Have you or a loved one recently suffered from a STEMI (ST-elevation myocardial infarction) heart attack? Are you a physician or med student looking for STEMI diagnostic and treatment guidelines? This article is an all-encompassing STEMI resource guide. At myheart.net we've helped millions of people through our articles and answers. Now our authors are keeping readers…
Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia
The normal heartbeat is generated just like clockwork by electric signals sent out from a natural pacemaker known as the sinus node. Normal individuals have heart rates of between 60-90 beats per minute. This is actually slower than the natural pacemaker of the heart, partly because there is the slowing influence of the nervous system…
Mitral Valve Regurgitation (Mitral Insufficiency)
By Mustafa Ahmed MD What is Mitral Valve Regurgitation (Mitral Insufficiency)? Mitral Valve Regurgitation also known as Mitral Insufficiency is basically a leaky mitral valve. As a doctor that specializes in heart valve disease, this is the most common valve problem I see. The mitral valve stops blood flowing backwards from the main chamber of…
Sinus Arrhythmia – What Is It?
What is Sinus Arrhythmia? What is sinus arrhythmia? Heartbeats are like clockwork. In the same way the second hand on a clock ticks regularly each second, the heart has an electrical impulse that is generated and leads to a heartbeat in a regular manner. The timing between each of these generated impulses is known as…
Troponin Levels – The Heart Attack Blood Test
What does elevated troponin level mean? An elevated troponin is in general concerning for heart damage until proven otherwise. It can be from a heart attack due to a blockage or due to other conditions that place strain on the heart such as heart failure or critical illness. As discussed below there are other, non…
Afib with RVR – When The Heart Races Out Of Control
What Is Afib with RVR? Afib with RVR refers to atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate. Usually the heart is like clockwork, the top (collecting) chambers beat then the bottom (main pumping) chambers sense this and also beat, and so on, in a nice regular fashion just like a clock ticking second after second. Usually…
Amlodipine Side Effects – What To Expect
The most likely reason to be started on amlodipine is for blood pressure control. It causes relaxation and dilation of the blood vessels leading to lowering of blood pressure. The other reason people are started on amlodipine is for control of chest pain in people with coronary artery disease, amlodipine is thought to achieve this…
Heart Blockage – Explained With Pictures!
Heart blockage is a term commonly used by patients referring to coronary artery disease, a build up of plaque causing narrowing of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. This heart blockage, if severe enough can prevent the muscle getting the blood it needs to function, especially at times when more blood flow…
Leaky Heart Valve – When The Mitral Valve Fails
A leaky heart valve, when the mitral valve is the valve involved is known as mitral regurgitation. The most common cause of this leaky heart valve is mitral valve prolapse and it is the most common valve related disease in the US. Other causes include an enlarged heart and coronary artery disease. See some of…
How Exercise Can Save Your Life
I cut my teeth on country music in college. Having come from Alabama, one would think that country music was in my blood, but it took a move to Nashville to have the country melody course through my soul. In a line from a country music classic at that time, Clint Black sang: “Walking away,…
