Category: Cardiology
What is atrial fibrillation, the heart condition US President Joe Biden lives with?
More than 37.5 million people globally also have atrial fibrillation, but many don’t realise they have it. For most, the condition has few symptoms and does not limit daily life. However, identifying it and treating it is the only way to reduce its serious health consequences.
Acetaminophen vs ibuprofen — which works best and when?
Deciding which one you should choose is dependent on the type of pain you are experiencing. Sometimes it might be appropriate to take a medication that contains both drugs.
In the “Wild West” of Outpatient Vascular Care, Doctors Can Reap Huge Payments as Patients Risk Life and Limb
To move vascular procedures out of expensive hospitals, the government turbocharged payments to doctors’ offices. Instead of saving money, it started a boom that is making doctors rich and putting patients in danger.
Risk of rehospitalization in younger women after heart attack nearly double that of men
Higher rates of risk factors such as obesity, heart failure, and depression among women most likely contributed to the disparity.
Many Americans wrongly assume they understand what normal blood pressure is – and that false confidence can be deadly
Nearly half of Americans ages 20 years and up – or more than 122 million people – have high blood pressure. And even if your numbers are normal right now, they are likely to increase as you age; more than three-quarters of Americans age 65 and older have high blood pressure.
Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest shows need for CPR training and emergency defibrillators in public spaces
Adam Pyle, University of Toronto Football — a sport that involves violent collisions — came under shocking scrutiny on Jan. 2 when Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed from a cardiac event immediately following an on-field collision. Most fans already…
What caused Damar Hamlin’s heart to stop?
Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during ‘Monday Night Football’ could be commotio cordis or a more common condition – a heart doctor answers 4 questions
Study challenges “good” cholesterol’s role in universally predicting heart disease risk
Lower levels of HDL cholesterol were associated with increased risks for heart attacks in white but not Black adults, and higher levels were not protective for either group. the study was the first to find that lower HDL cholesterol levels only predicted increased cardiovascular disease risk for white adults.
Heartbeat-Tracking Technology Raises Patients’ and Doctors’ Worries
Gadget firms — starting with Apple and now Fitbit, which is owned by Google — are selling wearable devices that check heartbeat rhythms and alert users when something is out of sync. But some cardiologists say the information the devices produce isn’t always useful.
Remind me again, why is salt bad for you?
Salt is a chemical compound made of sodium and chloride, and this is the main form in which we consume it in our diet. Of these two elements, it’s the sodium we need to worry about.
Doctors Overlook a Curable Cause of High Blood Pressure
More than six decades after primary aldosteronism was first described in the medical literature, less than 1 percent of cases are diagnosed and treated despite evidence that it is a common cause of high blood pressure, or hypertension.
“Get This Thing Out of My Chest”
A life-sustaining heart pump was taken off the market after years of problems and FDA inaction. Thousands of people are now stuck with it embedded in their hearts.
Eating Too Much Salt? Ways to Cut Back…Gradually
About 70% of the sodium you eat comes from processed (packaged) foods and restaurant foods.
40% of cardiac arrest cases at SeaTac Airport resuscitated, UW study finds.
Chance of resuscitation may be better a airports and on airplanes because there are witnesses and automatic external defibrillators are nearby.
Thousands of Patients Were Implanted With Heart Pumps That the FDA Knew Could Be Dangerous
Inspectors repeatedly found manufacturing and device quality problems with the HeartWare pump. But the FDA didn’t penalize the company, and patients had the device implanted without knowing the facts.