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20% Of Heart Attacks Go Undetected -- How Can You Check Your Risk?

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20% Of Heart Attacks Go Undetected -- How Can You Check Your Risk?

_http://www.mercola.com/2003/jan/1/heart_attacks.htm_

(http://www.mercola.com/2003/jan/1/heart_attacks.htm)

 

But while that number may sound concerning, it marks an improvement over

estimates from earlier studies, according to a report in a recent issue of the

American Journal of Cardiology.

It is possible, the study authors explain, that greater public awareness of

heart attack symptoms and more-sensitive cardiac tests have led to fewer

unrecognized heart attacks in recent years.

Although most heart attacks involve chest pain or discomfort, some occur

without these symptoms. In addition, milder chest discomfort and other heart

attack symptoms such as dizziness or shortness of breath may not readily signal

a heart attack to the patient, or even the doctor.

Previous research in the US and elsewhere has suggested that anywhere from

20% to 40% of heart attacks may go undetected. But these estimates are based

on patients who had heart attacks prior to the late 1980s, according to the

authors of the new report, led by Lori L. Boland of the University of

Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Boland's team analyzed data on more than 12,800 men and women who had

participated in a national study of cardiovascular health between 1987 and

1998.

Participants were between the ages of 45 and 65, and free of coronary artery

disease at the study's start. They were followed for 10 years, on average.

The researchers found that, based on periodic electrocardiograms taken as

part of the study, 20% of the 500 heart attacks participants suffered went

unrecognized. African Americans had a slightly higher percentage of undetected

heart attacks than whites did -- 23%, compared with 19%.

Despite the commonness of undetected heart attacks among these patients,

Boland and her colleagues point out that the percentage is " slightly lower than

previous estimates from other populations. "

Although they don't know for sure, the authors note that it's " plausible "

that in the 1990s, Americans became more likely to seek medical care for

possible heart attack symptoms. In addition, they write, recent advances in

detection, such as cardiac enzyme tests, may have allowed doctors to spot more

cases of mild heart attack.

_American Journal of Cardiology_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=\

12398956 & dopt=Abstract) 2002;90:927-931

_http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12398956?dopt=Abstract_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12398956?dopt=Abstract)

__

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment

With so many heart attacks going unnoticed doesn*t it make sense to

concentrate and focus on prevention?

Of course it does.

So the most important blood tests would be two HDL ratios.

First of all, please understand that a total cholesterol level is very close

to meaningless unless it is above 300. I have seen a number of people over

250 who actually were at low heart disease risk due to their HDL levels.

Conversely, I have seen even more who had cholesterol levels under 200 that

were

at a very high risk of heart disease based on the following additional tests.

HDL percentage is a very potent heart disease risk factor. Just divide your

HDL level by your cholesterol. That percentage should be above 24%. You can

also do the same thing with your triglycerides and HDL ratio. That percentage

should be below 2.

However, while cholesterol levels are typically related to insulin

resistance, there are clearly a certain segment of individuals who have a

strong

overriding component to their cholesterol levels that is unrelated to insulin

issues.

_Triglyceride/HDL_ (http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/97/11/1029)

_http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/97/11/1029_

(http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/97/11/1029)

A fasting blood sugar level test is the simplest and least expensive. One

used to have a blood sugar level greater than 140 to be diagnosed with

diabetes. That has now been reduced to 126. Anyone with a level between 110 and

125

is considered pre-diabetic. Earlier this year, however, the Cleveland Clinic

Foundation announced they use a fasting blood sugar of 90 mg/dl or higher as

a biomarker of coronary heart disease risk.

Fasting Insulin level should be below 10 for certain, but an better level is

below 5 and ideal level is below 2.

_Iron can have a devastating effect on your body_

(http://www.mercola.com/2002/dec/11/iron.htm)

_http://www.mercola.com/2002/dec/11/iron.htm_

(http://www.mercola.com/2002/dec/11/iron.htm) . It is a major contributing

factor

for disease and _can easily be screened for_

(http://www.mercola.com/2002/dec/18/iron_diagnosis.htm) with a ferritin level

and total iron binding

capacity.

Homocysteine levels should be below 8 (_Am J Clin Nutr. 2003

Jan;77(1):63-70_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=\

12499324 & dopt=Abstract) )

_http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12499324?dopt=Abstract_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12499324?dopt=Abstract)

_Lipoprotein a_ (http://www.mercola.com/2000/sep/17/lipoprotein_a.htm) [Lp

(a)]: Acceptable levels per dl of blood would be <10 mg. 11-24 md/dl are

borderline high; >25 are very high. If your Lp (a) levels are over 10, you need

to take action at once.

_http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12499324?dopt=Abstract_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12499324?dopt=Abstract)

Nearly five years ago I posted information from a _JAMA article_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=\

9600484 & do

pt=Abstract) _http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9600484?dopt=Abstract_

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9600484?dopt=Abstract) that is relevant

today. The following are four additional blood tests that have been reported to

help determine your risk for a hear attack.

1. An elevated C-reactive Protein (CRP) was a risk. CRP is elevated when

there is inflammation going on somewhere in the body.

2. An increased white blood cell count (WBC) was also a risk. A WBC count

greater than 8.5 was found to be the cutoff.

3. Decreased albumin levels were also a factor that could indicate a

relative protein deficiency and excess of carbohydrates.

4. Elevated _fibrinogen_ (http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/29/fibrinogen.htm)

_http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/29/fibrinogen.htm_

(http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/29/fibrinogen.htm) levels, which indicates an

increased tendency

towards clotting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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