Tag Archives: an

Horse Statues

Myth: The number of hooves in the air on a statue of a horse tells us how its rider died

In my research for this list I was very surprised to come across this myth – I, like many others, had always believed it to be true! The idea is that when a statue of a horse has one foot in the air, his rider was wounded in battle but survived. If he has two hooves in the air the rider was killed, and if he has none in the air, the rider survived. While this is a myth – interestingly it does seem to apply to the majority of statues relating to Gettysburg equestrians though not James Longstreet who was not wounded but his statue does have one leg raised (pictured above).

Interesting Fact:A statue of a horse with a rider is called an equestrian statue – which is derived from the latin “eques” for Knight and “equus” for horse. A statue of a horse is called an “equine statue”.

Doubts on suicide-anti-smoking drug Chantix link

in.reuters.com

Doubts on suicide-anti-smoking drug Chantix link

Despite earlier health agency warnings, there is no strong evidence that the anti-smoking drug Chantix raises the risk of suicidal thoughts or depression compared to other stop-smoking products, researchers reported Thursday in the British Medical Journal.

Back in July of this year, U.S. health officials ordered strong “black box” warnings be added to Chantix (also called varenicline) as well as anti-smoking drug Zyban, following more than five thousand reports of depression, hostility and other behavioral changes possibly associated with use of these drugs.

“There have been recent concerns that varenicline, a relatively new smoking cessation product, may increase the risk of suicidal behavior and suicide,” study co-author Dr. David Gunnell of the University of Bristol, UK, explained in an email to Reuters Health.

“We found no clear evidence of an increased risk of self-harm or depression associated with varenicline,” he said.

The findings stem from data on more than 80,660 would-be quitters in the UK who used different smoking cessation products between September 2006 and May 2008.

A total of 63,265 of these individuals used nicotine replacement products, 10,973 used Chantix, and 6,422 used Zyban, an antidepressant also called bupropion, which has been found to help smokers quit.

When researchers looked at medical records, they didn’t find any evidence of an increased risk of serious mental health problems (i.e., self-harm, suicidal thoughts or depression) while they were using these products and during the three months after the last prescription was filled.

Gunnell cautioned, however, that based on the size of the study, it’s still possible that Chantix does increase the risk of suicide – or even decrease it.

“Other studies should be undertaken to provide further evidence on this issue,” he concluded.

Doubts on suicide , Doubts on suicide  Health, Doubts on suicide  Health Latest, Doubts on suicide  Health Information, Doubts on suicide Health information, Doubts on suicide  Health Photo,Doubts on suicide  for Weight Health photo, Doubts on suicide  Health Latest, Doubts on suicide  Health latest, Doubts on suicide  for Weight  Health Story, Doubts on suicide  Video, Doubts on suicide  video, Doubts on suicide  Health History, Doubts on suicide  Health history, Doubts on suicide  over Picture, history, Doubts on suicide  Asia, Doubts on suicide   asia, Doubts on suicide  Gallery, Doubts on suicide  for Weight gallery, Doubts on suicide Photo Gallery, Doubts on suicide Picture, Doubts on suicide  picture, Doubts on suicide  Web, Malaysia Health, web Health, web Health picture, video photo, video surgery, gallery, laparoscopy, virus, flu, drug, video, Health Health, calories, photo, nutrition, health video, symptoms, cancer, medical, beating, diet, physical, Training, organic, gym, blister, exercise, weightloss, surgery, spiritual, eating, tips, skin, operation, bf1,

Exercise beats angioplasty for some heart patients

heart_30.08.09

Exercise beats angioplasty for some heart patients

Working up a sweat may be even better than angioplasty for some heart patients, experts say.

Studies have shown heart patients benefit from exercise, and some have even shown it works better than surgical procedures. At a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology on Sunday, several experts said doctors should focus more on persuading their patients to exercise rather than simply doing angioplasties.

Angioplasty is the top treatment for people having a heart attack or hospitalized with worsening symptoms. It involves using a tiny balloon to flatten a blockage and propping the heart artery open with a mesh tube called a stent. Most angioplasties are done on a nonemergency basis, to relieve chest pain caused by clogged arteries cutting off the heart’s blood supply.

“It’s difficult to convince people to exercise instead of having an angioplasty, but it works,” said Rainer Hambrecht of Klinikum Links der Weser in Bremen, Germany.

Hambrecht published a study in 2004 that found that nearly 90 percent of heart patients who rode bikes regularly were free of heart problems one year after they started their exercise regimen. Among patients who had an angioplasty instead, only 70 percent were problem-free after a year.

Hambrecht is now conducting a similar trial, which he expects to confirm his initial findings: that for some heart patients, exercise is more effective than a surgical procedure.

Other experts agreed that would likely be the case.

An angioplasty “only opens up one vessel blockage,” said Dr. Christopher Cannon, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard University and spokesman for the American College of Cardiology. He was not linked to Hambrecht’s research. “Exercise does a lot more than fixing one little problem.”

Among other benefits, exercise lowers bad cholesterol while raising good cholesterol, helps the body process sugar better, improves the lining of the blood vessels and gets rid of waste material faster. Exercise also lowers blood pressure and prevents plaque buildup in the arteries.

Previous research has estimated one third of heart disease and stroke could be prevented if patients did two-and-a-half hours of brisk walking every week. In the U.S., that would mean 280,000 fewer heart-related deaths every year.

Joep Perk, a professor of health sciences at Sweden’s Kalmar University and spokesman for the European Society of Cardiology, said two thirds of heart patients in line for an angioplasty could probably get better benefits by regularly working up a sweat.

Experts say less than 20 percent of heart patients get the recommended amount of exercise — about 30 minutes of moderate activity five times a week.

Perk said doctors who performed angioplasties on their patients without asking them to change their lifestyles were ignoring the fundamental problem. “It would be like getting rid of the most troubled rust spots on a car without doing anything to stop more rust from appearing tomorrow.”

Still, doctors admitted that persuading patients to exercise instead of simply going in for an angioplasty, which can take less than a day, would be a tough sell.

“Most patients want the quick fix,” Cannon said. Exercise may improve patients’ hearts better than an angioplasty, but it may also take months or even longer for patients to feel the benefits. “It’s a lot easier to get your artery fixed than it is to exercise every day.”

Exercise beats angioplasty , Exercise beats angioplasty  Health, Exercise beats angioplasty  Health Latest, Exercise beats angioplasty  Health Information, Exercise beats angioplasty  Health information, Exercise beats angioplasty Health Photo,Exercising for Weight Health photo, Exercise beats angioplasty  Health Latest, Exercise beats angioplasty Health latest, Exercising for Weight  Health Story, Healthy Minnesota  Health story, Exercise beats angioplasty  Video, Exercise beats angioplasty  video, Exercise beats angioplasty  Health History, Exercise beats angioplasty  Health history, Exercise beats angioplasty over Picture, history, Exercise beats angioplasty  Asia,  Healthy Minnesota  asia, Exercise beats angioplasty  Gallery, Exercising for Weight  gallery, Exercise beats angioplasty  Photo Gallery, Healthy Minnesota  photo gallery, Exercise beats angioplasty  Picture, Exercise beats angioplasty  picture, Exercise beats angioplasty  Web, Malaysia Health, web Health, web Health picture, video photo, video surgery, gallery, laparoscopy, virus, flu, drug, video, Health Health, calories, photo, nutrition, health video, symptoms, cancer, medical, beating, diet, physical, Training, organic, gym, blister, exercise, weightloss, surgery, spiritual, eating, tips, skin, operation, bf1, Exercise, beats, angioplasty