Guest guest Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Double-Edged Wonder > Wed, 14 Jul 2004 07:58:18 -0400 > > Double-Edged Wonder > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > Wednesday July 14, 2004 > > ************************************************************** > Dear Reader, > > The era of modern pharmaceuticals began in 1900 when > the first > aspirin tablets were manufactured by a German > company called the > Friedrich Bayer Corporation. > > Ninety years later, the Harvard Medical School > research known as > the Physicians Health Study concluded that men who > take aspirin > on a regular basis may significantly reduce the risk > of a first heart > attack. > > Over the course of those nine decades, aspirin > gained a reputation > as the wonder drug of the 20th century. And while > aspirin has > relieved many a headache and does seem to provide > heart health > benefits for some, a new study reveals that certain > heart patients > may actually be at greater risk of heart attacks if > they use aspirin. > > -- > Benefit vs. risk > -- > > After a patient experiences a first heart attack or > stroke that's > triggered by thrombosis (a blood clot in the heart > or a blood > vessel), many doctors prescribe an anti-thrombotic > regimen of > aspirin or warfarin, a prescription blood thinner. > But the risks and > benefits of these therapies have not been fully > explored. > > As reported in the July 2004 issue of the American > Heart Journal, > UK researchers at the University of Hull divided 279 > subjects from > the Warfarin/Aspirin Study in Heart failure (WASH) > into three > groups: one group received 300 mg of aspirin daily, > one received a > standard daily dose of warfarin, and a third group > received > placebo. Each of the subjects had experienced either > heart attack or > stroke, prompted by thrombosis. > > After an average follow up period of more than two > years, the > researchers found that neither the aspirin nor the > warfarin therapies > provided any greater protection against death, > nonfatal stroke, or > nonfatal heart attacks than the placebo. Subjects > that received > aspirin therapy, however, were nearly twice as > likely to suffer a > heart attack or stroke as were those who took > warfarin or placebo. > Gastrointestinal problems were also elevated in the > aspirin group. > > In an interview with Reuters Health, the lead > researcher of the > study, Dr. John G. F. Cleland, stated that any > theoretical benefit of > using aspirin after a heart attack, " is outweighed > by real evidence > of harm. " > > A larger study – modeled on this one – is currently > in the planning > stage. > > -- > Putting on the breaks > -- > > Of course, this isn't the first time we've > encountered problems > with the wonder drug of the 20th century in the > context of heart > health. In the e-Alert " Under the Gun " (11/10/03), I > told you about > a French study that showed how severe angina and > fatal heart > attacks might be prompted by the sudden halt of > regular aspirin > intake. > > In reviewing more than 1,200 cases of coronary > episodes, > researchers found 51 patients who suffered heart > attacks or other > severe coronary problems less than one week after > they stopped > using aspirin. Subjects with a history of heart > disease were at > particularly high risk. > > One of the troubling concerns of this outcome is the > fact that > patients preparing for surgery are regularly advised > to discontinue > aspirin therapy to avoid excess bleeding during > their operations. > The French team told Reuters news service that > doctors should not > advise their coronary patients to stop using > aspirin, and even stated > that aspirin therapy " cannot be safely stopped in > any case. " > > How's that for a " wonder drug " ! You begin taking a > daily aspirin > to protect your heart, and once you start, you're > hooked! If you > stop, you stand a good chance of prompting a > dangerous coronary > episode. > > Aspirin is generally regarded as so benign that most > people would > find it hard to imagine that you could actually > experience > withdrawal symptoms by quitting an aspirin regimen. > But > suddenly, that simple daily aspirin doesn't seem > quite so benign. > > --- > Nourish your heart > --- > > Ironically, many people who are taking a daily > aspirin to help their > heart may already be getting plenty of heart attack > protection from > the foods they eat. > > In the e-Alert " Pain Takes a Holiday " (9/8/03) I > told you about a > 15-month study of almost 2,000 subjects that showed > how those > whose diets included the highest fruit intake had > more than 70 > percent reduced risk of heart attack and other > cardiac problems > compared with those who ate the least amount of > fruit. On average, > for every additional piece of fruit consumed each > day, subjects > showed a 10 percent reduction in coronary risk. > > And vegetable intake produced a similar effect. > Subjects who > consumed vegetables three or more times each week > had > approximately 70 percent lower heart attack risk > than those who > ate no vegetables at all. > > These heart protective benefits are most likely due > to flavonoids, > the substance that gives fruits and vegetables their > color. > Flavonoids have both antioxidant and > anti-inflammatory qualities; > two benefits that are believed to help curb chronic > diseases, > including heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, > asthma, and type 2 > diabetes. > > -- > Handle with care > -- > > Everyone is different, and each of us responds > differently to any > kind of supplement or medication. So one person may > reap > benefits from a daily aspirin, while another won't. > One person may > suffer aspirin's side effects, while another never > has a problem. But > when problems do occur, the results may be quite > serious and even > fatal. > > So if you're currently taking a daily aspirin for > heart health, talk to > your doctor about these new aspirin studies – > especially if you've > already experienced a heart attack or stroke. > > > ...and another thing > > Your average Joe probably doesn't give much thought > to the > difference between systolic and diastolic blood > pressure > measurements. If you happen to be one of those Joes, > here's your > chance to enjoy a quick Introduction to BP 101, > courtesy of HSI > Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D. > > On an HSI Forum thread, a member named Rob posted > this > question: > > " Someone mentioned that the difference between your > systolic and > diastolic measurements were more critical to > predicting a heart > attack than the BP reading alone. They went on to > say that if the > difference is 65 or more, you're in for a heart > attack. There are > times when this difference for me is above 65 (73 > was the worst). > Should I get my will in order? Actually, Jenny, I > was hoping you'd > be able to get one of your experts to comment on > this and save me > from worrying myself into ulcers. " > > Between systolic and diastolic, your systolic > pressure (the first > number in the blood pressure reading) is generally > considered the > more important indicator of heart health – > especially for those age > 50 or older. As for the importance of the difference > between the > two pressures, I asked Dr. Spreen to explain and > here's how he > answered Rob's question: > > " What you're talking about is called 'pulse > pressure', or the > differential between the high reading and the low > one. Nothing > guarantees that you'll have (or not have) a heart > attack. Many heart > attacks occur with low serum levels of cholesterol, > for example, so > don't head into ulcer state yet! Also, the > powers-that-be are now > telling us that any pressure above 120/80 up to > 140/90 is 'pre- > hypertension' and they're even suggesting that we > get started early > on drug therapies, which sounds suspiciously like an > attempt to > bail out the drug companies to me. > > " However, physiologically a high pulse pressure may > indicate that > the blood vessels are not as 'elastic' as they might > be, implying that > they are not in peak condition (healthy, elastic > arteries stretch to > handle pressure changes and therefore lower the > 'tops' and > 'bottoms' of big peaks). Therefore, you do want to > respect pulse > pressures hitting 75, not by worrying yourself into > ulcers but by > getting educated on actual ways to treat the > situation. > > " Get a serum homocysteine level and a C-reactive > protein, then > talk with your doc. Those are the most sensitive > tests, and can give > a good baseline of where you are as you take steps > to improve. > Then, if they indicate a problem, get started on > what can fix > 'em...folic acid, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, maybe > some > magnesium, vitamin C (gram doses), and a good multi > withOUT > iron, for a start. Then, go to www.acam.org and > learn about IV > chelation. > > " That way you'll have a proactive avenue of attack > against a > defeatable enemy, instead of sitting home swallowing > antacids and > worrying yourself to death! " > > If Dr. Spreen has helped save Rob from both a heart > attack AND > an ulcer, I'd say that's a pretty good day's work. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************** ************************************************************** > > Sources: > " The Warfarin/Aspirin Study in Heart Failure (WASH): > a > Randomized Trial Comparing Antithrombotic Strategies > for > Patients with Heart Failure " American Heart Journal, > Vol. 148, > No. 1, July 2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Aspirin Not Good for People with Heart Failure " > Will Boggs, > M.D., Reuters Health, 7/7/04, reutershealth.com > " Halting Aspirin Suddenly can Cause Heart Attack " > Reuters, > 10/29/03, reuters.com > " More Research Showing Fruit and Veg Benefits; No > Further > Explanation " NutraIngredients.com, 9/2/03, > nutraingredients.com > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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