(HealthNewsDigest.com) – The news on cardiovascular disease and the toll it has on society is grim. The CDC reports that 610,000 people die yearly from heart disease. This figure is even more staggering when you consider that means 1 in 4 deaths in the U.S.stem from heart disease.
However, interventional cardiology conferences and medical journals show us a more optimistic side. Advancements are keeping pace. One study reports that deaths from cardiovascular disease declined by 50 percent over the past 35 years. This reduction reflects advances inthe diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of common cardiovascular conditions.
Here is our pick of the top medical advancements in cardiovascular treatments:
1. A shot that lowers cholesterol
It might not seem that different from other cholesterol busting medication. But consider that this is an injection that you only need to take twice a year. Early research suggests that this drug can cut cholesterol down by 50 percent, and the effects last for 4 to 6 months.
Why is this great news for people with high cholesterol? Cholesterol buildup in arteries can cause blood clots to form, which increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. Lowering cholesterol levels is key to preventing and reducing the risk of deaths from heart disease.
This drug, Inclisiran, is not yet on the market. It needs one more research phase before it receives approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But the potential for lives saved by this drug is huge. No more remembering to take your medication with every meal… But just don’t forget your doctor’s appointment!
2. Wireless sensors that monitor for heart failure.
For those with cardiovascular disease, frequent trips to the hospital become the norm. It’s that or continual worry about when the next bout of shortness of breath might turn into something more.
A new device developed by St. Jude Medical allows doctors to monitor those with heart failure from their office. Listed in 2014 by Harvard Health Publications as one of the top advancements in cardiovascular treatment, it is now on the market. The device, CardioMEMS, is implanted in the patient’s pulmonary artery through a non-invasive procedure. It then monitors pressure in the pulmonary artery and sends this data wirelessly to the patient’s doctor.
Early warning signs of heart failure allow the doctor to intervene earlier and more effectively. With a monitor on your heart, and a doctor keeping watch over you, this is medical advancement at its finest.
3. Weight loss surgery for diabetes sufferers.
The exact causes of diabetes continue to baffle medical professionals. But it is widely known that being obese or overweight can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And these two conditions, obesity and diabetes, greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Obesity by itself causes strain on the cardiovascular system, as the heart is unable to meet the body’s needs. Obesity also increases the risk of high blood pressure, which can damage your arteries. Coronary heart disease is also a common problem among obesity sufferers.
What might decrease your risk? Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery, once viewed as a way of helping obese patients lose weight, now shows medical benefits beyond the cosmetic. With many patients even experiencing a reversal of type 2 diabetes, among other improvements.
According to a study reported by WebMD, those who had undergone bariatric surgery showed less heart failure risk. This link between obesity and heart failure has long been understood. And recent studies on the effects of bariatric surgery have made the connections clearer.
While these advancements should make us all happy to be living during a time of such rapid medical innovation and progress. Nothing can take the place of preventing the need for such drastic measures. An active lifestyle and smart health choices will go far in keeping your heart in good shape.
###
For advertising/promo contact Mike McCurdy at [email protected] or call him at 877-634-9180