Brooklyn Queens Land Trust

Kids FYI Informacion para los ninos (English and Spanish)

How to Be a Fit Kid

There's a lot of discussion these days about fit kids. People who care (parents, doctors, teachers, and others) want to know how to help kids be more fit. Being fit is a way of saying a person eats well, gets a lot of physical activity (exercise), and has a healthy weight. If you're fit, your body works well, feels good, and can do all the things you want to do, like run around with your friends.

Some steps only parents can take - such as serving healthy meals or deciding to take the family on a nature hike. But kids can take charge, too, when it comes to health. Here are five rules to live by, if you're a kid who wants to be fit. The trick is to follow these rules most of the time, knowing that some days (like your birthday) might call for cake and ice cream.

1. Eat a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables. You may have a favorite food, but the best choice is to eat a variety. If you eat different foods, you're more likely to get the nutrients your body needs. Taste new foods and old ones you haven't tried for a while. Some foods, such as green veggies, are more pleasing the older you get. Shoot for five servings of fruits and vegetables a day - two fruits and three vegetables. Here's one combination that might work for you:

1/2 cup (113 grams) strawberries on breakfast cereal
10 baby carrots
2 broccoli spears
3/4 cup (170 grams) fruit juice
1/2 cup (113 grams) salsa with chips

2. Drink water and milk most often. When you're really thirsty, cold water is the No. 1 thirst-quencher. And there's a reason your school cafeteria offers cartons of milk. Kids need calcium to grow strong bones, and milk is a great source of this mineral. How much do kids need? About 800 milligrams each day if you're 6 to 8 and 1,300 milligrams if you're 9 or older. To give you an idea, here's a list of foods and drinks that would add up to the 1,300-milligram daily goal:

2 cups (about half a liter) of milk (600 milligrams of calcium)
2 ounces (57 grams) of cheese (300 milligrams of calcium)
1 cup (227 grams) of yogurt (315 milligrams of calcium)
1/2 cup (113 grams) cooked white beans (120 milligrams of calcium)
You probably will want something other than milk or water once in a while, so it's OK to have 100% juice, too. But try to limit sugary drinks, like sodas, juice cocktails, and fruit punches. They contain a lot of added sugar. Sugar just adds calories, not important nutrients.

3. Listen to your body. What does it feel like to be full? When you're eating, notice how your body feels and when your stomach feels comfortably full. Sometimes, people eat too much because they don't notice when they need to stop eating. Eating too much can make you feel uncomfortable, and over a period of time, it can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

4. Limit screen time. What's screen time? It's the amount of time you spend watching TV, DVDs, and videos, playing handheld computer games, and using the computer. The more time you spend on these sitting-down activities, the less time available for active stuff, like basketball, bike riding, and swimming. Try to spend no more than 2 hours a day on screen time, not counting computer use related to school work.

5. Be active. One job you have as a kid - and it's a fun one - is that you get to figure out which activities you like best. Not everyone loves baseball or soccer. Maybe your passion is karate, or kickball, or dancing. Ask your parents to help you do your favorite activities regularly. Find ways to be active every day. You might even write down a list of fun stuff to do, so you can refer to it when your mom or dad says it's time to stop watching TV or playing computer games!

Speaking of parents, they can be a big help if you want to be a fit kid. For instance, they can stock the house with healthy foods and plan physical activities for the family. Tell your parents about these five steps you want to take and maybe you can teach them a thing or two. If you're a fit kid, why shouldn't you have a fit mom and a fit dad?

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD

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C?³mo ser un ni?±o sano

En la actualidad, se habla mucho sobre los ni?±os sanos. Las personas interesadas (padres, m?©dicos, maestros y otros) quieren saber c?³mo ayudar a los ni?±os a ser m?¡s sanos. Ser sano es una manera de decir que una persona come bien, realiza mucha actividad f?­sica (ejercicio) y tiene un peso sano. Si eres sano, tu cuerpo funciona bien, te sientes bien y puedes hacer todo lo que deseas, como jugar con tus amigos.

De algunas cuestiones s?³lo pueden ocuparse los padres, como brindarles alimentos sanos o decidir llevar a la familia a un paseo al aire libre. Pero los ni?±os tambi?©n pueden hacerse cargo cuando se trata de la salud. Si quieres ser un ni?±o sano, te damos cinco reglas para lograrlo. El truco es seguir estas reglas la mayor parte del tiempo, sabiendo que algunos d?­as (como tu cumplea?±os) se puede celebrar con torta y helado.

1. Come alimentos variados, especialmente frutas y vegetales. Puedes tener un alimento favorito, pero lo mejor es comer variado. Si comes diferentes alimentos, es m?¡s probable que ingieras los nutrientes que tu cuerpo necesita. Prueba nuevos alimentos y vuelve a los que no comes desde hace tiempo. Algunos alimentos, como las verduras de hojas verdes, resultan m?¡s agradables a medida que creces. Aspira a comer cinco porciones de frutas y vegetales por d?­a: dos frutas y tres vegetales.Aqu?­ hay una combinaci?³n que podr?­a resultarte:

1/2 taza (113 gramos) de fresas con el cereal del desayuno
10 zanahorias beb?© 2 ramitas de br?³culi
3/4 taza (170 gramos) de jugo de fruta
1/2 taza (113 gramos) de salsa con papas fritas

2. Bebe agua y leche a menudo. Cuando est?¡s realmente sediento, nada sacia m?¡s la sed que el agua fr?­a. Existe un motivo por el cual la cafeter?­a de tu escuela ofrece cartones de leche. Los ni?±os necesitan calcio para formar huesos fuertes y la leche es una excelente fuente de este mineral. ¿Cu?¡nto necesitan los ni?±os? Alrededor de 800 miligramos por d?­a si tienes entre 6 y 8 a?±os, y 1300 miligramos a partir de los 9 a?±os. Para darte una idea, incluimos una lista de alimentos y bebidas con los cuales llegar?¡s a la meta diaria de los 1300 miligramos:

2 tazas (aproximadamente medio litro) de leche (600 miligramos de calcio)
2 onzas (57 gramos) de queso (300 miligramos de calcio)
1 taza (227 gramos) de yogurt (315 miligramos de calcio)
1/2 taza (113 gramos) de frijoles blancos cocidos (120 miligramos de calcio)
Es probable que, de vez en cuando, quieras algo m?¡s que leche o agua. Por eso, tambi?©n puedes tomar un jugo 100% natural. Pero trata de limitar las bebidas dulces, como las gaseosas y los jugos de fruta artificiales. Contienen mucho az?ºcar. El az?ºcar s?³lo suma calor?­as y no aporta nutrientes importantes.

3. Escucha a tu cuerpo. ¿Qu?© sientes cuando est?¡s lleno? Cuando est?©s comiendo, nota c?³mo se siente tu cuerpo y cu?¡ndo tu est?³mago est?¡ confortablemente lleno. En ocasiones, la gente come demasiado porque no se da cuenta de cu?¡ndo necesita dejar de comer. Comer demasiado puede hacerte sentir inc?³modo y, despu?©s de un tiempo, llevarte a adquirir un sobrepeso no sano.

4. Limita el tiempo frente a la pantalla. ¿Qu?© es el tiempo frente a la pantalla? Es el tiempo que pasas mirando televisi?³n, DVD y videos; jugando a juegos electr?³nicos port?¡tiles y usando la computadora. Cuanto m?¡s tiempo les dedicas a estas actividades pasivas, menos tiempo te queda disponible para actividades din?¡micas, como el baloncesto, el ciclismo y la nataci?³n. Intenta no pasar m?¡s de dos horas por d?­a frente a una pantalla, sin contar el uso de la computadora para realizar la tarea escolar.

5. Mantente activo. Una tarea que tienes como ni?±o (y es divertida) es darte cuenta de qu?© actividades prefieres. No a todos les gusta el b?©isbol o el f?ºtbol. Tal vez, te apasionen el karate, el kickball o el baile. Pide a tus padres que te ayuden a practicar tus actividades favoritas regularmente. Busca maneras de permanecer activo todos los d?­as. Podr?­as incluso hacer una lista de actividades divertidas ¡para consultarla cuando tu mam?¡ o tu pap?¡ te digan que es hora de dejar de ver televisi?³n o de jugar con los juegos electr?³nicos!

Respecto de los padres, ellos pueden ser de gran ayuda si quieres ser un ni?±o sano. Por ejemplo, pueden disponer de abundantes provisiones de alimentos sanos y organizar actividades f?­sicas para la familia. Habla con tus padres sobre estas cinco medidas que deseas tomar y quiz?¡ puedas ense?±arles un par de cosas. Si eres un ni?±o sano, ¿por qu?© no tener una mam?¡ y un pap?¡ sanos?

Revisado por: Mary L. Gavin, MD

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Diseases and Conditions

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Alzheimer (say: alts-hi-mer) disease, which affects some older people, is different from everyday forgetting. It is a condition that permanently affects the brain, and over time, makes it harder to remember even basic stuff, like how to tie a shoe.

Eventually, the person may have trouble remembering the names and faces of family members - or even who he or she is. This can be very sad for the person and their families. It's important to know that Alzheimer disease does not affect kids. It usually affects people over 65 years of age. Researchers have found medicines that seem to slow the disease down. And there's hope that someday there will be a cure.

What Happens in the Brain?
You probably know that your brain works by sending signals. Chemical messengers, called neurotransmitters (say: nur-oh-trans-mih-terz), allow brain cells to communicate with each other. But a person with Alzheimer disease has decreased amounts of neurotransmitters. People with Alzheimer disease also develop deposits of stuff (protein and fiber) that prevent the cells from working properly. When this happens, the cells can't send the right signals to other parts of the brain. Over time, brain cells affected by Alzheimer disease also begin to shrink and die.

Lots of research is being done to find out more about the causes of Alzheimer disease. There is no one reason why people get Alzheimer disease. Older people are more likely to get it, and the risk gets greater the older the person gets. For instance, the risk is higher for someone who is 85 than it is for someone who is 65. And women are more likely to get it than men.

Researchers also think genes handed down from family members can make a person more likely to get Alzheimer disease. But that doesn't mean everyone related to someone who has Alzheimer disease will get the disease. Other factors, combined with genes, may make it more likely that someone will get the disease. Some of them are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Down syndrome, or having a head injury.

On the positive side, researchers believe exercise, a healthy diet, and taking steps to keep your mind active (like doing crossword puzzles) may help delay the onset of Alzheimer disease.

How Do People Know They Have It?
The first sign of Alzheimer disease is a continuous pattern of forgetting things. This starts to affect a person's daily life. He or she may forget where the grocery store is or the names of family and friends. This stage of the disease may last for some time or quickly progress, causing memory loss and forgetfulness to get worse.

What Will the Doctor Do?
It can be hard for a doctor to diagnose Alzheimer disease because many of its symptoms (like memory problems) can be like those of other conditions affecting the brain. The doctor will talk to the patient, find out about any medical problems the person has, and will examine him or her.

The doctor can ask the person questions or have the person take a written test to see how well his or her memory is working. Doctors also can use medical tests (such as MRI or CT scans) to take a detailed picture of the brain. They can study these images and look for the deposits of proteins and fiber that are typical of Alzheimer disease.

Once a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer disease, the doctor may prescribe medicine to help with memory and thinking. The doctor also might give the person medicine for other problems, such as depression (sad feelings that last a long time). Unfortunately the medicines that the doctors have can't cure Alzheimer disease; they just help slow down the disease.

When Someone You Love Has Alzheimer Disease
You might feel sad or angry - or both - if someone you love has Alzheimer disease. You might feel nervous around the person, especially if he or she is having trouble remembering important things or can no longer take care of himself or herself.

You might not want to go visit the person, even though your mom or dad wants you to. You are definitely not alone in these feelings. Try talking with a parent or another trusted adult. Just saying what's on your mind may help you feel better. You also may learn that the adults in your life are having struggles of their own with the situation.

If you visit a loved one who has Alzheimer disease, try to be patient. He or she may have good days and bad days. It can be sad if you no longer are able to have fun in the same ways together. Maybe you and your grandmother liked to go to concerts. If that's no longer possible, maybe bring her some wonderful music on a CD and listen together. It's a way to show her that you care - and showing that love is important even if her memory is failing.

Reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD

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Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet

Introduction

Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. Although scientists are learning more every day, right now they still do not know what causes AD, and there is no cure.

Scientists think that as many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from AD. The disease usually begins after age 60, and risk goes up with age. While younger people also may get AD, it is much less common. About 5 percent of men and women ages 65 to 74 have AD, and nearly half of those age 85 and older may have the disease. It is important to note, however, that AD is not a normal part of aging.

AD is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German doctor. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. He found abnormal clumps (now called amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (now called neurofibrillary tangles). Today, these plaques and tangles in the brain are considered signs of AD.

Scientists also have found other brain changes in people with AD. Nerve cells die in areas of the brain that are vital to memory and other mental abilities, and connections between nerve cells are disrupted. There also are lower levels of some of the chemicals in the brain that carry messages back and forth between nerve cells. AD may impair thinking and memory by disrupting these messages.

What Causes AD?
Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes AD. There probably is not one single cause, but several factors that affect each person differently. Age is the most important known risk factor for AD. The number of people with the disease doubles every 5 years beyond age 65.

Family history is another risk factor. Scientists believe that genetics may play a role in many AD cases. For example, early-onset familial AD, a rare form of AD that usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 60, is inherited. The more common form of AD is known as late-onset. It occurs later in life, and no obvious inheritance pattern is seen in most families. However, several risk factor genes may interact with each other and with non-genetic factors to cause the disease. The only risk factor gene identified so far for late-onset AD is a gene that makes one form of a protein called apolipoprotein E (ApoE). Everyone has ApoE, which helps carry cholesterol in the blood. Only about 15 percent of people have the form that increases the risk of AD. It is likely that other genes also may increase the risk of AD or protect against AD, but they remain to be discovered.

Scientists still need to learn a lot more about what causes AD. In addition to genetics and ApoE, they are studying education, diet, and environment to learn what role they might play in the development of this disease. Scientists are finding increasing evidence that some of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and low levels of the vitamin folate, may also increase the risk of AD. Evidence for physical, mental, and social activities as protective factors against AD is also increasing.

What Are the Symptoms of AD?
AD begins slowly. At first, the only symptom may be mild forgetfulness, which can be confused with age-related memory change. Most people with mild forgetfulness do not have AD. In the early stage of AD, people may have trouble remembering recent events, activities, or the names of familiar people or things. They may not be able to solve simple math problems. Such difficulties may be a bother, but usually they are not serious enough to cause alarm.

However, as the disease goes on, symptoms are more easily noticed and become serious enough to cause people with AD or their family members to seek medical help. Forgetfulness begins to interfere with daily activities. People in the middle stages of AD may forget how to do simple tasks like brushing their teeth or combing their hair. They can no longer think clearly. They can fail to recognize familiar people and places. They begin to have problems speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. Later on, people with AD may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, patients need total care.

How is AD Diagnosed?
An early, accurate diagnosis of AD helps patients and their families plan for the future. It gives them time to discuss care while the patient can still take part in making decisions. Early diagnosis will also offer the best chance to treat the symptoms of the disease.

Today, the only definite way to diagnose AD is to find out whether there are plaques and tangles in brain tissue. To look at brain tissue, however, doctors usually must wait until they do an autopsy, which is an examination of the body done after a person dies. Therefore, doctors can only make a diagnosis of “possible” or “probable” AD while the person is still alive.

At specialized centers, doctors can diagnose AD correctly up to 90 percent of the time. Doctors use several tools to diagnose “probable” AD, including:

questions about the person’s general health, past medical problems, and ability to carry out daily activities,
tests of memory, problem solving, attention, counting, and language,
medical tests—such as tests of blood, urine, or spinal fluid, and
brain scans.
Sometimes these test results help the doctor find other possible causes of the person’s symptoms. For example, thyroid problems, drug reactions, depression, brain tumors, and blood vessel disease in the brain can cause AD-like symptoms. Some of these other conditions can be treated successfully.

How is AD Treated?
AD is a slow disease, starting with mild memory problems and ending with severe brain damage. The course the disease takes and how fast changes occur vary from person to person. On average, AD patients live from 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed, though some people may live with AD for as many as 20 years.

No treatment can stop AD. However, for some people in the early and middle stages of the disease, the drugs tacrine (Cognex), donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), or galantamine (Razadyne, previously known as Reminyl) may help prevent some symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time. Another drug, memantine (Namenda), has been approved to treat moderate to severe AD, although it also is limited in its effects. Also, some medicines may help control behavioral symptoms of AD such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression. Treating these symptoms often makes patients more comfortable and makes their care easier for caregivers.

New Areas of Research
The National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the lead Federal agency for AD research. NIA-supported scientists are testing a number of drugs to see if they prevent AD, slow the disease, or help reduce symptoms. Some ideas that seem promising turn out to have little or no benefit when they are carefully studied in a clinical trial. Researchers undertake clinical trials to learn whether treatments that appear promising in observational and animal studies actually are safe and effective in people.

Mild Cognitive Impairment. During the past several years, scientists have focused on a type of memory change called mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is different from both AD and normal age-related memory change. People with MCI have ongoing memory problems, but they do not have other losses such as confusion, attention problems, and difficulty with language. The NIA-funded Memory Impairment Study compared donepezil (Aricept), vitamin E, or placebo in participants with MCI to see whether the drugs might delay or prevent progression to AD. The study found that the group with MCI taking the drug donepezil were at reduced risk of progressing to AD for the first 18 months of a 3-year study when compared with their counterparts on placebo. The reduced risk of progressing from MCI to a diagnosis of AD among participants on donepezil disappeared after 18 months, and by the end of the study, the probability of progressing to AD was the same in the two groups. Vitamin E had no effect at any time point in the study when compared with placebo.

Neuroimaging. Scientists are finding that damage to parts of the brain involved in memory, such as the hippocampus, can sometimes be seen on brain scans before symptoms of the disease occur. An NIA public-private partnership—the AD Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI)—is a large study that will determine whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, or other imaging or biological markers, can see early AD changes or measure disease progression. The project is designed to help speed clinical trials and find new ways to determine the effectiveness of treatments. For more information on ADNI, call the NIA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center at 1-800-438-4380, or visit www.alzheimers.org.

AD Genetics. The NIA is sponsoring the AD Genetics Study to learn more about risk factor genes for late onset AD. To participate in this study, families with two or more living siblings diagnosed with AD should contact the National Cell Repository for AD toll-free at 1-800-526-2839. Information may also be requested through the study’s website: http://ncrad.iu.edu.

Inflammation. There is evidence that inflammation in the brain may contribute to AD damage. Some studies have suggested that drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might help slow the progression of AD, but clinical trials thus far have not demonstrated a benefit from these drugs. A clinical trial studying two of these drugs, rofecoxib (Vioxx) and naproxen (Aleve) showed that they did not delay the progression of AD in people who already have the disease. Another trial, testing whether the NSAIDs celecoxib (Celebrex) and naproxen could prevent AD in healthy older people at risk of the disease, has been suspended. However, investigators are continuing to follow the participants and are examining data regarding possible cardiovascular risk. Researchers are continuing to look for ways to test how other anti-inflammatory drugs might affect the development or progression of AD.

Antioxidants. Several years ago, a clinical trial showed that vitamin E slowed the progress of some consequences of AD by about 7 months. Additional studies are investigating whether antioxidants—vitamins E and C—can slow AD. Another clinical trial is examining whether vitamin E and/or selenium supplements can prevent AD or cognitive decline, and additional studies on other antioxidants are ongoing or being planned.

Ginkgo biloba. Early studies suggested that extracts from the leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree may be of some help in treating AD symptoms. There is no evidence yet that ginkgo biloba will cure or prevent AD, but scientists now are trying to find out in a clinical trial whether ginkgo biloba can delay cognitive decline or prevent dementia in older people.

Estrogen. Some studies have suggested that estrogen used by women to treat the symptoms of menopause also protects the brain. Experts also wondered whether using estrogen could reduce the risk of AD or slow the disease. Clinical trials to test estrogen, however, have not shown that estrogen can slow the progression of already diagnosed AD. And one study found that women over the age of 65 who used estrogen with a progestin were at greater risk of dementia, including AD, and that older women using only estrogen could also increase their chance of developing dementia.

Scientists believe that more research is needed to find out if estrogen may play some role in AD. They would like to know whether starting estrogen therapy around the time of menopause, rather than at age 65 or older, will protect memory or prevent AD.

Participating in Clinical Trials
People with AD, those with MCI, or those with a family history of AD, who want to help scientists test possible treatments may be able to take part in clinical trials. Healthy people also can help scientists learn more about the brain and AD. The NIA maintains the AD Clinical Trials Database, which lists AD clinical trials sponsored by the Federal government and private companies. To find out more about these studies, contact the NIA’s ADEAR Center at 1-800-438-4380 or visit the ADEAR Center website at www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/ResearchInformation/ClinicalTrials. You also can sign up for e-mail alerts on new clinical trials as they are added to the database. Additional clinical trials information is available at www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Many of these studies are being done at NIA-supported Alzheimer’s Disease Centers located throughout the United States. These centers carry out a wide range of research, including studies of the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and management of AD. To get a list of these centers, contact the ADEAR Center.


Advancing Our Understanding
Scientists have come a long way in their understanding of AD. Findings from years of research have begun to clarify differences between normal age-related memory changes, MCI, and AD. Scientists also have made great progress in defining the changes that take place in the AD brain, which allows them to pinpoint possible targets for treatment. These advances are the foundation for the NIH Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Initiative, which is designed to:

understand why AD occurs and who is at greatest risk of developing it;
improve the accuracy of diagnosis and the ability to identify those at risk;
discover, develop, and test new treatments;
discover treatments for behavioral problems in patients with AD.

Is There Help for Caregivers?
Most often, spouses and other family members provide the day-to-day care for people with AD. As the disease gets worse, people often need more and more care. This can be hard for caregivers and can affect their physical and mental health, family life, job, and finances.

The Alzheimer’s Association has chapters nationwide that provide educational programs and support groups for caregivers and family members of people with AD. Contact information for the Alzheimer’s Association is listed at the end of this fact sheet.


For More Information
To learn about support groups, services, research centers, getting involved in studies, and publications about AD, contact the following:

Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center
P.O. Box 8250
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8250
1-800-438-4380
www.alzheimers.nia.nih.gov

This service of the NIA is funded by the Federal Government. It offers information and publications on diagnosis, treatment, patient care, caregiver needs, long-term care, education and training, and research related to AD. Staff answer telephone, e-mail, and written requests and make referrals to local and national resources.

Alzheimer’s Association
225 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60611-7633
1-800-272-3900
www.alz.org
This nonprofit association supports families and caregivers of patients with AD. Chapters nationwide provide referrals to local resources and services, and sponsor support groups and educational programs. The Association also funds research.

Eldercare Locator
800-677-1116
www.eldercare.gov

This service of the Administration on Aging is funded by the Federal Government. It offers information about and referrals to respite care and other home and community services offered by State and Area Agencies on Aging.

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U.S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Institute on Aging
August 2005


Page last updated Mar 15, 2006
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Folleto Informativo: La Enfermedad de Alzheimer


Introducci?³n La demencia es un desorden cerebral que afecta seriamente la habilidad de una persona para llevar a cabo sus actividades diarias. La enfermedad de Alzheimer (AD por sus siglas en Ingl?©s) es la forma m?¡s com?ºn de demencia entre las personas mayores. Involucra las partes del cerebro que controlan el pensamiento, la memoria y el lenguaje. Cada d?­a los cient?­ficos aprenden m?¡s sobre esta enfermedad, pero hasta ahora sus causas son desconocidas y no se conoce ninguna cura.

Los cient?­ficos creen que aproximadamente 4 millones de estadounidenses padecen de la enfermedad, normalmente se manifiesta despu?©s de los 60 a?±os y el riesgo aumenta con la edad. Aunque las personas m?¡s j?³venes tambi?©n pueden sufrirla, es mucho menos com?ºn entre ellas. Aproximadamente el 3 por ciento de hombres y mujeres entre los 65 y los 74 a?±os la tienen, y casi la mitad de los hombres y mujeres de 85 a?±os y m?¡s pueden tenerla. Es importante anotar sin embargo, que la enfermedad de Alzheimer no es una etapa normal del envejecimiento.

La enfermedad de Alzheimer es llamada as?­ por el m?©dico alem?¡n Alois Alzheimer, quien en 1906 not?³ cambios en el tejido cerebral de una mujer que hab?­a muerto de una rara enfermedad mental. Alzheimer encontr?³ aglutinaciones anormales (ahora llamadas "placas de amiloide") y una masa confusa de fibras (ahora llamada "enredo de neurofibrillas"). Actualmente estas placas y enredos en el cerebro son considerados el sello caracter?­stico de la enfermedad de Alzheimer.

Los cient?­ficos tambi?©n han encontrado otros cambios en el cerebro de las personas que tienen la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Hay una p?©rdida de c?©lulas nerviosas en ?¡reas del cerebro que son vitales para la memoria y otras habilidades mentales. Tambi?©n hay disminuci?³n en el nivel de los qu?­micos del cerebro responsables de la transmisi?³n de mensajes complejos entre las c?©lulas nerviosas. Puede alterar los procesos normales de pensamiento y de memoria debido al bloqueo de estos mensajes entre las c?©lulas nerviosas.

¿Cu?¡les son las causas de la enfermedad de Alzheimer?
Los cient?­ficos no entienden a?ºn completamente qu?© causa la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Probablemente no hay una sola causa, sino existen varios factores que afectan a cada persona de diferente manera. La edad es el factor de riesgo conocido m?¡s importante de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. El n?ºmero de personas que la sufren se duplica cada 5 a?±os entre las personas mayores de 65 a?±os.

La historia familiar es otro factor de riesgo. Los cient?­ficos creen que la gen?©tica puede jugar un papel importante en muchos casos de esta enfermedad. Por ejemplo, la enfermedad de Alzheimer familiar, una rara forma de Alzheimer que normalmente se manifiesta en personas entre los 30 y los 60 a?±os de edad, puede ser hereditaria. Sin embargo, en la forma m?¡s com?ºn del Alzheimer que se presenta a edad m?¡s avanzada, no se observa ning?ºn patr?³n familiar obvio.

Un factor de riesgo para este tipo de Alzheimer es una prote?­na llamada apolipoprote?­na E (apoE). Todos tenemos "apoE" que ayuda a transportar el colesterol en la sangre. El gen de la "apoE" tiene tres formas: una parece proteger a una persona de la enfermedad de Alzheimer, y otra parece que aumenta las probabilidades del desarrollo de la enfermedad en la persona. Otros genes que aumentan el riesgo de la enfermedad de Alzheimer o que probablemente protejan contra esta todav?­a no se han descubierto.

Los cient?­ficos a?ºn necesitan aprender mucho m?¡s sobre las causas de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Adicionalmente a la gen?©tica y a la "apoE", est?¡n analizando la educaci?³n, la dieta, el ambiente, y los virus para investigar qu?© papel pueden tener estos en el desarrollo de esta enfermedad.

¿Cu?¡les son los s?­ntomas de la enfermedad de Alzheimer?
La enfermedad de Alzheimer comienza lentamente. Al principio el ?ºnico s?­ntoma puede ser tener peque?±os olvidos. Las personas con la enfermedad de Alzheimer pueden tener problemas para recordar eventos recientes, actividades o los nombres de personas o cosas familiares. Las operaciones simples de matem?¡ticas pueden volverse dif?­ciles de resolver. Estas dificultades pueden causarle fastidio, pero normalmente no son tan serias como para causar alarma.

Sin embargo, mientras la enfermedad progresa, los s?­ntomas se notan m?¡s f?¡cilmente y se acent?ºan tanto que son motivo suficiente, para que la persona con la enfermedad de Alzheimer o los miembros de su familia, busquen ayuda m?©dica.

Por ejemplo, las personas en la etapa avanzada del Alzheimer pueden olvidar la forma de hacer tareas sencillas, como cepillarse los dientes o peinarse. Ya no pueden pensar claramente y empiezan a tener problemas para hablar, entender, leer o escribir. Despu?©s, las personas con la enfermedad de Alzheimer pueden ponerse ansiosas o agresivas, o deambular fuera de la casa. Eventualmente los pacientes necesitan un cuidado permanente.

¿C?³mo se diagnostica la enfermedad de Alzheimer?
Un diagn?³stico temprano y exacto de la enfermedad de Alzheimerayuda a los pacientes y a sus familias a planear el futuro. Les da tiempo para discutir las opciones de cuidado mientras el paciente todav?­a puede participar en la toma de decisiones. El diagn?³stico temprano tambi?©n ofrece la mejor oportunidad para tratar sus s?­ntomas de la enfermedad.

Actualmente la ?ºnica manera definitiva para diagnosticar la enfermedad de Alzheimer es investigar sobre la existencia de placas y enredos en el tejido cerebral. Para observar el tejido cerebral los m?©dicos deben esperar hasta que se haga la autopsia, que es un examen del cuerpo que se hace despu?©s que la persona muere. Por consiguiente, los m?©dicos deben hacer un diagn?³stico de "posible" o "probable" enfermedad de Alzheimer.

En los centros especializados, los m?©dicos pueden diagnosticarla correctamente con un 90 por ciento de certeza. Los m?©dicos usan varios m?©todos para diagnosticar "la probable" enfermedad de Alzheimer.

Una historia m?©dica completa que incluya informaci?³n sobre la salud general de la persona, los problemas m?©dicos anteriores y cualquier dificultad que la persona tenga en las actividades diarias.


Pruebas diagn?³sticas m?©dicas tales como los ex?¡menes de sangre, de orina o de fluidos medulares ayudan al m?©dico a encontrar otras posibles enfermedades que causan estos s?­ntomas.


Un examen neuro-psicol?³gico para medir la memoria, la capacidad de resolver problemas, la atenci?³n, la capacidad de contar y el lenguaje.


Ex?¡menes del cerebro con esc?¡ner para permitir al m?©dico mirar fotograf?­as del cerebro para ver si hay algo que no parezca normal.

La informaci?³n contenida en la historia m?©dica y los resultados de los ex?¡menes ayudan al m?©dico a descartar otras posibles causas de los s?­ntomas de la persona. Por ejemplo: problemas de la tiroides, reacciones a los medicamentos, depresi?³n, tumores cerebrales y enfermedades cerebro-vasculares que pueden producir s?­ntomas similares a los de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Algunas de estas otras condiciones m?©dicas pueden tratarse con ?©xito.

Recientemente, los cient?­ficos se han enfocado en un tipo de cambio de la memoria llamado deterioro cognoscitivo leve (MCI por sus siglas en Ingl?©s). El MCI es diferente de la enfermedad de Alzheimer y de los cambios en la memoria relacionados con el envejecimiento. Las personas con el MCI tienen problemas continuos de memoria pero no presentan otras p?©rdidas como la confusi?³n, los problemas de atenci?³n y la dificultad con el lenguaje.

Cient?­ficos financiados por el Instituto Nacional sobre el Envejecimiento (NIA) est?¡n llevando a cabo un Estudio sobre el Deterioro de la Memoria para saber si el diagn?³stico temprano y el tratamiento del MCI podr?­a prevenir o retardar una mayor p?©rdida de memoria incluyendo el desarrollo de la enfermedad de Alzheimer.

¿C?³mo se trata la enfermedad de Alzheimer?
La enfermedad de Alzheimer es una enfermedad lenta, que comienza con leves problemas de memoria y termina con un severo da?±o cerebral. El curso que toma la enfermedad y la velocidad en que ocurren los cambios var?­an de persona a persona. En promedio, los pacientes con la enfermedad viven entre 8 y 10 a?±os despu?©s de que se les ha diagnosticado, aunque esta puede durar hasta 20 a?±os.

Ning?ºn tratamiento puede detener la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Sin embargo, en algunas personas, en las fases temprana y media de la enfermedad, medicamentos como el tacrine (Cognex), donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) o galantamine (Razadyne® (anteriormente conocida como Reminyl®)) pueden prevenir el empeoramiento de algunos s?­ntomas durante un tiempo limitado.

Tambi?©n algunas medicinas pueden ayudar a controlar conductas sintom?¡ticas de la enfermedad de Alzheimer como el insomnio, la agitaci?³n, el deambular, la ansiedad y la depresi?³n. El tratamiento de estos s?­ntomas frecuentemente hace que los pacientes se sientan m?¡s c?³modos y facilita su cuidado para las personas que los atienden.

El desarrollo de nuevos tratamientos para la enfermedad de Alzheimer es un campo activo de investigaci?³n. Los cient?­ficos est?¡n sometiendo a prueba varios medicamentos para ver si previenen la enfermedad de Alzheimer, para hacer m?¡s lenta su evoluci?³n o para ayudar a reducir los s?­ntomas de la conducta.

Los cient?­ficos han sometido a prueba dos tipos diferentes de medicamentos anti-inflamatorios sin ester?³ides (NSAIDs por su sigla en Ingl?©s) para averiguar si retardan la evoluci?³n de la enfermedad. Hay evidencia que la inflamaci?³n en el cerebro puede contribuir al da?±o de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Los cient?­ficos creen que los medicamentos anti-inflamatorios como los NSAIDs podr?­an ayudar a retardar el desarrollo de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. El rofecoxib (Vioxx) y el naproxen (Aleve) son actualmente dos NSAIDs en estudio.

Las investigaciones han demostrado que la vitamina E retarda el avance de algunas de las consecuencias de la enfermedad de Alzheimer por aproximadamente 7 meses. Actualmente los cient?­ficos est?¡n estudiando la vitamina E para saber si esta puede prevenir o retardar la enfermedad de Alzheimer en los pacientes con MCI.

Recientes investigaciones sugieren que la ginkgo biloba, un extracto hecho de las hojas del ?¡rbol de ginkgo, puede ser de alguna ayuda en el tratamiento de los s?­ntomas de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. No hay evidencia de que la ginkgo pueda curar o prevenir esta enfermedad. Los cient?­ficos est?¡n intentando ahora averiguar si la ginkgo biloba puede retardar o prevenir la demencia en las personas mayores.

Hay investigaciones tambi?©n en marcha para ver si el estr?³geno reduce el riesgo de la enfermedad de Alzheimer o retarda su desarrollo. Un estudio demostr?³ que el estr?³geno no retarda la progresi?³n de la enfermedad ya diagnosticada, pero se necesita investigar m?¡s para averiguar si puede jugar otro papel. Por ejemplo, los cient?­ficos est?¡n ahora intentando averiguar si el estr?³geno puede prevenir la enfermedad de Alzheimer en mujeres con historia familiar de la misma.

Las personas con enfermedad de Alzheimer y con MCI que quieran ayudar a los cient?­ficos a probar los posibles tratamientos pueden participar en las pruebas cl?­nicas. Las pruebas cl?­nicas son estudios que se realizan para averiguar si un nuevo tratamiento es seguro y efectivo. Las personas saludables tambi?©n pueden ayudar a los cient?­ficos a aprender m?¡s sobre el cerebro y la enfermedad de Alzheimer.

El Instituto Nacional sobre el Envejecimiento y la Administraci?³n Federal de Drogas y Alimentos (FDA por su sigla en Ingl?©s) est?¡n trabajando conjuntamente para mantener una base de datos de las pruebas cl?­nicas de la enfermedad de Alzheimer, con la relaci?³n de las pruebas patrocinadas por el gobierno federal y las compa?±?­as privadas.

Para obtener m?¡s informaci?³n sobre estos estudios, comun?­quese con el Centro de Informaci?³n y Referencia sobre la Enfermedad de Alzheimer de NIA (ADEAR) en la l?­nea biling?¼e gratuita 1-800-438-4380, o visite la p?¡gina electr?³nica del Centro ADEAR en: http://www.alzheimers.org (informac?­on en ingl?©s). Usted puede revisar regularmente para ver qu?© nuevas pruebas cl?­nicas se han agregado a la base de datos.

Muchos de estos estudios se est?¡n realizando en los Centros sobre la Enfermedad de Alzheimer patrocinados por NIA localizados a lo largo de los Estados Unidos. Estos centros est?¡n realizando una amplia gama de investigaciones, que incluye estudios sobre las causas de la enfermedad de Alzheimer, su diagn?³stico, tratamiento y manejo. Para obtener una lista de estos centros, comun?­quese con el Centro ADEAR.

¿Hay ayuda para las personas que atienden a los enfermos?
Frecuentemente los c?³nyuges u otros miembros de la familia proveen el cuidado diario de las personas con la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Cuando la enfermedad avanza, los pacientes necesitan cada vez m?¡s cuidados. Esto puede ser dif?­cil para las personas dedicadas a estos cuidados y puede afectarles su salud f?­sica y mental, la vida familiar, el trabajo y sus finanzas.

La Asociaci?³n de Alzheimer tiene centros de asistencia en todo el pa?­s que proporcionan programas educativos y grupos de apoyo para las personas dedicadas a estos cuidados y para los miembros de la familia de las personas que sufren de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Para mayor informaci?³n p?³ngase en contacto con la Asociaci?³n de Alzheimer informaci?³n la cual se incluye al final de este folleto.

Investigaci?³n Los cient?­ficos han avanzado mucho en la comprensi?³n de la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Los resultados de a?±os de investigaci?³n han empezado a aclarar la diferencia entre los cambios normales de la memoria relacionados con la edad, el MCI y la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Los cient?­ficos tambi?©n han hecho grandes progresos en la definici?³n de los cambios que se presentan en el cerebro del enfermo de Alzheimer lo cual les permite identificar con precisi?³n los posibles objetivos del tratamiento. Estos adelantos son la base para la Iniciativa para la Prevenci?³n de la Enfermedad de Alzheimer de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (NIH) que est?¡ dise?±ada para:

entender por qu?© la enfermedad de Alzheimer se presenta y qui?©n est?¡ en mayor riesgo de desarrollarla

mejorar la exactitud del diagn?³stico y la habilidad para identificar a aqu?©llos en riesgo

descubrir, desarrollar y probar nuevos tratamientos

descubrir tratamientos para los problemas de conducta de los pacientes con la enfermedad de Alzheimer
Mayor informaci?³n Para informarse acerca de los grupos de apoyo, servicios, centros de investigaci?³n y publicaciones sobre la enfermedad de Alzheimer, p?³ngase en contacto con los grupos siguientes:

Alzheimer's Association
(Asociaci?³n de Alzheimer)
225 N. Michigan Ave.
Suite 1700
Chicago, IL 60601
1-800-272-3900
P?¡gina electr?³nica: www.alz.org

Esta asociaci?³n sin fines de lucro apoya a las familias y a las personas dedicadas al cuidado de pacientes con la enfermedad de Alzheimer. Centros de asistencia a lo largo del pa?­s proporcionan informaci?³n sobre los recursos y servicios locales, y patrocina grupos de apoyo y programas educativos. Hay personal biling?¼e disponible para asistirle.

Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center
Centro de Educaci?³n y Referencia sobre la Enfermedad de Alzheimer
PO Box 8250
Silver Spring, MD 20907-8250
1-800-438-4380
P?¡gina electr?³nica: www.alzheimers.org

Este servicio del Instituto Nacional Sobre el Envejecimiento es financiado por el gobierno federal. Ofrece informaci?³n y publicaciones sobre el diagn?³stico, tratamiento, cuidado del paciente, necesidades de las personas dedicadas a su atenci?³n, cuidado a largo plazo, educaci?³n y entrenamiento, e investigaci?³n relacionada con la enfermedad de Alzheimer. El personal biling?¼e responde a solicitudes telef?³nicas y por escrito y da informaci?³n sobre recursos locales y nacionales.

Eldercare Locator
Localizador de Cuidados para
Personas Mayores
1-800-677-1116
P?¡gina electr?³nica: www.eldercare.gov

Este servicio de la Administraci?³n Sobre el Envejecimiento es financiado por el gobierno federal y ofrece informaci?³n sobre el descanso en el cuidado, y otros servicios para los hogares y las comunidades, ofrecidos por las agencias sobre el envejecimiento del estado y del ?¡rea. Hay personal biling?¼e disponible para asistirle.

Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de los Estados Unidos
Servicio de Salud P?ºblica
Institutos Nacionales de Salud
Instituto Nacional Sobre el Envejecimiento

Publicaci?³n de NIH No. 01-3431S

Julio 2002




Page last updated Mar 08, 2006


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Cardiovascular or Heart Disease

Heart disease, also called cardiovascular (say: kar-dee-oh-vas-kyoo-lur) disease, mainly affects older people and means that there are problems with the heart and blood vessels.

You might know someone who has cardiovascular disease because 61 million Americans have some form of it. This disease includes a variety of problems, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, hardening of the arteries, chest pain, heart attacks, and strokes.

What Is Heart Disease?
The heart is the center of the cardiovascular system. Through the body's blood vessels, the heart pumps blood to all of the body's cells. The blood carries oxygen, which the cells need. Cardiovascular disease is a group of problems that occur when the heart and blood vessels aren't working the way they should.

Here are some of the problems that go along with cardiovascular disease:

Arteriosclerosis (say: ar-teer-ee-oh-skluh-row-sus) and atherosclerosis (say: ah-thuh-row-skluh-row-sus): Also called hardening of the arteries, arteriosclerosis means a person's arteries become thickened and are no longer as flexible. People with atherosclerosis have a buildup of cholesterol and fat that makes their arteries narrower so less blood can flow through. Those deposits are called plaque.

Angina (say: an-jy-nuh): People with angina feel a pain in the chest that means the heart isn't getting enough blood.

Heart attack: When a blood clot or other blockage cuts blood flow to a part of the heart.

Stroke: When part of the brain doesn't get enough blood due to a clot or a burst blood vessel.

How Do You Get Heart Disease?
Heart disease is not contagious - you can't catch it like you can the flu or a cold. Instead, there are certain things that increase a person's chances of getting cardiovascular disease. Doctors call these things risk factors. Some of these risk factors a person can't do anything about, like being older and having other people in the family who have had the same problems. But there are some risk factors that people have control over. Smoking, having high blood pressure, being overweight, and not exercising can increase the risk of getting cardiovascular disease.

What Are the Signs of Heart Disease?
Many people do not realize they have cardiovascular disease until they have chest pain, a heart attack, or stroke. These kinds of problems often need immediate attention and the person may need to go to the emergency department of a hospital. If it's not an emergency and a doctor suspects the person could have cardiovascular disease, the doctor can do some tests to find out more about how the heart and blood vessels are working. These tests include:

Electrocardiogram (say: eh-lek-tro-kar-dee-uh-gram) - This test records the heart's electrical activity. A doctor puts the patient on a monitor and watches the machine to see the heart beat and determine if it's normal.
Echocardiogram (say: eh-ko-kar-dee-uh-gram) - This test uses sound waves to diagnose heart problems. These waves are bounced off the parts of the heart, creating a picture of the heart that is displayed on a monitor.
Stress test - For this test, the person exercises while the doctor checks the electrocardiogram machine to see how the heart muscle reacts.
Catheterization (say: kah-thuh-tuh-ruh-zay-shun) - This test uses a long, thin tube that is inserted into the patient's body to inject a special dye. It can locate narrowed areas in arteries due to plaque buildup and find other problems.
Carotid (say: kuh-rah-tid) artery scan - This test uses sound waves to check for blockages in the carotid artery, a large blood vessel in the neck that supplies blood to the brain.
If the doctor finds that a patient has cardiovascular disease, he or she will talk with the patient about how stopping smoking, losing weight, eating a healthy diet, and getting exercise can help. The person also may need to take medicine, have surgery, or both.

There are different surgeries for the heart and blood vessels. Some of these include:

Angioplasty (say: an-jee-uh-plas-tee) - This opens a blocked vessel by using a balloon-like device at an artery's narrowest point. The doctor may also insert a stent, which is a tiny, stainless steel tube that props the vessel open and makes sure it stays clear.
Atherectomy (say: ah-thuh-rek-tuh-mee) - This involves cutting the plaque out of an artery, so blood can flow freely.
Bypass surgery - This involves taking part of an artery or vein from another part of the body (like the arm or leg) and using it to channel blood around a blocked area in an artery.
Pacemakers - A pacemaker is a small electronic device that's put inside the body to regulate the heartbeat.
Valve replacement - If a heart valve is damaged or isn't working, a surgeon can replace it.
Carotid endarterectomy (say: en-dar-tuh-rek-tuh-me) - During this procedure, a surgeon removes plaque deposits from the carotid artery to prevent a stroke.
If someone you know is getting one of these operations, you might feel worried. The good news is that these surgeries can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and other problems. The amount of time the person will need to spend in the hospital will vary, depending on the operation and the person's health. The person may be tired and worn out after the surgery, but you can help by making a "Get Well" card and visiting the person.

Can Kids Get Heart Disease?
Kids usually don't have any symptoms of heart and blood vessel problems while they are young. But by starting heart-healthy habits right now, kids can reduce the chance they will ever need to worry about cardiovascular disease. So what should you do? Don't smoke, for one. And be sure to eat healthy, exercise, and maintain a healthy weight. Your heart and blood vessels will thank you later!

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD

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Enfermedad card?­aca


T?º sabes lo importante que es el coraz?³n de una persona, as?­ que no es de extra?±ar que las personas se preocupen cuando se enteran de que alguien tiene problemas card?­acos. La enfermedad card?­aca, tambi?©n conocida como enfermedad cardiovascular, afecta principalmente a las personas mayores y consiste en problemas con el coraz?³n y los vasos sangu?­neos.

Puede que conozcas a alguien con enfermedad cardiovascular porque 61 millones de estadounidenses padecen de alguna forma de la misma. Esta enfermedad incluye una variedad de problemas, incluso presi?³n arterial elevada, colesterol alto, endurecimiento de las arterias, dolor de pecho, ataques card?­acos, y derrames cerebrales.

¿Qu?© es la enfermedad card?­aca?
El coraz?³n es el centro del aparato circulatorio o aparato cardiovascular. El coraz?³n bombea sangre a todas las c?©lulas del cuerpo a trav?©s de los vasos sangu?­neos. La sangre transporta el ox?­geno que las c?©lulas necesitan. La enfermedad cardiovascular es un grupo de trastornos que ocurren cuando el coraz?³n y los vasos sangu?­neos no est?¡n funcionando como deber?­an hacerlo.

Estos son algunos de los problemas que acompa?±an a la enfermedad cardiovascular:

Arteriosclerosis y aterosclerosis: tambi?©n conocida como endurecimiento de las arterias. En la arteriosclerosis las arterias de una persona se engrosan y pierden flexibilidad. Las personas con aterosclerosis tienen una acumulaci?³n de colesterol y grasa que hace que las arterias sean m?¡s estrechas, de manera que la cantidad de sangre que fluye es menor. Los dep?³sitos se conocen como placa.

Angina: las personas con angina sienten dolor en el pecho, esto significa que el coraz?³n no recibe suficiente sangre.

Ataque card?­aco: cuando un co?¡gulo sangu?­neo u otro bloqueo interrumpe el flujo sangu?­neo a una parte del coraz?³n.
Derrame cerebral o apoplej?­a: Cuando una parte del cerebro no recibe suficiente sangre debido a un co?¡gulo o a la rotura de un vaso sangu?­neo.

¿C?³mo se desarrolla la enfermedad card?­aca?
La enfermedad card?­aca no es contagiosa - no la puedes contraer como la gripe o un resfr?­o. M?¡s bien, hay ciertas cosas que aumentan las probabilidades de una persona de desarrollar enfermedad cardiovascular. Los m?©dicos las llaman factores de riesgo. Algunos de estos factores de riesgo, como por ejemplo ser una persona de edad o tener familiares con los mismos problemas, no se pueden contrarrestar. Pero hay ciertos factores de riesgo que es posible controlar. Fumar, tener presi?³n arterial elevada, sobrepeso y no hacer ejercicios pueden aumentar el riesgo de desarrollar enfermedad cardiovascular.

¿Cu?¡les son las se?±ales de enfermedad card?­aca?
Muchas personas no se dan cuenta de que padecen de enfermedad cardiovascular hasta que presentan dolor de pecho, un ataque card?­aco, o derrame cerebral. Estos tipos de problemas a menudo exigen atenci?³n inmediata y la persona necesita ir a la sala de emergencias de un hospital. Si no se trata de una emergencia y el m?©dico sospecha que la persona podr?­a tener enfermedad cardiovascular, se pueden realizar pruebas para determinar c?³mo est?¡n funcionando el coraz?³n y los vasos sangu?­neos. Estas pruebas incluyen:

Electrocardiograma: Esta prueba registra la actividad el?©ctrica del coraz?³n. El m?©dico conecta al paciente a un monitor y observa la m?¡quina para ver el latido card?­aco y determinar si es normal.
Ecocardiograma: Esta prueba usa ondas sonoras para diagnosticar los problemas card?­acos. Las ondas rebotan en las partes del coraz?³n y crean una imagen del mismo que es visualizada en un monitor.
Prueba de esfuerzo: Para esta prueba, la persona hace ejercicios mientras el m?©dico observa la m?¡quina de electrocardiograma para ver c?³mo reacciona el m?ºsculo card?­aco.
Cateterizaci?³n: Esta prueba usa un tubo largo y delgado que se introduce en el cuerpo del paciente para inyectar un colorante especial. Puede localizar ?¡reas estrechadas en las arterias debido a la acumulaci?³n de placa y detectar otros problemas.
Exploraci?³n de la arteria car?³tida: Esta prueba usa ondas sonoras para detectar la presencia de bloqueos en la arteria car?³tida, un vaso sangu?­neo grande del cuello que suministra sangre al cerebro.
Si el m?©dico determina que un paciente tiene enfermedad cardiovascular, hablar?¡ con el paciente sobre c?³mo puede ayudarle dejar de fumar, perder peso, consumir una dieta saludable y hacer ejercicios. Adem?¡s podr?­a ser necesario que la persona tome medicamentos, se le haga cirug?­a, o ambos.

Hay distintos tipos de cirug?­a para el coraz?³n y los vasos sangu?­neos. Algunos de ?©stos incluyen:

Angioplastia: Se abre el vaso sangu?­neo bloqueado usando un dispositivo parecido a un globo en el punto m?¡s estrecho de una arteria. El m?©dico tambi?©n puede introducir una endopr?³tesis vascular (stent), que es un diminuto tubo de acero inoxidable que mantiene el vaso abierto y asegura que permanezca libre de bloqueo.
Aterectom?­a: Esto involucra la extracci?³n de la placa de una arteria, para que la sangre fluya libremente.
Cirug?­a de derivaci?³n aortocoronaria: ?‰sta involucra tomar parte de una arteria o vena de otra parte del cuerpo (como el brazo o pierna) y usarla para canalizar el paso de sangre alrededor de un ?¡rea bloqueada en una arteria.
Marcapasos: El marcapasos es un dispositivo electr?³nico peque?±o que se coloca dentro del cuerpo para regular el latido card?­aco.
Reemplazo de v?¡lvulas: El cirujano puede reemplazar una v?¡lvula card?­aca da?±ada o que no funciona.
Endarterectom?­a de la car?³tida: Durante este procedimiento, el cirujano elimina los dep?³sitos de placa de la arteria car?³tida para prevenir un derrame cerebral.
Si alguien que conoces va a ser sometido a una de estas operaciones quiz?¡s te sientas inquieto. La buena noticia es que estas cirug?­as pueden ayudar a prevenir los ataques card?­acos, derrames cerebrales y otros trastornos. La cantidad de tiempo que ser?¡ necesario que la persona pase en el hospital variar?¡, dependiendo de la operaci?³n y de su salud. La persona podr?­a sentirse cansada y exhausta despu?©s de la cirug?­a, pero puedes ayudarla haci?©ndole una tarjeta que diga "Que te mejores" y visit?¡ndola.

¿Los ni?±os pueden desarrollar enfermedad card?­aca?
Generalmente, los ni?±os no presentan s?­ntomas de problemas con el coraz?³n o los vasos sangu?­neos mientras son j?³venes. Pero si comienzan a desarrollar h?¡bitos saludables para el coraz?³n ahora, los ni?±os pueden reducir la probabilidad de tener que preocuparse en el futuro de la enfermedad cardiovascular. Entonces, ¿qu?© deber?­as hacer? Para empezar, no fumes. Y aseg?ºrate de comer saludablemente, de hacer ejercicio y mantener un peso saludable. ¡Tu coraz?³n y los vasos sangu?­neos te lo agradecer?¡n m?¡s adelante!

Revisado por: Steven Dowshen, MD
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