For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach.

When we eat, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into our cells.
In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced.
Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body.
Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of sugar.

The three main types of diabetes are:

• Type 1 Diabetes
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Gestational Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease.
An autoimmune disease results when the body's system for fighting infection (the immune system) turns against a part of the body.
In diabetes, the immune system attacks the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas and destroys them.
The pancreas then produces little or no insulin.
A person who has type 1 diabetes must take insulin daily to live.

At present, scientists do not know exactly what causes the body's immune system to attack the beta cells, but they believe that autoimmune, genetic, and environmental factors, possibly viruses, are involved.
Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5 to 10 percent of diagnosed diabetes in the United States.
It develops most often in children and young adults, but can appear at any age.

Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period, although beta cell destruction can begin years.
Symptoms include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue.
If not diagnosed and treated with insulin, a person with type 1 diabetes can lapse into a life-threatening Diabetic Coma, also known as Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Type 2 Diabetes

The most common form of diabetes is type 2 diabetes.
About 90 to 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2.
This form of diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, previous history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, and ethnicity.
About 80 p​​ercent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Type 2 diabetes is increasingly being diagnosed in children and adolescents.
About 3,700 people under the age of 20 were diagnosed with diabetes based on 2002-2003 data.

When type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, the pancreas is usually producing enough insulin, but for unknown reasons, the body cannot use the insulin effectively, a condition called insulin resistance.
After several years, insulin production decreases.
The result is the same as for type 1 diabetes.
Glucose builds up in the blood and the body cannot make efficient use of its main source of fuel.

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually.
Their onset is not as sudden as in type 1 diabetes.
Symptoms may include fatigue or nausea, frequent urination, unusual thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, frequent infections, and slow healing of wounds or sores.
Some people have no symptoms.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes develops only during pregnancy.
Like type 2 diabetes, it occurs more often in African Americans, American Indians, Hispanic Americans, and among women with a family history of diabetes.
Women who have had gestational diabetes have a 20 to 50 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 5 to 10 years.

The fasting plasma glucose test is the preferred test for diagnosing type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
It is most reliable when done in the morning.
However, a diagnosis of diabetes can be made after positive results on any one of three tests, with confirmation from a second positive test on a different day:

• A random (taken any time of day) plasma glucose value of 200 mg/dL or more, along with the presence of diabetes symptoms.
• A plasma glucose value of 126 mg/dL or more after a person has fasted for 8 hours.
• An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) plasma glucose value of 200 mg/dL or more in a blood sample taken 2 hours after a person has consumed a drink containing 75 grams of glucose dissolved in water.
  This test, taken in a laboratory or the doctor's office, measures plasma glucose at timed intervals over a 3-hour period.

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed based on plasma glucose values measured during the OGTT.
Glucose levels are normally lower during pregnancy, so the threshold values for diagnosis of diabetes in pregnancy are lower.
If a woman has two plasma glucose values meeting or exceeding any of the following numbers, she has gestational diabetes:

• A fasting plasma glucose level of 95 mg/dL, a 1-hour level of 180 mg/dL, a 2-hour level of 155 mg/dL, or a 3-hour level of 140 mg/dL.

People with pre-diabetes, a state between "normal" and "diabetes," are at risk for developing diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes.
However, studies suggest that weight loss and increased physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes, as weight loss and physical activity make the body more sensitive to insulin.
There are two forms of pre-diabetes. <

Impaired Fasting Glucose

A person has impaired fasting glucose (IFG) when fasting plasma glucose is 100 to 125 mg/dL. This level is higher than normal but less than the level indicating a diagnosis of diabetes.

Impaired Glucose Tolerance

Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) means that blood glucose during the oral glucose tolerance test is higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.
IGT is diagnosed when the glucose level is 140 to 199 mg/dL 2 hours after a person drinks a liquid containing 75 grams of glucose.
An estimated 57 million people over age 20 have impaired fasting glucose, suggesting that at least that many adults had pre-diabetes in 2007.

Diabetes is widely recognized as one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States.
In 2006, it was the seventh leading cause of death.
However, diabetes is likely to be underreported as the underlying cause of death on death certificates.

Diabetes is associated with long-term complications that affect almost every part of the body.
The disease often leads to blindness, heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage.
Uncontrolled diabetes can complicate pregnancy, and birth defects are more common in babies born to women with diabetes.

Diabetes is not contagious. People cannot "catch" it from each other.
However, certain factors can increase the risk of developing diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes occurs equally among males and females, but is more common in whites than in nonwhites.
Data from the World Health Organization's Multinational Project for Childhood Diabetes indicate that type 1 diabetes is rare in most African, American Indian, and Asian populations.
However, some northern European countries, including Finland and Sweden, have high rates of type 1 diabetes.
The reasons for these differences are unknown.

Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people, especially in people who are overweight, and occurs more often in African Americans, American Indians, some Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islander Americans, and Hispanic Americans.
On average, non-Hispanic African Americans are 1.6 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of the same age.
Hispanic Americans are 1.5 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age.

American Indians have one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world.
On average, American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.2 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age.
Although prevalence data for diabetes among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are limited, some groups, such as Native Hawaiians and Japanese and Filipino residents of Hawaii aged 20 or older, are about twice as likely to have diabetes as white residents of Hawaii of similar age.

The prevalence of diabetes in the United States is likely to increase for several reasons.
First, a large segment of the population is aging.
Also, Hispanic Americans and other minority groups make up the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population.
Finally, Americans are increasingly overweight and sedentary.
According to recent estimates, the prevalence of diabetes in the United States is predicted to reach 8.9 percent of the population by 2025.

A growing body of evidence suggests a link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.
One long-term study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging reported that diabetes was associated with a 65-percent increased risk of Alzheimer's.
The cause isn't clear.

Previous research has linked diabetes to a decline in cognitive function, including memory problems.
Some scientists theorize that diabetes may cause glucose to accumulate in the brain, which could damage brain cells.
Taking steps to prevent diabetes or control existing diabetes may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's

If you have diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing depression.
And if you have depression, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
The good news is that diabetes and depression can be treated together.
And effectively managing one can have a positive outcome on the other.

How they are related
Though the relationship between diabetes and depression isn't fully understood:

• The rigors of managing diabetes can be stressful and lead to symptoms of depression.
• Diabetes can cause complications and health problems that may worsen symptoms of depression.
• Depression can lead to poor lifestyle decisions, such as unhealthy eating, less exercise, smoking and weight gain — all of which are risk factors for diabetes.
• Depression affects your ability to perform tasks, communicate and think clearly. This can interfere with your ability to successfully manage diabetes.

Managing the two conditions together&

• Diabetes self-management programs. Diabetes programs that focus on behavior have been successful in helping people improve their metabolic control, increase fitness levels, and manage weight loss and other cardiovascular disease risk factors.
  They can also help improve your sense of well-being and quality of life.
• Psychotherapy.​ Similarly, participants in psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, have reported improvements in depression, which has resulted in better diabetes management.
• Medications and lifestyle changes. Medications — for both diabetes and depression — and lifestyle changes, including different types of therapy coupled with regular exercise, can improve both conditions.

If you have diabetes, watch for signs and symptoms of depression&
Such as loss of interest in normal activities, feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and unexplained physical problems like back pain or headaches.
If you think you might be depressed, seek help right away.
Your doctor or diabetes educator can refer you to a mental health professional.

Yes, alcohol and tobacco use increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Although studies show that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol (one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men) may actually lower the risk of diabetes.
The opposite is true for people who drink greater amounts of alcohol.

Heavy alcohol use
Too much alcohol can cause chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can impair its ability to secrete insulin and ultimately lead to diabetes.

Tobacco use
Tobacco is equally harmful. Tobacco use can increase blood sugar levels and lead to insulin resistance.
And the more you smoke, the greater your risk of diabetes.
Heavy smokers — those who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day — almost double their risk of developing diabetes, when compared with nonsmokers.

Diabetes raises your risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which excess fat builds up in your liver even if you drink little or no alcohol.
This condition occurs in at least half of those with type 2 diabetes and close to half of those with type 1.
Other medical conditions related to diabetes , including; Obesity, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure.
Also raise your risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Fatty liver disease itself often causes no symptoms.
But it raises your risk of developing liver inflammation or scarring (cirrhosis).
It's also linked to an increased risk of liver cancer and heart disease.
Your best defense against fatty liver disease includes these strategies:

• Work with your health care team to achieve good control of your blood sugar.
• Lose weight if you need to, and try to maintain a healthy weight.
• Take steps to reduce high blood pressure.
• Keep your Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") Cholesterol and Triglycerides ,a type of blood fat , within recommended limits.
• Don't drink too much alcohol.

If you have diabetes, your doctor may recommend an ultrasound examination of your liver when you're first diagnosed.
And regular follow-up blood tests to monitor your liver function.

Caffeine impairs insulin action, but doesn't necessarily affect blood sugar (glucose) levels in young, healthy adults.
However, if you have type 2 diabetes, the impact of caffeine on insulin action may be associated with a small, but detectable rise in blood sugar levels, particularly after meals

About 250 milligrams of caffeine, or the equivalent of 2 to 21/2 cups (473 to 591 milliliters) of plain, brewed coffee a day may cause this effect.
If you have type 2 diabetes and you're struggling to control your blood sugar levels,
Limiting the amount of caffeine in your diet may provide a benefit.

A vegetarian diet probably won't cure your diabetes.
But it may offer some benefits over a nonvegetarian diet.
Such as helping to better control your weight, reducing your risk of some diabetes and associated complications.
And possibly even making your body more responsive to insulin.

There's no single vegetarian eating plan.
For example, some allow dairy products while others don't allow any animal products (vegans).
The benefits of a vegetarian diet depend on the type of diet you choose and the food choices you make when following the diet.
For most, however, eating a vegetarian diet:

• Promotes a healthy weight. Vegetarian diets are often lower in calories than are nonvegetarian diets, which can help with weight management. Also, people following a vegan diet tend to have lower body mass indexes (BMIs) than do people who follow a nonvegetarian diet. A healthy body weight can improve blood sugar control and reduce your risk of diabetes complications.
• Improves blood sugar control and insulin response. Eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts — features of a vegetarian diet — can improve blood sugar control and make your body more responsive to insulin. This may mean taking less medication and lowering your risk of diabetes-related complications. But even a vegetarian diet can have the opposite effect on blood sugar if it is rich in simple carbohydrates — especially starches, such as potatoes, white rice and white bread.
• Reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease. A strict vegan diet is cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat and usually high in soluble fiber. A low-fat vegetarian diet can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease — a common complication of people who have diabetes.

If you're considering a vegetarian diet, it may be helpful to speak with a dietitian who can help you create an eating plan.
One that provides all the necessary nutrients and the right number of calories to maintain a healthy weight.
As with any diet, it's important to stay within an appropriate calorie range to lose weight if that's your goal.

A Diabetic Coma is a life-threatening diabetes complication that causes unconsciousness.
If you have diabetes, dangerously high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a Diabetic Coma
If you lapse into a Diabetic Coma, you're alive, but you can't awaken or respond purposefully to sights, sounds or other types of stimulation.
Left untreated, a Diabetic Coma can be fatal.

The prospect of a Diabetic Coma is scary, but fortunately you can take steps to help prevent a Diabetic Coma.
Start by following your diabetes treatment plan.
Before developing a Diabetic Coma, you'll usually experience signs and symptoms of high blood sugar or low blood sugar.

High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
If your blood sugar level is too high, you may experience:

• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Nausea and vomiting
• Shortness of breath
• Stomach pain
• Fruity breath odor
• A very dry mouth
• A rapid heartbeat

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Signs and symptoms of blood sugar level may include

• Shakiness or nervousness
• Fatigue
• Sweating
• Hunger
• Nausea
• Irritability
• An irregular or racing heartbeat
• Difficulty speaking
• Confusion

Some people develop a condition known as hypoglycemia unawareness.
And won't have the warning signs that signal a drop in blood sugar.
If you experience any symptoms of high or low blood sugar, test your blood sugar and follow your diabetes treatment plan based on the test results.
If you don't start to feel better quickly, or you start to feel worse, call for emergency help.

When to see a doctor
A Diabetic Coma is a medical emergency. If you feel extreme high or low blood sugar symptoms and think you might pass out, call 911 or your local emergency number.
If you're with someone with diabetes who has passed out, call for emergency help.
Be sure to let the emergency personnel know that the unconscious person has diabetes.

Good day-to-day control of your diabetes can help you prevent a diabetic coma.
Keep these tips in mind:

• Follow your meal plan.
  Consistent snacks and meals can help you control your blood sugar level.
• Keep an eye on your blood sugar level. Frequent blood sugar tests can tell you whether you're keeping your blood sugar level in your target range, and alert you to dangerous highs or lows.
  Check more frequently if you've exercised because exercise can cause blood sugar levels to drop, especially if you don't exercise regularly.
• Take your medication as directed. If you have frequent episodes of high or low blood sugar, let your doctor know.
  He or she may need to adjust the dose or timing of your medication.
• Have a sick-day plan. Illness can elevate blood sugar unexpectedly.
  Before you get sick, talk with your doctor about how to best manage this increase in your blood sugar.
• Check for ketones when your blood sugar is high. Check your urine for ketones when your blood sugar level is more than 240 mg/dL (13.3 mmol/L).
  If you have a large amount of ketones or they persist, call your doctor for advice.
  Call your doctor immediately if you have any level of ketones and are vomiting.
• Have glucagon and fast-acting sources of sugar available. If you take insulin for your diabetes, make sure you have an up-to-date glucagon kit and fast-acting sources of sugar, such as glucose tablets or orange juice, readily available to treat low blood sugar levels.
• Consider a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), especially if you have trouble maintaining stable blood sugar levels or you don't feel symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia unawareness).
  CGMs are devices that use a small sensor inserted underneath the skin to track trends in your blood sugar levels and transmit the information to a wireless device.
  
  These devices can alert you when your blood sugar is dangerously low.
  However, you still need to test your blood sugar levels using a blood glucose meter even if you're using a CGM.
  CGMs are more expensive than conventional glucose monitoring methods, but they may help you control your glucose better.
• Drink alcohol using caution. Because alcohol can have an unpredictable effect on your blood sugar, be sure to have a snack or a meal when you drink, if you choose to drink at all.
• Educate your loved ones, friends and co-workers. Teach loved ones and other close contacts how to recognize early signs and symptoms of blood sugar extremes.
  And how to summon emergency help should you pass out.
• Wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace. If you're unconscious, the ID can provide valuable information to your loved ones, co-workers and others.
  Including emergency personnel.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that is first seen in a pregnant woman who did not have diabetes before she was pregnant.
Some women have more than one pregnancy affected by gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes usually shows up in the middle of pregnancy.

Doctors most often test for it between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Often gestational diabetes can be controlled through eating healthy foods and regular exercise.
Sometimes a woman with gestational diabetes must also take insulin

1. Problems of Gestational Diabetes in Pregnancy Blood sugar that is not well controlled in a woman with gestational diabetes can lead to problems for the pregnant woman and the baby:
2. An Extra Large Baby
   Diabetes that is not well controlled causes the baby’s blood sugar to be high.
   The baby is "overfed" and grows extra large.
   Besides causing discomfort to the woman during the last few months of pregnancy, an extra large baby can lead to problems during delivery for both the mother and the baby.
   The mother might need a C-Section to deliver the baby.
   The baby can be born with nerve damage due to pressure on the shoulder during delivery.
3. C-Section (Cesarean Section)
   A C-section is an operation to deliver the baby through the mother’s belly.
   A woman who has diabetes that is not well controlled has a higher chance of needing a C-section to deliver the baby.
   When the baby is delivered by a C-section, it takes longer for the woman to recover from childbirth.
4. High Blood Pressure (Preeclampsia) When a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, protein in her urine, and often swelling in fingers and toes that doesn’t go away, she might have preeclampsia.
   It is a serious problem that needs to be watched closely and managed by her doctor
   
   High blood pressure can cause harm to both the woman and her unborn baby.
   It might lead to the baby being born early and also could cause seizures or a stroke (a blood clot or a bleed in the brain that can lead to brain damage) in the woman during labor and delivery.
   Women with diabetes have high blood pressure more often than women without diabetes.
5. Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia) People with diabetes who take insulin or other diabetes medications can develop blood sugar that is too low.
   Low blood sugar can be very serious, and even fatal, if not treated quickly.
   Seriously low blood sugar can be avoided if women watch their blood sugar closely and treat low blood sugar early.
   
   If a woman’s diabetes was not well controlled during pregnancy.
   Her baby can very quickly develop low blood sugar after birth.
   The baby’s blood sugar must be watched for several hours after delivery.

Physical activity is a tool to help manage your diabetes.
It is a very important part of your diabetes treatment plan and can help you feel your healthiest.
Physical activity is valuable because it can:

• Lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure
• Raise HDL ("good cholesterol")
• Promote weight loss
• Improve blood circulation
• Help the body better use insulin
• Reduce stress and make you feel better
• Increase flexibility

What do I need?

• Your doctor's permission before beginning a physical activity program
• A physical activity you enjoy
• Properly fitting shoes

How often should I do the activity?
Start your activity slowly and increase gradually.
Your goal should be to exercise at least 30 minutes, five days per week, or as recommended by your health care provider.
A 30-minute session may be broken up into three 10-minute sessions. Safety tips

• To decrease the risk of low blood sugar, check your blood sugar before you begin your session. If it's over 250 mg/dl and ketones are present, delay the activity until your blood sugar levels are under 250. If your blood sugar is below 100, you might need a snack (1 carb) before beginning the activity.
• The best time for a session is 30 minutes to one hour after eating a meal.
• Check your feet for blisters/sores before and after any physical activity.
• If you take medicine that lowers blood sugar levels, carry a carbohydrate source such as glucose tablets or hard candy.
• Include a 5- to 10-minute warm-up and cool-down period.
• Drink water before, during, and after physical activity.
• Try to exercise with someone.
• Check your blood sugar after an activity. For some people, exercise can lower blood sugar for up to 24 hours.
• Carry diabetes identification.

How to start

• Set realistic goals with the help of your health care provider.
• Make a plan. Identify ways to increase your physical activity.
• Go out of your way to be active and decrease inactivity.

Managing your weight
If you are overweight, losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds can help lower your blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.
You will lessen the strain on your bones and joints and will feel better all the way around.
Here are some tips to help you start managing your weight:

• Take stock. Begin by keeping track of what, when, where, and how you eat now.
• Assess your willingness to change.
• Make a plan. Identify which habits you will change now and which ones you will change later.
• Set realistic goals. A ½- to one-pound weight loss per week is a reasonable goal.

Follow a healthy eating plan

• Eat a variety of foods from all the food groups.
• Avoid fad diets that eliminate whole groups of food.
• Eat smaller portions.
• Eat less fat.
• Avoid skipping meals.
• Exercise. Successful weight loss includes daily exercise.
• Keep it off. Make your new healthy eating and exercise changes a permanent way of life.

When you have diabetes, your diet is a vital part of your treatment plan.
Of course you know what you're eating, a turkey sandwich, a glass of skim milk, a sugar-free fudge pop.
But do you pay attention to the details, such as calories, total carbohydrates, fiber, fat, salt and sugar?
Reading food labels can help you make the best choices.

Start with the list of ingredients
When you're looking at food labels, start with the list of ingredients:

• Keep an eye out for heart-healthy ingredients, such as whole-wheat flour, soy and oats.
  Monounsaturated fats, such as olive, canola or peanut oils, promote heart health, too.
• Avoid unhealthy ingredients, such as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil.

Keep in mind that ingredients are listed in descending order by weight.
The main (heaviest) ingredient is listed first, followed by other ingredients used in decreasing amounts.

Consider carbs in context
If your meal plan is based on carbohydrate counting, food labels become an essential tool.

• Look at total carbohydrates, not just sugar. Evaluate the grams of total carbohydrates, which includes sugar, complex carbohydrate and fiber, rather than only the grams of sugar.
  If you zero in on sugar content, you could miss out on nutritious foods naturally high in sugar, such as fruit and milk.
  And you might overdo foods with no natural or added sugar, but plenty of carbohydrates, such as certain cereals and grains.
• Don't miss out on high-fiber foods. Pay special attention to high-fiber foods. Look for foods with 3 or more grams of fiber.
  When counting carbohydrates, if a food has more than 5 grams of fiber, you can subtract half of the total grams of fiber from the total carbohydrates to get your count.
  High fiber foods help reduce the absorption of more-simple carbohydrates.

Put sugar-free products in their place

• Sugar-free doesn't mean carbohydrate-free. Sugar-free foods may play a role in your diabetes diet, but remember to consider carbohydrates, as well. A sugar-free label means that one serving has less than 0.5 gram of sugar. When you're choosing between standard products and their sugar-free counterparts, compare the food labels. If the sugar-free product has noticeably fewer carbohydrates, the sugar-free product might be the better choice. But if there's little difference in carbohydrate grams between the two foods, let taste — or price — be your guide.
• No sugar added, but not necessarily no carbohydrates. The same caveat applies to products sporting a "no sugar added" label. Although these foods don't contain high-sugar ingredients and no sugar is added during processing or packaging, foods without added sugar may still be high in carbohydrates.
• Sugar alcohols contain carbohydrates and calories, too. Likewise, products that contain sugar alcohols — such as sorbitol, xylitol and mannitol — aren't necessarily low in carbohydrates or calories.

Beware of fat-free products
Per gram, fat has more than twice the calories of carbohydrate or protein.
If you're trying to lose weight, fat-free foods might sound like just the ticket.
But don't be fooled by "fat-free" food labels:

• Fat-free can still have carbohydrates. Fat-free foods can have more carbohydrates and contain nearly as many calories as the standard version of the same food. The lesson? You guessed it. Compare food labels for fat-free and standard products carefully before you make a decision. And remember that the amount of total fat listed on a food label doesn't tell the whole story. Look for a breakdown of types of fat.
• Choose healthier fats. Although still high in calories, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol and protect your heart.
• Limit unhealthy fats. Saturated and trans fats raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.

​Know what counts as a free food
Just as food labels can help you rule out certain foods, food labels can also serve as your guide to free foods.
A free food is one with:

• Fewer than 20 calories a serving
• Less than 5 grams of carbohydrate a serving

You can include some free foods in your diet as often as you'd like.
Examples include:

• Diet soda
• Sugar-free flavored gelatin
• Sugar-free gum

Do the math

• Pay attention to serving sizes. The serving sizes listed on food labels may be different from the serving sizes in your meal plan.
  If you eat twice the serving size listed on the label, you also double the calories, fat, carbohydrate, protein, sodium and the other contents.
• Consider your daily calorie goals. The same goes for the Daily Value listed on food labels.
  This percentage, which is based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, helps you gauge how much of a specific nutrient one serving of food contains.
  Compared with recommendations for the whole day.
  
  Five percent or less is low; 20 percent or more is high.
  Look for foods with fats, cholesterol and sodium on the low end of Daily Value; keep fiber, vitamins and minerals on the high end.
  If your doctor or registered dietitian recommends more or less than 2,000 calories a day, you may need to adjust the percentage accordingly.
  Or simply use the percentage as a general frame of reference.

The bottom line
What you eat is up to you.
Whether you're trying to reduce the amount of fat, cholesterol and sodium in your diet.
Or boost the amount of fiber, whole grains and other healthy nutrients.
Use food labels to help meet your healthy-eating goals.

There are so many good places and so much good information about Diabetes that I can't begin to list them all.
However here are a few that will hopefully be helpful and/or you can find links to more places.

• American Diabetes Association Life saving research and life saving programs.
• International Diabetes Center A leader in Diabetes innovation, education, and research to improve patient care.
• Diabetes A-Z The National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases.
• Mayo Clinic Diabetes; Diseases and Conditions.
  Subscribe to our Controlling Your Diabetes e-newsletter to stay up to date on diabetes topics. Sign Up Now
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Diabetes Translation.
• Defeat Diabetes Foundation Diabetes Support Groups and Education Programs.
• Facebook Diabetes Support is on Facebook.

Here is a very good medical search engine at The Best Medical Search Engine
You may would like to use the MedlinePlus Search Box at the top of this page, top of right column. Click Here
You may also like to check out my Medical Links page HERE