CardioCurrents
News and tips for the heart-conscious

Got hypertension? Get answers
When blood pressure is continuously elevated, it’s called hypertension. The bad news is that it’s a major risk factor for stroke. The good news is you can lower your risk by lowering your blood pressure. If you’ve been diagnosed with hypertension, ask your doctor these questions:

• What’s my blood pressure reading?
• What should my systolic (the top number) and diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure be?
• What’s an ideal weight for me? If I need to lose weight, what diet should I follow?
• Is exercise safe for me? Should I avoid certain exercises or activities?
• What’s the name of my blood pressure medication and how does it work?
• Do I need to take my heart rate and blood pressure before I take my medication?
• Can my pharmacist substitute a generic form of my brand-name drug?
• What side effects might I expect from this medicine?

Be smart: Tell your doctor about any drug allergies you have as well as all other medications—over the counter and prescription—you take. Don’t forget to include vitamins and other dietary supplements. Ask, too, about potential effects of taking your medication with other drugs or food.

Get away! It’s good for your heart
When it comes to vacations, it really doesn’t matter whether you’re a beachcomber, a happy camper or a couch potato. The point is to take time off, get away from it all and have fun.
Studies show that taking a vacation is more than just a good pastime; it’s actually good for your heart. A vacation may help to reduce lifestyle stressors that contribute to high blood pressure and other conditions that increase the risk for cardiac ailments.
Before you say you can’t possibly get away from the office or other responsibilities, consider this: A recent study suggests that people who take annual vacations are less likely to develop heart disease—and live longer—than those who do not. And researchers have found that employees reported fewer physical complaints immediately after a vacation and that their “feel good” attitude lasted more than a month following their return to work.
To reap the benefits of a vacation, it should be just that: a relaxing, stress-free escape from life’s everyday pressures. If visiting relatives in Florida causes you angst, that’s not a getaway. A compromise might be to stop in and see the family on your way to that luxurious resort you’ve dreamed about all year.
Whether your vacation takes you far away or only as far as the backyard, be sure to disconnect the phone, turn off the fax and forget your e-mail. It will do your heart good.

Did you know?

• Depression increases heart attack risk—even if you have no history of heart disease.
• A cell phone or an iPod can disrupt the electrical signaling of a pacemaker—if it’s on and worn in a shirt pocket over the pacemaker.
• Aspirin therapy seems to be more effective at preventing a first stroke in women than men, but it’s more effective at preventing a first heart attack in men than women.