Heart Disease

An electrocardiogram, or ECG, is a machine that monitors a patient's heartbeat. An ECG machine has leads that are colored and divided in various numbers such as 3-lead, 4-lead, or 5-lead,...

Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia. Your heart consists of four chambers: two on top (your atria) and two on the bottom (your ventricles). When you have atrial fibrillation, your atria...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. (accounting for more than 40 percent of all deaths) and worldwide. Heart disease...

A pacemaker is a device that helps to regulate your heart's beating rhythm. In many instances, doctors implant a pacemaker when you suffer from an arrhythmia (an irregular heart beat). Doctors...

An electrocardiogram is a test that measures the heart's electrical activity. Bewilderment strikes most people when they look at the various markings of an electrocardiogram (EKG) tape....

If you have ever watched an electrocardiogram (EKG--or ECG) monitor or looked at an EKG strip, you might have wondered how some healthcare professionals understand what they are observing. Though...

The old adage that "the eyes are the window to the soul" may be able to be adjusted to read "the eyes are the window to heart health." Researchers from Australia and other medical institutions...

According to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the U.S. Yet, heart disease is preventable for the majority of people. The choices a...

Congestive heart failure is a condition where your heart is unable to pump enough blood to your body. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), roughly 5.7 million Americans suffer from...

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heart disease costs in the United States total $304.6 billion, including pharmaceuticals, surgery and hospital stays, among other things. Since...

An arrhythmia occurs when your heart beats erratically, such as too fast or too slow. Normally your heart beats with a regulated rhythm that contracts your heart muscles. If your heart is...

The average adult has a resting heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute. A trained athlete is likely to have a heart rate as low as 40 to 60 beats per minute. Generally, a lower heart rate...

The Sheffield Occupational Health Advisory Service states that stress is the second most common avoidable cause of heart attacks, after smoking. Chronic stress allows blood pressure to rise. When...

According to the Mayo Clinic, 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) cases result in death. SCA is the sudden loss of your heart's beating. As a result, you lose consciousness and stop...

Congestive heart failure is a very scary medical condition that is the result of the heart being unable to pump enough blood through the body. People can be prone to congestive heart failure...

Coronary heart disease, or coronary artery disease, occurs when plaque accumulates in the coronary arteries. Plaque is a substance made out of fat, calcium, cholesterol and other blood substances....

Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood. Having high triglycerides increases your risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease. There is medication to lower triglycerides, but according to...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Diagnosing diseases of the heart can be difficult since the early...

An artificial pacemaker is an electrical device that helps the heart beat regularly if your heart's natural pacemaker is defective or a pathway to the heart is blocked, according to the American...

Heart disease is a number one killer in the world. Heart disease is mainly cause by unhealthy diets. Diet full of saturated fats clogs arteries leading to coronary heart disease. The good news is...

A heart valve infection (also called endocarditis) is an inflammation of your heart from bacteria or other pathogens. They occur when pathogens enter your body through your mouth, nose or a break...

If you're a man or woman over age of 40 with a family history of heart disease, or just getting ready to embark on a new exercise program, chances are your physician will want to perform a resting...

Heart valve disease is a serious condition, but it does not have to impede your current lifestyle. Individuals wishing to retain an active lifestyle can do so with patience and effective...

Heart disease is a serious condition, which, if left unchecked, can be fatal. Heart problems cover conditions like hardening or narrowing of the arteries, heart attacks and congestive heart...

The key to lowering your blood pressure without using medication is changing your diet by restricting consumption of saturated fat, trans fat and high amounts of sodium. According to the American...

Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol is commonly referred to as the "bad" cholesterol that puts you at risk of developing heart disease or having a heart attack or stroke. While LDL...

Controlling high blood pressure is vital to ensuring long-lasting health. Many chronic health conditions that plague us later in life are caused by living so long with high blood pressure levels....

Symptoms for women with angina are different than for men, often leading to slower or even faulty diagnosis. Recognizing the symptoms can help women deal with the root cause of angina, coronary...

Your heart rate may increase during exercise or if you are stressed. If you are known to have high blood pressure this also may increase your heart rate. Learn how to take control and slow your...

High blood pressure is associated with heart disease, heart attacks and kidney failure. High blood pressure does not usually have any outward symptoms, so it should be checked at least every two...

A blood clot is a cluster that develops when blood solidifies from a liquid to a solid (coagulation). When a blood clot solidifies inside a vein, an artery or the heart, it is termed a thrombus. A...

Arteries are thick blood vessels that transport oxygen and vital nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Plaque is a fatty substance made up mostly of cholesterol. Your arteries can...

If you ever develop heart disease or a loved one has heart disease it is good to familiarize yourself with different disorders of the heart and what they mean and stand for. Keep youself...

Your arteries are thick blood vessels that bring oxygen and vital nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible and elastic. When your arteries lose their...

The purpose of a cardiac stress test is to study the condition of the heart as it is exposed to exercise versus its normal resting flow. It measures how well the blood flows through the heart's...

Symptoms of congestive heart failure can range from the seemingly harmless to the immediately alarming. Recognizing the most harmless of symptoms can be the key to early diagnosis and treatment of...

Prevention is the best way to treat heart disease. Heart disease includes many conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels around it, including heart failure, angina, heart attack and heart...

Eat heart healthy foods everyday to protect your heart. There are foods that are good for your heart, foods that do not affect your heart and foods that are dangerous for your heart. To keep...

If you're facing an upcoming bypass surgery, you will want to be armed with the information you need to have a successful surgery. Quadruple bypass survival rates are greatly impacted by you, the...

A Stress Test shows images of your heart before and after you exercise. Your doctor may request you have a stress test if you complain of pain in your chest or shortness of breath on exertion. I...

In my article, I'll go over how people who work in the medical field manually take their patients' blood pressures using a stethoscope and a sphygmomanometer.

Hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis is the accumulation and buildup of plaque in the walls of your arteries. This condition causes your arteries to become narrow and hard preventing vital...

A cardiac event monitor is a device used to monitor unusual movements in cardiac patients' hearts. The instrument is beneficial because it reduces the occurrence of heart-related emergencies, and...

An enlarged heart isn't a condition that occurs on its own, but a symptom caused by an underlying disease. A heart enlargement is referred to as cardiomegaly and is often seen during a chest...

At times one may find it difficult to figure out what to ask their doctor or health care professional about woman's heart disease. Below are a series of questions which may aide you in talking to...

Early detection of heart disease can save your life. But for your doctor to make a timely diagnosis, you must be mindful of the tell-tale symptoms your body is experiencing, trying to alert you to...

Coronary artery disease is a condition in which the arteries of the heart become blocked, making it difficult for blood to flow to the heart. The blockage is caused by the buildup of fatty...

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a graphical representation of the electrical current of the heart. Electrodes are placed on the body that detect the rapid contraction of the heart muscle. If there...

According to statistics provided by the American Heart Association, over a million people a year will be diagnosed with heart disease. More than half of them will die suddenly with no previous...

Low blood pressure, also known as hypotension, can be just as dangerous as high blood pressure, or hypertension. Although there are prescription medications you can take to raise your blood...