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DASH Diet

DASH HEALTHY DIET TO STOP HYPERTENSION

DASH HEALTHY DIET TO STOP HYPERTENSION Read More »

There are many different diets that appear regularly, gathering numerous fans and followers around themselves. But despite this diversity, just a few of them have actually proven effective, including safety and possible side effects. And if the diet is not only required to reduce weight, but also prevent serious chronic diseases, then the choice becomes very small. In fact, only two eating plans, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Mediterranean diet, are backed by extensive scientific evidence for health benefits, such as controlling blood pressure and preventing heart attacks and strokes. Today we will talk about DASH diet for treating hypertension. Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet originated in the 1990s. The diet was created after researchers noticed that high blood pressure was much less common in people who followed a plant-based diet, such as vegans and vegetarians. To verify this observation, in 1992, the National Institute of Health (NIH) started funding several research projects to see if specific dietary interventions were useful in treating hypertension. So, people included in the study were advised to follow certain dietary suggestions and not to include any other lifestyle modifications. As a result, it was discovered that the dietary intervention alone was able to decrease systolic Blood Pressure by about 6 to 11 mm Hg. That is to say, this effect was seen both in hypertensive as well as normotensive people. Based on these results, in some instances DASH has been advocated as the first-line pharmacologic therapy along with lifestyle modification. Besides, U.S. News and World Report, evaluating the most popular diets annually, defines the DASH diet as the most effective among healthy diets. In 2020, DASH diet took first place in the nomination of the Best Diets for Healthy Eating. IN THIS ARTICLE 1 What is DASH diet? 2 Getting Started on DASH Healthy Diet 3 Learn more about DASH dietary guidelines 4 DASH Diet Effects on Other Diseases 5 Healthy Dash Diet Meal Plan RELATED ARTICLES DASH Diet is ranked: What is DASH diet? The DASH diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. It also advocates the reduction of sodium in the diet to about 1500 mg/day. And also it emphasizes on consumption of minimally processed and fresh food. The DASH eating plan requires no special foods. So that a typical serving guide is as follows: Vegetables: about 5 servings per day Fruits: about 5 servings per day Carbohydrates: about 7 servings per day Low-fat dairy products: about 2 servings per day Lean meat products: about 2 or fewer servings per day Nuts and seeds: 2 to 3 times per week. DASH Diet is balanced and can be followed long term, which is a key reason nutrition experts rank it as US News’ Best Overall Diet. Getting Started on DASH Healthy Diet Even small lifestyle changes made gradually can lead to significant health benefits.   People who want to get the most benefit from the DASH diet would have to limit their sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day. This is a difficult task although effective in dealing with hypertension. For most other adults, the limit is 2,300 mg. Here are some tips on how to reduce your salt intake: For more guidance, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute publishes free guides on the plan, including one (PDF here) that’s 20 pages and one (PDF here) that’s six. They’ll help you determine how many calories you should eat for your age and activity level, tell you where those calories should come from and remind you to consume less salt. Learn more about DASH dietary guidelines Carbohydrates and Fats Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the body. So, healthy carbohydrates included under DASH include: Fats are used for energy after they are broken into fatty acids. You have probably heard about good and bad fats. Good fats prevent inflammation and promote overall health. These fats, when consumed in moderation, have shown an increase in good cholesterol (HDL) and lowering of small dense LDL particles. You can find some of the sources of good fats below: Bad fats such as margarine, vegetable shortenings, partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, cause an increase in small LDL particles, which is destructive to your blood vessels. Therefore, their consumption must be excluded. Proteins Proteins are natural organic substances consisting of amino acids and playing a fundamental role in the life of our bodies. DASH recommends more servings of plant proteins such as legumes, soy products, nuts, and seeds. As for animal protein, it should be mainly composed of lean meats, low-fat dairy products, eggs, and fish. Processed and canned meat is not recommended because it causes hypertension and also contains carcinogens. In conclusion, we want to add that the DASH diet also includes foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This is due to the fact that they prevent vascular wall pathology. Some of the potassium-rich foods included in the diet are bananas, oranges, and spinach. Dairy products and green leafy vegetables bring enough calcium to the body. And magnesium comes with the consumption of whole grains, leafy vegetables, nuts, and seeds. DASH Diet Effects on Other Diseases Several studies have shown that DASH diet helps lower blood glucose levels, triglycerides, LDL-C, and insulin resistance. This makes DASH diet a very important adjunct to pharmacological therapy in metabolic syndromes. It also has been a successful tool in weight management. Another research showed that adherence to the DASH diet has shown significant improvements in control of type 2 diabetes. It is also a preferred diet among patients with heart failure. In addition, the DASH diet has also shown a reduction in the incidence of colorectal cancer. Besides, numerous studies have proven DASH dieting to reduce general mortality from all causes. To sum up, DASH can be a very useful tool to tackle hypertension more efficiently. When compared to some other dietery patterns, it has an added advantage of having clear guidelines on the serving sizes and food groups, which makes it easier for

толщина комплекса интима–медиа сонных артерий

Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Test

Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Test Read More »

Although countries are focusing on fighting cardiovascular disease (CVD), the burden of coronary artery disease continues to rise globally. Atherosclerosis, the precursor of CV events, keeps progressing insidiously without symptoms. Let’s take a look at the reasons why this is happening, as well as at the solutions for the problem. Among other things, we will introduce some proposals from the expert group of Heart Attack Prevention and Education (SHAPE). We will also dwell on a simple non-invasive test, TCIM (Carotid Intima-Media Thickness), which appeared on the list of recommendations. This article was last reviewed by Svetlana Baloban, Healsens, on January 24, 2020. This article was last modified on 7 February 2020. We will start by looking back in history. So, the thickness of the intima-media of the carotid artery as a marker of atherosclerosis appeared not so long ago. It wasn’t until 1986 that Italian investigators decided to compare the arterial wall thickness aorta to common carotid arteries. They described the results and came to the conclusion that this approach may be useful. Since then, calculation of carotid IMT (CIMT) has been widely used as non-invasive measure of atherosclerosis. The Essence of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Test Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a screening test for atherosclerosis. In adults, CIMT is predictive of myocardial infarction and stroke. In children and adolescents, CIMT is used to assess vascular changes in the presence of CVD risk factors. IN THIS ARTICLE 1 The Essence of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Test 2 The relation between carotid intima-media thickness and diseases 3 Who is recommended to take this test? 4 How to calculate cardiovascular risk 5 The Screening for Heart Attack Prevention and Education (SHAPE) Task Force RELATED ARTICLES To understand what is measured with this test, let’s look at the structure of the coronary artery wall. It consists of three layers. The inner layer is called intima, the middle layer is called media, and the outer one is known as the adventitia. The layers of intima and media lie the deepest. So an increase in their thickness can be a sign of plaque formation. It is the thickness of the intima-media complex of the carotid neck arteries which feed the brain that is usually measured. Clinical Note CIMT screening is easily, safely, reliably, and inexpensively done with ultrasound. The relation between carotid intima-media thickness and diseases Interestingly, some studies have shown that cIMT is strongly and linearly related to age. Up to 25 years, the thickness is not higher than 0.6 mm. But by the age of 45 years, the CMM is on average higher than 0.8 mm. Some other studies have also indicated that CAIMT <0.8 mm is associated with normal healthy individuals, and value of CAIMT at or above 1 mm is associated with atherosclerosis and a significantly increased cardiovascular disease risk in any age group. Meanwhile, in the ESH/ESC hypertension guidelines (2013), carotid IMT > 0.9 mm has been reconfirmed as a marker of asymptomatic organ damage. The American Society of Echography (ASE) task force recommends that IMT ≥ 75th percentile is considered a high cardiovascular risk. Values from the 25th to the 75th percentile are an average cardiovascular risk. And values ≤ 25th percentile are considered low risk. Moreover, the CMM thickness is also associated with insulin resistance in healthy individuals, gallstone disease, the risk of progression of mild cognitive impairment and even Alzheimer’s disease. In other words, the larger CIMT the greater the risk of cardiovascular disease. The process is also associated with aging. However, you should not think that since aging is inevitable, then there is no point in measuring CIMT, since the good news is that recent studies suggest this process can be influenced and even reversed by increasing physical activities and treating it with medications. Who is recommended to take a carotid intima-media thickness test? Despite the many benefits and a wealth of information, screening for IMT has not yet been added to the CVD prevention guidelines. In early 2007, Circulation magazine published a report with the conclusion that IMT of the carotid arteries is a serious factor in the development of stroke and heart attack. Nevertheless, a few months later, the American Preventive Task Force recommended asymptomatic people not to undergo an IMT test regularly. Therefore, the traditional approach involves identifying people at risk of CVD. In this case, if you fall into a risk group (it also matters how great this risk is), then you are recommended to take this test. And vice versa, respectively. Moreover, the problem is that there is no uniform risk assessment system. Therefore, different organizations offer their own options. We’ve already reviewed different Cardiovascular Risk Assessment approaches but let’s take a look at some of them once more. How to calculate cardiovascular risk? As we mentioned above, there is currently no unified risk assessment system. At the same time, there are various risk calculators such as Framingham scores, Reynolds risk scores, ASCVD, SCORE, etc. So, the European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention suggest taking this test to people with moderate cardiovascular risk. Most asymptomatic middle-aged adults fall into this category. You can calculate this risk using the Healsens application, or on your own. At the same time, the NCEP recommends estimating the risk using the Framingham risk score. You can calculate it as well. On the other hand, the American Society of Echocardiography recommended adding the following extra criteria: We wrote more about various risk calculators separately. But what is their importance? Why are we looking at these tools in such detail? The answer is simple. Based on the calculated risk, the doctor will decide whether to initiate preventive treatment. Indeed, as we wrote above, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease can be prevented. However, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and severe disability worldwide. What’s the matter? What’s the problem with the traditional approach? It turned out that traditional methods of preventing A-CVD have proven largely insufficient. Indeed, studies indicate that traditional risk calculations explain only 60-65% of CVD risk. In addition, it was shown that

CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM SCORE TEST

CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM SCORE TEST Read More »

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, coronary artery disease (CAD) accounting for half of all such deaths. And at least 25% of patients experiencing nonfatal acute myocardial infarction or sudden death had no previous symptoms. Do you know that a 1999 study confirmed that coronary artery disease is ubiquitous between the ages of 17 and 34 years? The disease process at this stage is too early to cause coronary events but heralds their onset in the decades to follow. All of these facts make it clear how crucially important is to identify asymptomatic individuals for implementing preventive strategies. This is exactly the main focus of the Healsens platform. In this article, we will talk about another medical test that allows you to determine the presence of cholesterol deposits in the arteries. We’re talking about Coronary Artery Calcium Score Test or CAC test. This article was last reviewed by Svetlana Baloban, Healsens, on January 24, 2020. This article was last modified on 7 February 2020. Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment Models To assess the risk of heart disease it’s very useful and highly recommended to apply “Total risk scores” as the initial method of stratification. Although it is only able to predict only 65-80% of future cardiovascular events. The Framingham risk score is one of the most widely used methods and is also calculated by Healsens. The Framingham Risk Score was first developed based on data obtained from the Framingham Heart Study, to estimate the 10-year risk of developing coronary heart disease There are other estimates of risk stratification assessment algorithms such as the PROCAM score or the European SCORE-system for an individual’s global 10-year risk of acute coronary events. So, pursuing the goal of preventive care and screening, which means finding problems long before they bring about health issues, and continuing the topic cardiovascular diseases, we take into account the assessment and correction of fats (such as cholesterol) in the blood, as well as such critical risk factors as homocysteine levels ​​and CRP, which are often overlooked. Taking into account all these tests let describe when and why Coronary Artery Calcium Score Test will be relevant and more preferred to the personal preventive program. IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment Models 2 Interpretation of the Сoronary Artery Calcium test result 3 Use of the Coronary Artery Calcium test in people with diabetes 4 Do I Need a Coronary Calcium Score? 5 How to reverse the growth of the calcium index 6 Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) RELATED ARTICLES Despite the fact that the majority of heart attacks are caused by soft, or unstable, plaques, the presence of hard, calcified plaques in your coronary arteries is a very important factor. So, there is a direct correlation between the content of hard and soft plaque in the arteries. This dependence is determined by the fact that the body isolates unstable plaques using calcined deposits, therefore, the rate of formation of hard plaque is also related to the number of soft plaques. You can find out how much hard plaque and indirectly much more dangerous soft plaque you have by using ultrafast or electron beam computed tomography (CRT). This study is also known as the Сoronary Artery Calcium Index or CAC test. CAC test takes cross-sectional images of the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle, to check for the buildup of calcified plaque, which is composed of fats, cholesterol, calcium and other substances in the blood. This calcium is different from the calcium in bones and has nothing to to with too much calcium in a diet. The measurement can help a doctor identify who is at risk of getting a heart disease before that person shows any signs or symptoms. So, this screening test should be assigned in an early detection program. Below we can determine the criteria for adding this test to a personal preventive medicine list. The CAC score was studied in association with other traditional risk score systems, especially the Framingham risk score, showing the following advantages: independent added value in the prediction of all-cause mortality and mortality due to coronary disease in asymptomatic individuals; and shifting in the category of coronary artery disease risk-60% of atherosclerotic coronary events occur in patients categorized as being at low or intermediate risk according to the Framingham risk score. As an example, among patients at intermediate risk according to the Framingham risk score and with a CAC score > 300, which would place them in a high-risk category, the 10-year event frequency therefore is approximately 28%. And that means, the CAC score adds value to the Framingham risk score and to other methods, providing a substantial increase in the accuracy of the risk stratification. The CAC score is also an independent predictor of the risk of major cardiovascular events, with demonstrated superiority over the Framingham risk score, C-reactive protein level, and carotid intima-media thickness. Interpretation of the Coronary Artery Calcium test result The values obtained from the CAC score can be interpreted and classified in two ways: The result of the test is usually given as a number called an Agatston score. The score reflects the total area of calcium deposits and the density of the calcium. Normal Coronary Artery Calcium Score Based on the Agatston method, the percentile can be calculated on the MESA website (http://www.mesa-nhlbi.org/Calcium/input.aspx) by inserting the patient CAC score, age, gender, and ethnicity. Patients diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease (acute myocardial infarction, angina, stroke, or atrial fibrillation), those using nitroglycerin, and those with a pacemaker, as well as those having undergone angioplasty, myocardial revascularization, or any other cardiac/arterial surgery, along with those under treatment for diabetes, should not be included in this analysis, given that they were not included in the MESA population. National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines recommend intensification of low-density lipoprotein (ldl) cholesterol reduction in patients with multiple risk factors and a CAC score above the 75th percentile. Other studies have correlated CAC scores with the use of statins and aspirin in primary prevention. Use of the

type 2 diabetes

TYPE 2 DIABETES: CAUSES, DIET, TREATMENTS

TYPE 2 DIABETES: CAUSES, DIET, TREATMENTS Read More »

After posting the publication about lipid profile assessment, we received many comments and questions. Among all the questions, type 2 diabetes and the ineffectiveness of drug treatment were mentioned most often. Therefore, today we will pay attention to this particular topic, dwelling on the following points: This article was last reviewed by Svetlana Baloban, Healsens, on March 04, 2020. This article was last modified on 15 February 2020. So, diabetes is a condition that affects blood sugar levels and causes many serious health problems if left untreated or uncontrolled. There is no cure for diabetes so that is why it’s easier to head off disease before it occurs than to treat it, and regular medical check up will help with its early disease detection. In case you’ve already got this disease, treatment modalities include lifestyle modifications, treatment of obesity, oral hypoglycemic agents, and insulin sensitizers like metformin, a biguanide that reduces insulin resistance and is still the recommended first-line medication, especially for obese patients. Other effective medications include non-Sulfonylurea secretagogues, thiazolidinediones, alpha glucosidase inhibitors, and insulin. Causes of Diabetes Type 2 Genetics and Lifestyle Choices Play a Role Type 2 diabetes has several causes: genetics and lifestyle are the most important ones. A combination of these factors can cause insulin resistance, when your body doesn’t use insulin as well as it should. Insulin resistance is the most common cause of type 2 diabetes. IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Causes of Diabetes Type 2 2 What happens when you consume too much sugar? 3 Dietary habits and diabetes 4 Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load 5 Measuring Blood Sugar Levels throughout the Day 6 Continuous Glucose Monitor 7 Psychosomatic Aspects Of Diabetes 8 How to Cope with Stress 9 Comprehensive approach to the management of diabetes RELATED ARTICLES Genetics and Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 diabetes can be hereditary. That doesn’t mean that if your mother or father has (or had) type 2 diabetes, you’re guaranteed to develop it; instead, it means that you have a greater chance of developing type 2 meaning early diabetes predictions must be part of your screening plan for diagnosing diseases. As for the genetic tests,, despite the fact that researchers know that you can inherit a risk for type 2 diabetes, they haven’t found out which genes carry the risk. The medical community is hard at work trying to figure out the certain genetic mutations that lead to a risk of type 2 Lifestyle Is Very Important Genes do play a role in type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle choices are also important. You can, for example, have a genetic mutation that may make you susceptible to type 2, but if you take good care of your body, you may not develop diabetes. Moreover,  simple laboratory tests will help you determine the state of your body’s carbohydrate metabolism long before the disease occurs. If you already suffer from this disease, you have probably heard a lot from the doctor or in the press about the dangers of products containing refined carbohydrates and “white” carbohydrates with the high glycemic index, such as white bread, ground rice, pasta made from premium flour and features potatoes. We will also dwell on this issue in detail and below it will be clear why this issue is so important. When people eat food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which enters the blood. As blood sugar levels rise, the pancreas produces insulin, a hormone that prompts cells to absorb blood sugar for energy or storage. As cells absorb blood sugar, levels in the bloodstream begin to fall. When this happens, the pancreas starts making glucagon, a hormone that signals the liver to start releasing stored sugar. This interplay of insulin and glucagon ensure that cells throughout the body, and especially in the brain, have a steady supply of blood sugar. What happens when you consume too much sugar? A high sugar diet consumption provokes an instant increase in insulin levels, which sometimes leads to a sharp drop in blood sugar after a few hours. Hypoglycemia caused in this way (low blood sugar) provokes the desire to eat more food rich in refined sugars and starches, which leads to a new jump in insulin. Over time, these constant “ups and downs” cause cells to lose their sensitivity to insulin, and more and more of this hormone is required for glucose transfer. This is called insulin resistance. And it becomes the root cause of the development of the metabolic syndrome leading to high blood pressure. Likewise, insulin resistance increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. It’s also accelerating the aging process and can also lead to type II diabetes. With this type of diabetes, the pancreas can become so depleted that it completely stops producing insulin to lower blood sugar. In addition, insulin resistance is a cause of impaired fat metabolism, leading to an excess of triglycerides. That’s why having high triglycerides — a type of fat in the blood — may be a sign that you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Dietary habits and diabetes The issue of diet is very acute! However, everyone who tried to give up refined sugar and starches knows how difficult it is and there is a completely rational explanation for this. In 2001, a study was published in the journal Nutrition Review showing that refined sugars and starches are addictive. And if you want to exclude them from the diet, it can cause withdrawal symptoms. But getting rid of simple carbohydrates in the diet is the only and most important step that should be taken to reduce the risk of getting sick with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, as well as to reduce body weight if necessary. Only rejection of these products will make this unhealthy habit disappear. Therefore, if you want to just reduce sugar consumption, it will not bring about the elimination of this addiction. As diet is a crucial tool for managing diabetes, you can also choose some special diabetes diet capable

электронная медицинская карта мобильное приложение

HEALSENS SMART MOBILE HEALTH APP

HEALSENS SMART MOBILE HEALTH APP Read More »

Often, we encounter difficulties in obtaining a comprehensive medical history from hospitals – including analyses, imaging, and treatment information. Electronic health records, prevalent worldwide, often prove ineffective for patients due to data management complexities and the presentation of research findings in conventional lab reports. Recently, new solutions have emerged that provide patients with not only data but also valuable resources. However, given access to such a volume of patient data, why not analyze it? Research conducted by various physicians using diverse calculators and algorithms on electronic health records can significantly benefit patient health preservation. Let’s take a look at the example of the Healsens electronic health record – how it processes patient data to calculate health risks and the functionalities employed to achieve these objectives within the context of mobile health apps. Healsens is designed to gather preventive medicine outcomes and implement them into personalized recommendations. One of its key objectives is assessing health risks, validating them through medical research, and providing preventive care. For individuals, this means having a solution at their fingertips capable of aiding in disease prevention. For physicians, it involves evaluating the risks faced by their patients. Let’s explore together the tools utilized by Healsens: risk calculators, screening plans, analysis of biometric data, tracking medical history, and lifestyle change recommendations. These components collectively elucidate how Healsens operates. Health Plan and Health Screenings The foundation of a preventive approach relies on two main pillars – health screenings and health risk assessments. Your health plan serves as your guide, continually adapting to changes occurring within your body. The main screen of Healsens immediately presents your personalized health plan, unique to each individual. It, much like you, evolves to track changes and respond promptly. If you’re young and healthy, your plan will be concise. As you age, it expands, considering potential bodily changes. Initiated your plan? Explore its contents. Here, blood tests, at-home parameter measurements, health screenings, and questionnaires provide a comprehensive health assessment. Blood tests offer insights into your body, while questionnaires gauge your emotional well-being. These tools are recommended for self-diagnosis. For each examination, whether blood tests, MRI, CT scans, or ultrasound, you’ll discover: IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Health Plan and Health Screenings 2 Assessing your health condition and disease development risks 3 Storage and Analysis of Data in Healsens Electronic Cards 4 Health Screening Sources 5 Surveys 6 Monitoring Well-being and Health Diaries RELATED ARTICLES Upon the initial creation of the plan, it takes into account your age and gender, assuming your overall health. However, as new data becomes available, the plan becomes more personalized. Depending on changes, various analyses or health screenings may be suggested to you, and the app will notify you about the reasons for these changes. The more diverse health factors are known, the better the electronic health record can tailor an individual screening list to maximize health preservation. This encapsulates the essence of a smart electronic medical record and the Healsens mobile app. Preventive medicine is increasingly becoming personalized, hence some screenings are recommended specifically for individuals in at-risk categories. Thus, some screenings may be proposed to you only after an assessment of health risks. It’s worth noting that such a personalized approach not only saves money but also aids in better health issue diagnosis. Consider the facts: according to survey data, in 2018, over 65% of Europeans visited a doctor for preventive check-ups and tests. However, only 17% included age-related screenings, which are a primary cause of early mortality and disability worldwide. Assessing your health condition and disease development risks Assessing health status and risk calculators are the second crucial aspect in maintaining health. Numerous organizations develop their risk calculators, curate lists of risk factors, and collaborate with scientific entities to identify individuals at risk. The primary goal is disease prevention. It’s important to note that most chronic conditions are more effectively treated at early stages, making treatment more efficient, accessible, and usually resulting in fewer complications. For instance, prediabetes is considered a reversible condition, while unfortunately, diabetes remains incurable. Within the Healsens app, the risk assessment process is complemented by a unique approach. Risk calculators, found in the “Risks” section, integrate data from your health plan, considering analysis results and other parameters. As you progress through the health plan, you automatically assess your risks. However, these calculators also consider the user’s profile, displaying only relevant risks. Examples of such individualized approaches can vary. For instance, the cardiovascular risk calculator SCORE 2 is not optimal for individuals under 40 and is specifically designed for European continent residents. This specificity is detailed in the article “Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk.” Users under 40 or residing outside the SCORE 2 assessment zone will not see this calculator. Storage and Analysis of Data in Healsens Electronic Cards Mobile Health Apps: Healsens The Healsens mobile app for electronic medical cards stands out as an exemplary suite of mobile health apps, enabling users to upload and monitor their own medical data. It isn’t tied to a specific clinic, doctor, or country, offering versatility for users globally. The card system is user-friendly: individuals from any part of the world can input their data, tailor it to their needs, and then track its dynamics. However, this approach comes with one drawback: the necessity for manual input of results. Yet, for some countries, medical history synchronizes automatically, which is undoubtedly convenient. Every laboratory test and medical examination represented in numerical format can be visualized as graphs. In addition to standard values provided by laboratories, users have the option to set personal targets to assess the effectiveness of treatment and the pace of achieving optimal indicators. Within the app, laboratory references and user-set targets are displayed as two distinct entities. Why is this so? Laboratories establish reference values, considering, among other factors, the accuracy of their equipment. This leads to different reference values set by different labs, accounting for their individual margins of error. It makes sense to preserve these ranges. The set targets for analyses in Healsens represent

checking homocysteine serum levels

Checking Homocysteine Serum Levels

Checking Homocysteine Serum Levels Read More »

Homocysteine is produced in our body (it is not contained in food) through the metabolism of an essential amino acid called methionine. Normally, formed homocysteine quickly turns into other, harmless substances – vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid are needed for these transformations. But in elevated concentrations, homocysteine provides a whole range of adverse effects, which we will discuss in detail below. Also, Also, this article describes who and why may benefit from checking homocysteine serum levels in terms of improving health. Firstly, it can directly damage vascular walls by making them loose. Thus, the damaged surface is subject to cholesterol and calcium depositing, which form an atherosclerotic plaque. Thus, blood coagulation is activated, and this, in turn, leads to the development of atherosclerosis, arterial and venous thromboses. Secondly, folic acid deficiency, which almost always accompanies an increase in homocysteine, can lead to gross malformations of the fetal nervous system during pregnancy – anencephaly (lack of the brain), and neural tube failure. It is for the prevention of these defects that all pregnant women are prescribed folic acid preparations. IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Which level of Homocysteine passes for normal? 2 Causes for High Homocysteine Levels 3 How Often Should You Check? RELATED ARTICLES Thirdly, homocysteine in high concentrations has a direct toxic effect on trophoblast cells, from which the placenta is subsequently formed, causing their death and a decrease in the production of hCG – the pregnancy hormone. This can lead to termination of pregnancy (usually in the first trimester) or to impaired placental development, which further increases the risk of placental insufficiency, fetal growth retardation, preeclampsia, placental abruption, pregnant hypertension, and kidney damage. Elevated homocysteine levels are also associated with increased thrombus formation, as well as higher risks of heart attacks, cerebral accidents, peripheral arterial diseases, and fractures. Doctors measure homocysteine levels as a possible cardiovascular risk factor, to diagnose homocystinuria, thrombosis, diabetes mellitus, senile dementia and Alzheimer’s, and obstetric pathology. The testing is necessary in a number of situations since elevated homocysteine levels are cytotoxic. Which level of Homocysteine passes for normal? The “ideal” homocysteine level levels of about 5-7 µmol/L. “Good” levels of less than 10 µmol/L. So, homocysteine > 10 μmol/L is associated with some risk factors like peripheral microvascular endothelial dysfunction (PMED), higher major cardiovascular events, etc. The normal range of homocysteine levels are less than 15 micromoles per liter (mcmol/L). Higher levels are: Moderate (15 to 30 mcmol/L); Intermediate (30 to 100 mcmol/L); Severe (greater than 100 µmol/L). Any higher than 15 and you will want to work with your Health Coach to further investigate the cause. The latest studies show that homocysteine is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. Clinical research shows that a 5 umol/L elevation in homocysteine concentration in blood plasma increases the vulnerability to cardiovascular disease and total mortality by 1.3 – 1.7 times. Lowering of elevated homocysteine levels in blood plasma can prevent cardiovascular complications. If levels of homocysteine are found to be elevated, it is advisable to measure the levels of creatinine, thyroid stimulating hormones, folacin, cobalamine to define probable causes of hyperhomocisteinemia and suggest appropriate treatment. Causes for High Homocysteine Levels At first, don’t panic if your homocysteine level is above the norm values. Just because you have high homocysteine doesn’t mean you will develop heart disease or a neurological condition tomorrow, next week or even next month. That’s the beauty of functional lab tests; they often allow us to catch patterns of disease and imbalance in the body before they become chronic or diagnosable. And if you’re already dealing with a chronic disease, then by examining your homocysteine levels, you’ve gotten one big step closer to uncovering the root cause and getting your health back on track. It’s worth mentioning that smokers are more vulnerable to hyperhomocysteinemia. Moreover, high coffee consumption is one of the most powerful factors increasing homocysteine in blood. Those who drink more than six cups of coffee a day have 2-3 umol/L higher homocysteine levels than people who drink no coffee. Elevated homocysteine levels are often associated with a sedentary lifestyle. So, moderate physical activity lowers homocysteine levels in case of hyperhomocysteinemia. Vegan diet can also decrease its levels by 13% without any supplements. However, the most frequent cause of high homocysteine levels is folacin deficit. The deficit of cobalamine (vitamin В12) may also lead to homocysteine accumulation. However, the effectiveness of using vitamins is a subject of debate among researchers. Several major randomized experiments showed that relatively easy lowering of homocysteine levels through taking supplements did not result in lowering vulnerability to cardiovascular diseases. How Often Should You Check? As with all lab work, how often to re-test is highly individual. Yet, there is a number of indications for investigation, such as: – cerebral accident, heart attack, thrombosis, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in family history;– blood-clotting disorder;– neurological disorders in childhood;– preparation for IVF, pregnancy;– chromosomal abnormality of the fetus, congenital defects, complications;– smoking;– age higher than 75 years old. Typically, if your levels are on the high-side your Health Coach will recommend re-testing after about 6 months. In conclusion, some estimates suggest that if homocysteine levels decreased by 40% would lead to an extra 8 years of life per 1000 men, and 4 years of life per 1000 women. Ordering Blood Tests in the Netherlands If you are interested in checking your Homocystein level, you can easily purchase a blood test kit from Healsens. 1 Download the Healsens App from Google Play or the App Store, depending on your device. 2 Complete the registration process in the app. 3 Go to the “Profile” page via the bottom menu of the application. 4 Tap on the test you need — ”List of Available Tests” 5 Find the Cholesterol Pack & Tap on the “Add to Cart” button. Proceed with the ordering process. » Discover how to check and improve your health with Healsens preventive checkup plan. Note If you want to assess your homocystein level but are not residing

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Healsens B.V.
Kranenhout 39
2134 XC Hoofddorp

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