Chest Wall Pain and Its Causes
Chest wall pain, or musculoskeletal chest pain, is pain which originates in the muscles or ribs of the chest. Chest wall pain is a common diagnosis in people who seek emergency care for chest pain. There are many causes of chest wall pain, and while most are benign and self-limited, some require a definitive diagnosis and treatment - so it is important to pin down the specific cause whenever possible....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - September 23, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart suddenly stops beating effectively and the blood suddenly stops circulating. Unless circulation is restored within a few minutes, death occurs. Ventricular fibrillation...Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - September 20, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Bundle Branch Block - BBB
Bundle branch block (BBB) is a pattern that can appear on your electrocardiogram (ECG), which indicates a change in the way the electrical impulses in your heart are being distributed. BBB may turn out to be just an "incidental finding," or it may turn out to have significant medical indications, depending on its pattern (right or left bundle branch block), its cause, and any underlying heart disease you might have....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - September 16, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
My Pacemaker Battery Is Low - So Why Replace The Whole Thing?
Q. My doctor says my pacemaker battery is getting low - and she is going to schedule me for surgery to replace the whole unit. I don't understand why the whole thing needs to be replaced. Why not just put in a new battery? Or better yet, why don't they use longer lasting batteries, or even rechargeable batteries in pacemakers?...Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - September 13, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Unstable Angina
Unstable angina - angina that occurs at rest and apparently for no reason - is a strong warning that one of the coronary arteries has become critically unstable, and that without rapid treatment a full-blown heart attack may ensue. Read about what causes unstable angina, how to recognize it, and how to make sure you are getting the appropriate care, here. (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - September 9, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
In peripheral artery disease (PAD), one or more of the arteries supplying blood to the legs or arms becomes blocked or partially blocked, usually because of atherosclerosis. Patients with PAD often experience significant pain when using the affected limb - a condition called "claudication" - and if the PAD is severe, ulcers or gangrene can result. Read here about PAD, its causes, its symptoms, and what you can do about it. (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - September 6, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Noninvasive Treatment for Coronary Artery Disease
While stents and bypass surgery get all the attention, the fact is that noninvasive (medical) treatment remains the most important aspect of treating coronary artery disease (CAD). While people with CAD often do quite well when treated with only noninvasive therapy, the reverse usually is not true - those who receive only invasive treatment often don't do well in the long run....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - September 2, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What Are Triglycerides, and What Do They Do?
Q. You hear so much about cholesterol, but very little about triglycerides. My doctor says my triglyceride levels are up, and doesn't seem too concerned about it. Can you tell me what triglycerides are, what they do, and whether I should be worried?...Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 30, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What To Do If Your Risk of Heart Disease Is High
OK, you've done your own risk assessment, as your doctor said you should. And it turns out your risk of heart disease is high. Now what?
If you are at increased risk for heart disease, there are three things you need to do right now. In this article, we discuss what those three things are, why they're important, and what you need to do to get started. (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 26, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
The Implantable Defibrillator
The implantable defibrillator is a small, surgically implanted device that monitors the heart rhythm, and automatically delivers a shock to the heart if a life-threatening heart rhythm suddenly occurs. These devices are used in people who have already survived a cardiac arrest, or who are judged to be at very high risk for a cardiac arrest....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 23, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Coffee And Heart Disease
Until recently it was commonly believed, by both doctors and non-professionals, that drinking coffee was bad for the heart. Coffee, it was said, made cholesterol levels and blood pressure go up, and raised the risk of heart attacks and heart rhythm problems....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 19, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Should Beta Blockers Be Used During Surgery In Heart Patients?
Until very recently, major professional guidelines strongly recommended placing heart patients on beta blockers during and for some period of time after non-cardiac surgery. But now it appears that the clinical studies that supported this recommendation are at least highly questionable if not just wrong. And more recent clinical analyses now suggest that using beta blockers in these circumstances might even be dangerous. So - what should be done about beta blockers during surgery?...Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 16, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited problem that causes high blood levels of LDL cholesterol. Without treatment, people with this disorder often develop significant heart disease at an early age. The key to staving off that premature cardiac disease is to identify these individuals while they are still young, and get them on appropriate therapy....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 12, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Guys: Another Good Reason To Fix Your Lifestyle - Less ED!
Everyone knows that making the right lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. But in an article appearing recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Mayo Clinic report that making those same lifestyle changes can reduce your erectile dysfunction (ED)....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 9, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Chagas Heart Disease
Chagas heart disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and next to coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart failure in Latin America.
Read about Chagas heart disease and its treatment here. (Source: About.com Heart Disease)
Source: About.com Heart Disease - August 6, 2013 Category: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
