You would have all heard about cholesterol and the recommendations of changes in diets and prescribe medication associated with it. But the truth is that many people don’t understand cholesterol and its purpose in our body. Understanding how cholesterol works within you is the first step of managing your cholesterol. (more…)

There are many people in the world that might be at a high risk for heart disease and for heart attacks, and a great number of these people don’t even know it. You should be aware of the dangers, symptoms, and treatment options in case you have a heart attack. It might be that you have a genetic predisposition towards heart attacks because of what runs in your family. With a good diet and lots of exercise, you can stay out of the danger zone, but just in case you are still at risk, learn how stents can help you improve your heart’s health. (more…)

A stent is a small, lattice-shaped, metal tube that is inserted permanently into an artery. The stent helps hold open the artery so that blood can flow through it. Their cousins, drug-eluting stents, are stents that contain drugs that potentially reduce the chance the arteries will become blocked again. (more…)

Heart failure, as well as all the risks that accompany it, can be a terrifying prospect for any man, woman or child. The impact of a heart, the body’s central tool for survival, no longer functioning may seem like the beginning of the end. The good news is, by establishing an effective treatment plan with your cardiologist the prognosis, and the chances for you to lead a normal life, increase exponentially.

Heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer efficiently pump blood throughout the body. The blood pools, and while organs are deprived of vital, life giving oxygen and nutrients the excess sodium that would normally be excreted in the urine builds up in the tissues, resulting in fluid retention that leads to organ stress and the dyspnea that is so common in cases of congestive heart failure. Left untreated, the oxygen deprived organs will eventually cease to function and the patient will die. (more…)

The human body is a magnificent machine that works in harmony with nature. The machinery needs proper care and sometimes parts replaced. Like the machine so the heart also needs help to prevent failure. The pump may not pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, which can lead into congestive heart failure. Many underlying conditions can cause congestive heart failure. (more…)

It’s a terrifying moment for many patients: the moment when the doctor enters their hospital room and informs them they are suffering from congestive heart failure. Many people do not know what congestive heart failure is or what it means for their life, and they ask themselves, “Is congestive heart failure the end of my world as I know it?”

Congestive heart failure occurs when for whatever reason the heart is unable to effectively pump the blood through the body. This usually occurs when the heart muscle is weak due to disease or stressed beyond its ability to function. Congestive heart failure is usually a secondary disease following another cardiac condition, primarily either coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, myocarditis, valvular disease, or cardiac arrhythmias, with coronary artery disease carrying the poorest prognosis. It may also follow a myocardial infarction, renal failure, sepsis or severe anemia. (more…)