Uncontrolled hypertension and hypertension emergencies are a powerful risk factor for future cardiac and non-cardiac events. Hypertension affects almost 1/3 of adults and over 1 billion people globally. Hypertension prevalence increases with aging of the population affecting over 50% of people over 60-years old. The new guidelines identified ideal blood pressure, even among the…
What is a murmur?
As a pediatric cardiologist, I often get asked, “What is a murmur?” Simply put, a murmur is only a heart sound occurring between the “lub and dub” sounds of the heart. More importantly, a murmur is not a hole or a heart defect. The bigger question to me is if there is something abnormal…
HEART FUNCTION INCLUDING EJECTION FRACTION ( EF )
Heart function including ejection fraction (EF) is important in clinical practice because it is related to prognosis. Whether the patient suffers from valvular heart disease or ischemic heart disease, a measure of heart function including ejection fraction (EF) can predict future clinical outcome and assist in risk stratification. Several approaches to detect patients at…
Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement – TMVR Explained
TMVR – Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement TMVR, also known as transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a way of replacing the mitral valve in the heart without the need for conventional open-heart surgery. TMVR transcatheter mitral valve replacement is a treatment for mitral valve stenosis (tight mitral valve) or mitral valve regurgitation (leaky mitral valve) or…
Echocardiogram vs. EKG – Explained By A Cardiologist
Echocardiogram vs. EKG – What Are They? When considering echocardiogram vs. EKG its important to have a basic understanding of both tests. Both the echocardiogram and EKG are very important and are commonly used heart tests that are instrumental in diagnosing various forms of heart disease. The echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart that…
Sauna Benefits – Is It Good For Your Heart Health?
Sauna Benefits for Heart Health – Introduction Saunas have been used for centuries and are thought to have many health benefits. In some countries, particularly Scandinavian countries, saunas use is considered a way of life. When it comes to discussing sauna benefits, its important to realize there are different types of sauna. Steam saunas, dry…
How Long Does an Echocardiogram Take?
How long does An Echocardiogram Take? An average echocardiogram will take around 20 minutes to complete. Around 5 minutes of the 20 will be spent on preparing and positioning the patient for the echocardiogram. 15 minutes on average will be spent acquiring the relevant images of the heart. A stress echocardiogram on top of this…
What is the best coronary stent for our patients?
Whenever we start a clinical trial to test a new coronary stent we always ask ourself; “what is the best stent for our patients”? Coronary artery disease is a progressive pathological condition that results from atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. As atherosclerosis progresses from damage of the inner layer of the artery, fat or…
Heart Monitors – What every patient needs to know
My job as a cardiologist is to help make a diagnosis when symptoms arise. Once a diagnosis is made, patients can be offered therapy to help with symptoms. Patients experiencing any cardiac symptoms should consult a physician. One of the most common symptoms patients complain of is palpitations. Palpitations are any symptoms of extra hard…
Can heart attack damage be reversed?
One of the most frequent questions our patients ask after surviving a heart attack is: Can heart attack damage be reversed? Every year, over 700,000 Americans have a heart attack. Improvements in the treatment of myocardial infarction, especially with the reopening of the culprit artery with percutaneous coronary intervention, have led to a large number…
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm – Symptoms and Treatment
What is an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm? The aorta is the main blood vessel that leaves the heart and supplies the body with blood. The abdominal aorta is the aorta that starts below the chest and goes down to the hip area. Abdominal aortic aneurysm describes a disease process whereby the abdominal aorta dilates and becomes…
Robotic Assisted PCI Heart Stent Placement – Explained By A Cardiologist
What is Robotic Assisted PCI Heart Stent Placement? Robotic Assisted PCI Heart Stent placement is commonly known as robotic PCI. PCI stands for percutaneous coronary intervention that basically means fixing blockages in heart arteries without the need for open surgery using small tubes known as catheters inserted through the blood vessels. Robotic assisted PCI is…
Heart Valve Surgery – Mechanical Vs. Bioprosthetic – Which Is Better?
There are almost 100 000 heart valve replacement surgeries in the United States every year. This includes the most common which are mitral valve replacement and aortic valve replacement. In general there are 2 choices for type of surgical heart valve replacement, mechanical valves or bioprosthetic valves. When choosing the valve type its important to…
Fast Heart Rate – Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
A fast heart rate is known as tachycardia and commonly defined as a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute. Although a fast heart rate is commonly defined as a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute, there is no specific cut off for what defines a significantly fast heart rate or a…
My Child Passes Out
Do you have a child who passes out? Passing out/falling out/fainting, or what is medically termed syncope, commonly occurs in older children and adolescents. It is estimated that 1 in 3 people will have an episode of syncope during their lifetime and accounts for 3-5% of emergency room visits. It is more frequent in females…
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