General Family Health

Cholesterol is responsible for building healthy cells, according to the Mayo Clinic. Having too much LDL cholesterol, however, causes fatty deposits in the arteries, which prevents the heart from...

A blood pressure monitor is a device that measures pressure in your arteries. The measurement is written with 2 numbers, one on top of the other, such as 120/70. The first measurement, or top...

Taking your pulse (or the number of times your heart beats in one minute) can be useful in a variety of situations. Many people use this tool to evaluate their exercise program. Average heart...

Measuring cardiac efficiency is a tool that many athletic trainers, doctors, nurses and athletes use in order to figure out how efficient their heart is at pumping blood when in motion or at rest....

There are guidelines for LDL numbers, but each person has factors that influence the numbers they should aim for. When you understand what LDL is and how it's different from other cholesterol, you...

A blood pressure reading measures how much force is placed upon the artery walls as blood is pumped throughout the body. Measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), it should be checked at least...

Cholesterol is responsible for building cells and regulating hormones, according to the Mayo Clinic. When cholesterol levels are high, fatty deposits start building in the blood vessels. After...

Mitral valve regurgitation occurs when this heart valve doesn’t close tight enough. This allows blood to escape back into the heart, which inhibits efficient blood flow in the body. People with a...

There are many different things you can do to raise your heart rate such as drinking caffeine or getting stressed out. However, the only healthy way to increase your heart rate is to exercise and...

Acid reflux and heart disease have a convoluted relationship. Symptoms of a heart attack are often masked by or mistaken for acid reflux, while acid reflux is sometimes caused by medications taken...

There are three types of muscle: skeletal, or "striated," which moves the limbs; smooth, as in the hollow organs such as the kidney; and cardiac muscle. Cardiac (heart) muscle is unique because...

A heart murmur is defined as an unusual sound heard in the heartbeat. Heart murmurs are usually harmless, but some can be dangerous. They can be caused by a number of factors.

There are a few simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of having a heart attack. This article will guide you on how to reduce your risk as much as possible of having a heart attack.

Heart diseases are scientifically called the cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The most common heart disease is called coronary heart disease (CHD). In this disease, heart and coronary arteries are...

If your cholesterol count is not where it should be, become your own advocate and make changes to improve your health. Combine diet, exercise and, if necessary, medication to reduce your risk of...

The signs and symptoms of both heart and anxiety troubles are often very similar. Nevertheless, the conditions are very different and not getting proper treatment may lead to serious consequences.

Pulse rates will vary by person, age and activity. Stress or activity will make your heart beat faster. While you sleep, it will beat slower. Certain medications may affect the heart rate as well....

High cholesterol occurs when there is too much cholesterol (a fat-like substance) in the blood, causing plaque build up on the artery walls, according to the U.S. Library of Medicine. People...

To ensure you're getting the most out of any aerobic exercise, be it hiking, biking or jogging, you need to maintain what's known as a target heart rate. Not only does it increase your fitness...

Blood pressure and pulse are two measurements used to determine overall health. They are related, but used to detect different things.

One heartbeat is a cardiac cycle. This is actually a combination of relaxations and contractions of the heart chambers that occur in sequence. There are three stages: atrial systole,...

Naproxen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is available both over the counter and by prescription to treat pain resulting from menstruation, injury or illnesses such as...

Bicycling is an excellent exercise for calculating calorie expenditure. You can move at a fairly constant speed and your upper body doesn't move much, making it easy to keep a heart monitor around...

Your total cholesterol number only reveals part of your health picture. The percentage of bad (LDL) cholesterol and good (HDL) cholesterol could is a more important indicator of heart disease...

Yawning can signal lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. Tiredness, whereby one doesn't breathe deeply or properly, can cause yawning. But, it can also signal deeper physiological causes such as lack...

The chest houses many vital organs. Pain in the center of the chest can suggest something as minor as indigestion, or as serious as a heart attack. Chest pain is always an indication that...

Even you are old when measured by physical age, you can remain young at heart. But how to do it, you may ask. Easy, just follow these steps.

Of all the macro-nutrients, fat contains the most calories per gram. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends eating no more than 35 percent of your daily calories in fat. More fat...

Caffeine is a stimulant that is found in tea, coffee, soda, energy drinks, chocolate and some types of nuts. It is sometimes added to painkillers, diet pills and cold medications. It stimulates...

There are five types of blood vessels in the human body, and they all work together to keep the cardiovascular system functioning and healthy. Each of these vessels provides blood flow to and from...

Blood vessels are hollow, tubal structures that transport blood throughout the body. Veins carry blood to the heart and the vessels that take blood into the body from the heart are called arteries.

Medical professionals commonly carry stethoscopes when seeing patients. Used for almost 200 years as a diagnostic tool, the stethoscope is often the only medical equipment healthy patients will...

Shortness of breath can be caused by a number of illnesses or factors. The reasons for shortness of breath indicate the type of emergency treatment necessary. Emergency treatment for shortness of...

An EKG, or electrocardiogram, is a common test that measures the heart's electrical output. It is used to examine the heart's rhythmic timing and determine whether any structural or performance...

A normal adult heart is made of muscle tissue and is about the size of a fist. The heart beats while it operates as a pump to circulate blood throughout the body. Individuals are more aware of...

The adult, human heart beats at a normal rate of between 60 and 100 times every minute of a person's life. This rate can be slightly higher in healthy children. People with hearts that beat at a...

A chemical stress test evaluates the condition of the heart muscle, and is an alternative to the more common treadmill stress test, according to heartsite.com. Both tests determine how well the...

The heart pumps blood through the heart to the lungs and body. Activity levels have a large effect on heart rate since the heart needs to work faster to keep up with the oxygen demand of a body...

The cardiovascular system is composed of the heart, blood vessels and blood. This complex system delivers nutrients and oxygen to body tissues and allows for rapid removal of waste materials. ...

Blood pressure is a measure of the force exerted against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood through them. A blood pressure reading is composed of two different...

Like a shock to the system, an energy drink can give your body a caffeinated jolt. These liquid sources of fuel make you feel energized and ready to tackle your day. Though they're readily...

Not only does smoking tobacco increase your risk of developing emphysema, lung cancer or chronic bronchitis, the nicotine you get off a cigarette can actually affect your heart. This is largely...

Emotions, such as fear, can greatly affect the heart rate, causing it to speed up considerably. The autonomic nervous system responds to fear and releases chemicals that cause the heart to...

A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. There is much variation and many causes for differences. Gender, age, activity level and size can all affect the heart rate.

The average human heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute. There are several reasons for perfectly healthy hearts to have rates that are slower or faster. Activity levels in particular...

Heart rate measures the total heartbeats in a minute. Fitness level, emotions, exercise, body position, weight, temperature, and heart and overall health are all factors that affect heart rate....

It is essential that the human heart has strong muscular layer that is able to pump blood through the heart to the lungs and body. Cardiac muscle is composed of specialized myocardial cells that...

Fats and cholesterol affect the body in many ways. The negative effects lead to risks of heart disease, obesity and high blood pressure. However, the beneficial effects keep the body functioning.

The average human heart rate, or what is considered to be a normal heart rate, is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. This is just a general guideline. There are many reasons for completely...

Your resting heart rate is your normal heart rate, and it depends on your age and level of activity. For most adults, the ideal resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to the...