Grief puts patients at higher risk of a heart attack, doctors at Beth Israel Deaconness have found. In other words, you can die of a broken heart.

Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center   have found that grieving patients have a 21 times greater heart attack risk in the 24 hours after losing a loved one, and that the risk of heart attacks remains elevated for at least a month. It is one of the first studies to examine the anecdotal evidence that spouses and others who lose a loved one can face declining health and premature death.

The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and published online in the journal Circulation, included 2,000 patients who suffered heart attacks over a five-year period. Patients were asked questions about potentially triggering events, including losing someone close to them in the past year.   

            

February is Children's National Dental Health Month and the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Department's dental prevention program will celebrate this special month along with dental staff from all over the country.  In celebration, the district dental prevention program is sponsoring a dental health poster contest. 

 

The purpose of the Children's Dental Health Poster Contest is to increase awareness of the important role that early dental prevention and care plays in the overall health of a child.  Students eligible to participate in the contest are those attending elementary school grades K-5.  There will be two categories:  K-3 and 4-5.  Each category will have first, second and third place winners plus Honorable Mention.  Winners will be selected based on the oral health message, originality of the illustration and color, and overall poster presentation.   The poster deadline is March 16, 2012 and winners will be announced April 13, 2012.  Winning posters will be posted on the district website. 

 

The contest is being promoted through signage in the schools, in the schools' newsletters and on the district's website.  This is the first time the district has used the website to promote the contest, announce the winners, and display the winning posters.  District staff believe that directing parents and students to the site for the poster contest will increase awareness of other programs, information and services the health department can provide for them.

*    Chest discomfort 

*    Shortness of breath 

*    Lightheadedness 

*    Nausea 

*    Cold sweat 

*    Palpitations 

*    Fatigue 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Georgia. According to the American Heart Association, 21,389 Georgians died from heart disease in 2007. Approximately 145,000 hospitalizations occurred among Georgia residents due to heart disease in 2008.   The cost of heart disease in Georgia in 2008 is estimated at $11.7 billion, which includes direct health care costs and lost productivity from morbidity and mortality. 

 

February is National Heart Month. The goal of National Heart Month and Georgia's Cardiovascular Health Initiative is to increase knowledge of heart disease including heart attack signs and symptoms and the importance of calling 9-1-1.  Elevated body mass index (BMI), high blood pressure, high blood glucose, high cholesterol, weight, and tobacco use are all risk factors that increase a person's risk for heart disease. By getting screened, you can learn more about those numbers that increase your risk for heart disease. Knowing your numbers can help save your life.  Your ideal healthy-heart numbers are: