A guide to coronary heart disease that discusses symptoms, diagnosis, heart attacks, stents, and the risks and benefits to the possible treatment options--which includes medications and balloon surgery.

Coronary heart disease kills more people in the United States than any other heart disorder, and it is the leading cause of death among American women. Jerome E. Granato, a distinguished cardiologist with more than twenty-five years of experience, has created an authoritative and accessible guide to this common condition, providing patients and their families with insight and advice. Dr. Granato begins by describing the basic science of the disease, known also as atherosclerosis, in which arteries become clogged and damaged. He then explains who is at risk and how the disease is detected and diagnosed. He covers all the treatment options, from medications to surgery, and answers such questions as: • How do I know if I have coronary heart disease? • What is a heart attack? • Does my condition need to be treated with surgery? • What are the benefits and risks of balloon angioplasty? • What are stents and how do they work? • How can I manage my condition for the future? He addresses the needs of specific populations, and concludes by discussing how a healthy diet and regular exercise can influence health before and after treatment and how it can help prevent disease. Even after coronary heart disease is diagnosed, its course can be modified. This valuable resource will help patients and their families make some of the most important health care decisions they will ever face.

Chronic diseases are common and costly, yet they are also among the most preventable health problems. Comprehensive and accurate disease surveillance systems are needed to implement successful efforts which will reduce the burden of chronic diseases on the U.S. population. A number of sources of surveillance data-including population surveys, cohort studies, disease registries, administrative health data, and vital statistics-contribute critical information about chronic disease. But no central surveillance system provides the information needed to analyze how chronic disease impacts the U.S. population, to identify public health priorities, or to track the progress of preventive efforts. A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases outlines a conceptual framework for building a national chronic disease surveillance system focused primarily on cardiovascular and chronic lung diseases. This system should be capable of providing data on disparities in incidence and prevalence of the diseases by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic region, along with data on disease risk factors, clinical care delivery, and functional health outcomes. This coordinated surveillance system is needed to integrate and expand existing information across the multiple levels of decision making in order to generate actionable, timely knowledge for a range of stakeholders at the local, state or regional, and national levels. The recommendations presented in A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases focus on data collection, resource allocation, monitoring activities, and implementation. The report also recommends that systems evolve along with new knowledge about emerging risk factors, advancing technologies, and new understanding of the basis for disease. This report will inform decision-making among federal health agencies, especially the Department of Health and Human Services; public health and clinical practitioners; non-governmental organizations; and policy makers, among others.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a screening tool called the Listing of Impairments to identify claimants who are so severely impaired that they cannot work at all and thus immediately qualify for benefits. In this report, the IOM makes several recommendations for improving SSA's capacity to determine disability benefits more quickly and efficiently using the Listings.

Whether you're a freshly diagnosed patient, a woman who's been living with heart disease for years, or a practitioner who cares about women's health, A Woman's Guide to Living with Heart Disease will help you feel less alone and advocate for better health care.

Most of us want to live a long, healthy life, but how do we do that? Drawing upon lessons from his own life, Mayo Clinic cardiologist Stephen Kopecky offers a holistic, evidence-based approach to preventing common diseases and chronic illnesses and living a longer life of pleasure and purpose. In the past century, the leading causes of death around the world have shifted from infectious diseases to long-term chronic illnesses. What’s killing us today isn’t so much flu or tuberculosis, but heart disease and cancer. In fact, more than 1.2 million Americans die from these two diseases each year. Paradoxically, these chronic diseases are a consequence of living longer than ever. But even if we’re living longer, are we living better? The overwhelming number of people now living under the burden of chronic illness indicates otherwise. After surviving two bouts of cancer, Dr. Stephen Kopecky, M.D set out to discover the behaviors people can adopt to live longer lives free of chronic illnesses and diseases. What he discovered was that the answer lies in just six habits that require small changes to your daily life, but reap big results long-term. From adopting better diet and exercise habits to managing stress and sleep, these behaviors will not only preserve your health, they can improve your quality of living and extend your life. The secret, however, lies not just in the steps themselves but in how you accomplish them. This book offers in-depth insights on: The best foods to eat and why Increasing physical activity and improving fitness Why your sleep habits matter The dangers of stress and what to do about them The true impact of alcohol and tobacco on our bodies How to make changes that will last a lifetime After 30 years of research in the field of cardiovascular disease prevention, Dr. Kopecky is sharing what he’s learned from his practice and own personal experience about staying healthy, preventing chronic illnesses, and living younger longer.

Stephen Purvis is a retired chiropractor who sought alternative health care to treat a heart condition after being given five years to live in 2001. He discovered a way to rejuvenate his heart and made an unprecedented recovery. By sharing his protocols, he hopes to help others recover as he did. I recovered from severe congestive heart failure and I can show you how to recover and save your life, too. If you suffer from heart disease and follow my protocols, your heart muscle and heart valves may be rehabilitated and refurbished. You may increase your lifespan and improve your quality of life.