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…
Stem Cells in the Treatment of Heart Failure
Can stem cells help improve heart muscle in patients with congestive heart failure? The use of stem cells in the treatment of heart failure cases is currently being investigated. Cardiovascular disease is the # 1 killer in the United States accounting for one third of all deaths. Heart disease kills more people than cancer, HIV, diabetes or trauma. Many advances in…
Cocaine Heart Damage
Cocaine Heart Damage due to Cocaine Induced Cardiomyopathy As Rick James aptly said, "cocaine is a hell of a drug" and cocaine heart damage is one hell of a problem. Cocaine is both mentally and physically addicting for several reasons and affects users in all parts of their lives. Cocaine is the second most popular…
Broken Heart Syndrome
Earlier this year, we published a piece on the effects that significant emotional stress can have on the heart - the so-called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (also called stress induced cardiomyopathy, apical ballooning syndrome, or even broken heart syndrome). In simple terms, the condition is a transient weakening of the heart muscles, usually (but not always) triggered…
Huff Puff: Why you might be short of breath
Why am I short of breath - could it be heart failure? The term heart failure is a frightening one – often people think about their heart stopping, ‘failing’ as the term goes – leading to death. But, as we’ve learned previously, there’s more to heart failure than the name. How does the heart pump?…
Right Heart Catheterization
What is a Right Heart Catheterization? So you have been told you need a Right Heart Catheterization (RHC), now what? Allow us at MyHeart to explain this procedure. Before delving into the specifics of a right heart catheterization, it is important to understand basic definitions and parts. A catheter is essentially a long hollow tube…
Pericardial Effusion: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
The heart has a sac around it called the pericardium. The purpose of this sac is to protect the heart from the structures that surround it. Inside the sac there is normally a small amount of fluid evenly spread in a thin layer around the whole heart. This fluid around the heart is known as…
A Guide to STEMI (ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction) Heart Attacks
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…
What is Heart Failure? – Everything You Need To Know
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a very common heart condition. As doctors, we understand exactly what we mean when this diagnosis is given, but for the patient it is often a different story. The words “heart failure” lead people to assume that their heart has “given up” and is actually…
How To Survive A Heart Attack
To survive a heart attack you first must understand what is actually happening to the body when a heart attack occurs. What happens in a heart attack? A sudden rupture in an unstable area of a wall in an artery leads to buildup of clot with often-total blockage of the artery. This cuts off the blood…
