GBH Openvault

Facts of Medicine; Heart Disease

Part of From the Vault.

05/03/1956

We have no idea of the incidence or prevalence of heart disease in the US, but know that it is the leading cause of death in this country. In middle age, there are more male deaths from this group of diseases than female deaths; hence this is a serious problem. Question of interest: important to know why people (i.e. men) die of heart disease at age 40; more concerned about age than number of deaths, because we all have to die of something. The death rates (in middle aged men) because of heart disease higher in the United States than almost anywhere else in the world. This is probably due to environmental factors. Food? Diet? Lack of rest? We don’t know which environmental factors are important. Learning about heart diseases and what to do about them in your family. Types of heart disease: Congenital heart disease; methods to correct defects, mainly surgery, are available. Rheumatic heart disease; can be prevented and treated with antibiotics; surgery for damaged heart valves. Hypertensive heart disease; at older ages, females die at higher rate; weight is a factor Coronary heart disease; highest death rate; complex causes. Heart failure; heart isn’t able to pump sufficiently, blood backs up; can be treated. The following are not symptoms of heart disease and feeling them should not cause concern: palpitation—skipped beats Sighing Vague pain Great feelings of weakness. Summary and select metadata for this record was submitted by Dr. Gerald Oppenheimer. Parker Wheatley and David D. Rutstein talk about heart disease in the United States.


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Series
Facts of Medicine
Program
Heart Disease
Series Description

Dr. David R. Rutstein, Professor of Preventive Medicine, Harvard University examines "vital problems in the fields of medicine and community health... " Series ran weekly for 40 weeks beginning on 10/6/1955. First program examined "The Salk Polio Vaccine." Series release date: 1955

Program Description

Interviewer Parker Wheatley in conversation with David D. Rutstein about: the large number of heart disease cases in the United States; the importance of physical examinations and laboratory testing in individuals who have family members with congenital heart disease; how heart surgery is "oversold" to the population as a cure; and symptoms.

Series description: Dr. David R. Rutstein, Professor of Preventive Medicine, Harvard University examines "vital problems in the fields of medicine and community health... " Series ran weekly for 40 weeks beginning on 10/6/1955. First program examined "The Salk Polio Vaccine."

Duration

00:29:12

Asset Type

Broadcast program

Media Type

Video

Subjects
Cardiovascular Renal Diseases
Heart Disease--diagnosis.
Wheatley, Parker, 1906-1999
Rutstein, David
Genres
Educational
Topics
Medicine
Contributors
Radar, Paul (Director)
Rutstein, David (Host)
Wheatley, Parker, 1906-1999 (Host)
Publication Information
Presented by the Harvard Medical Library and the WGBH Educational Foundation
Citation
Chicago: “Facts of Medicine; Heart Disease,” 05/03/1956, GBH Archives, accessed December 22, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0CF7FF96DAAA456C8A85866F16C7D9BE.
MLA: “Facts of Medicine; Heart Disease.” 05/03/1956. GBH Archives. Web. December 22, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0CF7FF96DAAA456C8A85866F16C7D9BE>.
APA: Facts of Medicine; Heart Disease. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_0CF7FF96DAAA456C8A85866F16C7D9BE
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