Heart Arrhythmias
Dear Dr. Zipes: In a prior response, you explained that caffeine, alcohol, energy drinks, and sometimes swallowing, coughing, or an upset stomach may cause irregular heart rhythms. Can you provide a list or direct me... More
Heartbeat
More In Heartbeat
Biological vs. Mechanical Heart Valves
To Mary in Wyoming: Porcine heart valves (made from pig hearts) have been used to replace narrowed and/or leaking human aortic and mitral valves since... More
Extra Heart Beats (PVCs)
To Carol in Florida: Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are extra heart beats coming early from the bottom chambers of the heart, the ventricles. In people... More
Pacemaker Safety
To Eloise in Colorado: There is no known risk to your pacemaker or you when using a heating pad that is in good working condition... More
Best to Check
To Nancy in Michigan: Blood pressure can vary, and it would be just a guess for me to know why it went up when you... More
Peripheral Artery Disease
I am nearly recovered from a mild stroke that my medical reports say was due to peripheral artery disease (PAD). I changed my diet, had... More
Review the Options
A cardiac catheterization revealed that one artery is blocked and two others are partially closed. I was told that nothing could be done because of... More
Rid Audible Heartbeat
Regarding the lady who could hear her heartbeat in her ear upon reclining: I know exactly what she means, and it’s nasty! Lucky for me,... More
Ablation Helps Flutter, Too
I had ablation of the atrioventricular (AV) node in 2001 that apparently took care of my atrial fibrillation but left me with heart flutter. When... More
Artificial Heart Valves
How long are porcine aortic valves expected to last? I’m going to subscribe to the magazine because of your answers. Thank you. I am glad... More
Statins and Heart Health
I’ve read people with heart problems should not use statin drugs. I’m diabetic and on my second pacemaker. Our medical insurance is suggesting that I... More
Systolic Hypertension
I’m diabetic and have systolic hypertension. My blood pressure runs 115/120 in the morning and 120/170 in the evening. I’ve included a list of the... More
Neighborhood Heart Watch: Remembering Maggie
Pat O’Malley never thought her athletic 17-year-old daughter would die from sudden cardiac arrest. In fact, she didn’t recognize that Maggie’s life was in danger... More
Heart Weak But Stable
In 2000, a cardiologist said that I needed a heart transplant due to heart failure. My left ventricle ejection fraction was about 20 percent. I... More
Heart Health and Hope
I have a question concerning the angiogenesis procedure that may be FDA approved in 2009. Might I possibly be a candidate? I am 76 years... More
Managing Blood Lipid Levels
Could you discuss VLDL? What little literature there is says that Lp(a) is worse than LDL, and nobody even measures it. Healthcare providers fuss so... More
Convoluted Heart Vessels
My heart catheterization was normal, other than “very tortuous cardiac vessels.” Are you aware of studies showing the cause or consequence of my cardiac vessel... More
