October 20-26 was National Respiratory Care Week, and we just want to take a moment to remind you how your cardiovascular health and respiratory health go hand-in-hand.

The heart and the lungs work together to make sure the blood in your body is oxygenated efficiently. The right side of the heart takes the blood that’s lacking oxygen from the body, and pumps it directly into the lungs to be reoxygenated. Once the blood is full of oxygen, the left side of the heart pumps the blood from your lungs and back through the body, so it can get the oxygen it needs.

Because the heart and lungs work in tandem, that means that circulo-respiratory problems such as shortness of breath, chest pain, near fainting, or fatigue can be linked to either the heart, the lungs or both!

This doesn’t mean that every breathing problem is linked to the heart. Being out of shape, being congested, or having asthma are symptoms that are not linked to heart health. However, you should still consult your doctor with any of those symptoms to rule out a bigger and more serious issue—heart failure. 

Heart failure means that your heart is weak, and a few heart problems can occur when you’re in heart failure such as tachycardia, pulmonary edema, or cardiomyopathy. 

Tachycardia is a fast heart rate, which can lead to shortness of breath. Pulmonary edema is a condition where the heart is too weak to pump blood out of the lungs, so pressure builds in the heart, and fluid builds up in the lungs, which then causes breathing problems. Cardiomyopathy is a serious heart condition that inhibits blood from efficiently being pumped throughout the body. Cardiomyopathy can be linked to heart attacks, excess weight, diabetes or high blood pressure. With cardiomyopathy, breathing issues occur because the blood isn’t being pumped properly, so it can’t be fully oxygenated, which leads to a whirlwind of problems.

If you are experiencing any of these circulo-respiratory problems, please schedule an appointment today. Take care of your respiratory health, and take care of your heart! Oh, and happy belated Respiratory Care Week from Cardiovascular Institute of the Shoals!

Did your doctor recently recommend that you get an electrocardiogram, or an EKG? Don’t be alarmed. It is more common than you think. The risk factors span the coverage of many different types of people:

• Anybody over the age of 50 — whether they’re male or female

• Anybody with a smoking history

• Anybody with a history of diabetes,

• Hypertension

• High cholesterol

• Early family history of heart disease or arrhythmias

If you fall under one of these categories, it is very smart to listen to your medical professional and go forth with the exam. A painless, 10 minute, non-invasive test, we are sure that you will be glad you received the test.

What exactly is an electrocardiogram?

An EKG is a test that records the electrical activity of your ticker through small electrode patches that a technician attaches to the skin of your chest, arms, and legs.

Where does this happen?

For first-times to electrocardiograms, the test is administered by someone in our office. There is no extended overnight stays, no going out of town, it all happens right here at Cardiovascular Institute of the Shoals.

What happens during the test?

Let’s start out at the beginning, when you come in for your appointment – we will get you assigned to a room. From there, your technician will place 10 electrodes to your skin by using adhesive pads. These will be attached on your arms, chest, and legs.

You’ll notice during the test, a computer creating a picture on graph paper. This is the electrical impulses that are moving through your heart.

In the United States, studies have shown that about 1 out of every 3 American adults suffer from high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the extent to which blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. People who have high blood pressure experience too much force on their blood vessels which makes them more susceptible to heart disease or strokes. Many people who have high blood pressure don’t even realize they have it as there are no warning signs or symptoms. That is why it is important to regularly check your blood pressure. This can easily be done at home through use of a blood pressure monitor. Your blood pressure rises and lowers throughout the day, but if you notice that it stays increased for too long, it is important to visit your doctor for treatment options. 

Fortunately, there are ways that you can prevent or reduce high blood pressure:

1. Practicing a healthy diet is a great way to avoid it. Start by eating foods that are low in sodium and high in potassium to help lower your blood pressure. Cut back on sugary foods or foods that are full of carbohydrates. Avoid processed foods as well. Try to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables instead. Not only will this lower your blood pressure, but it can also help you lose weight. 
2. Exercising regularly can lower your blood pressure, and it is important that you get at least 2 and a half hours of moderate-intensity exercise each day. This could be anything like doing household chores, practicing yoga, gardening, going for a walk, taking the stairs, or riding a bicycle. This will help you stay in shape and will make you much less likely to have high blood pressure.
3. Maintaining your weight at a healthy level affects your blood pressure. To determine whether or not your body is within the healthy weight range, calculate your body mass index (BMI). 
4. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep. If your body isn’t getting the rest it needs, you are more likely to develop high blood pressure. 
5. Cut back on your caffeine intake. Caffeine raises your blood pressure, especially for people who already experience high blood pressure.
6. Stress can be another factor that leads to high blood pressure. Try to eliminate anything in your life that creates extra, unnecessary stress. 
7. Try to restrain from smoking and limit your alcohol consumption as these both contribute to high blood pressure.
8. Talk to your doctor about medications you can take to help lower your blood pressure. 

September is Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month.

The American Heart Association estimates that there are approximately 8.5 million Americans living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). Identifying PAD in yourself or a loved one can be difficult, since symptoms are often attributed to the normal effects of aging or other pre-existing conditions such as arthritis. It’s important to realize, however, that early diagnosis of PAD is essential, since lifestyle changes and medication can often quickly reduce the pain and discomfort of PAD, and drastically decrease the risk for heart attack and stroke. Untreated PAD can be dangerous because it can lead to painful symptoms or loss of a leg, and patients with PAD have an increased risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and heart attack. Because people with PAD have this increased risk for heart attack and stroke, our goal at Cardiovascular Institute of the Shoals is to create an awareness for PAD.

What Is PAD?

PAD is the abbreviation for Peripheral Artery Disease. This disease is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs.

When you develop Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), usually your legs don’t receive enough blood flow to keep up with the demand that your body needs. This causes symptoms, most noticeably when walking (claudication). PAD is a sign of a more widespread accumulation of fatty deposits in your arteries. This condition may be reducing blood flow to your heart and brain, as well as your legs.

1. Mild to Severe Pain in Legs, Especially after Walking

Leg pain while walking is a symptom you do NOT need to ignore. Walking and  physical activity, such as walking or climbing stairs, demands an increased supply of blood to the legs. For people with PAD, clogged arteries often make simple physical activities difficult. Pain, weakness, or numbness in the calves, thighs, or hips that disappears after a few minutes of rest is one of the most frequent PAD symptoms reported by patients. In severe or advanced cases, pain might occur while lying down, but most times, simply dangling your feet over the side of the bed will alleviate the pain.

2. Changes in the Appearance of Your Legs

Before you start to have pain in your legs there are occasionally other noticeable changes in the appearance of the legs. In some cases, you may find:

• The hair on your legs has thinned or disappeared completely
• Your skin starts to appear shiny
• The growth of your toenails has slowed
• The color of one or both of your legs has changed, taking on a bluish tinge
• Your legs seem colder than other body parts, like your arms

3. Sores That Will Not Heal

Healing, wounds, and fighting infections both require a healthy blood supply therefore injuries must be monitored carefully in patients who are at the risk for PAD. In extreme cases, when you have a wound that becomes neglected, the soft tissue surrounding the wound can die and require amputation. Painful dry, gray, or black sores could be signs of either severe Peripheral Artery Disease or another condition that should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.

4. When Taking Cold or Allergy Medication Your Symptoms Worsen

Cold and allergy medications that contain pseudoephedrine work by constricting blood vessels and allowing less fluid to enter the sinuses, nose, and throat. This constriction can worsen PAD symptoms by constricting arteries that are already clogged.

5. Silent Symptoms

The last symptom is perhaps the most frightening, because there are often no symptoms at all. PAD is a silent killer. In recent studies as many as 75% of patients with Peripheral Artery Disease do not report having any symptoms. In this case, it’s important to understand some of the high risk factors that contribute to PAD, such as:

• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Obesity
• Over the age of 70 or age 50 and older with a history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or smoking
• Family history of PAD, heart attack, or stroke.

If one or more of these factors apply to you, you should ask your doctor about Peripheral Artery Disease and the treatments that are available to you. Call us at (256) 766-2310 or visit our website at www.cardioshoals.com

Varicose Veins are found in about 19% of men and 36% of women in the United States alone. Unfortunately, those that are affected – don’t realize how serious they can be or if they even have them.

Varicose Vs. Spider Veins

The first misunderstanding about Varicose veins is that people commonly use the words “Varicose” and “Spider” veins interchangeably. However, they are very different. Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins near the surface of the skin that have a blue appearance. Spider Veins are much smaller and can look like spider webs. Varicose Veins are commonly found in the legs and ankles. They can also be found in the esophagus and rectal area.

Do I Have Varicose Veins?

• Do your experience swelling in your legs?
• Has your skin started making sudden changes?
  • Dry, thinned skin
  • Color changes
  • Scaling
  • Inflammation
• Do you experience open sores or bleeding after a minor injury?
• Do you feel calf pain after you sit or stand for long periods of time?
• Do your legs feel heavy?
• Read more symptoms here.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms more than 4 times per week, preventative care is needed. We recommend making an appointment with your physician to get these symptoms diagnosed.

At Home Treatments

To ease the symptoms and pain of Varicose veins:

• Wear compression stockings. You can find these at any medical supply store. You can contact your doctor for prescription compression stockings if you are on your feet a lot. If you are working a job that requires you to stand several hours a day, compression stockings can help delay or prevent future varicose veins.
• Prop up your legs. Keeping your feet and legs elevated whenever possible helps reduce the constant fluid pressure on your lower legs.
• Avoid long periods of sitting or standing and limit crossing your legs at the knee.
• Get plenty of exercise.

Are Varicose Veins Serious?

Varicose veins without proper treatment can result in chronic issues. If you have symptoms of Varicose veins, we recommend seeing a doctor to analyze the proper diagnosis for you. The at home treatments listed above are great for those who have very early on pain. However, once you start feeling unpleasant pain more often — you should seek your physicians guidance immediatly. Most patients we see about Varicose veins say that they knew they had them, but didn’t know how painful they were until the pain was unbearable. At Northwest Alabama Leg Pain Specialists, we perform a non-surgical procedure that is typically used to correct damaged veins called ablation. With this procedure, a catheter is used to destroy the affected veins so that the blood is rerouted through other veins. The destroyed vein tissue is then absorbed by the body. Those patients we previously mentioned who waited to come in until last minute – they always say they wish they would have came in sooner.

When we get to a certain age we just assume that health problems and medications are inevitable. A large percentage of men and women ages 35 and older have had the unfortunate doctor visit where they were told, “If you don’t get these numbers under control I’ll have to start you on cholesterol/blood pressure medication.” Many people accept this fate as a normal thing and choose to resort to various medications for the rest of their lives. Check our conditions list here.

According to statistics, the leading cause of death in both women and men is heart disease. Women lead this statistic at 48%, and men fall shortly below at 46%. That is more than 1 in 3 people. What is more shocking is that only 1 in 5 people believe that heart disease is their greatest threat. Most people do not believe this can be avoided. You can take control of your health and even reverse the effects of heart disease by starting and maintaining simple habits. Diet, exercise, and lifestyle are huge contributing factors to heart health. Among these, exercise is the most important. Even the healthiest diet pales in comparison to the affects physical activity have on the body.

Here are a few simple exercises to improve cardiovascular health and help keep those numbers under control before resorting to daily medication. 

1. Walking- The simplest, yet most affective exercise is walking. It has been proven that consistent aerobic exercise such as walking, running or jogging can lower the risk of heart attack, raise good HDL cholesterol, and lower bad LDL cholesterol. Not to mention it’s free, easy, and potentially fun if you have a partner to walk with. 

2. Swimming- Swimming offers what no other exercise does: the ability to get a whole-body workout without harsh impact to your bones and joints. It is ideal for those who are overweight or suffer from arthritis. Swimming is a great way to increase muscular strength, muscle tone, as well as bone density. It also increases range of motion which is beneficial for joints and ligaments to aid in flexibility. Most importantly, it strengthens the heart, allowing it to pump more efficiently. 

3. Biking- Whether you’re riding outside, or using a stationary bike, biking is a great way to improve cardiovascular health. Like swimming, biking also requires minimal impact on the joints. Biking raises the heart rate, makes you sweat, burns fat, and increases muscle tone. Benefits of biking include weight loss, lower blood pressure, and improved cholesterol. 

4. Resistance Training- Resistance training, such as squats, lunges, leg lifts, planks, push-ups, sit-ups and weight lifting have numerous positive effects. This form of exercise helps to increase muscle mass, which will help in weight control. Reducing excess body fat is one of the best ways to improve heart health. 

5. Yoga- Yoga is a great way to improve physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The stretching, breathing, and poses of this form of exercise has many benefits for heart and overall health. Yoga allows increased flexibility, increased lung capacity, decreases stress, promotes relaxation and improves balance and muscle tone. These benefits can help lower blood pressure, improve respiratory function, and boost circulation all while building strength. 

Spending time every day to be active can change a person’s life. Doing physical activity to increase your heart rate for only 30 minutes a day will deliver many heart-health benefits. If 30 minutes is too difficult, it can be divided into two 15-minute sessions day. But always keep in mind that doing some exercise is better than doing nothing – your heart will thank you! 

Want more heart health tips? Read this article from The University of Arizona.

Dr. Naidu speaking at the 2018 International Vein Congress.

Dr. Naidu has been treating venous disease and arterial disease for over a decade.

Recently, he was invited to speak at the 2018 International Vein Congress.

“The conference will focus on the arrangement of proper settings for endovascular surgery since the number of such surgeries has grown to a large number in the recent years. The conference as always will bring together the most experienced and acclaimed researchers, and practitioners from the field to provide insights into new advances in the areas of ThromboEmbolic Disease, Thermal Endovenous Ablation, Venous Ulceration, and Perforating Veins. The attendees of International Vein Congress will go back with the latest updates from the field.”

Cardiovascular Institute of the Shoals has always placed innovation and excellence in patient care as one of it’s guiding mission statements. We were honored that Dr. Naidu was asked to speak about his experiences in the field of venous disease.

The annual congress in partnered with the Society for Vascular Surgery and the American Venous Forum.

https://10times.com/international-vein-congress

Contact Dr. Naidu here.

By Jennifer Edwards, Times Daily

Thomas Bearden visited a doctor years ago about pain and swelling in his legs. He had varicose veins and wanted to know what could be done to alleviate the discomfort he was experiencing.

The doctor, Bearden said, told him he would just have to deal with it.

So, that is what he did until he accompanied his son, Dennis Bearden, to a Florence doctor’s office. Dennis Bearden was being treated for the same condition.

“Dennis had to have someone drive him home after his procedure, so I thought while I was there I’d ask if there was anything they could do for my legs,” Thomas Bearden said.

The answer from this doctor, Dr. Ajit Naidu, was “absolutely.”

Dennis Bearden had his first experience with vein disease in his mid-20s when one of his legs swelled. He visited a doctor and was told nothing could be done, so he went on with his life. He worked 10- to 15-hour shifts on concrete. His legs continued to swell, and he continued to have pain and visible varicose veins.

He was referred to Naidu after a visit to his nurse practitioner.

“It makes you feel like you are wearing ankle weights,” Dennis Bearden said. He said he had hot flashes in his legs, too.

Naidu said vein disease — varicose veins, spider veins and other types — is a common and growing diagnosis. He said it is unsettling to him to know people are told there are no treatments available to relieve the pain and discomfort related to vein disease.

“It is underdiagnosed and definitely undertreated,” he said.

Naidu said varicose veins happen when the valves inside veins that keep blood flowing to the heart do not function properly and blood flow is impeded. This leads to heaviness and pain in the legs, itching and burning in the legs, swelling, restlessness, trouble walking, bulging veins and skin discoloration.

By the time he saw Naidu, Thomas Bearden’s lower legs were dark brown and “almost reptilian,” Dennis Bearden said.

Thomas Bearden had ulcers, which is common in people with varicose veins, and could not walk more than a few yards at a time, he said.

Naidu has used several methods to treat varicose veins, including Varithena, a minimally invasive procedure that uses a microfoam injected into an unhealthy vein with a small catheter. The microfoam collapses the unhealthy vein and blood reroutes to healthy veins nearby.

“It’s a complex feeling,” Naidu said of hearing many patients tell him other providers told them there were no options. “I feel very badly for them because they are suffering needlessly.”

Naidu started using Varithena this year, and he’s one of the largest users in the Southeast. The procedure takes less than 20 minutes and is done in the office.

Risk factors for vein disease include occupations that require standing for long periods of time, obesity, pregnancy, family histor,y and a family history of peripheral arterial disease, heart disease or stroke.

Thomas Bearden said he can walk further, he sleeps better and the skin in his legs is returning to a more normal color and texture.

Dennis Bearden can measure the success of his treatments with a check on the fitness tracker he wears on his wrist.

“I used to couldn’t walk 10 to 20 feet, and now I walk 60 miles a week,” he said.