- Normally people can walk a distance of 400-700 meters in 6 minutes.
- A 6-minute walking distance of less than 300 meter is a simple and useful predictor of sudden cardiac death in a patient with mild to moderate heart failure.
- Patients with interstitial lung disease who can cover less than 200 meters during 6 minute walk test are 4 times more likely to die than those who can walk greater distance.
- People who can cover a distance of 200-300 meters need further evaluation.
- A fall of SpO2 of more than 4% ending below 93% suggests significant desaturation.
- An improvement of more than 70 meters or 10% in distance walked can make all the difference.
- An improvement of 30 meters in any distance walked is the minimally important difference in any treatment.
- Sudden cardiac death is linked to 15% of total urban mortality.
- Risk factors for sudden cardiac death include abnormal lipid level, high blood pressure, cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, diabetes, obesity and family history of premature heart disease or heart attack.
- Binge alcoholism can cause sudden cardiac death (6 or more drinks per day or five drinks in one session).
- Risk of sudden cardiac arrest is transiently increased for up to 30 minutes after strenuous exercise.
- If you are at low risk for having a heart problem, you do not need a regular treadmill test.
In a meta-analysis of 10 studies in patients with type 2 diabetes, consumption of cinnamon supplements improved fasting blood glucose and cholesterol levels, but not HbA1c levels. The report is published in the Annals of Family Medicine.
Small doses of cinnamon supplement could be used in association with traditional diabetes medication.
Cinnamomum cassia was the most common form of cinnamon studied in the trials.
The effect of cinnamon could be attributed to its active component cinnamaldehyde.
The advantages of cinnamon include its cost, tolerability and safety profile.
Long-term administration of high-dose cinnamon may be unsafe since its coumarin content has been tied to liver damage in animal studies.