Family Health

The heart is a muscle, located in the upper left side of the chest, that pumps blood. About 40,000 children are born with heart disease in the United States each year. Children also can develop...

The first time parents hear the heartbeat of their unborn child is a big moment. Finally, it seems real--they can hear that living, growing little person! But first-time parents may be surprised...

An enlarged heart or cardiomyopathy is one form of heart disease. An enlarged heart will have difficulty pumping the blood that the body needs. This condition is most common in children under one...

Check your pulse without a stethoscope in any room that's quiet enough to hear your heartbeats. Check your heartbeat before and after an aerobic workout to compare resting heart rate to exercising...

Health care costs in the US is a very complicated and mind boggling problem. Instead of hoping and waiting for the government to take care of it, why don't we start taking responsibility for our...

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...

Racing heart is usually a secondary disorder or even a symptom of something more serious. Elevated blood pressure, thyroid malfunction, low blood sugar and over consumption of stimulants can all...

Pulse rate or heart rate is measured as the number of heartbeats per minute. Knowing your heart rate has several benefits. It can give you insight into your own heart's health and can be used to...

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....

Cyanotic heart disease is a congenital heart defect that causes abnormal blood flow around the heart and lungs. It can result from one or more of over 10 defects of the heart.

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...

Hypotension, or low blood pressure, can deprive the brain of oxygen and lead to life-threatening shock. Hypotension can cause an array of other problems, including fatigue, dizziness, nausea,...

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...

Will your child be playing a sport this year? Child sports participation helps to build self-esteem and teaches a child how to reach goals and work as a team – along with the many health benefits...

While numerous studies, including a 1993 one led by sonographer Terry J. Dubose, have firmly debunked the mythical correlation between gender and heart rate, many doctors, midwives and mothers...

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...

According to the American Heart Association, around 36,000 children are born yearly with a form of heart disease. Some children that are born without heart disease are at risk of developing it at...

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.

Menopause is a term used to describe the time when a woman is no longer fertile. During menopause a woman's body goes through many changes. A woman's body may go through physical, emotional and...

One of the most useful ways to use a heart rate graph is to see how your heart performs over a period of time (during exercise and rest). Find your target heart rate, and then plot how well your...

The measure of the heart rate is known as pulse. It is an indication of the heart rhythm, heart rate and strength of blood flow.

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...

It is important to know how to measure the heart rate of a child, because it can clue you in to important information about the health of a 2-year-old. If the heart is not beating fast enough or...

A resting pulse varies broadly, and is influenced by such factors as physical fitness, smoking, emotional state, body weight and use of medications. Pregnancy raises the resting pulse...

Hearing your baby's heartbeat while you are pregnant can be reassuring. Having a fetal doppler--a device that uses sound waves to capture an unborn baby's heart rate--on hand means you can hear...

A racing heart could be a symptom of supraventricular tachycardia, a condition in which your heart sometimes beats rapidly due to extra electrical signals. The problem is usually not...

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.

Dopplers are used to listen to a fetus's heart rate. A normal fetal heart rate is between 120 and 160 beats a minute. The Nicolet Elite Doppler is good for listening to fetal heart rate during...

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,...

Many senior citizens live long, healthy lives and want to make the most of their good health by remaining fit. Others have health issues such as being overweight or having cardiovascular disease,...

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...

According to the Women's Heart Foundation, heart attacks have become the number one killer in our nation of women. This affects women mostly between 40 and 60. It is more deadly even than breast...

Sonography, or ultrasound examination, is a diagnostic imaging technique that projects high-frequency sound waves into the body to show images on a computer. Many conditions are diagnosed and...

The Mio is a heart rate monitor that is designed like a watch and worn on the wrist. The device is available in various styles, colors and specific functions to promote a healthy lifestyle. The...

Over the past 25 years ours children's lives have changed dramatically. They spend their time with computers, cell phone texting and video games instead of playing outside. What a different...

I will show you how easy it is to read your pulse and know youw heart rate, fast and easy. Rember some medicines might affect your heart rate.

There has been much discussion and controversy in the medical community about the symptoms of heart attack in women versus the symptoms of heart attacks in men. Numerous media reports suggests...

During pregnancy, blood volume increases by up to 50 percent, putting a significant strain on the heart as it works to pump the additional blood, says the Cleveland Clinic. Heart conditions are...