Do Beta Blocker drugs help treat angina? How do they prevent angina?

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Beta Blockers are drugs that slow the heart rate, decrease cardiac output, lessen the force with which the heart muscle contracts and reduce blood vessel contraction. This lessens the work load for your heart, which means there is less energy demand. If your heart has blocked coronary arteries, the regional blood (and thus the energy) supply is limited. Beta blockers …

What foods can help strengthen a weak heart?

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Foods such as nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables and oils contain beneficial compounds that include plant sterols, soluble fiber and monounsaturated fats. When these foods are used in a low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet, they can lower your cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. However, no diet will do the trick if portions are too big or without …

Is it Asthma or Heart Disease?

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Q: I have a question about my father — a 74 year old man in relatively good health. He’s fairly active – but has asthma and is about 20 pounds overweight. His breathing has been declining rapidly and the PA at his asthma doctor’s office put him on Prednisone and antibiotics for one week — and wants him to see …

Are saturated and trans fats bad because of the cholesterol that will clog my arteries?

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The short answer is yes. Here is the explanation: “Bad” Cholesterol Cholesterol can’t dissolve in the blood. It has to be transported to and from the cells by carriers called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol. These two types of lipids, along with triglycerides and Lp(a) cholesterol, …

I am having Chest Pain, what does it mean?

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Each year, six million adult patients in the U.S. see their doctor because of chest pain. This pain may be caused by a variety of factors that may include diseases such as coronary artery disease, gastro-intestinal pain such as acid reflux (“Hiatal Hernia”), pain from your lungs (pneumonia, or a collapsed lung), “costochondritis” or physical injuries or a host of …