With the busy lives that most Americans lead today it seems we don’t have enough time for anything,  including getting the correct amount of sleep. Although this may not seem like a pressing matter for most individuals getting the right amount of sleep has a large impact on your body and heart. Some reports have found that a lack of sleep can increase your risk of heart attack amongst many other health risks. Reports have also found that Americans sleep on average 2 hours less per night than they did 40 years ago. This may not seem like a long amount of time but when added up it can have a large impact on your body. Recent reports have found that over 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep problem and nearly 60 percent of those have a chronic disorder. If you feel you are suffering from a sleep condition it is important to consult your doctor immediately.

Heart attacks effect each individual differently. Often heart attack warning signs are not sudden and intense like they appear in movies, although that doesn’t mean they never are. Heart attacks often start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Unfortunately in most cases people are not aware of what is going on and wait to long before getting the proper help. It is important to remember that a heart attack can effect each person differently and to be aware of different warning signs and what they mean. Below is a list of various heart attack warning signs that could help to save your life or someone that you love.

• Chest Discomfort - the majority of heart attacks involve chest discomfort in that center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, this can also feel like a squeezing, fullness or pain
• Shortness of breath - this can occur with or without chest discomfort
• Nausea or lightheadedness
• Breaking out into a cold sweat

Having a heart healthy diet is important! Knowing how to eat heart healthy can be difficult sometimes. Below is a list of some heart healthy foods and tips to help you maintain a heart healthy diet. Eating healthy is a great method for heart attack prevention.

1. Eliminate salt- Instead of using salt try different fresh hers such as sage, thyme, oregano and rosemary

2. Black Beans - Black beans are packed with healthy heart nutirents including folate, antioxidants, magnesium for lowing blood pressure and fiber

3. Salmon - Salmon is a top food for heart health, it is rich in omega-3s EPA and DHA

4. Tuna - Tuna is a good source of heart-healthy omega-3s it generally costs less than salmon

5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - This oil, made from the first press of olives, is especially rich in heart healthy antioxidants called polyphenols

6. Walnuts - A small handful of walnuts each day can help to lower your cholesterol

7. Edamame - These green soybeans are packed with soy protein

8. Sweet Potatoes - Sweet potatoes are a heart healthy substitute for white potatoes

9. Oranges - Oranges contain fiber pectic and potassium

10. Carrots - Carrots can help to control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing diabetes

Eating healthy can have a big impact on your heart, and is better for your body in general. Sometimes knowing what foods are good for you and your heart can be tough. It is important to pay attention to what foods you eat because they can have a positive effect on your heart and impact heart attack prevention steps. Below is a list of foods that are healthy for your heart:

• Oats
• Apples
• Almonds
• Salmon
• Whole Grains
• Tomatoes
• Soy
• Green Leafy Vegetables
• Olive Oil

BURLINGTON, Mass. – March 10, 2010 – InfraReDx, Inc., an innovative medical device company focused on developing novel diagnostic imaging technologies to accurately identify and characterize diseased intracoronary tissues, today announced that the Company’s LipiScan™ Coronary Imaging System will be highlighted in multiple sessions during the 59th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC). The meeting, named ACC.10 and i2 Summit, is being held from March 14 – 16, 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.  In addition to several oral presentations featuring LipiScan, InfraReDx has organized a “Meet the Experts” series of discussions at the Company’s booth (#254) in which leading cardiologists will highlight LipiScan’s capabilities in identifying and characterizing lipid core (fatty) plaque.

InfraReDx’s LipiScan near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy catheter is the only FDA-cleared product to detect and assess the intracoronary composition of lipid core plaque, which cannot be detected by commonly used diagnostic tests such as treadmill exams and coronary angiograms. Lipid core-containing plaque (LCP) is believed to be “vulnerable plaque” that can rupture and form dangerous blood clots leading to coronary thrombosis. LCP is widely considered to be responsible for a significant number of stenting procedure complications and is believed to be the primary cause of acute coronary events, the leading cause of death in the developed world.

“One of the biggest challenges facing interventional cardiologists today is the ability to detect vulnerable coronary and fatty plaques,” said Brijeshwar S. Maini, M.D., F.A.C.C, co-chair cardiovascular research, Pinnacle Health at Harrisburg Hospital. “As a result of improved imaging and diagnostic capabilities, however, physicians can now be armed with that information and are able to make important advances and improvements in patient care. This year’s ACC meeting provides us with a great opportunity to interact with our colleagues, share key learnings and discuss important steps forward.”

“We are pleased to be working so closely with these world renowned cardiology experts and leaders as they strive to improve patient care and we advance our LipiScan coronary imaging system,” said James E. Muller, M.D., founder and chief executive officer of InfraReDx. “Through our close collaborations with these physicians and specialists, we are continuing to increase our working knowledge, enhance our LipiScan system and, ultimately, to significantly improve the imaging capabilities for interventional cardiologists and their patients. We are looking forward to a productive conference and many lively discussions at our booth about advancing the current standard of cardiac care.”

The schedule of scientific sessions and “Meet the Experts” discussions to feature LipiScan is as follows.

ACC Scientific Sessions Highlighting LipiScan™ Coronary Imaging System:

Sunday, March 14:
8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., Session #2092, Room B310
Session title: Imaging and Vulnerable Plaque
Presentation title: Association of Large Lipid Core Plaque Detected by Near Infrared Spectroscopy with Post Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Myocardial Infarction
Presenter: Brijeshwar S. Maini, M.D., F.A.C.C, co-chair cardiovascular research, Pinnacle Health at Harrisburg Hospital

Tuesday, March 16
10:30 a.m. – Noon, Session #2629, Room B310
Session title: Vulnerable Plaque Update
Presentation title: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Presenter: James Goldstein, M.D., director of research and education, Division of Cardiology, William Beaumont Hospital

InfraReDx “Meet The Experts” series:

Sunday, March 14:
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Exhibit Hall: Morning Break
“Increased Lipid Core Plaque in Women Undergoing Stenting”
Expert: James E. Muller, M.D., founder and chief executive officer of InfraReDx

Noon – 1:00 p.m., Exhibit Hall: ACC Lunch & Learn
“Lipid Core Plaque Modification”
Expert: Brijeshwar S. Maini, M.D., F.A.C.C, co-chair cardiovascular research, Pinnacle Health at Harrisburg Hospital

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Exhibit Hall: ACC Lunch & Learn
“LipiScan™ Clinical Experience; Identification of Bifurcation Lesions at Risk of Compromise”
Expert: Giora Weisz, M.D., director of clinical research, Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Exhibit Hall: Poster Hour
“Pick the Peri-Stenting MI”
Expert: James E. Muller, M.D., founder and chief executive officer of InfraReDx

Monday, March 15:
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., InfraReDx Booth # 254
“Multi-Modality Imaging”
Expert: James E. Muller, M.D., founder and chief executive officer of InfraReDx

Noon – 1:00 p.m., InfraReDx Booth #254
“Stent Length Placement & Distal Embolization”
Expert: James Goldstein, M.D., director of research and education, Division of Cardiology, William Beaumont Hospital

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., InfraReDx Booth #254
“Peri-Stenting MI”
Expert: Emmanouil S. Brilakis, M.D., Ph.D., director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory, Dallas VA Medical Center

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., InfraReDx Booth #254
“PROSPECT Trial and the Vulnerable Plaque”
Expert: James E. Muller, M.D., founder and chief executive officer of InfraReDx

Tuesday, March 16
9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., InfraReDx Booth #254
“Vulnerable Blood & Vulnerable Plaque; Coagulation Profiling & Plaque Morphology
Characterization”
Expert:  Paul A. Gurbel, M.D., director of cardiovascular research, Center for Thrombosis Research, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore

Noon – 1:00 p.m., InfraReDx Booth # 254
“Advances in Intra-coronary Imaging in the Past Year - NIR, IVUS, OCT and Others”
Expert: James E. Muller, M.D., founder and chief executive officer of InfraReDx

About ACC.10 and i2 Summit 2010
The Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) is the largest and foremost cardiovascular meeting, offering attainable, reliable and applicable learning solutions that help cardiovascular professionals turn knowledge into practice that saves and improves lives. The Annual Scientific Session delivers timely medical education leveraging innovative need-based learning methods. Together, ACC.10 and i2 Summit 2010 embody the College’s vision of building meetings with innovative solutions that assist the faculty to teach and audiences to learn.  For more information, visit http://acc10.acc.org/Pages/ACC2010Home.aspx.

About InfraReDx, Inc.
InfraReDx, Inc., headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a privately-funded medical device company founded in 1998 and focused on intravascular characterization of disease in the coronary arteries. InfraReDx is the maker of the LipiScan™ system, a novel near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy catheter that can detect the lipid core coronary plaques suspected to cause most heart attacks and known to complicate stenting procedures. For more information, visit www.infraredx.com.

Contacts:
Media:
Keri Mattox
Pure Communications, Inc.
215.791.0105
keri@purecommunicationsinc.com

Company:
Jim Dillon
Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
781.345.9679
jdillon@infraredx.com

Source: InfraReDx, Inc.

One of the best defenses against heart attack and other life threatening health conditions is to lead a healthy lifestyle. Most people under estimate the positive effects that eating healthy and working out on a regular basis can have on your body. The best way to find a workout and diet plan that is right for you is by contacting your doctor. They will be able to assist you and find a plan that works for your body. So do not waste anymore time, take the necessary steps to work towards heart attack prevention today.

Understanding and being aware of different heart attack symptoms is important and can help to save your life. Symptoms of a heart attack vary amongst individuals and also between men and women. Below is a common list of heart attack symptoms:

• Chest Discomfort
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Lightheadedness
• Breaking out in a cold sweat

For more information about heart attack symptoms contact your doctor. They will be able to assist you and come up with preventative measures that you can take to work towards heart attack prevention.