Heart attacks down 24% in decade, 62% for worst

[Elmore Furth]

Physicians are finally getting a handle on preventing heart attacks.

A study of more than 46,000 Northern California Kaiser Permanente patients found a significant drop in heart attacks over a 10-year period, and more importantly, a major decrease in the most serious type of heart attacks - results that show that communitywide efforts to help people reduce their risk of heart disease seem to be working, doctors say.

The study, published in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that the heart attack rate among Kaiser patients fell 24 percent between 1999 and 2008 - the rate increased from 1999 to 2000, but declined every year after that. The types of heart attacks that do the most damage - known as ST-segment elevation heart attacks - fell 62 percent.

Over the same time period, more Kaiser patients lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and smoking rates decreased. The use of medications like beta-blockers and aspirin that are known to prevent heart disease increased. It would seem, authors of the study noted, that these preventive measures are working, perhaps even better than expected.

"Researchers keep trying to find more ways to treat heart attacks, but we need to focus just as much attention on things that we know work now, and doing those things on a large scale: adopting healthier lifestyles, stopping smoking, taking medications," said Dr. Alan Go, an author of the study and director of the Comprehensive Clinical Research Unit at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland.


Heart attacks down 24% in decade, 62% for worst

[bmbmd]

1. Good news.

Also the increasing reliance on non-invasive tests like chemical stress tests and calcium scores are valuable in the early detection of heart disease. Find a problem before it becomes a problem is the current mantra.

[old mark]

2. I had 2 heart attacks-maybe more- after years of pain my doctor assured me

ws carpal tunnel syndrome...I am very happy that others may be spared the risk because of really good tests developed for heart attack conditions...I survived his bad diagnosis and a mis-read cardiac stress test taken 1 1/2 years before my going to the ER with chest pain (I thought I had pneumonia). My surgeon told me afterthe operation I surviuved because I took aspirin and was in good physical condition despite being overweight.

The first doctor also missed the fact that I was diabetic, evidently undiagnosed for years....

I am very happy to be here, thank you...
mark

[jobycom]

3. Glad you're here, too.

You're the best author recommender I've got. :)

[old mark]

4. LOL.....Try Walter Mosley-....nt

[WCGreen]

5. I had tightness in my chest which i thought was because of my deep

coughing due to my Broncheatisis. I am getting tested to see if I am fit enough to qualify for a lung transplant and the good doctor discovered I have blockage in one of my arteries. Drugs should take care of the risk.

[Maraya1969]

6. I think all those advertisements for Bayer aspirin that talk about heart attacks

has caused a lot of people to take aspirin regularly. And I was prescribed a beta blocker to stop my hand from shaking, (familial hand tremor). I never knew it could help stave off a heart attack. And I don't take it every single day but when I see the bottle I pop a aspirin which is something I wouldn't have done prior to all those commercials.

[tinrobot]

7. Heart attacks, colon cancer, maybe even Alzheimers

Aspirin can help prevent a lot of different conditions. I pop one most mornings. Doesn't hurt (I don't get ulcers) so I figure it can only help.

The effects of aspirin probably has more to do with reducing inflammation in the body than anything.

[eridani]

8. By modern "health" criteria, we have a total failure here

After all, during that same period obesity was increasing a lot.

Do I really need :sarcasm: here?

[dmallind]

9. ..yet obesity continues to soar. Hmmm.... NT