Dr Mann further said the first post-mortem of Sarabjit Singh was conducted in Pakistan.‘We received only one-page document from the Lahore hospital. We did a second autopsy of Sarabjit Singh and found fractures in the skull bone,’ the doctor said. ‘The Pakistani document mentioned diagnosis of severe head injury and cardiopulmonary arrest. Our view is also similar as Sarabjit had massive head injury,’ he added.‘His head was having fractures. There were multiple fractures of the mandible bone. Other injuries were in the form of dark coloured bruises on the back of shoulders and left ear canal. Some injuries were in the form of stitch wounds. Some other injuries were not stitched at all like on the back of head. There were bruises on the back and fractures of the rib – three on the left and two on the right side,’ Dr Mann informed.

The doctor said they will submit a final autopsy report in a few days’ time. Sarabjit Singh was cremated with full state honours this afternoon in his native Bhikhiwind town.

Read: Ten tips for a healthier heart

The study involved 106 teenagers from an urban, inner-city Vancouver high school who were split into two groups, a group that volunteered regularly for 10 weeks and a group that was wait-listed for volunteer activities, according to the Daily Mail. Researchers measured the students’ body mass index (BMI), inflammation levels which affect heart’s health and cholesterol scores before and after the study. The volunteer group of students spent one hour per week working with elementary school children in after-school programmes in their neighbourhood. After 10 weeks they had lower levels of inflammation and cholesterol and lower (body mass index) BMIs than the students who were wait-listed.  Schreier said: ‘It was encouraging to see how a social intervention to support members of the community also improved the health of adolescents.’

Do you the symptoms of a heart attack? Check out our symptom search. 

Source: IANS

The gel is injected through a catheter without requiring surgery or general anesthesia — a less invasive procedure for patients, reports Science Daily. Lead researcher Karen Christman, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California-San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, said the gel forms a scaffold in damaged areas of the heart, encouraging new cell growth and repair. “Our data show that this hydrogel can increase cardiac muscle and reduce scar tissue in the region damaged by the heart attack, which prevents heart failure. These results suggest this may be a novel minimally invasive therapy to prevent heart failure after a heart attack in humans,” said Christman.

Source: IANS

They say most Britons have no idea how much salt they are consuming, or what the guideline amounts are. The recommended maximum daily intake is six grams. But British Heart Foundation statistics show, average current consumption is 9.7 gram a day for men and 7.7 gram for women. In Britain, cutting average salt intake by just one gram could save 6,000 lives and 1.5 billion pounds (over $2.3 billion) a year. If the consumption fell by four grams, 25,000 lives a year could be saved, they say. 

Following a study blaming salt in processed foods for America’s out-of-control obesity crisis, the British health professionals decided to speak about the hidden dangers of salt. ‘The same problems exist in the UK, with heart disease a well-recognised consequence of excessive salt. Greater awareness of the harm salt can do might help people choose to reduce their intake,’ said Ian Campbell, a British general practitioner.  ‘The average person has no idea of the quantities of salt in their diet’ simply because they’re not adding it, the manufacturers are. People need to be aware the food we eat does affect our health directly. If you don’t know what’s in the food you are about to eat, ask.’

Source: IANS

The study went on to say that exercising afterwards did was better for reducing increased triglyceride levels than before. High levels of triglycerides are known to increase risks of heart disease. While studies have shown that exercise reduces triglyceride levels, few of them have ever looked at the effect of exercise shortly after eating. However, the research team added that this was a small study and further research was needed to know whether these results apply to the general population.

In the study, researchers from Kyoto Prefectural University measured triglyceride levels in ten men and women after they ate a meal consisting of 38% fat. On two separate days people exercise either an hour before or after eating the meal. On the third day, none of them exercised. This is what they observed

• When people didn’t exercise, the triglyceride levels rose from 66 mg/dL to 172 mg/dL
• When they exercised before eating, the levels rose to 148 mg/dL within two hours of eating
• When people exercised after eating, the levels increased to 131 mg/dL

Six hours after eating the high-fat meal, all participants’ triglyceride levels were the about the same, regardless of whether or not they had exercised. However, even temporary increases in triglyceride levels after eating a high-fat meal may increase cardiovascular disease risk, the researchers said. Exercising after a fatty meal may accelerate the rate at which the body uses fat, thus reducing triglyceride levels, the researchers said. 

The study was published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Penny now has a new fully-functioning heart following the operation, her friend said. ‘(Penny) is holding her own heart. She has survived cancer and crippling heart failure and never lost hope,’ Kelsey wrote. She said doctors allowed Penny to take a photograph of her old heart before it was cremated. She had wanted to take her heart home but doctors refused.

‘She wanted to keep it but they wouldn’t let her! I said the same thing. It had to be cremated but she kept the ashes,’ Kelsey wrote. Around 3,500 heart transplant surgeries are performed across the world each year.

Source: IANS

Aneurysm: An aneurysm is an abnormal widening or ballooning of a portion of an artery due to increased blood pressure and can occur throughout the body. It may be due to defects or weakness in some of the parts of the blood vessel wall. Bursting of an aneurysm can lead to stroke. Some aneurysms are present at birth (congenital).

Angina: Angina or ‘angina pectoris’ is chest pain as a result of inadequate oxygen supply to the heart muscle. The pain can be described as a discomfort, heaviness or pressure feeling. It often occurs when one is under emotional or physical stress. It is the most common symptom of coronary heart disease and can be mistaken for indigestion. Angina is usually felt in the chest, but may also be felt in the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw or back.

Angioplasty: Angioplasty is the term used for mechanically widening narrowed or obstructed arteries. It is not a surgery. Coronary angioplasty is a procedure used to open narrow or blocked coronary (heart) arteries to restore blood flow to the heart muscle. A thin, flexible catheter (tube) with a balloon at its tip is passed through a blood vessel to the affected artery. Once in place, the balloon is inflated which compresses the plaque against the artery wall. Angioplasty can be done with or without a small wire-mesh tube called stent.

Arrhythmia: Arrhythmia is an irregular heartbeat and is not the same as an irregular heart rate. Arrhythmia can also occur in otherwise normal, healthy hearts. Arrhythmias are mostly harmless, but some can be even life threatening. The heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body, thus damaging the brain, heart and other organs. Arrhythmias may be caused by many different factors, like coronary heart disease, electrolyte imbalances in blood, injury from a heart attack and healing process after heart surgery.

Antiarrhythmics: Antiarrhythmics are drugs that are used to treat abnormal heart rhythms which are a result of irregular electrical activity of the heart.

Anticoagulant: An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation (clotting) of blood. Anticoagulants, such as heparin or warfarin, are a type of blood thinners that work on chemical reactions in the body to increase clotting time. They reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing the blood clots formation in the arteries and veins.

Antihypertensive: Antihypertensive is a used to reduce the blood pressure of hypertensive patients. Some of the important and most widely used antihypertensive drugs are  thiazide diuretics, calcium channel blockers, ACE inhibitors, beta blockers and angiotensin II receptor antagonists.

Antioxidant: Antioxidants are substances that fight free radicals and help prevent disease. Free radicals can damage cells and may play a role in heart disease, cancer, etc. Antioxidants are natural substances present as vitamins, minerals and other compounds in foods. A diet rich in antioxidant-containing foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.) has been linked to a reduced risk of heart and blood vessels disease.

Atherosclerosis: Build-up of fat, cholesterol and other substances in the walls of arteries causes hardening and narrowing of the arteries leading to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks, strokes and peripheral vascular disease.

Beta blocker: Beta blockers, also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are medications used to reduce blood pressure. Beta blockers also help blood vessels open up and improve blood flow. They work by blocking the effects of the adrenaline hormone. Beta-blockers are one of the most widely used drugs to treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and congestive heart failure. They have also been found to prevent further heart attacks and death after  a heart attack.

Blood pressure: Blood pressure (BP) is one of the principal, one of the critically important signs of life (vital sign). It is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessel and is expressed as systolic/diastolic blood pressure. ‘Systolic’ refers to blood pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood and ‘diastolic’ refers to blood pressure when the heart is at rest between beats. Normal blood is less than 130 mmHg/80 mmHg. Blood pressure doesn’t stay the same all the time. It lowers as you sleep and rises when you wake up. Blood pressure also rises when you’re nervous, excited or active.

Body mass index: Body mass index (BMI) is used to find out if a person is underweight or overweight. It provides a reliable indicator of body fat for most people. BMI is a number calculated from a person’s weight and height. It is defined as the individual’s body weight divided by the square of his or her height.

Bradycardia: Bradycardia is a slower than normal heart rate. A normal heart rate is 60 to 100 beats a minute while at rest. Bradycardia can be normal and healthy. Or it could be a sign of a problem with the heart’s pacemaker or electrical pathways. Severe forms of bradycardia can be life-threatening.

Calcium channel blocker: Calcium channel blockers are heart disease medicines that slow the movement of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels, thus relaxing blood vessels and increasing supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. They also reduce the heart’s workload. Calcium channel blockers are used to treat high blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms. They are also used to relieve chest pain of angina pectoris.

Cardiac arrest: A cardiac arrest is the sudden cessation of normal circulation of the blood when the heart stops beating. It is different from a heart attack where the heart usually continues to beat but blood flow to the heart is blocked. Stopped blood circulation prevents oxygen delivery to different parts of the body. Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. It can be reversed if treated early enough.

CPR: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure performed on a person whose heart has stopped or is no longer breathing. CPR consists of the use of chest compressions and artificial ventilation to maintain blood flow and oxygenation during cardiac arrest.

Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a fatty substance found in the outer lining of cells. Itl is also found in the blood circulation. It is a building block for cell membranes and for hormones (estrogen and testosterone). It is a combination of lipid (fat) and steroid. About 80% of the body’s cholesterol is produced by the liver. The rest comes from our diet. LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol is called “bad cholesterol”, because they are associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. HDL (high density lipoprotein) cholesterol is called the “good cholesterol” because it prevents atherosclerosis. Dietary cholesterol comes mainly from animal sources including meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products.

Common queries about cholesterol, lipid profile, VLDL, HDL, triglycerides…

Congestive heart failure: The condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to the rest of the body is called congestive heart failure. The heart’s pumping power is compromised. Movement of blood through the heart and body is slow and pressure in the heart is increased. There is fluid buildup in the tissues of the body as a result of congestive heart failure.

Diastolic pressure: The pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart relaxes following its contraction is called diastolic blood pressure. Normal diastolic blood pressure ranges between 60 and 80 mm Hg.

Diuretic: A diuretic is a substance that helps reduce the amount of water in the body by stimulating urine formation and the loss of sodium. They act on the kidneys to increase urine output. Diuretics may be used in combination with other medicines to treat the accumulation of excess fluid in the body that occurs with congestive heart failure, liver disease and kidney disease. Some diuretics are also prescribed to treat high blood pressure.

Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is an ultrasound test used to evaluate heart muscle, heart valves and risk for heart disease. It is a non-invasive test that shows an image of the inside of the heart.

Electrocardiogram: An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.  Small electrode patches are attached to the skin of your chest, arms and legs to record the results. ECG is a quick, safe, painless and inexpensive test. It may be part of a routine physical examination or it may be used as a test for heart disease.

Embolus: A mass or plug, such as an air bubble, detached blood clot, mass of bacteria or foreign body that travels in the bloodstream and lodges in a blood vessel, thus blocking a vessel.

Fibrillation: Fast, uncoordinated contractions of the upper or the lower compartments of the heart.

Heart attack: A heart attack is the death of, or damage to, part of the heart muscle due to severe reduction or stoppage of blood supply to the heart muscle. Most heart attacks are the final result of coronary heart disease. If a blood clot totally blocks the artery, the heart muscle becomes “hungry” for oxygen. Within a short time, heart muscle cells die, causing permanent damage. This is a heart attack. Also called myocardial infarction or MI, (Myo – muscle, cardial – heart, infarction – death of tissue), heart attacks can be fatal if medical care isn’t received quickly.

Heart Attacks – What you should know

World Heart Day: Warning signs of a heart attack

Heart block: Heart block refers to a defect causing weakened conduction of the impulse that regulates the heartbeat. The defect “blocks” the electrical impulse from continuing through the normal pathways and result in a slower heart rate. Heart block caused by heart attacks often goes away on its own. Complete heart block often causes symptoms of lightheadedness or fainting and usually requires the placement of a permanent pacemaker.

Heart failure: Inability of the heart to pump enough blood to sustain normal body functions is called heart failure. It can be caused by coronary artery disease, heart attack, cardiomyopathy and high blood pressure.

Heart valves: Heart has four valves – two atrioventricular (AV) valves and two semilunar (SL) valves. Heart valves are present at the exit of each of four heart chambers. They make sure that blood always flows freely in a forward direction and that there is no backward leakage.

Haemoglobin: Haemoglobin is an iron-containing protein in the blood that carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body and carries carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. It gives red blood cells of blood their characteristic colour.

High density lipoprotein: High density lipoprotein (HDL) is composed of a high proportion of protein and relatively less cholesterol. HDL is the “good cholesterol”. It helps clear fat from your blood. A high level of HDL is protects you from a heart attack.

Hypertension: High pressure in the arteries is called high blood pressure (HBP) or hypertension. A blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered high. High blood pressure (HBP) is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), kidney failure, eye damage and other health problems.

World Heart Day: Why hypertension is a ticking time bomb

Hypotension: Hypotension is abnormally low blood pressure that causes symptoms or signs due to the low blood flow through the blood vessels. Vital organs do not function normally when the flow of blood is too low to deliver enough oxygen and nutrients to them, and they may be temporarily or permanently damaged. Going from a sitting/lying position to a standing position brings out symptoms of low blood pressure. Conditions that reduce the volume of blood or the amount of blood pumped by the heart and medications are reasons for low blood pressure. A reading of 90/60 mmHg or lower is regarded as hypotension.

 Know your heart health terms – part 2

Know your heart health terms – part 3

‘Alcohol exposure may affect shear stress by modulating the heart rate, but it may also involve vigour and/or timing of the contraction,’ said Andrew Rollins, senior study author. ‘Now that we have the tool, we can start to figure that out,’ said Rollins, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University, the journal Biomedical Optics Express reported.

‘We’re analyzing early and late development of the heart and trying to make the connections that result in valve dysfunction,’ said Lindsy M. Peterson, doctoral student in Rollins’ lab, who led the study, according to a Case Western statement. To look at the structure of the developing heart and blood flow, the researchers modified a technology called Doppler optical coherence tomography. Called OCT for short, the technology involves shining an infrared laser on the heart.

The reflections measured at various depths are used to create a 3D image in much the same manner submariners use sonar to picture their surroundings in the deep sea. But the researchers add the dimension of time, creating movies of blood flow through the structures, needed to map shear stress. They take their first images at two days, during a stage of heart development. They take more images at three days and again at eight days, when the septum, the wall between the left and right sides of the heart, has formed.

The pair teamed with research assistant professor Michael W. Jenkins; senior research associate Shi Gu; Lee Barwick, undergraduate researcher now at Brigham Young University; and Michiko Watanabe, professor of paediatrics at Case Western. Working with Ganga Karunamuni, paediatrics research associate at Case Western, they are now pursuing a slew of experiments testing the quail heart model’s response to alcohol exposure and will also test exposure to mental health drugs called selective serotonin receptor inhibitors. Alone or together, they can alter sheer stress.

Source: IANS

1. Nuts: Nuts such at Walnuts, almonds and pistachios are high in Omega-3 Fatty acids. These omega-3 fatty Acids are like elixirs for your heart. They help in proper functioning of the heart and help reduce the plaque formation in its arteries. The fibre content in the nuts help to ease the digestive tract, thereby helping your metabolism. Our expert Mrs Shilpa Mittal says, a hand full of nuts, had as a mid day snack can help speed up your way to weight loss and protect your heart. Read more about the benefits of nuts in our article eat nuts to prevent heart disease.

2. Fish: Nutritionist Shilpa mittal says that including two or more servings of fish such as ‘rohu’ or salmon, per week can lower your risk of heart disease by upto 30%. She says fish contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to lower your levels of triglycerides. Omega-3 is known to lower blood pressure slightly and can help prevent irregular heartbeats.

3. Flax seeds: These again are another great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Apart from providing you with the essential fatty acid it also provide a good source of fibre. Flax seed also contains a compound called lignin that are high in both plant estrogen and antioxidant properties. According to experts, flaxseeds are about 75-80 times higher in lignan content than other plant foods.

4. Yellow/red fruits and veggies: Fruits such as apples, bananas and pomegranate are high in yellow and red colour. Veggies such as tomatoes, lemons and carrot are also great source of this pigment. The red and yellow pigment in these fruits and vegetables are high in beta carotene which is a great antioxidant. It helps to reduce the damage cause by free radicals which are highly detrimental to the heart muscles and its proper functioning.

5. Red kidney beans: Nutritionist Shilpa Mittal says that Kidney beans (or rajma) should be included in your diet. Consuming about two servings of beans twice a week could lower your risk of heart disease. Kidney beans contain soluble fibre which helps bind to cholesterol, inhibiting it from getting absorbed in the body. It is also a high protein source that helps repair damaged muscles and build overall strength.

6. Garlic/onion: Garlic and onions contain a compound that acts as an effective blood thinner. Ideally a daily dose of two pods of garlic and one onion in your diet can help the heart work better. For people already suffering from heart disease or plaque formation, onions and garlic can prove to be very beneficial.

7. Oatmeal: Oatmeal is a store house of fibre. It is well known as a healthy breakfast when mixed with fresh fruits or the dried variety. Oatmeal provides a feeling of fullness and is great to keep cholesterol related diseases including heart disease at bay.

8. Raisins: Contain a high amount of antioxidants. Their probiotic property also helps to keep the stomach lining healthy and working well. A hand full of raisins on a daily basis serves as a good in between snack and provides instant energy.

9. Chocolate: The benefits of chocolate on your heart are well documented. Researchers say that a small piece of dark chocolate on a daily basis helps to boost the body’s antioxidant reserves and protects you from heart disease.

10. Green tea: A relatively new fad, green tea’s antioxidant effect on the body is well documented. Having two cups of unsweetened green tea helps your body fight against heart detrimental factors such as cholesterol and plaque.

There is no need to starve yourself in order to prevent heart disease. Choose the right kind of food and you are on the right path!

According to the scientists, they plan to use the patients own heart cells, an innovation which can minimise the rate of rejection by the body, further increasing the patients chances of survival. The British scientists are now all set to apply for permission to try this technique on patients. If the results of this phase of the trial are promising, this unique needle prick, could be made handy to paramedics, who could use this as an essential lifesaving technique.