Nearly half of individuals purchasing critical illness insurance protection were under age 45 according to the first national study of buyers conducted by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
The industry trade group released the findings of a study that reveals one third (34%) of purchasers were between ages 45 and 54 and the majority (87%) purchased $50,000 or less in benefits. The study examined sales data for over 130,000 individual and voluntary worksite policies and certificates issued.
"Critical illness insurance is growing in acceptance as consumers understand the risk and financial exposure resulting from cancer, a heart attack or stroke," explains Jesse Slome, the organization's executive director. First introduced in the United States in 1996, some 600,000 individuals have purchased critical illness coverage available from about 20 insurance companies.
Nearly a quarter (24%) of individual buyers opted for coverage of less than $20,000 according to the study's findings. For those purchasing in the worksite setting, some 65 percent chose benefits of $20,000 or less.
The vast majority of purchasers do so prior to turning age 55. Among those purchasing individual critical illness insurance policies, 20 percent were under age 35; 27 percent were between ages 35 and 44 and 34 percent were between 45 and 54. Buyers purchasing coverage in the workplace were about the same age according to the Association report. Policies providing a $10,000 benefit for a 40 year old can range from $150 to $300-per-year.
Individual buyers tended to be male (52% versus 48% female) while those purchasing in the workplace were more likely to be female (59% versus 41% male).
"We anticipate the market for critical illness insurance products will increase in the years ahead," predicts Slome. The Los Angeles-based association will undertake an aggressive consumer awareness campaign in 2010 to build an understanding of the benefits of the protection that is popular outside of the United States. "Every year, millions of Americans are diagnosed with a critical illness and the vast majority survive," Slome explains. "The financial cost even for those with health insurance can be devastating and one of the leading reasons 1.5 million Americans declared bankruptcy even before the current economic crisis." Critical illness insurance policies range in cost based on the age, sex and use of tobacco products. A policy providing a $10,000 cash benefit can range from about $150 a year to $400 a year experts explain.
Access to the full study results can be viewed on the organization's website http://www.aacii.org.
Showing posts with label heart attack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart attack. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Diuretics Still Best Treatment for High Blood Pressure
Diuretics are confirmed as the best first-line treatment in older men and women with high blood pressure according to new research.
Medical researchers reported the findings of a study at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association this week. They reported that the thiazide-type diuretic chlorthalidone outshone three other treatments -- a calcium channel blocker, an ACE inhibitor and an alpha-receptor blocker -- in most areas. This was especially effective in lowering the incidence of stroke and heart failure.
An estimated 80 million American adults have one or more types of cardiovascular disease according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 785,000 will have a new coronary attack this year according to the industry trade group.
The findings the medical experts note are largely unchanged. They note that the main message is that treating hypertension [high blood pressure] is very necessary and that treating hypertension with chlorthalidone resulted in a significant reduction in heart failure and stroke.
The original trial, begun in 1994, involved more than 42,000 patients with hypertension and at least one other risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The participants were randomly assigned to take one of the following anti-hypertensive drugs: chlorthalidone (the diuretic), amlodipine besylate (the calcium channel blocker), doxazosin mesylate (the alpha blocker) or lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor).
The five-year follow-up, which ended in 2002, was intended to see if new differences emerged with long-term use of the medications, especially regarding coronary heart disease, total mortality, heart failure and aggregate cardiovascular disease.
This is the largest hypertension trial to date, one researcher noted. Earlier results had also found that diuretics were as good or better than other blood pressure-lowering drugs for treating hypertension in patients with metabolic syndrome (a collection of factors that put people at risk of heart disease), especially black patients.
Medical researchers reported the findings of a study at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association this week. They reported that the thiazide-type diuretic chlorthalidone outshone three other treatments -- a calcium channel blocker, an ACE inhibitor and an alpha-receptor blocker -- in most areas. This was especially effective in lowering the incidence of stroke and heart failure.
An estimated 80 million American adults have one or more types of cardiovascular disease according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 785,000 will have a new coronary attack this year according to the industry trade group.
The findings the medical experts note are largely unchanged. They note that the main message is that treating hypertension [high blood pressure] is very necessary and that treating hypertension with chlorthalidone resulted in a significant reduction in heart failure and stroke.
The original trial, begun in 1994, involved more than 42,000 patients with hypertension and at least one other risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The participants were randomly assigned to take one of the following anti-hypertensive drugs: chlorthalidone (the diuretic), amlodipine besylate (the calcium channel blocker), doxazosin mesylate (the alpha blocker) or lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor).
The five-year follow-up, which ended in 2002, was intended to see if new differences emerged with long-term use of the medications, especially regarding coronary heart disease, total mortality, heart failure and aggregate cardiovascular disease.
This is the largest hypertension trial to date, one researcher noted. Earlier results had also found that diuretics were as good or better than other blood pressure-lowering drugs for treating hypertension in patients with metabolic syndrome (a collection of factors that put people at risk of heart disease), especially black patients.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Rapid Cooling May Help When Heart Attack Hits
Rapid cooling of heart attack patients may boost their chance of survival without brain damage.
Swedish researchers examined the use of a device called RhinoChill, which cools the brains of heart attack patients during ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The median time between cardiac arrest onset and the start of cooling was 23 minutes. On arrival at hospital, the average body temperature of cooled patients was 93.56 degrees F, compared with 95.9 degrees for standard care patients.
The study found that 46.7 percent of patients in the cooling group survived to hospital discharge, compared with 31 percent of patients who received standard care. In addition, some 36.7 percent of those in the cooling group and 21.4 percent of those in the standard care group were in good neurological condition when discharged from the hospital.
Patients who received a combination of early CPR -- started within six minutes of collapse -- and cooling had the best outcomes. The researchers noted that the earlier you can do the cooling, the better. When resuscitation efforts were delayed, there was no significant difference in survival.
The study was to be presented Nov. 15 at an American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some785,000 Americans will have a new cornary attack this year.
Swedish researchers examined the use of a device called RhinoChill, which cools the brains of heart attack patients during ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The median time between cardiac arrest onset and the start of cooling was 23 minutes. On arrival at hospital, the average body temperature of cooled patients was 93.56 degrees F, compared with 95.9 degrees for standard care patients.
The study found that 46.7 percent of patients in the cooling group survived to hospital discharge, compared with 31 percent of patients who received standard care. In addition, some 36.7 percent of those in the cooling group and 21.4 percent of those in the standard care group were in good neurological condition when discharged from the hospital.
Patients who received a combination of early CPR -- started within six minutes of collapse -- and cooling had the best outcomes. The researchers noted that the earlier you can do the cooling, the better. When resuscitation efforts were delayed, there was no significant difference in survival.
The study was to be presented Nov. 15 at an American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
According to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, some785,000 Americans will have a new cornary attack this year.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Women Have More Heart Attacks; Survival More Likely
Hearts attacks among middle-aged American women have increased over the past two decades. That news is accompanied by a report that their chance of survival has improved.
Two new studies reveal that men still have a higher prevalence of heart attack than women. Medical researchers report that the gap has narrowed as heart attacks among women have increased while they have decreased among men.
A study by researchers at the University of Southern California revealed that 2.5 percent of the men and 0.7 percent of the women reported a history of heart attacks in the prior surveys. In the more recent study, they found 2.2 percent of men and 1 percent of women reported heart attacks.
Every 34 seconds an American will suffer a heart attack according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack and nearly half a million will have a recurrent attack.
The narrowing of the male-female difference is easily explained, according to medical experts. They point to the fact that risk factors are being better controlled in men than in women. In men, levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol remained the same between the two surveys, while levels of "good" HDL cholesterol improved. Blood pressure levels improved, and fewer men smoked.
Researchers noted that the improvements for women were marginal, with LDL cholesterol levels about the same. The only risk factor that improved in women was HDL cholesterol. Diabetes and obesity increased in both men and women, the study found.
They noted that societal changes may play a role. With more women in the work force, rising rates of obesity and diabetes can be attributed to job demands.
A second study used information from a different data bank listing death rate trends from 1994 to 2006. Researchers found a marked reduction in hospital deaths from heart attacks in all patients, especially among women. For women under 55, the risk of dying dropped by 53 percent, which was the greatest improvement noted. The least reduction, 33 percent, was seen in men under 55.
The studies are reported in the October 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Two new studies reveal that men still have a higher prevalence of heart attack than women. Medical researchers report that the gap has narrowed as heart attacks among women have increased while they have decreased among men.
A study by researchers at the University of Southern California revealed that 2.5 percent of the men and 0.7 percent of the women reported a history of heart attacks in the prior surveys. In the more recent study, they found 2.2 percent of men and 1 percent of women reported heart attacks.
Every 34 seconds an American will suffer a heart attack according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. Some 785,000 Americans will have a new coronary attack and nearly half a million will have a recurrent attack.
The narrowing of the male-female difference is easily explained, according to medical experts. They point to the fact that risk factors are being better controlled in men than in women. In men, levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol remained the same between the two surveys, while levels of "good" HDL cholesterol improved. Blood pressure levels improved, and fewer men smoked.
Researchers noted that the improvements for women were marginal, with LDL cholesterol levels about the same. The only risk factor that improved in women was HDL cholesterol. Diabetes and obesity increased in both men and women, the study found.
They noted that societal changes may play a role. With more women in the work force, rising rates of obesity and diabetes can be attributed to job demands.
A second study used information from a different data bank listing death rate trends from 1994 to 2006. Researchers found a marked reduction in hospital deaths from heart attacks in all patients, especially among women. For women under 55, the risk of dying dropped by 53 percent, which was the greatest improvement noted. The least reduction, 33 percent, was seen in men under 55.
The studies are reported in the October 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Aging Heart Can Be Prevented
Old age is a major risk factor for heart failure, a condition when the heart is unable to pump enough blood around to supply the oxygen the body needs. Some 5.7 million Americans have heart failure, and nearly 10 out of every 1,000 people over age 65 suffer heart failure every year according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.
Japanese researchers at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Kyoto described how they managed to suppress a variety of the P13K gene in a group of elderly mice. The gene regulates the lifespan of cells and plays a role in the aging of tissues.
Prior studies found that the suppression of this gene extended the lifespan roundworm and kept the hearts of old fruit flies healthy. The Japanese researchers reported that compared with another group of mice in which the gene was left intact, mice with the suppressed gene had improved cardiac function and fewer biological markers of aging.
The medical researchers noted that mice are considered a good surrogate for studies of human diseases and conditions. Their body plan, physiology and genome share many features with humans they note. The findings were published in the journal Circulation.
Japanese researchers at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine in Kyoto described how they managed to suppress a variety of the P13K gene in a group of elderly mice. The gene regulates the lifespan of cells and plays a role in the aging of tissues.
Prior studies found that the suppression of this gene extended the lifespan roundworm and kept the hearts of old fruit flies healthy. The Japanese researchers reported that compared with another group of mice in which the gene was left intact, mice with the suppressed gene had improved cardiac function and fewer biological markers of aging.
The medical researchers noted that mice are considered a good surrogate for studies of human diseases and conditions. Their body plan, physiology and genome share many features with humans they note. The findings were published in the journal Circulation.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Dental Plaque May Raise Heart Risk in Black Men
October 6, 2009. Neglecting oral hygene could place black males at increased risk for heart problems a new study reveals.
Researchers at the Indiana University School of Dentistry studied women and men who were asked to neglect their oral hygiene as part of the study. The researchers were seeking to determine whether there would be equal buildup of dental plaque caused a change in total white blood cell count, a known risk factor for heart problems.
They found that the accumulation of dental plaque accumulation in black males was associated with a significant increase in the activity of white blood cells called neutrophils, an important part of the immune system, the researchers noted. An elevated white blood cell count is one of the major risks for heart attack, previous research has found.
Medical experts noted that when a bacterial infection occurs anywhere in the body, billions of neutrophils are produced in the bone marrow to defend against the intruder. The researchers observed that with poor dental hygiene, white blood cell activity increased in black men but not black women or whites of either sex.
The findings they note suggest both gender and racial differences in the inflammatory response to dental plaque. None of the study participants had periodontal (gum) disease. the study authors explained.
The study was published in the August issue of the Journal of Dental Research. For a no-cost quote for critical illness insurance, visit the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance's Consumer Information Center.
Researchers at the Indiana University School of Dentistry studied women and men who were asked to neglect their oral hygiene as part of the study. The researchers were seeking to determine whether there would be equal buildup of dental plaque caused a change in total white blood cell count, a known risk factor for heart problems.
They found that the accumulation of dental plaque accumulation in black males was associated with a significant increase in the activity of white blood cells called neutrophils, an important part of the immune system, the researchers noted. An elevated white blood cell count is one of the major risks for heart attack, previous research has found.
Medical experts noted that when a bacterial infection occurs anywhere in the body, billions of neutrophils are produced in the bone marrow to defend against the intruder. The researchers observed that with poor dental hygiene, white blood cell activity increased in black men but not black women or whites of either sex.
The findings they note suggest both gender and racial differences in the inflammatory response to dental plaque. None of the study participants had periodontal (gum) disease. the study authors explained.
The study was published in the August issue of the Journal of Dental Research. For a no-cost quote for critical illness insurance, visit the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance's Consumer Information Center.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Drug Duo May Cut Risk Of Heart Attack and Stroke
A combination of cholesterol and blood pressure medicine can cut the incidence of attacks by up to 60 percent according to a new study.
According to Kaiser Permanente researchers, an inexpensive combination of one drug used to lower cholesterol and another medication used to lower blood pressure can reduce the incidence of heart attacks and strokes by as much as 60 percent.
"An American suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds," explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, a national trade organization. "Every 40 seconds, someone has a stroke, making these two of the most common critical illnesses afflicting individuals."
Giving the drugs to nearly 70,000 people with cardiovascular disease or diabetes prevented an estimated 1,271 heart attacks and strokes in one year, Dr. James Dudl of Kaiser Permanente's Care Management Institute and his colleagues reported in the American Journal of Managed Care.
According to reports, the inspiration for the study resulted from the Archimedes Model, a sophisticated computer simulation of the human body that predicted that lowering blood pressure and cholesterol simultaneously in those at the highest risk for cardiovascular problems. The Model predicted that the combination could reduce the incidence by 71 percent. The report noted that no study had been performed to test the prediction.
The Kaiser team chose two generic drugs, lovastatin for cholesterol and lisinopril for blood pressure, and offered them to 170,000 members of their managed-care programs in Northern and Southern California who suffered from heart disease or diabetes.
Some of the patients were already taking one of the drugs, but none of those selected was taking both. About 75 percent were also taking daily aspirin, but the researchers did not include aspirin in the protocol because they had no way to monitor usage.
They began the program in 2004 with nearly 70,000 patients. The team monitored compliance for two years by checking whether and how often patients refilled their prescriptions, then monitored health effects in the third year through the patients' health records.
Some 47,268 patients had what the team termed "low exposure" to the drugs, taking them less than half the time. Their risk of hospitalization for heart attack or stroke was lowered by 15 events per 1,000 person-years, and an estimated 726 events were prevented.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Flu Can Increase Heart Attack Risk
British researchers report.that both seasonal and the pandemic H1N1 swine flu will put more people at risk for heart attacks. They urged those most prone, especially those with heart disease and diabetes, to get a seasonal flu shot and an H1N1 flu shot which may reduce the chance of getting the flu and thereby lower the risk for a heart attack.
In the United States someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds and 785,000 individuals will have a new coronary attack this year according to data published by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, an industry trade group.
Medical experts note that influenza - or the flu - is most concerning because of its secondary complications. They note that death or hospitalization isn't because of the influenza but rather it's because influenza puts you in a weakened state and is a stress on the system.
The British researchers noted that the flu virus may have a negative effect directly on the heart. To determine the risk of heart attack among those with flu, researchers at the UCL Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology in London, reviewed nearly 40 studies conducted between 1932 and 2008.
The studies showed an increase in deaths from heart disease and more heart attacks during flu season. Excess deaths because of heart disease averaged 35 percent to 50 percent, according to the report in the October issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The studies also showed that getting a flu shot reduced the risk of dying from heart disease or suffering a heart attack. Guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology strongly recommend that all individuals with cardiovascular disease receive annual influenza vaccination.
In the United States someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds and 785,000 individuals will have a new coronary attack this year according to data published by the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, an industry trade group.
Medical experts note that influenza - or the flu - is most concerning because of its secondary complications. They note that death or hospitalization isn't because of the influenza but rather it's because influenza puts you in a weakened state and is a stress on the system.
The British researchers noted that the flu virus may have a negative effect directly on the heart. To determine the risk of heart attack among those with flu, researchers at the UCL Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology in London, reviewed nearly 40 studies conducted between 1932 and 2008.
The studies showed an increase in deaths from heart disease and more heart attacks during flu season. Excess deaths because of heart disease averaged 35 percent to 50 percent, according to the report in the October issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The studies also showed that getting a flu shot reduced the risk of dying from heart disease or suffering a heart attack. Guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology strongly recommend that all individuals with cardiovascular disease receive annual influenza vaccination.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Vitamin D Is Heart Healthy For Older Adults
An estimated 800,000 Americans will have a first heart attack according to data from the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. "The combined financial cost of heart attacks and strokes is over $225 billion," notes Jesse Slome, director. "Most personal bankruptcies today are directly tied to medical and healthcare costs."
A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital studied the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older.
Researchers found that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater rates that those with adequate levels of the vitamin. The results are published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
It's likely that more than one-third of older adults now have vitamin D levels associated with higher risks of death and few have levels associated with optimum survival noted the lead author on the study.
The study noted that older adults are at high risk for vitamin D deficiency often because their skin has less exposure to the sun as a result of less time spent outdoors as well as the body's reduced ability to make vitamin D.
The study analyzed data from the National Center for Health Statistics that was of the 24 million older adults in the United States. Compared to those with optimal vitamin D status, those with low vitamin D levels were 3 times more likely to die from heart disease and 2.5 times more likely to die from any cause.
"Vitamin D has health effects that go beyond strong bones," one of the researchers explained. "It's likely that it makes a vital contribution to good health."
A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital studied the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older.
Researchers found that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater rates that those with adequate levels of the vitamin. The results are published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
It's likely that more than one-third of older adults now have vitamin D levels associated with higher risks of death and few have levels associated with optimum survival noted the lead author on the study.
The study noted that older adults are at high risk for vitamin D deficiency often because their skin has less exposure to the sun as a result of less time spent outdoors as well as the body's reduced ability to make vitamin D.
The study analyzed data from the National Center for Health Statistics that was of the 24 million older adults in the United States. Compared to those with optimal vitamin D status, those with low vitamin D levels were 3 times more likely to die from heart disease and 2.5 times more likely to die from any cause.
"Vitamin D has health effects that go beyond strong bones," one of the researchers explained. "It's likely that it makes a vital contribution to good health."
Friday, September 18, 2009
Heart Risk Factors Shorten Men's Lives
Middle-aged men with risk factors for heart disease such as smoking, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are taking 10 to 15 years off their lives.
Death from heart disease has been declining according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry trade group. Some 800,000 Americans will have a first heart attack this year and roughly half will survive.
Due in part due to better control of cardiovascular risk factors and better care, a study by British researchers looked at death from heart disease in terms of life expectancy.
The researchers collected data on nearly 19,000 men ranging from 49 to 69 years of age. The men were first evaluated between 1967-1970. At the start of the study, the men completed a questionnaire that included questions about their medical history, smoking, employment and marital status. In addition, height, weight, blood pressure, lung function, cholesterol and blood sugar levels were also measured.
After about 28 years of follow-up, 7,044 surviving men were examined again in 1997. When the study began, 42 percent of the men smoked, 39 percent had high blood pressure and 51 percent had high cholesterol. By 1997, about two-thirds had stopped smoking and their blood pressure and cholesterol levels had also dropped, the researchers noted.
Despite these changes in risk factors for heart disease, men who had three heart risk factors in middle age had a threefold higher risk of dying from heart disease and a twofold increased risk of dying from other causes, compared with men with none of these risk factors, the study found.
Men who had all three risk factors at the time they entered the study lived 10 years less than men with none of the risk factors. Life expectancy after 50 was an additional 23.7 years for men with three risk factors, compared with 33.3 years for men without the risk factors, the researchers found.
Individuals who choose to not treat and control these major cardiovascular risk factors should recognize they may be giving up, on average, as much as 10 to 15 years of life by doing so, te research team reported. The study was published in the Sept. 18 online edition of the British Medical Journal,
SOURCES: Robert Clarke, M.D., reader in epidemiology, University of Oxford, UK; Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., professor, cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles; Sept. 18, 2009, British Medical Journal
Death from heart disease has been declining according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance, the industry trade group. Some 800,000 Americans will have a first heart attack this year and roughly half will survive.
Due in part due to better control of cardiovascular risk factors and better care, a study by British researchers looked at death from heart disease in terms of life expectancy.
The researchers collected data on nearly 19,000 men ranging from 49 to 69 years of age. The men were first evaluated between 1967-1970. At the start of the study, the men completed a questionnaire that included questions about their medical history, smoking, employment and marital status. In addition, height, weight, blood pressure, lung function, cholesterol and blood sugar levels were also measured.
After about 28 years of follow-up, 7,044 surviving men were examined again in 1997. When the study began, 42 percent of the men smoked, 39 percent had high blood pressure and 51 percent had high cholesterol. By 1997, about two-thirds had stopped smoking and their blood pressure and cholesterol levels had also dropped, the researchers noted.
Despite these changes in risk factors for heart disease, men who had three heart risk factors in middle age had a threefold higher risk of dying from heart disease and a twofold increased risk of dying from other causes, compared with men with none of these risk factors, the study found.
Men who had all three risk factors at the time they entered the study lived 10 years less than men with none of the risk factors. Life expectancy after 50 was an additional 23.7 years for men with three risk factors, compared with 33.3 years for men without the risk factors, the researchers found.
Individuals who choose to not treat and control these major cardiovascular risk factors should recognize they may be giving up, on average, as much as 10 to 15 years of life by doing so, te research team reported. The study was published in the Sept. 18 online edition of the British Medical Journal,
SOURCES: Robert Clarke, M.D., reader in epidemiology, University of Oxford, UK; Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., professor, cardiology, University of California, Los Angeles; Sept. 18, 2009, British Medical Journal
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