In a new study, the app transferred heart images in 4-6 seconds ― faster and more reliably than traditional methods such as via email or cell phones. The app takes a photo of an electrocardiogram (ECG), centers and reduces its size, while maintaining as much clarity as possible.

 A critical step in effective STEMI treatment is emergency medical services rapidly transmitting an ECG of the heart’s electrical activity to the hospital to help doctors prepare.

 The American Heart Association recommends surgical treatment for heart attacks within 90 minutes of a person arriving at the hospital or clot-busting medication within 30 minutes.

Related Information:

• American Heart Association News Release
• What is an electrocardiogram?
• Learn about Mission Lifeline and how the American Heart Association is working to ensure prompt, appropriate care for heart emergencies.

In a new study, 40-year-olds who improved their fitness reduced their heart failure risk eight years later, compared to those who continued to have a low fitness level.

The improvements didn’t have to be huge: If a 40-year-old went from jogging 12 minutes per mile to running 10 minutes per mile, he or she reduced heart failure risk by 40 percent at a later age.

As more people survive heart attacks and live with heart disease, the number with heart failure is increasing  — now 5.1 million, according to the American Heart Association. By 2030, prevalence of heart failure will increase 25 percent from 2013 estimates.

You can reduce your risk of heart failure by improving fitness, controlling blood pressure and eating healthy.

Related Information:

• American Heart Association News Release
• Tips for getting active
• Learn more about heart failure

The American Heart Association says owning a pet, especially a dog, is likely associated with lower heart disease risk.

Having a dog is particularly helpful because you get in physical activity when you walk your dog. In fact, dog owners are 54 percent more likely to get the recommended level of physical activity each day.

Of course, experts aren’t recommending you get a pet just to reduce your heart disease risk.

 Watch this great video about Pets and CVD!

For the latest heart and stroke news, follow us on Twitter: @HeartNews.

 Related Information:

• American Heart Association News Release
  • Tips on staying active with your pet

In a new study, people with the most heart disease risk factors performed only half as well on brain function tests compared to people with fewer risk factors.

In addition:

• Being older, having diabetes or bad cholesterol and smoking were linked to poor scores.
• Smoking and diabetes had the biggest negative impact on the brain.  
• Heavy smokers had a lower brain function than light or non-smokers.

For the latest heart and stroke news, follow @HeartNews on Twitter.

Related Information:

• American Heart Association News Release

• Link to smoking cessation info

While some irregular heartbeat conditions may limit what you can do, most people with heart defects can do just about any physical activity. Just be sure to talk to your doctor about what you can do.

Avoid becoming sedentary because physical activity can help you physically, psychologically and socially.

Research on physical activity for those with congenital heart disease is limited. So the American Heart Association provides general physical activity recommendations for children and adults.

Congenital heart disease, a heart problem at birth, affects more than 859,000 children and 850,000 adults in the United States.

Related Information:

• American Heart Association Scientific Statement

• Congenital heart disease

• have stronger muscles and bones
• have a leaner body because exercise helps control body fat
• be less likely to become overweight
• decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• possibly lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
• have a better outlook on life

One of the most important things to remember is inactive children will most likely grow up to be inactive adults.  Starting a family fitness program can go a long way in fostering healthy habits for life.

Our jobs as parents are to help them see that exercise can be fun.  Make exercise feel like play and watch as the entire family begins to enjoy it.  Here are five ideas to get you and your kids moving.

1. Schedule time to play.  Set aside 30 minutes three times a week to do some type of fun exercise with your kids.  It can be an after-school or since  it’s staying light longer now, an after-dinner routine.  For younger kids a game of hopscotch or hide-and-seek would be fun.  For older kids, a little soccer or basketball. Want to get kids moving?  Plan time for physical activities.
2. Walk or bicycle whenever you can.  Go for a 30-minute family walk after dinner instead of heading right for the television.  Track your steps.  Make a family exercise log poster and post it on your refrigerator.  Plan a party for milestones reached.
3. Plan active family gatherings.  At your child’s birthday party plan activities like tag, relay races or dance party for older kids.  Zumba’s fun too. Pool parties, ice skating or rock climbing can be pretty cool.
4. Make cleaning fun.  Household chores and be fun and done together as a family.  Crank up the volume and play music while you clean!  Put together a fun playlist and go to town.
5. Make yard work fun.  Seasonal yard work can actually be fun.  Plant and tend to a small garden, rake leaves in a pile and then jump in them.  Shovel snow and make snowmen or snow forts.

Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better and are often better able to handle physical and emotional challenges.  Overall it’s just a win-win situation!  So let’s get moving.

Karen Wiggins, LPN, HWC

By 2030, you — and every U.S. taxpayer — could be paying $244 a year for direct and indirect costs to care for heart failure patients, according to the American Heart Association. Indirect costs affect everyone, not just heart failure patients.

The association projects:

• Costs to treat heart failure could more than double from $31 billion in 2012 to $70 billion in 2030.
• The number of people with heart failure could climb 46 percent from 5 million in 2012 to 8 million in 2030 as the U.S. population ages.

The key to curbing expenses is to prevent the condition — treating underlying risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking and heart disease. Improving treatment, access to care for the poor and minorities and insurance coverage could also curtail costs.

Related Information:

• American Heart Association News Release
• Heart Failure

An expert panel assessed three alternative remedy categories — exercise; behavioral therapies such as meditation; and devices or non-invasive procedures like acupuncture — and found that some can help people with blood pressure levels higher than 120/80 and those who don’t respond well to standard medications:

• Aerobic exercise, resistance or strength training and isometric hand grip exercises were most effective.
• Biofeedback, transcendental meditation and device-guided slow-breathing techniques provided some benefit.
• There’s not enough evidence to recommend acupuncture and yoga.

Alternative therapies should be an addition to — not a replacement for — proven methods to lower blood pressure, including engaging in 150 minutes of physical activity every week, managing weight, not smoking, eating a balanced diet and taking medication.

High blood pressure — a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke — affects more than 26 percent of the people in the world and contributes to more than 13 percent of premature deaths.

Related Information:

• American Heart Association News Release
• Learn more about High Blood Pressure.

In a preliminary study, people with high blood pressure who drank a cup of beetroot juice each day had a 10 mm Hg decrease in blood pressure over the following 24 hours.

Beetroot contains nitrate, which while in your body changes to a chemical called nitrite and then to nitric oxide in the blood. Nitric oxide is a gas that opens up blood vessels and aids blood flow.

Scientists aren’t yet saying that supplementing your diet with beetroot juice benefits your health over the long term. But foods rich in dietary nitrate — like green leafy vegetables — should be part of a healthy diet. That’s especially the case for the more than 77 million U.S. adults with high blood pressure — a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

What do blood pressure numbers mean?

Systolic blood pressure, the top and highest number in a measurement, is pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. Diastolic blood pressure, the bottom and lower number, is pressure in the arteries between heartbeats.

Related Information:

• American Heart Association News Release
• The American Heart Association has tips on adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet.
• Check out our High Blood Pressure Hangout with heart experts – busting myths about blood pressure.