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EnsenadaDr
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A Simple Way to Prevent Stroke...take your pulse
An irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation is a big cause of stroke, especially for people who have recently had a stroke. But it's not
something that most people can feel.
Doctors test for atrial fibrillation by hooking people up to an electrocardiogram machine at the office, or having them wear a Holter monitor for a
day or a week. There are also implantable monitors to check for afib, but they aren't widely used.
Learning to take your own pulse may be as effective and a lot simpler, according to German researchers.
They trained 220 older people who had had a stroke to tell the difference between a normal pulse and the fluttery abnormal rhythm of afib.
The training was considered a success if the people were able to correctly measure their pulse twice in a row; 196 people aced the test, for an 89
percent success rate.
To find out if the amateurs' measurements actually detected afib, the patients also were being continuously monitored on an electrocardiogram. But
they weren't able to see the ECG monitor while doing the self-test.
It found that 57 of the patients had irregular heartbeats.
Turning the standard ambulance into a specialized stroke treatment unit could help.
The patients who checked their own pulse rate provided reliable results 89 percent of the time. They identified irregular rhythms 54 percent of the
time, and normal rhythms 96 percent of the time. They incorrectly thought they had afib just 3 percent of the time.
False positives are one downside of having people self-test, says Dr. Bernd Kallmunzer, a neurologist at Universitatsklinikum Erlangen in Germany who
led the study. They typically would be told to go get an ECG test. But because there were only 6 people who thought they had afib when they didn't,
"the number of 'unnecessary' ECG recordings are expect to be rather low," Kallmunzer said in an email.
Relatives also were trained to take the patients' pulses, and they did even better, identifying irregular rhythms 77 percent of the time.
The results were published online Wednesday in the journal Neurology.
"Many times people don't know they're in afib," says Dr. Ralph Sacco, chairman of the department of neurology at the University of Miami. "This group
is trying to propose a more simple, cheap method that may work, having stroke patients and their caregivers monitor pulse.
"There's very little downsides other than maybe the extra anxiety if you thought there was something wrong if it wasn't," Sacco told Shots.
He can foresee the day when people would check their pulse rates the way they check their blood pressure, but notes that the test will be less useful
in younger people and older people not at risk of stroke.
People with atrial fibrillation can be given medications that substantially reduce their risk of a blood clot and stroke.
Want to try it yourself? The American Heart Association has written instructions. Or check out this nifty video from the British Heart Foundation that
also lets you hear the difference between regular and irregular heartbeats.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/07/24/334459624/a-simpl...
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bajabuddha
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Didn't work. Took my pulse, then I had a stroke. Then, I had another stroke. Then, I decided to.... never-mind.
So how does feeling a bit of A-fib relate to an embolism/aneurism event? Are you having one, or is it a precursor? The article you copied says it's
for people who already have experienced one, more or less. Pretty large and vague spectrum there.
Also, how does B/P react when an event is imminent, both stroke and heart attack? For those who monitor regularly with heart disease(s), what
precursors are red flags? Not just the 'squeezing, pain, numbness, radiating pain' symptoms, but what does B/P and pulse do? Increase, decrease,
A-fib mildly or strongly present?
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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EnsenadaDr
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Each case is different. You would have to be evaluated on a case by case basis. Feel free to call your doctor and make an appointment. Thanks for
asking! | Quote: | Originally posted by bajabuddha
Didn't work. Took my pulse, then I had a stroke. Then, I had another stroke. Then, I decided to.... never-mind.
So how does feeling a bit of A-fib relate to an embolism/aneurism event? Are you having one, or is it a precursor? The article you copied says it's
for people who already have experienced one, more or less. Pretty large and vague spectrum there.
Also, how does B/P react when an event is imminent, both stroke and heart attack? For those who monitor regularly with heart disease(s), what
precursors are red flags? Not just the 'squeezing, pain, numbness, radiating pain' symptoms, but what does B/P and pulse do? Increase, decrease,
A-fib mildly or strongly present? |
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vandenberg
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Most blood pressure monitors (I have several) show an irregular heartbeat.
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bajabuddha
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There's a difference between an irregular heartbeat and A-fib though. When I went through my EMT training they brought in a 'ringer' one evening, an
older gal (long-time EMT) that had lived with an irregular heartbeat for years. First time I took her pulse doing basic assessment I jumped out of my
skin! She just grinned at me and said, "good catch..."
I just find this whole article medical mumbo-jumbo with no clear path or answers. "Take your pulse and prevent a stroke". Huh? Basic health
awareness, yes. Makes any sense? No. Sowwy.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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vandenberg
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In the last 2 years I had 2 stents installed. The cardiologist who did the procedure made me take a full aspirin a day, 325mg, and that ,with the
plavix 75mg makes my blood so thin that I ruin a lot of clothes with just miniscule scratches that bleed forever. Our kitten made me look like coming
from a severe whipping. My regular cardiologist wanted to put me on warfarin or pradaxa, but I'm afraid ,taking that, I will bleed forever.
Answers??
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DianaT
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Some people have a normal irregular heart beat periodically with no problem and no need for meds. It just happens according to two cardiologists I
have been sent to over the years when the regular doctor picked up on a temporary irregular beat.
See a doctor in person.
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Martyman
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I had a-fib. I then had a process called a cardioversion where they stopped and re-started my heart. I've had a steady beat for 3 years now.
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Udo
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In another few weeks, my cardiologist is scheduling me for another cardioversion.
I had one last year, but the circumstances were different, and therefore the need for a new one.
Hopefully this one will stick. The last one only lasted 5 days.
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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danaeb
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Has your Dr. dicussed watching your diet regarding foods high in vitamin K?
| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
In the last 2 years I had 2 stents installed. The cardiologist who did the procedure made me take a full aspirin a day, 325mg, and that ,with the
plavix 75mg makes my blood so thin that I ruin a lot of clothes with just miniscule scratches that bleed forever. Our kitten made me look like coming
from a severe whipping. My regular cardiologist wanted to put me on warfarin or pradaxa, but I'm afraid ,taking that, I will bleed forever.
Answers?? |
[Edited on 7-25-2014 by danaeb]
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
In the last 2 years I had 2 stents installed. The cardiologist who did the procedure made me take a full aspirin a day, 325mg, and that ,with the
plavix 75mg makes my blood so thin that I ruin a lot of clothes with just miniscule scratches that bleed forever. Our kitten made me look like coming
from a severe whipping. My regular cardiologist wanted to put me on warfarin or pradaxa, but I'm afraid ,taking that, I will bleed forever.
Answers?? |
Don't cut yourself, and have tourniquets around just in case.
But...most importantly, don't stop living.
.
[Edited on 7-25-2014 by DENNIS]
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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EnsenadaDr
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Mood: Move on. It is just a chapter in the past, but don't close the book- just turn the page
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BTW Dennis when are we going to eat hamburgers in Sano's parking lot?
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DENNIS
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................................................soon.................................................
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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greengoes
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Right after the phish taco assignation, maybe.
ANUNCIATE AQUI
DISPONIBLE
INFORMES LLAMA SNOWBALL - 646-115-7754
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bajabuddha
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| Quote: | Originally posted by vandenberg
In the last 2 years I had 2 stents installed. The cardiologist who did the procedure made me take a full aspirin a day, 325mg, and that ,with the
plavix 75mg makes my blood so thin that I ruin a lot of clothes with just miniscule scratches that bleed forever. Our kitten made me look like coming
from a severe whipping. My regular cardiologist wanted to put me on warfarin or pradaxa, but I'm afraid ,taking that, I will bleed forever.
Answers?? |
Van, I have FIVE stents AND a collateral artery, which is a home-grown stent the heart grows itself when an artery is blocked (very severe hereditary
heart disease). My cardio doc has me on 81 mg. aspirin (made for heart disease control) and will be for the rest of my life. When a stent is
placed, I take at least a one-year run of Plavix; there are lots of different kinds of stents, some medicated, some not, but Plavix and now a newer
and more expensive drug called Effexa (sp?) are the go-to drugs. Talk to your cardio doc about reducing the aspirin; that much can cause stomach
damage and internal bleeding.
Is your cardio team a well-reputed group? If you're relying on the VA, RUN AWAY. Sounds like you might get a 2nd opinion.
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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wessongroup
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WOW .. you guys take it slow ... 
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bajabuddha
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wessongroup
WOW .. you guys take it slow ... |
To hell with that! I'll take it all as fast as I can !!!  
edit: maddafact, it's time for my 5 pm martini as we speak; toodle-oo!
[Edited on 7-25-2014 by bajabuddha]
I don't have a BUCKET LIST, but I do have a F***- IT LIST a mile long!
86 - 45*
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vandenberg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabuddha
Is your cardio team a well-reputed group? If you're relying on the VA, RUN AWAY. Sounds like you might get a 2nd opinion. |
Sutter medical group, one of the most reputable groups in Northern California.
Have several cardiologists look after me.
Mostly nice people but the head honcho kind of an arrogant pain.
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vandenberg
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
Don't cut yourself, and have tourniquets around just in case.
But...most importantly, don't stop living.
[Edited on 7-25-2014 by DENNIS] |
I'm trying buddy and hope my martinis help my cause.
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Bajahowodd
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| Quote: | Originally posted by DianaT
Some people have a normal irregular heart beat periodically with no problem and no need for meds. It just happens according to two cardiologists I
have been sent to over the years when the regular doctor picked up on a temporary irregular beat.
See a doctor in person. |
This!
Fact is that big Pharma has a bunch of ridiculously priced drugs, and they prey on people's fear.
It's all about profits. Not saving lives.
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