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Smoking, othe factors up heart attack risk
Health advice
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No, it is not hard to quit smoking. It may be temporarily unpleasant and inconvenient, but it’s not really that difficult. Difficult is slowly drowning from emphysema or struggling with lung cancer or going through a massive heart attack. Of course, a stroke isn’t a picnic either.
If you or someone you love smokes, you or your loved one has a good chance of experiencing one — or more — of the above. Only then can anyone truly understand the huge difference between the discomfort caused by not smoking and the dreadful pain and disability that result from smoking.
More than half of all smokers will eventually fall prey to a smoking-related disease. And cardiovascular diseases are at the top of the list.
Researchers at Oxford University found that smokers who began smoking early (as teenagers) were especially likely to suffer an early heart attack.  Individuals between ages 30-49 were at a five times greater risk of heart attack than their non-smoking peers. Those between 50-59 had three times the risk, and smokers between 60-79 double the risk. Researchers concluded that the increased risk is greater among smokers under 50 because they have not lived long enough for other risk factors, like genetic predisposition to heart attacks or the effects of a high-fat diet, to take a toll.
The cardiovascular effects of smoking are many and include heart attacks, abdominal aortic aneurysms, peripheral vascular disease and high blood pressure, which leads to strokes.  Why are smokers at higher risk for heart attacks? Because smoking causes an increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol, which causes clogging of arteries — particularly those that provide oxygen and nutrients to the heart. Smoking also decreases HDL (good) cholesterol. The condition, called atherosclerosis, is a buildup of cholesterol plaque on the arteries’ inner walls. This narrows the channel through which blood flows.
When the blockages are complete, part of the heart muscle starts to die and a heart attack results. If you’re lucky, the damage won’t be extensive and the heart will survive. But a half million people each year in the United States don’t survive heart attacks.
Other heart attack risk factors include:
• High blood cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Physical inactivity
• Diabetes
• Stress
• Obesity
The nation’s longest-running heart study suggests that about one heart attack in four produces no symptoms — or at least none that the victim associates with a heart problem. These so-called “silent heart attacks,” however, are the result of an underlying condition called “silent ischemia,” which is a chronic shortage of oxygen- and nutrient-bearing blood to a portion of the heart.
The condition puts victims at significant risk, and the absence of pain doesn’t mean an absence of damage. Further ischemia or another heart attack — even a mild to moderate one — may prove fatal because the reserve capacity is no longer present.
Whether you’ve had a heart attack, the wise thing to do when experiencing any symptoms is to call 911 or go to the hospital immediately.
Heart attack symptoms:
• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes.
• Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms. The pain may be mild to intense. It may feel like pressure, tightness, burning or a heavy weight in the chest, upper abdomen, neck, jaw or inside the arms or shoulders.
• Chest discomfort with lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath.
• Anxiety, nervousness and/or cold, sweaty skin.
• Paleness or pallor
• Increased or irregular heart rate
• Feeling of impending doom.

Ratcliffe is a consultant to the Coastal Health District. You can call her at 876-6399.
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Visit with children a real eye-opener
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One of my favorite activities as a state senator is when I get to speak to students at our local schools. This year, I spoke to third-grade students at May Howard Elementary and Marshpoint Elementary in Chatham County and Button Gwinnett Elementary in Liberty County.
The students from each of the schools had been studying civics and were familiar with the three branches of government — executive, judicial and legislative. I explained my role as a senator in the legislative process and told the children how the citizen legislature in the state of Georgia works.
Presenting each of the schools with a Georgia state flag, I explained the three principles for which the state flag stands — wisdom, justice and moderation — and had them recite the pledge to the flag with me. 
The students at all three schools were bright, respectful and well-disciplined — a tribute to their families and especially to their teachers, who had prepared the students for my visit with ideas for great questions.
The students in Ms. Hutchinson’s class at Marshpoint Elementary were impressive in singing the preamble to the Constitution during my visit. What a great way to learn such an important part of our nation’s history — another wonderful example of the great job our teachers are doing.
I was delighted last week to receive thank-you letters from some of the students. Here are excerpts from a few of their letters:
 
Dear Mr. Carter,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come speak to us. I learned so much! I learned that there are two kinds of Pledge of Allegiances. That is pretty cool.
Do you travel all over the world do you? I really like that you taught me more about the three branches of government.
— Megan
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
Thank you for telling us about your job and your favorite thing about your job. I liked the Georgia state flag. I still have more questions. Do you have to work on Saturday and Sunday? Are you the only one who makes the laws?
Yours truly,
Ryleigh 


Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and letting us have a little bit of your time. I want you to know that I learned something new. The Georgia pledge! Justice, wisdom and modesty! Thanks again!
— Liam
 
Dear Sen. Buddy Carter,
Thank you for coming and helping us learn more about the government and some of your job. Thank you for giving us a Georgia flag. It was fun when you came. Thank you for giving us some questions so we could answer them.
P.S. Did you ride in a limousine? I was going to ask you a question but then I forgot. But now I remember. How many rooms are there where you work? You can send me a note if you can.
Your friend,
Erin
 
I’m uncertain whether the students learned as much from me during my visit as I learned from them. One thing that I was reminded of was the honesty that comes from the innocence of childhood. I wasn’t quite sure how to interpret some of the questions, such as the one asked in this letter:
 
Dear Sen. Carter,
I loved your speech. Thanks for coming to our school. I think my favorite part was when we held the flag. It was so fun! I have a question: How many people voted for you?
Sincerely,
Shelly
 
I also was more than a little concerned about a recurring question in the thank-you notes that was posed to me during one of my visits by a beautiful, brown-eyed girl who, with a very serious look on her face, asked “Did you ever get re-elected be-fore?”


What a great group of young people! My faith and hope in our future has been reassured. What an amazing job our families and teachers are doing on a daily basis to support and encourage our next generation. Thank you for your dedication to teaching our leaders of tomor-row.

Sen. Buddy Carter can be reached at Coverdell Legislative Office Building (C.L.O.B.) Room 301-A, Atlanta, GA, 30334. His Capitol office number is 404-656-5109

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