Submitted by Dr T on November 8, 2010 – 9:25am in Cardiac Risks Question: I had gone thru two Angioplasty procedures and now, I would like to know what I should do next after the below Echocardiogram Investigations: No LVDD, IVS Thinned out. LVEF 30%, Akinetic apex, LVID 54/41. Your ECHO shows evidence of an old myocardial infarct, as …
How do I perform CPR?
Submitted by Dr T on November 7, 2010 – 6:43pm in Your heart rhythm CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is indicated in those who are unresponsive with no breathing or only gasps. The most common cause is a cardiac arrest and ventricular fibrillation (VF) after a heart attack, but there are many other reasons. Before you start CPR it is important to …
How does ventricular fibrillation occur? What are the causes?
How does ventricular fibrillation occur? What are the causes? Submitted by Dr T on November 7, 2010 – 1:44pm in Your heart rhythm Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is an uncontrolled twitching or quivering of the muscle fibers of the lower chambers of your heart. During ventricular fibrillation, blood is no longer pumped out of your heart. The most common cause of …
Can Beta blockers cause shortness of breath?
Submitted by Dr T on November 7, 2010 – 12:58pm in Other Yes. Beta (β) blockers stop the action of epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) on your lungs. Adrenaline helps to relax the small airways of your lungs and make breathing easier. With adrenaline blocked, you may experience symptoms similar to asthma, such as wheezing and trouble breathing. Beta-blockers present …
CTCA for screening of acute chest pain syndrome (ACPS)
CTCA for screening of acute chest pain syndrome (ACPS) Submitted by Dr T on November 5, 2010 – 3:26pm in Professionals The accuracy of 64-slice computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) and its ability to direct revascularization in patients with acute chest pain syndrome (ACPS) was investigated in an article published in The American Journal of Cardiology on 08/09/2010. Compared with …
What Should You Do If You Suspect You Are Having A Heart Attack?
Submitted by Dr T on November 3, 2010 – 4:33pm If you think you may be having a heart attack: If you are with someone, tell that person you may be having a heart attack and want to get to the hospital immediately. Have the person call 911 or the emergency services number. If you are alone, call 911 or …
How does the heart-lung bypass machine cause blood clots?
Submitted by Dr T on November 3, 2010 – 10:15am in Other Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a technique that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery, maintaining the circulation of blood and the oxygen content of the body. In a small percentage of patients this causes complications that may include a stroke. This depends to …
Why is heart disease in women different?
Submitted by Dr T on November 2, 2010 – 5:43pm in Cardiac Risks When still in practice, a friend of mine, diabetic, hypertensive and a smoker developed chest pains walking in the cold and going upstairs. When seen in the ER, the cardiologist disagreed with my diagnosis of angina and CAD. After pleading with him, he agreed (reluctantly) to go …
Will a testosterone shot have any adverse effects on an artery stent?
Submitted by Dr T on November 2, 2010 – 7:22am in Cardiac Risks Testosterone supplementation has been shown to increase muscle mass and strength in healthy older men. However, a new study, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine 1), showed that in older men (>74 yo), testosterone treatment was associated with an significantly higher rate of cardiovascular adverse …
Why do women have mitral valve prolapse (MVP) more often than men?
Why do women have mitral valve prolapse (MVP) more often than men? Submitted by Dr T on November 1, 2010 – 8:24am in Other Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) affects approximately 150 million people worldwide. Studies have shown that MVP is more common in women than in men. According to The Framingham Heart Study, 7.6% of women and 2.5% of men …