Welcome, how can we help?
Policy Types
Getting Technical
Home / Critical illness cover / - Heart Valve Replacement or Repair
Definition
Undergoing heart surgery from medical necessity to replace or repair one or more heart valves.
What does this mean?
The valves of the heart open and close as part of the pumping action, which circulates blood around the body. When these valves become diseased, the ability of the heart to pump properly is reduced. Surgery can be undertaken to either repair or replace the damaged valve.
NEWS
Cancer-related fatigue helped by 'exercise and therapy'
24 October 2007 12:54:06
Cancer sufferers looking at critical illness cover or life insurance who experience fatigue because of their disease have been advised on treating the symptoms.
According to scientists, psychological counselling and regular exercise can help to deal with stress and ward off the exhaustion brought on for many people by radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
A review published in the November issue of Health Psychology found that such exhaustion can have a negative effect on patients' emotional and physical well-being, as well as interfering with their relationships and ability to work.
The American Cancer Society highlighted that 90 per cent of patients experience fatigue ranging from "mild lethargy to feeling completely wiped out."
Paul Jacobsen of the H Lee Moffitt Cancer Centre in Tampa pointed out that the effects of activity and psychological-based interventions were "modest".
"The effects of psychological interventions were sufficiently large, however, to say that they were unlikely to have occurred by chance alone using conventional definitions of statistical significance," he commented.
Clinical experts have underlined that although there is limited research into interventions such as counselling or exercise and their effect on fatigue, many patients prefer to try them out rather than take more medications.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online
Daily exercise can increase cancer survival for men
28 May 2008 17:09:32
Basic daily exercise reduces cancer death risk in men by 33 per cent, a study has revealed.
Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute examined the effects of physical activity on cancer risk in men aged between 45 and 79. They observed the lifestyle habits of 40,708 men from central Sweden.
Over seven years, 3,714 developed cancer and 1,153 died from the illness. The scientists found men who did half an hour's walking or cycling a day had a 34 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer than those who did less or no exercise at all.
Lead author of the study, Professor Alicja Wolk, said: "These results clearly show for the first time, the effect that very simple and basic daily exercise such as walking or cycling has in reducing cancer death risk in middle-age and elderly men."
Professor Wolk called the data "promising" and hoped to further explore the role exercise plays in preventing cancer in the future.
The findings were published in the British Journal of Cancer yesterday (May 26th). Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK welcomed the findings. She said: "It's encouraging to see research that helps us understand in more detail what steps men can take to reduce risk of cancer."
Cancer Research UK advises not smoking, maintaining body weight, a sensible diet and regular exercise as key to a healthy life.
The study results arrive before National Men’s Health Week (June 9th to 15th), which hopes to encourage men to take advantage of health initiatives available at work.
Cancer stops growing after patient eats broccoli
23 July 2008 17:19:58
Those who are considering taking out UK life insurance may be interested to hear a 79-year-old grandfather from Leicestershire believes he has stopped his bladder cancer spreading by drinking broccoli juice every morning.
According to the Guardian, Ray Wiseman was told by medics that the disease would probably kill him but scans have since confirmed the cancer has been stopped in its tracks.
Cancer Research told the Guardian that vegetables like broccoli contain phytochemicals that appear to help prevent cancer developing.
However, the charity insists more research is necessary before it can be claimed broccoli lowers your chances of getting prostate cancer.
People trying to stay healthy and keep the premiums of their life insurance policies down are advised to give up smoking and stick to a fibre rich diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Meanwhile, Scientific American has reported a vaccine for a potentially fatal form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which was created using genetically engineered tobacco plants, has been proved safe.
24 October 2007 12:54:06
Cancer sufferers looking at critical illness cover or life insurance who experience fatigue because of their disease have been advised on treating the symptoms.
According to scientists, psychological counselling and regular exercise can help to deal with stress and ward off the exhaustion brought on for many people by radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
A review published in the November issue of Health Psychology found that such exhaustion can have a negative effect on patients' emotional and physical well-being, as well as interfering with their relationships and ability to work.
The American Cancer Society highlighted that 90 per cent of patients experience fatigue ranging from "mild lethargy to feeling completely wiped out."
Paul Jacobsen of the H Lee Moffitt Cancer Centre in Tampa pointed out that the effects of activity and psychological-based interventions were "modest".
"The effects of psychological interventions were sufficiently large, however, to say that they were unlikely to have occurred by chance alone using conventional definitions of statistical significance," he commented.
Clinical experts have underlined that although there is limited research into interventions such as counselling or exercise and their effect on fatigue, many patients prefer to try them out rather than take more medications.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online
28 May 2008 17:09:32
Basic daily exercise reduces cancer death risk in men by 33 per cent, a study has revealed.
Swedish researchers at the Karolinska Institute examined the effects of physical activity on cancer risk in men aged between 45 and 79. They observed the lifestyle habits of 40,708 men from central Sweden.
Over seven years, 3,714 developed cancer and 1,153 died from the illness. The scientists found men who did half an hour's walking or cycling a day had a 34 per cent lower risk of dying from cancer than those who did less or no exercise at all.
Lead author of the study, Professor Alicja Wolk, said: "These results clearly show for the first time, the effect that very simple and basic daily exercise such as walking or cycling has in reducing cancer death risk in middle-age and elderly men."
Professor Wolk called the data "promising" and hoped to further explore the role exercise plays in preventing cancer in the future.
The findings were published in the British Journal of Cancer yesterday (May 26th). Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK welcomed the findings. She said: "It's encouraging to see research that helps us understand in more detail what steps men can take to reduce risk of cancer."
Cancer Research UK advises not smoking, maintaining body weight, a sensible diet and regular exercise as key to a healthy life.
The study results arrive before National Men’s Health Week (June 9th to 15th), which hopes to encourage men to take advantage of health initiatives available at work.
23 July 2008 17:19:58
Those who are considering taking out UK life insurance may be interested to hear a 79-year-old grandfather from Leicestershire believes he has stopped his bladder cancer spreading by drinking broccoli juice every morning.
According to the Guardian, Ray Wiseman was told by medics that the disease would probably kill him but scans have since confirmed the cancer has been stopped in its tracks.
Cancer Research told the Guardian that vegetables like broccoli contain phytochemicals that appear to help prevent cancer developing.
However, the charity insists more research is necessary before it can be claimed broccoli lowers your chances of getting prostate cancer.
People trying to stay healthy and keep the premiums of their life insurance policies down are advised to give up smoking and stick to a fibre rich diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Meanwhile, Scientific American has reported a vaccine for a potentially fatal form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which was created using genetically engineered tobacco plants, has been proved safe.