Happy New Year!

Now is the time we reflect on the year that was and give thanks for all of the good things that happened. It is also the time that some of us look back on what may not have been such a good one and say 'good riddance!'

For many of us, perfect health is what is expected and what we're used to and when something goes wrong it can be traumatizing physically, and mentally. But what often starts as misfortune can be viewed as a life-changing event for the better. We meet many of our patients when they are feeling their worst but months later, they are healthier than they have ever been before. And sometimes they are doing activities that they have never thought about doing. They have introduced exercise and healthy eating into their lives, and more importantly, the lives of their children, or spouses, or parents even.

So, whether you are grateful for a wonderful year that was, or relieved to be done with a bad year that should not have been, it is time to start anew!

Make some realistic resolutions and we wish you a Happy and Healthy 2011!

CCNM

Eating Healthier in 2011

So many times, patients come to us with borderline blood pressure and/or cholesterol readings and prefer, rightfully so, to try diet and exercise as their first line intervention before starting a medication. Indeed, in the majority of cases this is guideline-supported and appropriate but how exactly should you eat to effect the most change in your cholesterol and triglycerides?

The government can be your friend and Dietary Guidelines are jointly issued and updated every 5 years by the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS). They provide authoritative advice for people two years and older about how good dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases.

For high blood pressure, they have formulated the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan which can be found here:

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/toolkit/DASH/default.htm

Click the link below for the PDF

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
If you are confused by the food label, this is an excellent resource below:

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/toolkit/Worksheets/foodlabel.htm

Finally, here is a list of online resources for lal of your dietary questions:

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/toolkit/Worksheets/Websites.htm

Let's make 2011 and healthier and thinner New Year!

Stents and How They Help

The Society of Cardiac Angiography and Intervention (SCAI) recently realeased a video showing how interventional cardiologists use cardiac catheterization and stents to improve your quality of life and save lives. At Cardiology Consultants of North Morris, we offer every interventional cardiac modality. All 3 of our intervntionalists are board certified and fellows of the Society of Cardiac Angiography and Intervention. We also offer the transradial approach to cathaterization, using the wrist instead of the groin to make your recovery easier.

Enjoy....

Do You Know What Your Kids Are Eating?

Most of us are guilty of enjoying the greasy goodness of a Whopper with fries. And most of us have also noticed that our kids seem to enjoy fast food as well. And this may not be a coincidence. A new study from Yale University shows that our youngest solid food eaters are being inundated with fast food ads which may impact their eating habits later in life.

From the LA Times:

In 2009 preschoolers saw 56% more ads for Subway, 21% more ads for McDonald's and 9% more ads for Burger King, compared with 2007. Children age 6 to 11 saw even more: 59% more ads for Subway, 26% more for McDonald's and 10% more for Burger King.

The report also found that African American kids and teens are exposed to at least 50% more fast food ads than their white counterparts.
The report is also critical of how some fast food restaurants don't make healthful options more obvious. It found that although most establishments have at least one nourishing side dish and beverage for their children's meals, these are hardly ever offered as an alternate choice. And despite advertisements that show healthful options, the report finds that French fries are served with kids' meals 86% of the time, and soft drinks at least 55% of the time.

But this trend may change if other major cities follow San Francisco's lead:

Last week the board of supervisors in San Francisco voted to ban Happy Meals and similar restaurant items that come with a toy and have disproportionate amounts of fat, calories and sodium. Another vote may be necessary to make the ban final.

Heart Healthy Diet

Patients are often asking us how to eat right and improve their diet. Well, the government (the National Institute of Health, really) actually provides some great answers. The NIH website offers a lot of great information about how to keep you and your family healthy and this is juts one part of it.

Here are some highlights:

Heart Healthy Diet Guidelines -- you should eat:

• 8-10% of the day's total calories from saturated fat.
• 30 percent or less of the day’s total calories from fat.
• Less than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol a day.
• Limit sodium intake to 2400 milligrams a day.
• Just enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight and reduce your blood cholesterol level. (Ask your doctor or registered dietitian what is a reasonable calorie level for you.)

For the whole article, go here:
http://www.nhlbisupport.com/cgi-bin/chd1/step1intro.cgi

And pass this blog along to your friends....

Look Out Coumadin, Something Better is Finally Here

 Late Tuesday, Boehringer Ingelheim announced that the US FDA has approved dabigatran (Pradaxa) for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation.

The drug will be available in two doses: 150 mg twice daily and, for a small subset with severe renal impairment, 75 mg twice daily. Debates about the approved dosing have already begun

"Unlike warfarin, which requires patients to undergo periodic monitoring with blood tests, such monitoring is not necessary for Pradaxa," the director of the FDA's Division of Cardiovascular and Renal Products said in an FDA news release.

The drug, a direct thrombin inhibitor, will come with a medication guide to warn patients of the potential for serious bleeding. Other side effects include gastrointestinal symptoms.

No more INR checks! No more alternating dosages. One pill, one dose, no monitoring. Management of atrial fibrillation in this country is about to change.

Amazing New Technology for End-Stage Heart Failure

Please look for the link to this amazing and informative article about the newest therapies for patients with end-stage heart failure. Unfortunately, this is not only a disease of the elderly. The Heartmate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is an amazing implantable heart pump that can allow patients to resume many of their normal activities. This latest heart failure therapy is now used by our group in rare patients at Morristown Memorial Hospital.

Click here to read more

Healthy Recipes

An excellent source of heart healthy recipes and information on food in general is the Wegmans Food Stores website at www.wegmans.com. I have tried many of these recipes and they are almost always excellent and easy to prepare.

Compare Your Pharmacy's Pricing

WELCOME TO THE CARDIOLOGY CONSULTANTS OF NORTH MORRIS NEW BLOG!!

Our first post is great for two reasons: 1) I am always amazed about what patients can teach me; and 2) The Internet is an amazing for so many reasons.

Did you know that you can compare the price of many medications at different pharmacies close to you? There is a website that enables you to compare the pricing of 150 most commonly prescribed meds in your zip code. This is so fantastic as it really makes drug pricing transparent and gives the consumer/patient the power to go elsewhere when they feel their medications are too expensive.

CHECK IT OUT HERE