Posts Tagged ‘Heart Attacks’

Memory Loss, Nerve Damage Caused by Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Pernicious Anemia

Comments: 0January 13th, 2011 by admin



Pernicious anemia is due to lack of vitamin B12, which causes progressive nerve damage, forgetfulness, loss of ability to concentrate and abnormal sensations such as burning, itching and loss of feeling. However, many people with pernicious anemia do not have abnormally low blood levels of vitamin B12.

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that older people have lower blood levels of a chemical called homotranscobalamin II that carries vitamin B12 into the cells, so they need higher blood levels to have normal tissue levels.

Since low-normal blood level of vitamin B12 do not rule out B12 deficiency, the diagnosis of pernicious anemia is often made late in the course of the disease after many people have suffered permanent nerve damage. According to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine, two percent of Americans over 60 have low blood levels of vitamin B12, but the incidence of vitamin B12 deficiency causing nerve damage in older people is much higher than that, sometimes as high as 50 percent. Therefore, many older people who are diagnosed with senility actually suffer from lack of vitamin B12 which can be cured by taking vitamin B supplements.

Lack of vitamin B12 also can cause heart attacks, so all people over 60 should be screened with blood tests for vitamin B12 and those with normal levels of B12 and symptoms of nerve damage or arteriosclerosis should also get a blood test called homocysteine.

Many people cannot correct their B12 deficiency with diet because they cannot absorb enough B12 from their food.
Almost always, those with a deficiency can a cured by taking a 1000 microgram pill of vitamin B12 once a day. They usually do not need to take injections. Low levels of B12 are also associated with stomach diseases and infections such as Helicobacter pylori.

Incoming search terms for the article:

Pernicious anemia

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in anemia

Doing Cocaine – How it Starts

Comments: 0October 7th, 2010 by admin



How a cocaine habit starts, or any other drug habit for that matter, often starts with the urging of a friend. Often it may start with a dare, and sometimes it even starts by deceit to get someone hooked to supply them. Many times a cocaine habit starts at a party, everyone has their own story.

Cocaine addiction begins with the first hit. The body is unaccustomed to the rush it feels, the blood pressure rises and the blood vessels constrict. It feels like your skin is crawling, your hair feels like it is standing up and you feel a rush of energy. This makes your brain desire more of these feelings. However as time goes on and your body develops an immunity, the brain cries more often and bigger amounts.

Over time the desire to feel good becomes compulsive and obsessive, and this turns into an addiction. With the prolonged use, the brain functions are deteriorating because of the slowing of the oxygen flow to the brain Often this causes blood clots in the intestines, heart and brain which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

No one starts out be be addicted to any drug. We feel like we can control it and the feelings, however no one can. Most of us started for the buzz, to get more accomplished or to stay awake to do so. Some take it for the creativity it often brings, some for the energy it creates, or for weight loss, and some for pain. As first it does those things, but later it also consumes us to the point those original reasons are overridden and forgotten.

Cocaine addiction is often portrayed as the downtrodden bum in the alley, yes many end up there, but it could be the opposite also. Many are the person beside you at work, or one of your best friends. Most become skillful at hiding it for awhile, until their desire for more becomes the focal point in their life. At that time you will begin to see the change in their personality and outlook on life.

Everyone who starts using has the thought, “I can stop whenever I want.” Yet they do not see into the future where they will loose their job, and forsake family and friends for the desire to feel good. That initial high will probably not be met again, only with higher doses will you feel good, and that is when you begin to self destruct.

How it starts is important to know. Doing cocaine the first time will open the trap, How many old timers do you know that do cocaine? You don’t know many, they either self destruct or they get smart and get off.

Incoming search terms for the article:

cocaine addiction blog

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Alcohol

Effect of Cocaine on the Heart

Comments: 0August 31st, 2009 by admin



We all know that cocaine is physically and psychologically addictive but very few people know that it can kill you the first time you try it. Cocaine is made from the leaves of cocoa plant and when you use it, cocaine activates the release of chemical known as dopamine and prevents it from get reabsorbed into the body. This causes a state of euphoria, clarity and confidence. However, what people who use cocaine do not know is that you can cause damage to your heart and this damage will be permanent. In addition, cocaine use can cause heart attacks.

Cocaine, no matter how you use it, causes your heart rate to increase or it can cause irregular heart beats while constricting the blood vessels. When you get any one of these conditions, it can lead to serious problems which can even be fatal. Some problems that you can get due to increase heart rate or irregular heart beats are heart attacks, cardiac arrest, sudden death, damage to the heart muscle, inflammation of the heart lining, clots in the coronary arteries, fluids in the lungs or enlarged heart. While most people with heart disease can get these complications if they use cocaine; even those without heart disease are susceptible to them.

Cocaine usually affects the heart within 18 hours of use. However, it is quite possible for your heart to get affected immediately after use or up to four days later. You know that you have heart problems after using cocaine if you experience chest pain, have trouble breathing, feel anxious or dizzy, or experience palpitations or nausea.

If you have used cocaine and developed a heart problem, you should inform your doctor because the course of treatment will change accordingly. Many times patients are given benzodiazepines intravenously to combat the effects of cocaine and reduce the adverse effects on the heart.

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Alcohol

Diabetes – False Test Results

Comments: 0February 2nd, 2009 by admin



I recently got the results of my latest diabetes panel and within moments of checking the results on line I received a phone call from my primary physicians office. It seemed my LDL cholesterol had gone up significantly and I might add unusually so, up 75 points. I returned the call and a nurse got on the phone and explained to me I needed to pick up a prescription for 80 mg of simvastatin immediately. I assured the nurse that if she were to look at the full blood lipid panel results as well as my A1C (average three month blood sugar level) it appeared the test was in error and we simply needed to run another test. She retorted back the test could not be wrong and I was in danger of having a heart attack! I proceeded to tell her that 50% of people who have heart attacks have elevated LDL cholesterol and the other 50% do not. She asked me if I was willing to take that chance. I guess she didn’t get the math. Finally in frustration said she would have the doctor contact me.

I soon received an email from my primary physician who had the prescription ready for me to pick up. He also added that even if I didn’t have diabetes I would be in danger of having a heart attack. I stood my ground through the course of several days and emails with my doctor who insisted the test results were not wrong but finally if it would make me more comfortable with taking the medication he would order a new lipid panel.

He did, I did and the new results of course showed my LDL at 75 points less than the first test! Therefore because of my blood lipid panel, high HDL low triglycerides and reasonable LDL, my cardiac risk was actually very low. If I had listened to the medical fear propaganda being thrown my way I would have been on a high dose of a medication that has been well documented to have a multitude of side effects including causing muscle damage and heart attacks.

Why did I stand my ground? Because I’m in charge! It’s my body, my life and I make it a point to know about diabetes and the metabolic syndrome that accompanies it. As a whole the medical profession is taught to treat a symptom not a cause. In the impersonal world of medicine a test result comes back and if the number doesn’t match the “should be” chart, drugs are prescribed to make it so. In my experience no attempt is ever made to find the cause of the abnormality or to address the side effects of the drugs prescribed. This type of treatment results in a predictable myriad of side effects and prescribed medications ensuing in a downward spiral of poor health. This progression is never more evident than in the medical communities standard treatment of diabetes.

So who’s in charge? You are! Get educated, ask questions and don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. Choose Health!

Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in anemia