The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1936-10-02

LII. p8TtOn. age make SuCn
difference to the
heart in those who are overweight?
The answer to this takes us away
back to the birth and early infancy
OF all Of us. The records show that
not many years ago. the death rate
at birth and during the first year
OF life was ebout six N every twenty
youngsters. and today, thanks to
more knowledge and care, that
death rate is not quite two in
twenty.
Obesity VS.. Heart Trouble.
This means that -FOUR or five more
youngsters in every twenty now get
safely past the first year. a certain
proportion attain manhood and to
middle-age. However 1t is only too
true that even those who have
reached middle age are not likely,
generally speaking, to be as strong
as the average, and have not with
stood infections or other ailments
as well. II then the results Of these
infections or ailments are present,
and to these results overweight Is
added, you can understand that the
heart may have 50 much work
placed on 1t that It's reserve
strength Is lessened.
Drs. Harry l.. Smith and Fred
erick A.. Willius, Mayo clinic, tell
Us in the Journal Of the Iowa Med
ical Society. that they believe that
the part played by overweight in
producing heart failure In most In
stances consists in adding q burden
to that which the heart is at present
bearing due to some other disease
already present. The diseases like
ly to be present are high blood
pressure, hardening Of the arteries,
and any heart disease already pres
ent is distinctly more serious II
overweight or excess fat is present
throughout the entire body.
In the opinion of Drs. Smith and
Willius 1t is only in rare instances
that the overweight of excess fat
alone is the cause of the heart
failure.
While most physicians may be
inclined to agree with the above
statement there are a number of
cases Of early failure, where, as
far as the usual tests and examina-
tons show, no real heart disease
was present but by reducing the
weight the failing heart was re-
stored
Drs. Smith and Willius studied
the records of 1873 obese lover
weighD patients during life, and the
results OF the examination after
death (post mortem).
Cases Are Grouped.
These cases we're divided into
four groups.
Group /, So cases revealed no
heart disease other than abnormal
amounts Of fat about the heart.
Group consisted of nine cases,
four OF which died of congestiye
heart failure. All nine showed signs
OF heart failure and were con-
sidered direct results of overweight.
Group comprised so patients,
all cases Of overweight with high
blood pressure. Group 4, cases of
obesity with different forms of heart
disease-hardening of arteries sup
plying heart muscle, the severe
form OF goitre, partial closure of
heart valve-comprised is cases.
Call stones were present in 81 per
cent OF the 1875 cases.
The above statements and figures
show that while overweight of fat
may not be the first cause of heart
failure, nevertheless the overweight
so weakens the power of the heart
that 1t is unable to do the work
necessary to keep the individual
alive and in fair health. II is the
added burden, the last straw as IL
were, to bring about the complete
failure of a heart that would be
able to carry on If excess fat were
not present.
Excess deposit of fat lessons the
ability Of the heart to do it's work
by it's interference not only with
heart action, but by cutting down
the blood supply of the muscular
walls of the heart The thought.
then, is for persons of excess weight
to lessen the work of the heart bv
cutting down their weight. And no
matter what the cause of the over
weight, unless the individual is IN.
cutting down the food intake will re.
duce weight in every case.
o-wNU Service.