What is the stair climbing test to check heart health?
What is the effect of cholesterol on the heart?
What is the difference between bad cholesterol and good cholesterol?
What is the relationship between atrial fibrillation and strokes?
These answers and more are in this report in which we'll cover many aspects and advice about heart health.
We emphasize at the outset that these tips here are for guidance only, and are not a substitute for consulting a doctor and medical examinations, and if you suffer from chronic diseases or problems of the heart or blood vessels, do not take a stair climbing test without consulting a doctor first.
What is the stair climbing test to check heart health?
The Stair Climb Test is a test proposed by a study presented in 2020 at a scientific conference of the European Society of Cardiology, and published on the EurekAlert and other sites.
"If it takes more than a minute and a half to climb 4 flights of stairs, your health is suboptimal, and it would be a good idea to consult a doctor," said study author Dr. Jesus Petero, a cardiologist at A Coruña University Hospital in Spain.
This study was conducted to examine the relationship between daily activity - climbing stairs - and results obtained from an in vitro exercise test.
"The idea was to find a simple and inexpensive way to assess heart health, which could help clinicians triage patients for more comprehensive examinations," said Dr. Peteiro.
A flight of stairs is a set of stairs between two floors, usually between each floor and the last two sets of stairs, so in general it can be considered that 4 sets of stairs are equivalent to a two-story flight of stairs, for example to go up from the second floor to the fourth floor in a building.
What is the effect of cholesterol on the heart?
A high level of cholesterol increases the risk of heart attacks or strokes in the long term, but experts distinguish between two types of cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, whose scientific name is low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (low-density). lipoprotein), the good cholesterol, and its scientific name is high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
Experts from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care in Germany confirmed that a high level of “bad” LDL cholesterol in the blood is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but on the other hand, it is believed that a high level of “good” HDL cholesterol. It has a positive effect against this danger.
What is the difference between bad cholesterol and good cholesterol?
“Bad” cholesterol “LDL” is a protein that ensures the transport of cholesterol from the liver to the body, knowing that cholesterol is necessary for metabolism, but if its percentage increases, it can be deposited in the walls of blood vessels, and at the same time, HDL proteins L" restore cholesterol to the liver.
The higher the level of LDL or total cholesterol in the blood, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, this is only one of several influencing factors. High blood pressure, diabetes, smoking or advanced age are all other important factors.
In addition, family history must be taken into account, in terms of parents or siblings suffering from strokes or heart attacks, and in general men are more at risk than women.
There are other reasons for the high level of cholesterol in the blood, such as lifestyle, diabetes, rheumatism, thyroid disease, or liver and kidney disease, and some medications can raise cholesterol levels, such as cortisone preparations, and sometimes a metabolic disorder Genetics also cause this.
To prevent high cholesterol levels, experts recommend consuming as little saturated fat as possible in butter, and if there is high blood pressure, it is best to follow a low-salt diet.
Anyone who is obese should try to lose weight, and experts always recommend regular exercise and smoking cessation.
What is the relationship of atrial fibrillation with strokes?
Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, and is the leading cause of strokes, heart failure or other heart-related complications, according to the German Cardiology Association.
What is meant by atrial fibrillation?
The German Association of Cardiology indicated that atrial fibrillation is the heartbeat that is irregular and accelerated, and the heart rate may reach 160 beats per minute, and these disturbances in the heart rate occur due to wrong electrical stimuli due in most cases to the veins pulmonary flow to the left atrium of the heart.
Because of the irregular heartbeat, the auricle trembles rapidly and inconsistently, and the German Cardiology Association explained that the risk arises here from the possibility of blood clots that arise within the heart, and may be transferred to other parts of the body, and may lead to obstruction of blood flow.
A cardiologist in Frankfurt, Germany, Professor Thomas Voigtlander, warned that atrial fibrillation is a serious heart rhythm disorder, and the problem is that it may occur without any symptoms, and the Vice-President of the German Cardiology Association warned that the lack of detection of the injury Atrial fibrillation or untreated atrial fibrillation is life-threatening, and may lead to heart failure or stroke.
What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?
Symptoms of atrial fibrillation are:
feeling dizzy
shortness of breath
fatigue
Poor ability to exercise
chest pain
increased sweating
worry
Unconsciousness
In the event of the appearance of such symptoms, you should contact the emergency department and consult a specialist doctor immediately.
treatment options
Other health risks must be prevented and the causes of atrial fibrillation addressed. Doctors here can prescribe anticoagulants to reduce the risk of stroke, and there are several options for treating arrhythmias, such as relying on medications or resorting to surgery.
If atrial fibrillation is rare and does not last for a long time, it may be best to treat other possible diseases that cause it, such as high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or coronary artery disease, and it is also important to follow a healthy lifestyle and exercise Regularly, eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and quitting smoking.