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Comprender el impacto del COVID-19 en las enfermedades cardiovasculares

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(Family Features) Ahora, más de tres años después del inicio de la pandemia de COVID-19, los impactos se pueden ver con mayor claridad.

Por ejemplo, el aumento en el número de muertes por enfermedades cardiovasculares (ECV) en 2020, el primer año de la pandemia de COVID-19, representa el mayor aumento en un solo año de muertes por ECV desde 2015 y superó el máximo anterior registrado en 2003, según a los últimos datos disponibles de Estadísticas de enfermedades cardíacas y accidentes cerebrovasculares: actualización 2023 de la American Heart Association.

Los mayores aumentos en muertes relacionadas con ECV se observaron entre las personas asiáticas, negras e hispanas, las poblaciones más afectadas en los primeros días de la pandemia y puesto en evidencia por las crecientes disparidades estructurales y sociales.

“Sabemos que el COVID-19 tuvo un costo tremendo y los datos preliminares de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de los EE. UU. (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés) muestran que hubo un aumento sustancial en la pérdida de vidas por todas las causas desde el comienzo de la pandemia”, dijo Michelle A. Albert, MD, MPH, FAHA, presidenta voluntaria de la American Heart Association, quien también tiene la Cátedra de Cardiología Walter A. Haas-Lucie Stern, es profesora de medicina en la Universidad de California en San Francisco (UCSF) y decana de admisiones de la Facultad de Medicina de la UCSF. “Que esto probablemente se tradujo en un aumento en las muertes cardiovasculares en general, aunque desalentador, no es sorprendente. De hecho, la Asociación predijo esta tendencia, que ya es oficial.

“El COVID-19 tiene impactos directos e indirectos en la salud cardiovascular. Como aprendimos, el virus está asociado con nuevos coágulos e inflamación. También sabemos que muchas personas que tenían una enfermedad cardíaca nueva o existente y síntomas de accidente cerebrovascular se mostraron renuentes a buscar atención médica, particularmente en los primeros días de la pandemia. Esto dio como resultado que las personas presentaran etapas más avanzadas de afecciones cardiovasculares y necesitaran un tratamiento más agudo o urgente para lo que podrían haber sido afecciones crónicas manejables. Lamentablemente, esto parece haberles costado la vida a muchos”.

Según Albert, quien también es directora del Centro para el Estudio de la Adversidad y Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (Centro NURTURE) en UCSF y líder en investigación de equidad y adversidad en salud, los mayores aumentos en el número de muertes por enfermedad coronaria entre adultos asiáticos, negros e hispanos parecen correlacionarse con las personas infectadas con mayor frecuencia con COVID-19.

“Las personas de las comunidades de color se encontraban entre las más afectadas, especialmente al principio, a menudo debido a una carga desproporcionada de factores de riesgo cardiovascular como la hipertensión y la obesidad”, dijo Albert. “Además, existen consideraciones socioeconómicas, así como el impacto continuo del racismo estructural en múltiples factores, incluida la limitación de la capacidad de acceder a una atención médica de calidad”.

Para obtener más información sobre los impactos del COVID-19 en las enfermedades cardiovasculares, visite Heart.org/statistics.

Foto cortesía de Getty Images


SOURCE:
American Heart Association

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Mill Creek’s Frontier Dermatology Is First in Washington to Offer Nonsurgical Treatment for Common Skin Cancer Using Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy

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BURR RIDGE, Ill. /PRNewswire/ — SkinCure Oncology, the world leader in providing a comprehensive model for the delivery of Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (Image-Guided SRT), a nonsurgical treatment with the highest cure rate for common skin cancers, today announced its availability in Washington at an event at Frontier Dermatology in Mill Creek. This is the first medical practice in the state to offer this GentleCure™ treatment experience.

Image-Guided SRT is the only treatment for nonmelanoma skin cancer (basal and squamous cell carcinoma) that uses ultrasound imaging to help clinicians direct low-level x-rays to targeted areas of the skin, killing cancer cells without bleeding, pain, surgical scarring or need for reconstructive surgery. A study published in the journal Oncology and Therapy showed that Image-Guided SRT produces a 99.3 percent cure rate for early stage nonmelanoma, making it just as effective as traditional surgical treatment.

Dieter Schmidt, M.D., FAAD, FACMS, of Frontier Dermatology, noted, “More than 68,000 Washingtonians are expected to be diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer this year alone. It is essential for them to have information on all available treatment options, both surgical and nonsurgical, so they can make informed decisions about their care. Image-Guided SRT is one of the most exciting technological innovations in dermatology today. We call it the GentleCure experience, and we are proud to be the first in Washington to offer it.”

Joining Dr. Schmidt at the event was Mill Creek Mayor Brian Holtzclaw, who said, “We are a community of nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts here in Mill Creek, and whether you’re swinging a driver at Mill Creek Country Club, a paddle on the pickleball courts at Heron or Highlands Park, or simply just taking in the scenery on one of our many nature trails and community parks, it’s critical that we take the necessary steps to protect ourselves from the sun’s rays. In those cases where exposure to the sun or other factors leads to a cancer diagnosis, patients now have more treatment options, including the new, nonsurgical standard of care called GentleCure. I want to thank Dr. Schmidt and Frontier Dermatology for bringing GentleCure to our city and state. It’s a proud moment for us all.”

“We at SkinCure Oncology are delighted to partner with Frontier Dermatology to offer this highly effective, noninvasive treatment option for their patients,” said Kerwin Brandt, Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago-based company. “Patients everywhere should have the choice of curing their nonmelanoma skin cancer without surgery.”

About SkinCure Oncology
SkinCure Oncology is the world leader in providing a comprehensive model for the delivery of Image-Guided Superficial Radiation Therapy (Image-Guided SRT), the most advanced nonsurgical treatment for common skin cancer. The company partners with quality-focused dermatologists, Mohs surgeons and other physicians to bring cancer center-level radiation therapy treatment to private practices. Presented to patients as the GentleCure™ experience, Image-Guided SRT is available from some 500 physicians nationwide, with more than 75,000 patients having been treated. Learn more about the company at SkinCureOncology.com, and visit GentleCure.com for helpful consumer and patient information.

SOURCE SkinCure Oncology

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Take a Rest from Stress

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5 strategies to combat stressful triggers

(Family Features) Stress, the physical or mental response to external causes like overwhelming work assignments or difficult life moments, can add unnecessary pressure to your day to day. While everyone feels stress from time to time, when left untreated or unrecognized, it can begin to wreak havoc in the form of anxiety.

In honor of National Stress Awareness Month, consider these strategies to combat stress from the National Institutes of Mental Health.

Learn Your Triggers
Different events and situations cause stress for different people. Knowing what triggers your stress to kick in – mounds of office paperwork, important financial decisions or hectic mornings, for example – can help you plan and prepare for stress-inducing moments.

Exercise and Eat Right
Maintaining physical health can be beneficial for mental health, too. Find time to do exercises you enjoy like walking, jogging, yoga or playing a sport. Identifying activities that bring you joy can make it easier to fit 30-60-minute workouts into your schedule without adding even more stress. Complement your workout routine with nutritional meals that help you stay on track with your fitness goals.

Practice Relaxation
Whether you find inner peace through journaling, breathing exercises, reading or some other form of slowing down, find what works for you and prioritize fitting it into your daily schedule. Relaxing activities help you slow down the pace of life, providing a chance to reset by doing something you enjoy.

Get Enough Sleep
A lack of quality sleep can add to stress. Creating a bedtime routine can increase your sleep habits and help you achieve the expert-recommended 7-9 hours per night. Put away electronics, which can interfere with your ability to calm your mind, and find an activity that puts you at ease like reading a book or listening to relaxing music. Ensure your bedroom is optimized for comfort by making it cool, dark and quiet.

Create a Network of Support
Everyone experiences stress. Reach out to family members and close friends you can lean on in stressful and frustrating moments. Share your feelings and encourage others to do the same, which can increase trust and help everyone in your circle cope in a positive way.

Find more ways to combat stress and care for your mental health at eLivingtoday.com.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash


SOURCE:
eLivingtoday.com

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Managing Asthma Triggers

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(Family Features) For those with asthma, understanding what can trigger symptoms is a part of getting the condition under control. Some of the same things that cause allergies can worsen symptoms, but not every allergen is a trigger for everyone with asthma. The places where you live, learn, work and play can expose you to common asthma triggers like pet dander, dust mites, pests like rodents and cockroaches, mold, cigarette smoke, pollen, air pollution and more. Managing triggers is just one part of controlling asthma, however. Work with your health care provider to make an asthma action plan and keep track of your symptoms and where you are when they occur. Learn more at nhlbi.nih.gov/BreatheBetter.


SOURCE:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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