Cardiac Test Basics
Please explain the difference between an electrocardiogram and an echocardiogram. What exactly do these tests tell doctors about the heart?
Heartbeat
Give the Gift of Life
My brother-in-law just turned 50 and needs a new heart. We sometimes hear that wealthy people get donor organs quicker than others. Is this true? How long is the usual wait for a new heart?
Low-Dose Aspirin for Heart Health
What is the latest information about taking daily baby aspirin to help the heart?
Heart Defect Often Causes No Symptoms
I had a stroke in 2003, and a diagnostic test showed a “hole” in my heart with no right-to-left shunt. The shunt didn’t show up on a different kind of test in 2009, either.
I came through the stroke fine because I went to the hospital right away and have been on warfarin ever since. My question is: If there’s no shunt, is the hole present?
Surgery Corrects Heart Rhythm
Q: How does the Maze treatment for atrial fibrillation work, and what does it involve? A: The Maze procedure is open heart surgery to eliminate rapid heartbeats. It involves making a series of incisions in the top portion of the heart, the atria. In experienced hands, the procedure is successful in more than 90 percent [...]
Pacemaker Safety
Q: Is it safe for a person with a pacemaker to play the slot machines at a casino? A: It is safe for your pacemaker—but it may not be safe for your wallet!
Heart Scars
Q: One year after a double bypass, doctors said my heart has scarred shut, and I need another surgery. What caused this problem, and what options exist? A: Bypass vessels, particularly when veins are used in contrast to arteries, can clog or narrow (note President Bill Clinton’s recent incident), but it usually occurs years after [...]
Heart Is Skipping Beats
Q: The medical profession says I have about 10 premature beats per minute. My pulse is in the range
of 50 to 60 beats. Are skipped beats serious or harmless? I have always gotten winded very easily. A: Ten premature beats per minute is a fair amount that can be perfectly harmless. However, we now know [...]
Heart Attack Risk
Q: I have angina, and some of my arteries are blocked. What are my chances of having a heart attack, and can a prescription drug like Imdur control chest pain? A: Severe blockages in coronary arteries can certainly cause a heart attack. Often, such blockages can be propped open with stents, which can relieve the [...]
Get Second Opinion About Surgery
Q: I have three leaky valves, and the heart doctor said knee surgery would be risky. Should I get a second opinion? A: It is always a good idea to get another opinion, especially when
it comes to surgery. After all, it is
your body, and you want to be sure the decisions made are [...]
Heartbeat supplements the advice of your health care provider,
whom you should consult for personal medical problems.
whom you should consult for personal medical problems.
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