Allergies are everywhere, including those that cause severe systemic reactions, as described in Allergies and Anaphylaxis (113.1), one of the three programs in the series Respiratory Disorders (113). Food allergies, especially, are on the rise with over 11 million sufferers in the USA. Most interestingly is the fact that the number of children under five years with peanut allergies doubled between 1997 and 2000. They are also allergic to staples like eggs, milk, and wheat in addition to items like kiwi and sesame. Where youngsters once outgrew these allergies, that is no longer the case.

Because of the potential for severe reaction, many schools have had to institute policies to protect the health of their students. For example, there may be areas in the lunch room where peanut-containing items cannot be served or they may be banned altogether. Furthermore, the student is allowed to carry an EpiPen® to use if needed. Staff is also trained on how to recognize symptoms of anaphylaxis and emergency measures to perform until paramedics can arrive.

Because food allergies have no cure, current research is looking toward vaccines or other interventions that will reduce the hypersensitive or exaggerated response of the immune system to the allergen.

A new study links panic attacks, which are described in our series Anxiety Disorders (676) and Psychotropic Medications (644), to myocardial infarctions later on in life. According to researchers, women, especially those who are post-menopausal and reported having a minimum of one full-blown panic attack during a six-month period, were three times more likely to suffer an MI or stroke during the following five years than women who didn't. Risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, inactivity and depression were taken into account.

Although the physiology connecting these two pathologies was not studied, scientists speculate that the panic attack triggers the release of stress hormones that may impact the heart. Another explanation is that the panic attack, whose symptoms are similar to cardiac dysfunction, may actually be an undiagnosed heart disorder.

The results of this study show that panic attacks can be added to the list of mental health disorders that affect the heart.

People with diabetes [Diabetes (685)] are at risk for developing heart disease [Cardiac Disorders: Heart Failure (116) and Cardiac Disorders: Coronary Artery Disease (115)] or stroke [Advances in Stroke Treatment (656)]. To decrease that number, physicians are now telling them to mind their ABCs. In other words, they should closely monitor three things. One is A1C or the average blood glucose levels for two to three months. Normal ranges are 4 to 6 percent, or between 65 and 135 mg/dL. Anything higher indicates excess glucose in the blood. For a person with diabetes, maintaining an A1C of less than 7 percent, or 170 mg/dL is ideal. Another parameter to watch is blood pressure. Normal ranges for individuals, even those with diabetes, are below 130/80. The third item to track is cholesterol. Healthy levels for total cholesterol are below 200 mg/dL. Triglycerides should also be checked and kept below 150 mg/dl.

Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Alon S. Aharon of University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western stated, "A large proportion -- a third to a half -- of the patients with heart disease and peripheral vascular disease have poorly controlled diabetes, which greatly impacts not only their long-term survival but their quality of life because of potential limb loss, kidney damage, and debilitating heart disease." However by controlling the ABCs: A1C or blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol; risk factors for heart disease and stroke can diminish.