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May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
By
Shari Roan
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT)
About 2.6 million Americans have atrial fibrillation or Afib but many of them are not getting the kind of health care that could prevent a devastating stroke. A national initiative to improve the care of people with Afib was unveiled Tuesday that experts hope will mark a turning point in how the disorder is addressed.
The recommendations were drafted by representatives of more than 30 health organizations as part of the American College of Physicians Foundation's Initiative on Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke Prevention.
Atrial fibrillation is a common problem in which the heart's rhythm is abnormal. Afib is the leading preventable cause of stroke. About 20 percent of strokes are triggered by atrial fibrillation, and these strokes tend to be severe and disabling. About one in five people who have an Afib-related stroke die.
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Moreover, the number of Americans with Afib is expected to grow rapidly, said Dr. Samuel Z. Goldhaber, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
One of the reasons for the increase, he said, is that the field of cardiology "is so good at treating heart attack and the survival from heart attack has shot up," leading to more people living with atrial fibrillation. "Also, it's a disease of getting older."
Among those 80 and older, 30 percent of strokes are due to Afib.
Strokes linked to atrial fibrillation should be easier to prevent than other types of strokes, Goldhaber said. But 90 percent of people with Afib don't receive any anticoagulants or don't receive them at the appropriate levels.
Warfarin is the traditional drug used to thin blood and prevent the clots that can cause stroke. But warfarin is a difficult medication to use. The advent of new drugs that are alternatives to warfarin should open the door to broader use of anticoagulants that could lower stroke rates, he said.
Two new anticoagulants are on the market: Pradaxa (dabigatran) and Xarelto (rivaroxiban), and several others are in development. Data from clinical trials show the stroke rate among patients on dabigatran is 34 percent lower compared to warfarin, and dabigatran doesn't increase the risk of major bleeding as much as warfarin.
In a study published Monday, however, dabigitran was linked to a slightly higher risk of heart attack compared to warfarin.
"We as physicians must balance this excess in (heart attack) with the stroke reduction and head-bleed reduction," Goldhaber said. "The novel oral anticoagulants are going to provide us with more choices, more convenience and less intracranial hemorrhage."
The new recommendations on treating Afib include tools to help doctors and patients weigh the risks and benefits of taking anti-coagulant medications, such as the risk of stroke versus the risk of bleeding. Besides medication, people with Afib need advice on healthy lifestyle habits that could also lower their risk of stroke.
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© 2011, Los Angeles Times Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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