Greater Risks For Patients With Heart Attacks Posed By Crowded Emergency Departments
Patients with heart attacks and other forms of chest pain are three to five times more likely to experience serious complications after hospital admission when they are treated in a crowded emergency department (ED), according to a new study published in the journal Academic Emergency Medicine. The authors say that this dramatic difference in rates of serious complications underscores the need for action on the part of hospital administrators, policymakers and emergency physicians to find solutions to what has been termed "a national public health problem." More than six million patients per year come to U.S. emergency departments with chest pain.
Oncology
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What Is Exercise? The Benefits Of Exercise
figure - in Tennessee and Alabama over 30% of adults are obese today. *9,000 premature deaths each year in the UK are because of obesity. Obesity significantly reduces the lifespan of a person. *Physically active people have a much lower risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and many types of cancer. *30% of heart disease deaths in the UK happen to people under 75 years of age. *Vigorous exercise can help elderly people avoid disability, a study found. *Women who do not exercise regularly have more complications during and after pregnancy. This article explains why women should be encouraged to exercise during pregnancy. *Exercise improves your mood. *Physical activity after the menopause reduces breast cancer risk, a study revealed. *Regular exercise improves your sex life. *A study found that exercise makes you eat less by suppressing appetite hormones. *Exercise improves your confidence. *A study explains how exercise can reduce cigarette cravings for people who are trying to quit smoking. *Exercise helps you live longer (mainly for the many reasons listed above). *Even some cancer patients can benefit from exercise. A study explains how exercise can help non-small cell lung cancer patients. Finding the time to exercise Many people who do not exercise say they do not have the time. However, it is possible to increase the amount of time you are physically active, even if you are extremely busy. For example: *See how many trips you take by car and decide which ones could be replaced by walking or cycling. This does not have to be a black or white measure. It could include parking your car half a mile from your destination and walking the rest of the way. Traffic experts throughout most of the world say that the majority of car trips are very short ones. *If you are using public transport try getting off at an earlier stop and walking the rest of the way. *A study found that interactive video games - such those played on the Nintendo Wii - may raise heart rate and provide exercise intensity levels high enough to meet federal physical activity guidelines. *When you are in a building and want to go upstairs, try walking it, rather than taking the elevator or escalators. This does not have to be a black or white measure - you can do half and half. *There are several gentle exercises you can do while watching TV. Especially when the adverts are on. *If you do not have time to exercise but have time to watch TV, think about how much of that TV time could be replaced by some physical activity. Most people say they do not have time to exercise, but we are all watching more TV than ever before. Even short bursts of 30 second exercises are good for improving metabolism, a study found. *Migraine - there are many safe exercises for migraine sufferers. *If you do housework, see if you can do it a bit more vigorously and turn it into an exercise session. Tips on adding exercise to your routine Experts say that for a physically inactive person to become active, and remain active for the long-term, the activity needs to be convenient and enjoyable. The activity needs to be something you can easily fit into your routine for several days each week. Even if you end up adding just 30 minutes of physical activity to your day, that is fine. Some of the examples below are the easiest to fit into a daily routine: *Go for a brisk 30-minute walk five times each week. Ideally, it should be done in one session. If you can"t, two 15-minute sessions would also be good. *Walk you dog more often. If you do not have a dog but know a nearby friend who has one, offer to walk it for him/her. *Find out whether there are any swimming pools nearby. Try to add some swimming to your weekly routine. This does not have to be every day. *During your lunch break at work go for a walk. *Join some exercise classes. *Join a martial arts club. Beginner"s sessions can be gentle and fun. *Beginners must remember that the secret is "little and often". A little bit every day is great - one big session once a week is not. Make sure your progress is gradual. Make sure you drink plenty of water during and after you exercise. Check with your doctor if you are not sure about your health. *Experts say an exercise program should include both aerobic and anaerobic activities. This is true. However, if you are currently inactive, anything is better than nothing. Some advice when you start an exercise program When people start an exercise program they may experience various emotions, from elation to anxiety about not being able to keep it up. Remember the following tips which may help you achieve long-term success: *Remember why you started People start exercising for many reasons: weight loss, health, vanity, the doctor told them to, and to recover from an illness. Keep remembering why you started as this will help keep you motivated. *Do everything at your own pace Humans tend to be competitive animals. This is great for the winner, and those who come second or third. However, being competitive in the wrong way can kill motivation. If you have to compete, compete with your past self. Compare your performance today with your performance in two weeks" time. Check your weight, heart rate, blood pressure - then take it again in about three weeks and see the difference. *You have to like it For long-term success the activity has to be something you enjoy. There are so many activities to choose from. Perhaps there is an activity you really enjoyed when you were a child. *Join a club with a friend If you join a fitness club with a friend, or exercise with a friend you may enjoy the sessions more. Some people prefer not to have the stress of someone else around. This depends on you. *Experts can be very useful A study found that exercise and behavioral intervention improves fitness and lowers systolic blood pressure. *Variation Every few weeks change your exercise program. This is important for your motivation and also for best results. The body improves faster if you change your program now and again. This does not mean you have to change walking/running to something else. It could mean changing your speed and distance, and pacing yourself in a different way, perhaps altering your route. *Be realistic about your goals Some people are motivated by goals, others find them stressful. If you need goals make sure they are realistic - and work towards them. *The longer you keep it up the longer you will continue to do it After a few weeks your exercise routine starts to become a habit. Even if you find it a bit of a chore at first, remember that after a few weeks it will really become a habit. Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News TodayPages: 1 [2]