Items of Interest

Items of Interest

Potential Heart Disease Breakthrough

New Online Continuing Medical Education Programs on Obesity

Eat right by following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's tips on diet, food safety, and fitness. Go to www.nutrition.gov for more information.

Potential Heart Disease Breakthrough

In what's being called "shocking" and "astounding," an experimental treatment has been shown to unclog arteries -- even in people with advanced heart disease. It worked so well in some people that it reduced artery-clogging plaque 10 times better and far faster than drugs did in any other study. Learn more about this promising treatment that the lead researcher calls an "epiphany."

New Online Continuing Medical Education Programs on Obesity

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), in cooperation with the North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO) has developed two free online continuing medical education modules on the assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults. These modules provide health care practitioners with practical information based on a thorough review of the science that was published in the Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Evidence Report.

The courses review the importance of weight management and the health risks associated with overweight and obesity, what patients should be treated and how they should be treated, the motivations that lead to successful weight loss, and appropriate treatment strategies. Learn about these important issues through the use of case studies and the treatment algorithm. The courses are available on the NHLBI Web site at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/obesitycme/, as well as through the NAASO Web site at http://www.naaso.org.

The courses are free and are available online all of the time. Cine-Med, Inc. has designated each educational activity for a maximum of 2 category 1 credits toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award.

What Are The Numbers

Optimal blood pressure for cardiovascular health and stroke prevention is less than 120 over 80. (The top number measures pressure when the heart contracts; the bottom, when it relaxes between beats.) According to national guidelines, blood pressure is divided into the following categories:

Normal: below 130/85

High Normal: 130-139 over 85-89

Stage 1 Hypertension: 140-159 over 90-99

Stage 2 Hypertension: 160-179 over 100-109

Stage 3 Hypertension: 180 over 110 or higher

National Heart Attack Alert Program

The award-winning "Act in Time to Heart Attack Signs" Small Group Session Lesson Plan is now available online. Use it for your next talk at a senior center, hospital, church, adult education class, worksite health and safety meeting, or community group.

The lesson plan includes:

Talking points on how to recognize and respond to a suspected heart attack.
Reproducible handouts to increase retention of key information.
22 professionally produced overhead masters or PowerPoint slide show to help you present your talk.
Tips on how to plan and publicize your discussion.

To view and download your copy of the lesson plan, simply click on http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/heart/mi/sm_group.htm.