Category: Heart Sisters

– posts here focus on general topics about women and heart disease

Happy World Heart Day!

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 1 Comment

world heart day.posterOver 17.2 million people around the world die each year from cardiovascular diseases, making these the leading cause of death worldwide. Yet 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided by controlling the main risk factors: tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.

Businesses around the world, as well as leading organizations such as the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum have recognized the importance of employee health to achieve core business objectives. Many have committed to include health promotion on their corporate agenda.

Yet it is mostly large corporations in developed countries that offer workplace health programs.

There is an urgent need to extend these benefits to all employees, in other industries and sectors, and in other parts of the world. In particular, workers in low- and middle-income countries, where over 80% of deaths from cardiovascular disease currently occur, could benefit greatly from the implementation of such programs.

Find out more from the World Heart Federation.

How long can flu bugs survive on that doorknob?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters door green

Internist Dr. James Steckelberg from Mayo Clinic answers this common question about the upcoming flu season:

Q: If someone has the flu or a cold and coughs into his hand and then touches a doorknob, how long can those germs live on that doorknob?

A:  The length of time that cold or flu germs can survive outside the body on an environmental surface, such as a doorknob, varies greatly. But the suspected range is from a few seconds to 48 hours — depending on the specific virus and the type of surface.  Continue reading “How long can flu bugs survive on that doorknob?” →

Ten medication mistakes that can kill

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 2 Comments

pills sinkby Carolyn Thomas   ♥   @HeartSisters  

Anything you put into your mouth has an effect on your body, but ingesting a drug, either prescribed by your doctor or an over-the-counter (OTC) drug like simple headache pills from your local grocery store can be downright dangerous if you are not careful.  Here are 10 common – and potentially fatal – medication errors, courtesy of Caring.com:

1. Confusing two medications with similar names – up to 25% of all reported errors are with meds that sound the same. Examples of commonly confused pairings include Adderall (a stimulant used for ADHD) versus Inderal (a beta-blocker used for high blood pressure).

2.  Taking two or more drugs that magnify each others’ effects – be careful if you’ve been prescribed the blood-thinner Coumadin (warfarin), “the king of drug interactions”. You need just the right amount of Coumadin in your system for it to work properly; too much or too little and you could have serious heart problems such as arrhythmias or a stroke. Because so many other drugs interfere with its action, extreme caution is a must.

3. Overdosing by combining more than one medication with similar properties  – you might have one medication prescribed to treat pain, another for anxiety, and another given as a sleeping pill, but they’re all sedatives, and the combined effect is toxic.  Find out about the other seven mistakes

New site launched! “The Ethical Nag: Marketing Ethics for the Easily Swayed”

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 3 Comments

woman computer hands

A funny thing happened on the way to researching some cardiology stuff recently:  I happened upon an article in the New York Times on the emerging drug company / medical ghostwriting scandal. I was utterly gobsmacked.

As a heart attack survivor who takes a fistful of cardiac drugs every morning, I realized that I have no clue which of my drugs were prescribed based on flawed research, or medical journal articles bought and paid for by the drug’s manufacturer.  Not even my doctors know. And worse, I think we are discovering only the tiniest tip of the iceberg here.  Luckily for any of us who have to take any prescription medicines, there are investigative journalists out there who are like dogs on bones as this medical research fraud scandal unfolds.   Continue reading “New site launched! “The Ethical Nag: Marketing Ethics for the Easily Swayed”” →