Saved by a Drone?

Plus, the key to healthy aging

Author

Yasmine S. Ali, MD
November 08, 2023

Hello again!

The American Heart Association is holding its annual scientific meeting in Philadelphia this weekend, and in the lead-up to that, some interesting study results and heart-health news have already been released. You’ll find a couple of those stories in this newsletter.

The first story raises the important issue of CPR, so I go into a little more detail on that one, as you’ll see below.

And, as I mentioned last week, now that the holiday season is nearly upon us, Premium subscribers will be receiving a new feature: in every issue of this newsletter until the end of the year, I’ll be featuring a new, healthy holiday recipe from around the Web—one that I’ve vetted and have either made or would make for myself and my own family.

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To your health,

Yasmine S. Ali, MD

Weekly Heart-Health News: The Highlights

Drones could deliver defibrillators to save patients in cardiac arrest - UPI.com

Drones might prove a feasible way to deliver lifesaving defibrillators to cardiac arrests in remote areas, a new research simulation suggests.

www.upi.com/Health_News/2023/11/06/cardiac-arrest-drones/9541699283282

My Take:

It’s important to look past the headline here: yes, drones could possibly deliver automated defibrillators to help cardiac arrest patients (defibrillators are used to shock patients out of fatal heart rhythms, like ventricular fibrillation). However, this study was a computer simulation, not an actual, in-the-field trial.

Also, the researchers had hoped to show, in their computer model, that delivery of automated defibrillators by drones would improve the response times to cardiac arrest in rural areas—and, while it did so very modestly, the most benefit was actually seen in urban areas! The 5-minute response time for defibrillator arrival to a cardiac arrest victim improved from 24% to 77% in urban areas, but only from 10% to 23% in rural areas.

My conclusion: more research still needs to be done, especially on how to improve cardiac-arrest response times in rural areas, and with in-the-field, on-the-ground trials.

What this means for you: It is important for everyone to know CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Almost anyone can learn to do this, and it saves lives. If you’ve never had this sort of training, or need to brush up on your skills, you can find a course local to you: https://cpr.heart.org/

And, while it doesn’t replace a course, you can also view a 2-minute video from the American Heart Association on how to perform hands-only CPR:

Some more resources from the American Heart Association on CPR, cardiac arrest, and defibrillators:

You can watch an animation of ventricular fibrillation here. (Click on “Select a Condition” at the bottom right of the screen.)

Want to slow aging? Essential Eight checklist holds the key, study suggests - UPI.com

Keeping the heart healthy may slow the pace of aging and prevent the risk of cardiovascular and age-related diseases while extending life, a preliminary study suggests.

www.upi.com/Health_News/2023/11/06/heart-health-Essential-8-study/7681699211310

My Take:

This is not a surprise, but it is a good reminder that keeping our hearts healthy has benefits that stretch far into the years ahead. This preliminary study examining the effects of what the American Heart Association calls “Life’s Essential Eight” suggests that following this checklist may slow the pace of aging and prevent the risk of cardiovascular and other age-related diseases while extending life. This means extending healthspan as well as lifespan.

What this means for you: 

These results are similar to the ones I shared in another newsletter earlier this year, so I’m reposting that here—I believe this list is even better and easier to understand. Just keep in mind that the latest information shows that it is fine to have whole-fat dairy, which we now know is okay to incorporate into a healthy diet. (It will take a while for this information to trickle down into the mainstream media and into new national nutrition guidelines.)

See how many of these you are already doing, and if there are any you still need to add to your lifestyle:

Longevity: 8 habits can add 24 years to lifespan, new study finds

New longevity research suggests that eight simple, healthy habits, such as not smoking and being physically active, can add decades to one's life expectancy.

www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/8-healthy-longevity-habits-add-24-years-to-lifespan?utm_source=speak-for-the-heart.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=8-habits-that-can-add-24-years-to-your-life

Holiday Recipe Time!

A healthy recipe to grace your holiday table: An Amazing Sweet Potato Casserole (and the health benefits of sweet potatoes)

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