Submitted by Dr T on April 24, 2011 – 5:24am in Cardiac Risks Question: I am 77 year old man with an enlarged aorta and irregular heartbeat for which I am being treated with coumadin. My daughter is being married at a high altitude ranch in New Mexico at 8200 ft high. Is this a concern for my heart issues? …
A Tale of Two Valves
Submitted by Dr T on April 19, 2011 – 2:34pm in Professionals Two percutaneous heart valve procedures have been introduced recently, the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) and the mitral clip, bothstill investigational devices. One promises a solution to a very difficult problem, the other doesn’t. TAVI is presently researched for select patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (narrowing of …
Will laughing too hard cause heart health problems?
Submitted by Dr T on April 19, 2011 – 7:12am in Cardiac Risks Question: My mother had a minor heart attack over ten years ago. She has been on medication since then but overall she is quite healthy. Whenever we talk on the phone, we laugh so hard together. I came across an article saying that laughing hard will do …
How often do I need a heart cath test
Submitted by Dr T on April 16, 2011 – 5:25pm in Cardiac Risks Question: my doctor says i should have a heart cath test every 5 years. i only had one done 5 years ago and my blockage was 60 per cent,my blood pressure runs low iam diabetic should i get a second opinion “Cath tests” should never be …
I have three leaking heart valves
Submitted by Dr T on April 13, 2011 – 8:50am in Cardiac Risks Question: I have 3 valves leaking one is mild and 2 are moderate. i also have high blood pressure and high cholesterol.I am not really understanding what this means. i do know that my mother passed away at 53 from a heart attack but not sure …
Sudden death in young athletes
Submitted by Dr T on April 13, 2011 – 8:25am in Cardiac Risks Question: My grandson has a bicuspid heart valve.he is very active..wants to be on the football team. the coach is really encouraging him to join.iam very worried that something will happen . the whole summer is mainly practice. not much of a break. in fifth grade the …
Funny chest pains
Submitted by Dr T on April 12, 2011 – 7:20am in Chest Pain Question: Hi, I am a 36 year old male with no real history of any medical problems. I have a poor family history of heart attacks/bypasses. My father had a large one at 62. Lately, I have been having very small sharp pains in my chest/heart area. …
This new technique of Mitral valve repair with a mitral-valve clip does NOT offer any advantage
Submitted by Dr T on April 10, 2011 – 5:40pm Percutaneous Repair or Surgery for Mitral Regurgitation (the EVEREST II study), published in the NEJM on April 4th, compares the use of a mitral-valve clip with traditional surgery for repair or replacement of a leaking mitral valve. The authors concluded: “Although percutaneous repair was less effective at reducing mitral regurgitation …
Teenage Obesity and future diabetes, heart disease
Submitted by Dr T on April 10, 2011 – 8:54am in Nutrition Obese teenagers are at risk for diabetes and heart disease in the future In a new study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine (1), 37,000 Israeli teen aged men were followed for 17 years. Body Mass Index (BMI) was recorded regularly during the follow-up period. A …
In itch and cough in my chest
Submitted by Dr T on April 10, 2011 – 8:06am in Other Question: “I am 18, 5’11”, Korean American, and have a normal heart except when I expel air forcibly. (longer tones and higher pitches) The cough feels like an itch in my chest, rather than my throat, and cough drops do not help. The chest movements are the biggest …