Carolyn Strimike and Margie Latrella

Caring.com Experts

About

Carolyn Strimike and Margie Latrella are board certified nurse practitioners specializing in health and wellness promotion and disease prevention. They have over 40 years of nursing experience between them. They are dedicated to addressing the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual components that promote good health.

Their main goal is to help people formulate a realistic plan for healthy living. Simple, fun changes in daily life can lead to major health benefits. Their lectures to community groups, corporations, healthcare providers and national organizations have already provided thousands of people with this valuable information.

They have both been recognized by the American Heart Association and The Women’s Heart Foundation for their work.

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Recently Published on Caring.com

  1. Tuesday November 29, 2011

    1. If a person is on oxygen, does that mean that their heart is not pumping correctly?

      Answer - There can be different reasons for a person to be on home oxygen. Many people on home oxygen have chronic lung problems but people can also be on oxygen if their heart is not pumping strong enough. Yes, the normal oxygen saturation should be over 90%. Heart rate is a little more variable. A "normal" resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute...

  2. Tuesday November 22, 2011

    1. What do my stress test results really mean?

      Answer - Your stress test and Echo results suggest that a portion of the inferolateral wall (which is the bottom and side of the heart muscle) may not be getting enough blood. The heart is a muscle and when the blood flow is diminished the muscle does not get enough oxygen and this could lead to a heart attack...

  3. Sunday November 20, 2011

    1. What alternative treatments are avaiable for blocked arteries?

      Answer - Diet and lifestyle changes can have a tremendous impact on preventing the progression of coronary artery disease but there are NO large reliable prospective scientific studies to demonstrate the reversal of disease. I was even at an American Heart Association conference several years ago when Dr Ornish...

  4. Friday October 28, 2011

    1. How to make my mother accept taking her medicine and stick with her cardiologist??

      Answer - So sorry to hear about your mother’s recent aortic dissection and her persistent search for a doctor to discontinue her blood pressure medication. Many times a life threatening event, as the one she had, is enough to convince people of the importance of blood pressure contr...

  5. Thursday October 27, 2011

    1. What alternative treatments are avaiable for blocked arteries?

      Answer - The only proven and reliable treatments for blocked arteries are angioplasty/stenting or surgery. Other therapies may help prevent the progression of mild narrowings (such as a 30 or 40% narrowing) to a more severe blockage.

  6. Thursday August 18, 2011

    1. Is there anything I can do to get the white bumps on my eye lids to go away?

      Answer - The first thing to do is to find out what are causing the white bumps on your eyelids. If you have a history of high cholesterol (especially triglycerides) these whilte bumps may be xanthomas. They are caused by fatty deposits due to the high cholesterol levels. By treating the underlying high cholesterol, a reduction or resolution of these bumps can occur...

  7. Monday July 25, 2011

    1. Does weight affect blood pressure?

      Answer - Weight definitely affects blood pressure. Your BMI (body mass index) is 27 and should be less than 25. Losing several pounds will help to lower your blood pressure. Also watching/decreasing your salt/sodium intake, eating enough fiber and regular exercise are important to help control blood pressure...

  8. Monday July 18, 2011

    1. Can heart conditions be corrected?

      Answer - We really cannot answer your question without more information. If you are experiencing symptoms such as chest pain/discomfort, shortness of breath, irregular heart beats you definitely should get to your health care provider for an evaluation. By diagnosing and treating the problem early you may be able to prevent any permanent damage...

    2. How do I control high cholesterol when I get bad reactions to the medications I have tried?

      Answer - Glad to hear you follow and healthy diet and exercise regularly - can definitely help with cholesterol control. Other things to add include: Make sure you are eating enough fiber (men need 30 grams of fiber every day). Flaxseed either whole or ground (1-2 tablespoons every day)...

    3. What are my risks of heart failure if I have two collapsed arteries?

      Answer - Unfotunately after bypass surgery sometimes the bypass grafts collapse or close down. This is especially true when the leg veins are used as a bypass graft. Our bodies are amazing though and are able to try and deal with heart blockages by growing new blood vessels...

  9. Wednesday April 13, 2011

    1. Mom's replacement aortic valve isn't working right, what can we expect to happen to her health?

      Answer - Sorry to hear about your mom's heart valve. Her symptoms will depend on how bad the aortic valve problem is, ranging from mild to severe. So you should ask her doctor specifically what "not working" means. She may start to experience fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling of the feet and ankles...

    2. Why is there increased risk in atrial fibrillation than with controls with sinus rythm?

      Answer - Atrial fibrillation causes the upper chambers of the heart to quiver and not empty completely. Small blood clots can form in the upper chambers (atria) of the heart because the atria are not beating/emptying normally. These blood clots can then dislodge and travel (embolize) to other parts of the body...

  10. Thursday February 10, 2011

    1. Do my past heart problems increase my chance of stroke?

      Answer - I understand how those "skipped" beats can be worrisome, especially with your past history of atrial fibrillation (AF). Occasional PVCs will not increase your risk for a stroke. If you have not had a Holter monitor to determine what the skipped beats are, I would suggest having one to make sure you aren't having little runs of AF...

    2. My husband is having discomfort after a pacemaker installation. Is this normal?

      Answer - Discomfort after a pacemaker implantation is common for several weeks but should not last for months. The pacemaker may be positioned against a nerve or affecting the muscle in the area. Would recommend asking the doctor specific questions about this discomfort if you still do not get an answer would recommend speaking to another doctor...

    3. How can I differentiate between a heart attack and heartburn?

      Answer - Sorry to hear about your past heart attack. It can be very difficult to tell the difference between heartburn and heart attack when your symptoms really mimic those of heartburn. You did the right thing taking the aspirin when you experienced the discomfort that was similar to your heart attack, however...

    4. What is the progression of a vagus nerve problem?

      Answer - The problem with the vagus nerve your are describing sounds like Vasovagal Syncope which is diagnosed with a Tilt Table procedure. It is a relatively common problem which can be treated with fluid and salt adjustments to your husband's diet and sometimes medications...

    5. Will a defibrillator protect my husband from a heart attack?

      Answer - I am sorry to hear about your husband's recent heart attack. You definitely did a great job starting CPR! A defibrillator will shock the heart when it goes into abnormal rhythms like ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, which can be life-threatening heart rhythms. These rhythms can be caused by a heart attack...

    6. Can a pacemaker be turned off or removed?

      Answer - Yes, a pacemaker can be both switched off or removed. The procedure to switch off a pacemaker is quite simple and only involves placing a magnet on the skin over the pacemaker and programming the pacemaker to be "off."

  11. Sunday January 09, 2011

    1. Can a defibrillator cause someone to lose use of their arm?

      Answer - Bruising around the device can occur but this should go away after several weeks with the healing process. People who have defibrillators put in do have limitations of activity to prevent dislodgement of the device. But the pain your husband is having does not sound normal - the defibrillator may be compressing a nerve...

  12. Friday December 17, 2010

    1. Can heart attack symptoms occur over the course of a few days?

      Answer - Many people experience warning signs of a heart attack several days or even weeks before a heart attack. Shortness of breath, chest pain or chest discomfort, neck/shoulder or upper back pain/discomfort, nausea, overwhelming fatigue, numbness/tingling in hands can be some of the symptoms of a heart attack...

  13. Sunday December 05, 2010

    1. How soon can you work after a heart attack?

      Answer - We are sorry to hear about your partner's heart attack. The time people are out of work following a heart attack can vary. Many times it depends upon the treatment that was done for the heart attack-for example, was an angioplasty done or stent placed, was there bypass surgery,etc...

    2. My CHF makes sleeping difficult. What can I do?

      Answer - We are sorry to hear about your difficulty getting good sleep and rest with your congestive heart failure (CHF). Many people with CHF have trouble lying flat and seem to have the most trouble breathing while lying in bed. In many cases, we find people propping themselves up with pillows or sleeping in recliners to help alleviate the difficulty breathing...

  14. Monday November 22, 2010

    1. Could my shortness of breath be related to my heart murmur?

      Answer - A heart murmur signifies a disruption of blood flow across one of the heart valves. Shortness of breath is a very common symptom of heart valve problems. There are medications you can take to help control the shortness of breath and you should discuss this with your heart doctor...

  15. Sunday November 07, 2010

    1. Are there treatments available for adults who are Tetralogy of Fallot patients?

      Answer - Tetralogy of Fallot is usually diagnosed and treated in childhood. We are not sure if you are asking about follow-up treatment in adulthood or newly diagnosed Tetralogy of Fallot in an adult? The recommended treatment is surgery. We would recommend you consult a physician or hospital that specializes in congenital heart disease/surgery...

    2. Is sweating and anxiety common after an angioplasty?

      Answer - We are glad everything went well with your fathers angioplasty procedure. Anxiety after any type of heart procedure can be common but sweating after angioplasty is not typical. You state that your dad is also diabetic sweating can sometimes be a sign of blood sugar problems or even some other problem like a thyroid or hormone imbalance...