ADVERTISEMENT
Cardiovascular Disease
Thriving After a Stroke
Client: RayPersonal trainer: Julie Lombardo, owner, Sweet Success Personal TrainingLocation: Chino Hills, California
Making the switch. In 2005, now 80-year-old Ray suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that resulted in numbness on the left side of his body. Interested in improving function and fitness, he sought the guidance of physical therapists. Eventually, he was forced to give up treatment because his insurance coverage had reached its maximum.
Focus on Function
Client: George | Personal Trainer: Valentin, owner, Pilates Body by Valentin | Location: Dublin, CA
Weighty issues. George first began working with Valentin in 2006. “He came to me when he was at his maximum weight,” she recalls. “He was waddling around with a pair of bad knees and needed to get the strength to do activities of daily living.”
“Extreme” Exercise Hurts Hearts
In the July–August issue of IDEA Fitness Journal, we reported on a study that found participation in endurance activities like marathons was not harmful to health. A new study suggests the opposite may be true.
Canadian Metabolic Syndrome Rates
According to a recent report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (2011; 183 [15], E1127–34), 1 in 5 Canadians suffers from metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors associated with heart disease, stroke and other similar conditions. The wide-ranging study surveyed 1,800 Canadians, a cross-sectional sample representing 96% of the population aged 6–79. The study did not include people living in institutions, on reservations or in remote areas, or full-time members of the armed forces.
3 Hours of Exercise Per Week Cuts Men’s Heart Health Risk
Various research organizations suggest specific amounts of weekly physical activity for losing and managing weight and improving health. A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2011; 43 [10], 1884–90) says that men who do at least 3 hours of vigorous-intensity exercise per week can reduce myocardial infarction (MI) risk by as much as 22%.
Half of All Women to Die From Heart Disease
According to the 2011 10Q Report: Advancing Women’s Heart Health Through Improved Research, Diagnosis and Treatment, heart disease causes an estimated 8.6 million deaths among American women annually and is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Nearly 50% of women are expected to die from heart disease or stroke.
Long-Term Endurance Training Linked to Heart Damage
Endurance training is thought to contribute to improved heart health. However, a recent study suggests that too much training may have the opposite effect. Published online ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology (2011; doi: 10.?1152/?japplphysiol.?01280.?2010), the study had the purpose of determining the cardiac structure and function of veteran endurance athletes. The study subjects included three sets of men: 12 older endurance athletes (aged 50–67), 20 older controls (aged 52–69) and 17 younger endurance athletes (aged 26–40).
Implications of Peak Heart Rate Study for Women
I am always eager to read IDEA Fitness Journal, which keeps me up-to-date on the trends and the science in health and fitness. It is such a great resource for me and my staff. I would like to make a short comment on “New Heart Rate Recommendations for Women” [Making News, January 2011]. The [item mentioned a] study by Gulati et al. [Circulation, 122 (2), 130–37]. The study is excellent, and I look forward to the continued research of those associated with it.
Can High-Intensity Exercise Cause Heart Disease?
According to the website MarathonGuide.com, more than 382,000 marathon finishing times were recorded in the United States in 2005. Those who complete marathons are often credited with having high levels of physical prowess. However, recent research claims that regular participation in such events may negatively impact heart health.
gents and grains
Men who want to lower their risk of developing hypertension may want to up their daily intake of whole-grain products, according to a study in the September 2009 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers who followed more than 51,000 men (aged 40–75 in 1986) enrolled
in the ongoing prospective Health Professionals Follow-Up Study found that those with a higher whole-grain intake,
especially total bran, had a lower risk
of becoming hypertensive.
Exercise May Help Men Avoid Stroke
Having trouble convincing your male client to exercise on his own? Inform him that moderate- to high-intensity exercise may help him avoid a stroke. A study published in the November 24 issue of Neurology (2009; 73, 1774–79) found that men who engaged in moderate- to high-intensity exercise had
a 63% lower chance of stroke than those who did not. The 9-year study involved 3,298 men and women (average age, 69 years). Unfortunately,
exercise was not found to protect women from stroke.
Walking Improves Function in Stroke Survivors
Suffering a stroke can often have deleterious results: inhibited quality of life and heightened injury risk due to decreased mobility, to name a couple. But don’t underestimate the ability of a client who has had a stroke.
Cardiovascular Disease and the Mind-Body Connection
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, ranking above cancer and stroke. Additionally, hypertension, commonly referred to as “high blood pressure,” is the 13th leading cause of death in the U.S. (Kung et al. 2008). It is therefore important for all health and fitness professionals to be informed about the methods available to help support cardiovascular health.
Activity Level Predicts Heart Disease in Women
New research suggests that a woman’s level of physical activity is a better sign than body weight of existing coronary artery disease and future heart problems. The study, which appeared in the September 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (2004; 292 [10], 1179–87), examined 906 women who had chest pain, suspected narrowing of the coronary arteries, o…
Heart Disease and Women
Did you know that heart disease is the leading killer of females in America? Not only does heart disease kill more women than men each year, but females who survive a cardiac event fare much worse than their male counterparts. Yet many women fail to recognize the toll that cardiovascular disease (CVD) can take on their bodies, and thus fail to do what is necessary to reduce the risk of getting …
Heart Disease: Is There a Gender Divide?
Although many women worry about their risk of getting breast cancer, heart disease is actually the leading killer of females in America. Not only does heart disease kill more women than men each year (Thom et al. 2006), but females who survive a cardiac event fare much worse than their male counterparts (Blomkalns et al. 2005). Yet many women and their physicians fail to recognize the toll that…
Is Interval Training Safe for CAD Clients?
According to the American Heart Association (AHA 2004), over 79 million Americans have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One in three deaths in th…
Simulated CPR Results Show Lack of Force
How long has it been since you’ve practiced your cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills? Recent findings show that the majority
of people untrained in CPR, and even many trained emergency personnel, do not push with enough force.
The research, detailed in the June issue of Cardiovascular Engineering, tested 104 adults untrained in CPR and 83 trained firefighters. Find…
Study to Test Exercise in Heart Failure Patients
The results of a new international study may support your efforts to design programs for clients who have experienced heart failure (and who have a doctor’s release). The “largest randomized clinical trial of exercise training ever performed” is now underway, involving 83 sites that will test 3,000 people to determine whether exercise is good for heart failure patients.
…
Training Clients with Heart Disease
They say that 50 is the new 30, but that may not hold true for all your Baby Boomer clients. In fact, more than 50% of Americans 55 or older already have some degree of heart disease, according to the latest calculations from the American Heart Association (2006). Worse still, this percentage is expected to grow significantly in the future as the Baby Boomer generation nears retirement ag…
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT