- 1. What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular disease, a range of blood vessel system diseases that includes both stroke and heart attack, is the major cause of death in people both with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The two most common types of cardiovascular disease are coronary heart disease, caused by fatty deposits in the arteries that feed the heart, and hypertension, or high blood pressure.
- 2. What are the warning signals of cardiovascular disease?
For some people, the first symptom is a heart attack. Warning signals of a heart attack can include pain (in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back), shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, or sudden fear or anxiety. These signals can be mild or severe.
- 3. What are the complications of cardiovascular disease?
When cholesterol in the body is too high, the insides of large blood vessels become clogged and narrowed, a condition called artherosclerosis. This makes it difficult for enough healthy blood to circulate through the body, and a number of problems may occur. One is chest pain, also called angina. Another is heart attack. This happens when a blood vessel in or near the heart becomes blocked, preventing enough blood from getting to that part of the heart, so that it stops working, weakening the heart overall. Weakening can also occur in the case of cardiomyopathy, when narrowed blood vessels enable less blood to flow through the heart. Clogged and narrowed blood vessels also cause high blood pressure, or hypertension. If severe, this may lead to a stroke-when part of the brain stops because it's not getting enough blood.
- 4. What is coronary heart disease CAD?
Coronary artery disease (CAD) refers to any of the conditions that affect the coronary arteries and reduces blood flow and nutrients to the heart. It is the leading cause of death worldwide for both men and women. Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of CAD. Controlled risk factors associated with CAD include hypertension, cigarette smoking, elevated blood lipids (e.g., cholesterol, triglyceride), a high-fat diet (especially saturated fats and trans-fatty acids), physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, and stress. Lifestyle changes can assist in prevention of CAD. Uncontrolled risk factors include a family history of CAD, gender (higher in males), and increasing age.
- 5. What is a stroke?
Stroke, or a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), occurs when the brain does not receive sufficient oxygen-rich blood through blood vessels or when a blood vessel bursts. A stroke may result from blockage of the blood vessels due to a blood clot (ischemic) or from ruptures of the blood vessels (hemorrhagic bursts). Uncontrolled hypertension is a major risk factor for strokes.
- 6. What is atherosclerosis?
Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is the cause of more than half of all mortality in developed countries and the leading cause of death in the United States. When the coronary arteries are involved, it results in coronary artery disease (CAD). The hardening of the arteries is due to the build up of fatty deposits called plaque, and mineral deposits. As a result, the supply of blood to the heart muscle (myocardium) is reduced and can lead to ischemia (deficiency of blood) to the heart, causing chest pain or a myocardial infarction (heart attack). The hardening of the arteries causes an increase in resistance to blood flow, and therefore an increase in blood pressure. Any vessel in the body may be affected by atherosclerosis; however, the aorta and the coronary, carotid, and iliac arteries are most frequently affected. The process begins early in life. Therefore, physicians should obtain risk-factor profiles and a family history for children.
- 7. What is hypertension?
Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measure of the force of blood against the walls of arteries. It is recorded as two numbers: the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure is the pressure as the heart beats, while diastolic pressure measures the pressure when the heart relaxes between beats. Blood pressure is normally measured at the brachial artery with a sphygmomanometer (pressure cuff) in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and given as systolic over diastolic pressure. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic—usually expressed as "120 over 80." However, normal for an individual varies with the height, weight, fitness level, age, and health of a person. Blood pressure is normally maintained within narrow limits, but it can drop during sleep or increase during exercise. Hypertension (HTN), or high blood pressure, occurs when the force of blood passing through blood vessels is above normal. The increase in pressure forces the blood to hit the blood vessel walls. HTN is called "the silent killer" because many people do not know they have the condition. Consistently high blood pressure increases the risk for a stroke or a heart attack. It may be caused by poor diet, obesity, smoking, stress , and inactivity. The Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) project recommends a diet that is low in sodium and high in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Other approaches to controlling HTN include weight loss, smoking cessation, increased physical activity, and stress management.
- 8. What can be done to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease?
Tight control of blood sugar levels, maintenance of healthy body weight, and regular exercise are important preventative measures. Avoiding salt, saturated fats, and alcohol is recommended, and you may also ask your doctor about taking a daily aspirin. Regular checkups to monitor blood pressure as well as blood fats and cholesterol levels are essential. If trouble is suspected, a heart specialist (cardiologist) may give you an electrocardiogram (ECG) or stress test. If diet and exercise are not able to significantly lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, a wide range of antihhypertensive (blood pressure-lowering) and cholesterol-lowering drugs is available.
- 9. How often should I have my blood pressure checked?
Have your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure often has no symptoms, so have yours checked at least once every two years by a healthcare professional. Your doctor will recommend you have it taken more regularly if you have high blood pressure or are at increased risk for it.
- 10. How often should I have my cholesterol checked?
Although there are no evidence-based recommendations regarding the optimal frequency for screening, it is reasonable to suggest that patients with no symptoms or risk factors be screened every 5 years after the age of 40 for men and 50 for women.
- 11. Could a person with hypertension take Pharmaton® CardioActive?
Yes, as it is not expected to increase blood pressure.
- 12. Is any interaction known between Pharmaton® CardioActive and anticoagulants?
High amounts (> 4 g/day) of omega-3 fatty acids (particularly rich in EPA, Eicosapentaenoic acid) have been shown to increase bleeding time, decrease platelet aggregation, blood viscosity and fibrinogen. No clinical trial however provided any evidence of increased blood loss due to the ingestion of omega-3 fatty acids. No safety problems are expected with the amount of omega-3 fatty acids contained in the product at the recommended dosage, however patients on concomitant blood thinning medications should be monitored by a physician.
- 13. When should Pharmaton® CardioActive preferably be taken?
The general recommendation is to take Pharmaton® CardioActive during a meal, because the absorption of the vital elements is considerably better and less gastrointestinal problems are to be expected.
- 14. Can Pharmaton® CardioActive be taken in pregnancy?
The product should not be recommended to pregnant or lactating women, as their micronutrients requirements are far above the amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals contained in Pharmaton® CardioActive.
- 15. How long can I use Pharmaton® CardioActive?
Theoretically it can be used for an unlimited time period, as the product should not bring to any safety issue.
- 16. Does Pharmaton® CardioActive cause addiction?
No, Pharmaton does not contain any addictive ingredients.
- 17. Do vitamins and mineral preparations, and in particular
Pharmaton® CardioActive, increase the appetite and cause
weight gain?
No, vitamins and minerals are known to bring the metabolism into balance and to normalise appetite but not to cause weight gain.
- 18. Is Pharmaton® CardioActive suitable for celiac disease patients?
As it does not contain gluten it is suitable for celiac patients.
- 19. Does Pharmaton® CardioActive contain any material of animal origin?
Yes, the components fish oil, gelatine and vitamin D are of animal origin.
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