Heart Disease

West Virginia University Hospitals-East and the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Eastern Division will sponsor a community mini-medical school program on heart disease. The seminar, titled Heart to Heart, will be held Tuesday, Feb. 15, in the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center on the City Hospital campus. The featured speakers are Dr. Neal Gaither, board-certified cardiologist and medical director of cardiovascular services at WVUH-East, and Dr. Cathy Funk, department of medicine chair at City Hospital and board-certified internist with Panhandle Medical Associates.

Phil Cosentino never has been one to sit back and watch life go by. Instead, he lives it to the fullest. He's a runner who participates in everything from trail races to half marathons. He loves to ski and has logged more than 30 scuba dives. And, although he's an attorney by profession, he's a bit of a landscaper - the dirtier the project the better. To most people, including Cosentino, he seemed the picture of good health. "I have always been very active.

by Joe Crocetta / staff photographer see the enlargement Although her father died of a heart attack at the age of 57, Leitersburg resident Grace Peiffer didn't think about it happening to her. "It was a man's disease," she says. Twelve years ago, Peiffer was 52 years old and about to start her morning shift at Angstrom Precision in Hagerstown. She took a last puff on her cigarette and dismissed the digestive discomfort she felt, because she had been having esophagus problems.

A free community seminar, "Reduce Stress for a Healthy Heart," will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Wilson College Brooks Science Complex Auditorium, 1015 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg. Dr. Arshad Safi, interventional cardiologist with Summit Cardiology, and Dr. Satyajit Mukherjee, psychiatrist with Summit Behavioral Health, will provide information about the link between heart health and stress levels and tips for a healthy heart. Light refreshments will be available.

Unchecked diabetes may lead to coronary heart disease and stroke, but it can be modified, treated or controlled with care. Diabetes greatly increases the risk of getting heart disease. The disease can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels, increasing the likelihood of high blood pressure. An estimated 382,000 people in Maryland have diabetes, and only half of these people have been diagnosed. According to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, an additional 1.3 million Marylanders are at risk of developing diabetes depending on age, weight and daily activity.

Cardiovascular or heart disease is the leading cause of illness and death in the United States and accounts for more than 50 percent of all deaths. A multitude of factors that can increase a person's risk for cardiovascular disease. Some of those can be controlled by behavioral choices, such as smoking and eating habits. However, there are other factors that an individual cannot control. Heredity, age, gender and race are among the factors that increase the risk for heart disease.

RANSON, W.Va. - West Virginia has the worst rate of heart disease in the country, and Jefferson County is ranked ninth among the state's 55 counties for its rate of heart disease leading to death, according to medical officials. On Friday, Jefferson Memorial Hospital launched its latest effort to fight the high incidents of heart disease with the opening of the Mattie H. Bonham Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Wellness Center. After patients recover from heart attacks, heart surgeries and other treatments, they are often put on a program of exercise.

February is Heart Health Month, so do something good for your heart before the month is over. Take time to examine eating and lifestyle patterns that affect the overall health of your heart. Heart disease is any disease that affects the heart or blood vessels. Though much effort has been made to make people aware of causes and prevention, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in America for both men and women. In fact, heart disease kills someone every 33 seconds in the U.S. - that is about 2,600 people a day. Many factors affect a person's risk of heart disease.

In 2003, cardiovascular disease was listed as the reason for admission in more than 6 million hospitalizations. Many factors increase a person's risk for developing heart disease; some of them can be controlled. These are called modifiable risk factors. One in every five deaths due to heart disease is caused by smoking. According to Pam Peitz, manager of Washington County Hospital's Cardiac Rehab and Congestive Heart Failure programs, quitting smoking greatly reduces one's risk of heart disease.

Tina Larrick wasn't feeling well. She thought she might be getting the flu. But it was her daughter's birthday - a time to celebrate - so she tried to ignore her symptoms. Heading to bed that night, she expected she would sleep well. What she wasn't expecting was a heart attack. At the age of 38, Larrick was shocked to learn she had heart disease. "My father had had open-heart surgery. His father died from a heart attack when he was 52, but I thought my brothers would be at risk for similar problems - not me," the Boonsboro resident said.

A free community seminar, "Reduce Stress for a Healthy Heart," will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at the Wilson College Brooks Science Complex Auditorium, 1015 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg. Dr. Arshad Safi, interventional cardiologist with Summit Cardiology, and Dr. Satyajit Mukherjee, psychiatrist with Summit Behavioral Health, will provide information about the link between heart health and stress levels and tips for a healthy heart. Light refreshments will be available.

The foods you choose can make a difference in how you look and feel.  Whole-grain foods provide you with health-promoting vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent heart disease and some cancers. Experts recommend making half your grains whole grains every day. Researchers recommend making one-half your plate fruits and vegetables. Fruits, such as blueberries, and vegetables, such as broccoli, offer antioxidants and phytochemicals that reduce the oxidative damage associated with aging, heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Kristin Boyd hopes the steps taken Sunday during the 2012 Mason Dixon Heart and Stroke Walk lead to strides in research that could save her 3-year-old son's life. “They're giving him three to five years to live. There currently is no cure, so we're hoping raising funds will help to find a cure,” Boyd said. The Boyd family, of Hagerstown, served as the walk's “Red Cap” family in support of the American Heart Association. Young Collin Boyd has hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital defect that caused the left side of his heart not to develop.

On Tuesday, Feb. 21, West Virginia University Hospitals-East and the WVU Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center Eastern Division will sponsor a community mini-medical school program on heart disease. The presentation, titled "Heart Failure," will focus on the early signs and symptoms of heart disease. The program will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center on the City Hospital campus. Registration is at 6:30 p.m. To register, call 304-264-1287, ext. 1760.

Free information sessions about the coronary health improvement project (CHIP) for those who have, or wish to avoid heart disease, high blood pressure, adult onset diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity will be offered. Sessions will be from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, or 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at Robinwood Professional Center Suite 122A, east of Hagerstown. A session will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at Hagerstown Seventh-day Adventist Church, 11507 Robinwood Drive, east of Hagerstown.

February is National Heart Month. In recognition, a free community seminar, “Heart Disease & Weight Management,” will be presented from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at Wilson College's Brooks Complex Auditorium in Chambersburg. Dr. Arshad Safi of Summit Cardiology and Dr. Paul Klink of Summit Weight Management Services will discuss how to reduce your risk of heart disease. Both doctors will discuss the small lifestyle changes you can make to keep your heart healthy. The event is free, but registration is required by Feb. 8. To register, call 717-262-4472.

"The Cholesterol Story: Are You Fighting Heart Disease?," will be presented at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, at Hagerstown Seventh-day Adventist Church, east of Hagerstown. The program will discuss ways to naturally stamp out circulatory diseases. For more information, call 301-733-4411.

1. Come to Mama “Vicki Lawrence & Mama,” a two-woman show, will feature stand-up comedy, music and observations about real life by Vicki Lawrence and her alter ego. 2 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28. The Maryland Theatre, 21 S. Potomac St., downtown Hagerstown. Tickets cost $39 and $49. Call 301-790-3500 or go to www.mdtheatre.org. 2. Saddling up to help kids 'Saddle up for St. Jude' judged horse trail ride and silent auction-sat will be Saturday, Oct. 1, registration 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., ride 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., silent auction 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Washington County Agriculture Education Center, 7303 Sharpsburg Pike, south of Hagerstown.

Phil Cosentino never has been one to sit back and watch life go by. Instead, he lives it to the fullest. He's a runner who participates in everything from trail races to half marathons. He loves to ski and has logged more than 30 scuba dives. And, although he's an attorney by profession, he's a bit of a landscaper - the dirtier the project the better. To most people, including Cosentino, he seemed the picture of good health. "I have always been very active.

I've spent nearly my entire adult life as an advocate for fitness and teacher of how to develop healthier lifestyle.  I know from personal and professional experience that living in a fit, strong body empowers you to live life without physical limitations. If you aren't currently in your best condition, you are missing out on a lot of cool stuff you could be doing if you put the work in. The scientific world agrees with the consensus that a life of physical fitness prolongs life, wards off debilitating disease and improves virtually every bodily function you can think of. So why is there a "fat acceptance" movement?