Chest pain in children – Cardiology Basics
Chest pain in children – Cardiology Basics
Even though chest pain in children is a common symptom, unlike in adults it is seldom due to heart disease. Most often the cause of chest pain in children is not a major life threatening disease. Still chest pain can cause restriction of activities, absence from school and cause of anxiety to children and their parents.
A good history and physical examination can give a lot of information to exclude any potentially serious condition causing chest pain, though it is rare. Costochondritis is a common cause of chest pain in adolescent and preadolescent girls. It can b...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 13, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
How to control hypertension without medications? Cardiology Basics
Non-pharmacological approaches to control hypertension are essential even in those who do need medications for control of hypertension. In those with newly detected mild degrees of hypertension, non-pharmacological methods will be more acceptable and often all that is needed for control of hypertension. Adding non-pharmacological measures to medications, will increase compliance as the individual gets a hope that there is a chance to get off medication.
One simple way to control hypertension is by reducing extra weight. Roughly the blood pressure might come down 1 mm Hg for every kilogram of weight reduction. Generally, a...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 12, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What is myocardial viability assessment? Cardiology Basics
Myocardial viability means regions of myocardium which can recover its function if the blood supply is normalized. Viable myocardium will improve after restoring blood supply while non-viable myocardium will not.
So myocardial viability assessment is important in deciding whether the person will benefit from revascularization procedures like coronary angioplasty and coronary bypass surgery.
There are two types of viable myocardium, stunned myocardium and hibernating myocardium. Stunned myocardium needs only time to recover while hibernating myocardium needs restoration of blood supply. Stunned myocardium is transient dela...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 12, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
What is the significance of a PFO? Cardiology Basics
PFO is short form for patent foramen ovale. Usually foramen ovale closes soon after birth so that there is no communication between the two atria in most persons. But occasionally, a small opening may persist and then it is called PFO. PFO is a valvular opening through the interatrial septum.
When the pressure in the left atrium rises after birth as the lungs become functional and increases pulmonary venous return, it presses on the left side of the foramen ovale and closes it. Even if there is a residual opening, most of the time there is no shunting of blood across the PFO because left atrial pressure is higher than tha...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 12, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
How to interpret an echo report? Cardiology Basics
Echocardiogram, often called just echo in short is ultrasound imaging of the heart. Though the actual types of details mentioned in echo report may vary between institutions and even persons reporting it, in general there are several common aspects. Reports of children with congenital heart disease will have a different pattern. This discussion is mainly on an echo report from a general cardiology setup.
In addition to details of identification and date of procedure, indication for the study and the quality of images are usually mentioned in the beginning of the report. Quality of images may be poor in those with emphysem...
Source: Cardiophile MD - October 12, 2022 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs
