1. health and fitness
2. disease

Issue 129 January 2015
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 29577
“It’s great to be alive – and to help others!”
President: Dan Dallaire (704) 796-0628
Pres. Emeritus: Roger Brewster (843) 281-9808
Vice President: Ruth Keilen (843) 685-3378
Hospital Liaison and Visiting Chairperson:
Gail Dowling, RN (843) 692-1432 / 839-6037
Corresponding Secretary: Allyson Hirsh (843) 902-9146
Inspiring hope and
improving the quality of
life for heart patients and
their families through
ongoing peer-to-peer
support
Recording Secretary: Diane Mabe (336) 383-9293
Treasurer: Bob May (843) 742-5085
Sunshine Committee: Arline Poole (843) 449-5999
Visiting Captain: Dennis Tummino (843) 236-7369
Greeter: Dan Dallaire (704) 796-0628
Newsletter Editor: Mary Lou O’Brien (843) 742-5085
1
*If you have information of
interest to our members for our
next newsletter, you can call me
at (843) 742-5085 or email me at
marylou7@sccoast.net
Mended Hearts Member Birthdays
Mended Hearts Meetings
for January and February.
Mon. Jan. 12, 11:30 a.m.
Mon. Feb. 9, 11:30 a.m.
Monthly Visits GSMC
December:
Patients: 66 Families: 37
Days Missed: 0
a.m.
Our President’s Letter for January 2015
January
1/1 – Dennis Tummino
1/5 - Tom Anzelone
1/11 - Allen Migliaccio
1/13 - Laura Ware, RN
1/20 - Joan Valencic
1/21 - Bill Palmer
1/23 - Bill Frondi
1/29 - Tom Mills
1/30 - Tony Belda
February
2/2 – Betty White
2/4 – Merline Lawrence
2/11- Jay Hardcastle
2/14 - Ruth Keilen
2-17 – Dan Dallaire
2/27 - Gail Dowling, RN
2/28 - Patty Fabrizio
December 26, 2014
Dear Mended Hearts Members,
First of all Helen and I hope each of you had a safe and blessed Christmas,
celebrating with family and friends.
Bob has passed the president’s torch to me and we can’t thank him and Allyne
enough for their dedication. Hopefully, with your help we can continue to make it
burn brightly over the next two years.
As usual our Christmas party on December 8th was an evening of good
fellowship and a LOT of great food.
A new year is upon us and as usual we have all made some resolutions that
we cannot achieve. However, there is one that we can achieve together and that is
growing our chapter 117. I would like to challenge each of us to invite a friend to
join our wonderful chapter before the end of 2015.
Looking forward to seeing everyone at our January the 12th meeting! Our
speakers will be Pat Bush and Tony Acero from the Horry County Literacy Council.
We have been temporarily re-located from our usual meeting rooms A & B to the
Cardio Rehab meeting room – January only, we hope.
Dan Dallaire
Mended Hearts Chapter 117
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
2
Congenital heart disease is the most
common type of birth defect, affecting nearly 1% of
births each year in the United States. While it’s
estimated that 80% of cases are sporadic events that
happen by chance, research shows that genetics may
play a role in some cases of congenital heart
disease.
To learn more about the topic, researchers
recently screened the genes of 16 families with
strong histories of congenital heart disease and 15
families with no known birth defects. Focusing on
57 genes believed to cause congenital heart defects,
investigators compared these potential diseasecausing genes among the two groups of study
participants.
Not only did researchers find 13 of the
genetic variants in nine of the families impacted by
heart defects, they believe genes may identify the
cause of heart defects in up to 31% of families.
In recent years, there has been an explosion
of research utilizing next-generation sequencing to
analyze genetic information. Authors are hopeful
that existing evidence together with future research
will help us further understand the role of genetics
in congenital heart disease. Identifying genetic
causes of congenital heart defects plays an
important role in both clinical care and family
planning, and is likely to become more common in
the near future as technology continues to advance.
South Strand/Georgetown Satellite of
Mended Hearts Chapter 117
will hold its monthly meetings at 12 noon on
the fourth Tuesday of the month at
HealthPoint Center for Health and Fitness in
Pawley’s Island. For more information
contact Ruth Keilen at (843) 685-3378 or by
email at rkeilen@mercyhospice.org.
Contact Information for your Mended
Hearts Mid-Atlantic RD and ARD:
Gerald H. Kemp, Jr.
Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic Region
215 Oakwood Ave., York, SC 29745
Tel: (803) 684-9512
ghkempjr@hotmail.com
Bill Carter
Assistant Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic Region
2222 Cardigan Drive, Aiken, SC 29803
Tel: (803) 270-2496
wmcar@gforcecable.com
Genes Help Explain Strong Family
History of Congenital Heart Disease
Read the full study in the Journal of the American
College of Cardiology
Disease-causing genes help explain heart defects
in one-third of families with a strong family
history of CHD, finds novel study.
Questions for You to Consider


Disease-causing
genes help explain
heart defects in
one-third of
families with a
strong family
history of
congenital heart
disease, according
to a study published
in the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology.
3
What are congenital heart defects?
“Congenital” means present from birth.
So, congenital heart defects refers to a number of
different conditions that can occur when a baby’s
heart is forming or at birth. As a result, the
heart—or the major vessels in and around the
heart—may not develop or work the way they
should. Congenital heart defects are the most
common type of birth defect. Roughly 8 of every
1,000 babies are born with some sort of structural
defect in their hearts. These problems cause more
deaths in the first year of life than any other birth
defects. Some examples are atrial septal defect,
coarctation of the aorta, and aortic stenosis. But,
there is good news. More babies are surviving
than ever before thanks to advances in treating
and correcting many of these problems. Although
most defects are found during pregnancy by
ultrasound or in early childhood, some defects
aren’t discovered until adulthood. About 1
million adults are living with congenital heart
disease.


Staying Well - Good News
About Canned Salmon
Nutritionists at Johns Hopkins University
report that canned salmon is as fresh as wild
Atlantic salmon. When compared with farm-raised
salmon, the canned might be
even better.
One
3.5-ounce
serving of pink canned
salmon provides 1.7 grams
of omega-3 fatty acids, about
the same as fresh wild or
farmed Atlantic salmon.
While farmed salmon is higher in harmful chemical
contaminant PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) most
canned salmon is proceed from wild salmon, which
is lower in PCBs.
The
American
Heart
Association
recommends at least two 3.5 ounce servings of
fatty, omega-3 rich fish like salmon and albacore
tuna. Omega-3s help keep blood platelets from
clotting, so they reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Omega-3s may also reduce inflammation in blood
vessels and elsewhere in the body.
Canned salmon will stay fresh for one and
a half years. For extra calcium, leave the bones in.
They're easy to mash and provide almost as much
calcium as a glass of milk.
Salmon patties are a tasty main course. Or
mix salmon with mayo and celery for a salmon
salad sandwich.
How common are congenital heart defects?
Congenital heart defects are the most common
type of birth defect, affecting roughly 1% of all
births in the United States. Thanks to
advancements in treatments, it’s estimated that 1
million adults are now living with a congenital
heart defect.
Find this CardioSmart article and more cardiologistreviewed news, patient tools, and videos at
www.CardioSmart.org.
Pages: 1115-101.txt
Antonio Acero is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Horry County Literacy Council
located at 3101 Oak St., Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Tel: 843-839-1695, Email: literacyhc@gmail.com
It’s Football Season – so here are a few football
chuckles – team names can be substituted at will:
A University of Michigan football player
was almost killed yesterday in a tragic horsebackriding accident. He fell from a horse and was nearly
trampled to death. Luckily, the manager of the
Wal-Mart came out and unplugged the horse.
What do you say to a University of
Kentucky football player dressed in a three-piece
suit?
Will
the
defendant
please
rise.
If three Florida State football players are in
the same car, who is driving? The police officer.
How do you get a former Illinois football
player off your porch? Pay him for the pizza.
In his email to me, he wrote that at the
present time they are in dire need of volunteers:
* To teach adults to read
* To teach English as a Second Language (ESL)
* To teach dyslexic adults and children to read
Please contact them if you are interested in
volunteering.
4
disease (COPD), diabetes, anemia and obesity
compared to heart failure patients with poor heart
function (reduced ejection fraction). However,
kidney disease and sleep-disordered breathing are
just as common in both types of heart failure
patients. Researchers also found that risk of death is
higher in heart failure patients with comorbid
conditions, regardless of heart function.
This study is one of the first to compare
comorbid conditions among heart failure patients
based on heart function. Although findings shine
light on this issue, authors believe further research
is urgently needed, particularly since comorbidity is
so common among heart failure patients. Authors
encourage providers to pay careful attention to
comorbid conditions affecting heart failure patients
to improve both outcomes and quality of life.
Comorbid Conditions Associated with
Heart Failure
Heart function plays an important role in
the type of comorbid conditions
associated with heart failure, finds study.
Certain heart failure
patients are more likely
to be living with other
serious
medical
conditions, according to
a study comparing heart
function and comorbid
conditions among heart
failure patients.
Heart failure is a common condition that
occurs when the heart can’t pump enough blood and
oxygen to support the rest of the body. Since aging
and unhealthy behaviors increase risk for heart
failure, it’s not surprising that many patients with
heart failure are impacted by other serious
conditions, such as diabetes and chronic kidney
disease. In fact, it’s estimated that nearly threefourths of heart failure patients have at least one
comorbidity and 55% of Medicare patients with
heart failure have five or more comorbidities.
However, a recent study published in the
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
found that heart function may play a key role in the
type of comorbid conditions associated with heart
failure. Researchers reviewed all relevant studies
published
between
1994–2014,
comparing
comorbidities among heart failure patients with
preserved ejection fraction vs. reduced ejection
fraction.
Ejection fraction is a term used to describe
how well the heart pumps with each beat. Patients
with preserved ejection fraction have a normal
amount of blood leaving the heart when it contracts,
while patients with reduced ejection fraction don’t
pump blood as well with each beat. Ejection
fraction is important when it comes to treating heart
failure and can impact risk of complications
associated with this condition.
After reviewing two decades of research,
investigators found that patients with better heart
function (preserved ejection fraction) are more
likely to have chronic obstructive pulmonary
Read the full study in the Journal of the American College
of Cardiology
Questions for You to Consider

What are common heart failure symptoms?

Heart failure symptoms often present themselves
slowly but progress and worsen over time. These
symptoms include shortness of breath; swelling of
feet, ankles or abdomen; fatigue; cough and weight
gain.

What is ejection fraction?

Ejection fraction is a test used to measure the
amount of blood leaving the heart each time it
contracts. Doctors typically measure ejection
fraction when a patient shows signs of or is
diagnosed with heart failure. Ejection fraction tells
a doctor how well the heart pumps with each beat,
which is used to determine the best possible
treatment options to improve outcomes and quality
of life.
Find this CardioSmart article and more cardiologistreviewed news, patient tools, and videos at
www.CardioSmart.org.
5
In 2015, Retirees Get 1.7 Percent Raises
Ebola: What the Bodily Fluids Are
Social Security recipients are starting to
get their cost-of-living raises, says the Social
Security Administration.
For the average retired person on Social
Security, their monthly payments would rise $22
from the 2014 payments of $1,306 to $1,328.
The average couple's benefits rise from
$2,140 to $2,176.
The maximum monthly benefit for a
single worker at full retirement age rises from
$2,643 to $2,663 in 2015. The increase will affect
nearly 64 million Americans.
When you think about catching Ebola, it's
easy to know you haven't been exposed to
someone's blood. But many people don't know, for
example, that sweat is a bodily fluid. If you bump
into a sweaty person, there's a remote possibility
that you could get it.
In all the cautions about the disease, few
of them mention what the bodily fluids actually are.
They include blood, urine, saliva, semen, sweat,
vomit and diarrhea.
Of course, the virus in those fluids needs
an entry point for the disease to develop, like a cut,
scrape, or contact with the mouth, nose or eyes.
The maximum pay amount subject to
Social Security taxes rises from $117,000 to
$118,500.
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Pages: 0115-102.txt
Men Can Age-Proof Their Muscles and
Prevent Injuries at the Same Time
A study by the International Osteoporosis
Foundation shows that a third of all hip fractures
occur in men, who are twice as likely as women to
die afterward.
It's muscle mass that helps strengthen and
support bones, but it dwindles as the body ages.
Reporting in Time, John P. Porcari, a
professor of exercise and sports at the University of
Wisconsin, La Crosse, recommends these simple
moves for improving strength and muscle mass.
1. Shoulders: His No. 1 move for shoulder
strength is the dumbbell shoulder press. While
seated, lift dumbbells
from shoulder height
up to full arm height
using both arms at
once.
2.
Arms:
Concentration curls
are best for building
biceps. While seated,
lift one arm holding a
dumbbell from inside
the knee almost to the armpit of the other.
3. Chest: Push-ups are best. Start with
wall push-ups, as you strengthen, move to knee
Health in the News - New, Once-A-Day
Hepatitis Pill Is Approved
The first treatment that promises to be a
one-prescription cure for hepatitis C has been
approved for sale by Gilead Sciences, Inc.
It costs about $100,000 for the 12-week
series and it is likely to raise tensions between drug
companies and health insurers over spiraling prices.
The drug, called Harvoni builds on
Gilead's blockbuster Sovaldi, which recorded the
biggest drug launch in history after going on sale
late last year. It costs $84,000 for a 12-week course.
The new pill combines Sovaldi with
another agent into a single orange pill that needs to
be taken once a day to cure most patients. Its cost is
$94,500 for typical patients treated for 12 weeks.
One pharmaceutical authority says if a
surgery was developed that cost $200,000 to cure
hepatitis, no one would question it, but they
complain vigorously over a life-saving pill that cost
less than half that much.
Pages: 0115-091.txt
6
pushups, then to fully extended pushups as you get
even stronger.
4. Core and abs: Kettlebell classes have
led to big increases in core strength. Without
equipment, however, the traditional crunch
activated even more muscles.
5. Lower body: For thigh and backside
strength, do lunges with a dumbbell in each hand.
Lunges work the hamstrings and glutes more than
squats.
6. Back. To make up for your abdominal
weight, which can strain the lower back, lie on your
stomach and lift your legs for 15 seconds at a time.
aggressive anti-clotting therapy after stenting.
Almost 10,000 patients participated in the study and
were randomly assigned to take either 12 or 30
months of aspirin plus a prescription anti-clotting
drug (clopidogrel (brand: Plavix) or prasugrel
(brand: Effient)), after which time they took aspirin,
alone.
Following analysis, researchers found that
extending the use of aspirin plus prescription anticlotting drugs to 30 months significantly reduced
risks of clots and major heart events, like heart
attack, compared to just a year of use. However,
taking the more aggressive treatment beyond a year
increased risk of bleeding—one of the most
common complications associated with anti-clotting
meds.
Based on these findings, it’s clear that
extending aggressive anti-clotting treatment carries
both risks and benefits. Although such treatment
significantly reduced risk of heart events, it carried
an increased bleeding risk compared to shorter-term
therapy. Therefore, it’s important that patients with
or receiving stents discuss treatment options with
their doctor to determine the length and type of
treatment that works best for them.
Pages: 0115-083.txt
Risks and Benefits of Extending Drug
Treatment After Stent
Lengthening anti-clotting treatment after
stent implantation may prevent heart
attacks but increases risk of bleeding,
finds new study.
Lengthening anticlotting treatment after
stent implantation may
prevent heart attacks
but increases risk of
bleeding, according to
a study presented on
Nov. 16 at the
American Heart
Association 2014
Questions for You to Consider
Scientific Sessions.
Each year, millions of patients with heart
disease have stents implanted to treat narrow or
weak arteries and promote healthy blood flow.
Although stents reduce risk of serious conditions
like heart attack, these small mesh tubes increase
risk of clotting, which is why experts developed
drug-eluting stents that contain anti-clotting
medication to reduce risk of complications. But
even with a drug-eluting stent, it’s recommended
that patients take aspirin and a prescription anticlotting drug after stent implantation. The question
is—how long should patients continue to take both
medications to reduce risk of complications?
Through the Dual Antiplatelet Therapy
Study, researchers compared 12 vs. 30 months of

How do drug-eluting stents differ from other
types of stents?

The two main types of stents—bare-metal stents
and drug-eluting stents—perform the same
function of keeping the artery open and
preventing it from collapsing. However, drugeluting stents have the added function of
preventing clots and tissue from forming around
the stent by releasing medication.

What are the most common risks associated
with drug-eluting stents?

Although drug-eluting stents are generally safe
and effective, the most common complications
include blood clotting around the stent and renarrowing of the arteries, called restenosis.
Find this CardioSmart article and more cardiologistreviewed news, patient tools, and videos at
www.CardioSmart.org.
7
only does evidence highlight the increased stroke
risk, particularly in patients with AFib and stage 5
kidney disease, it suggests that the benefits of
warfarin use may outweigh risks associated with
such treatment. However, it’s important that
patients work with their doctor to understand risks
and benefits associated with treatment in order to
determine the best possible treatment.
Blood Thinner Benefits Patients with
AFib and Advanced Kidney Disease
Warfarin helps reduce stroke risk in
patients with atrial fibrillation and
advanced kidney disease, finds study.
The blood thinner warfarin (brand: Coumadin,
Jantoven) helps reduce stroke risk in patients with
atrial fibrillation and
advanced kidney disease,
according to a study
published in the Journal
of the American College
of Cardiology.
Atrial fibrillation,
often referred to as AFib,
is the most common type
of irregular heart rhythm, affecting more than 2
million Americans. Since AFib significantly
increases risk for stroke, blood thinners are often
used to prevent clots and reduce risk of this lifethreatening condition. However, little is known
about the safety and efficacy of blood thinners in
patients with both AFib and advanced chronic
kidney disease. Not only does chronic kidney
disease further increase stroke risk, this condition
increases risk for bleeding—a known complication
associated with blood thinners.
To assess the use of blood thinners in this
high-risk population, researchers analyzed data
from the national Danish health registry, which was
first established in 1978. The registry includes all
Danish hospital admissions, along with details on
diagnoses and treatment.
Between 1997 and 2011, researchers
identified almost 13,000 patients with non-valvular
AFib and chronic kidney failure, roughly 1% of
who received treatment for end-stage kidney
disease. Compared to AFib patients without kidney
disease, patients with both AFib and chronic kidney
disease had anywhere from 1.6 to 5.5 times greater
risk of stroke, depending on the severity of their
disease. Warfarin, however, helped significantly
reduce risk of stroke and death in this high-risk
population.
Findings add to a growing body of evidence
around the benefits of warfarin use in patients with
AFib and advanced chronic kidney disease. Not
Read the full study in the Journal of the American
College of Cardiology
Questions for You to Consider

What is atrial fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm
caused by abnormal, chaotic electrical impulses
in the heart’s upper chambers, the atria. These
electrical impulses, which interfere with the
heart’s natural pacemaker, fire so rapidly the atria
cannot beat with a regular rhythm or squeeze out
blood effectively. Instead, they merely quiver
while the ventricles, the heart’s lower chambers,
beat rapidly.

How is atrial fibrillation treated?

Depending on the individual needs of each
patient, treatment options for atrial fibrillation
include medication and/or surgical or nonsurgical
procedures. The goal of treatment is often to
promote a normal heartbeat, address any
underlying medical issues when possible, reduce
risk for heart attack and stroke and improve
quality of life
My wife and I were sitting at a table at her
high school reunion, and she kept staring at a
drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a
nearby table. I asked her, "Do you know him?"
"Yes", she sighed, “He's my old boyfriend. I
understand he took to drinking right after we split
up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been
sober since." "My God!" I said, "Who would think a
person could go on celebrating that long?"
And then the fight started...
8