How much does your heart cost ?

The researchers who came up with this estimate hope that the figure will spur improvements in stroke prevention and treatment, particularly in underserved populations.

For their analysis, reported in the journal Neurology, Dr. D. L. Brown, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues used data from two stroke surveillance studies and from the 2000 US Census. They added in the cost of ambulance services, inpatient hospitalization and rehabilitation, nursing home care, drugs and outpatient services. Also included were costs of informal caregiving, and potential lost earnings.

From now until 2050, they calculate, stroke treatment will cost $1.52 trillion among non-Hispanic whites, $313 billion for Hispanics, and $379 billion for African Americans. Corresponding per capita costs were roughly $16,000, $17,000 and $26,000.

"Lost earnings and informal caregiving were the highest two individual cost contributors in all race-ethnic groups," Brown's team notes, "constituting approximately half of the total costs."

Moreover, people ages 45 to 64 years account for approximately half the total costs, versus 10 percent for individuals age 85 and older, suggesting that "interventions to reduce the cost of stroke must therefore not solely be targeted toward the elderly."

By overcoming barriers to quality care for ethnic minorities, the team says, the incidence of strokes at earlier ages will decline, and costs of treating stroke in these populations will be reduced.

SOURCE: Neurology, online August 16, 2006.

What is Cholesterol ?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by the liver and also supplied in the diet through animal products such as meats, poultry, fish and dairy products. Cholesterol is needed (in the body) to insulate nerves, make cell membranes and produce certain hormones. However, the body makes enough cholesterol, so any dietary cholesterol isn't needed.

Too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to cardiovascular disease�America's No. 1 killer. Understanding the facts about cholesterol will help you take better care of your heart and live a healthier life, reducing your risk for heart attack and stroke.

The Good�
High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as the "good" cholesterol. Your body makes HDL cholesterol for your protection. It carries cholesterol away from your arteries. Studies suggest that high levels of HDL cholesterol reduce your risk of heart attack.

The Bad�
Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as the "bad" cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can clog your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

�and The Ugly
When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, cholesterol and other substances build up in the walls of your arteries. This build up is called plaque. Over time, it causes "hardening of the arteries" so that arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart is slowed down.

The blood carries oxygen to the heart, and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack. Heart attacks most commonly occur when plaques become fragile and rupture. Then blood clots are formed and can completely cut off blood supply to a portion of the heart.

Heart Disease & Stroke: The Facts

INTRODUCTION

The UK has one of the highest rates of death from heart disease in the world - one British adult dies from the disease every three minutes - and stroke is the country's third biggest killer, claiming 70,000 lives each year. Heart attacks occur when blood flow is blocked, often by a blood clot, while strokes are caused either by blocked or burst blood vessels in the brain. A range of other conditions, including heart failure, when blood is not pumped properly around the body, and congenital heart defects can also cause long term problems, and even death, for sufferers.

HEART DISEASE

The heart pumps blood around the body carrying oxygen and other nutrients to the areas that need it. When this process is interrupted, or does not work properly, serious illness and even death can result. The risk of heart disease is greater for people with poor diet, who smoke and do not exercise, and men are more likely to suffer from it than women. A range of tests and treatments, including drugs, heart bypass surgery and transplants, exist to alleviate symptoms or save the lives of sufferers.

STROKE

There are two types of stroke - those caused by blood clots in the brain and those that occur when blood vessels burst. In both cases, the brain is starved of oxygen, damaging or killing cells. Sufferers are often left with difficulty talking, walking and performing other basic tasks. The chance of suffering a stroke is cut by eating healthily, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol. People at risk of stroke are often treated with aspirin. After a stroke, various drug treatments are available and rehabilitation is commonly used to improve patients' speech and movement.