Cor Pulmonale is a condition of the right ventricle of the heart whereby it experiences immense stresses during its procedure of pumping blood to the lungs. Cor Pulmonale is essentially caused by a respiratory disorder which causes the right ventricle to pump blood much harder into the lungs. If left untreated, it can lead to…
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy refers to heart disorders in which the walls of the heart tissue become stiff thereby inhibiting normal pumping of blood. It is an uncommon type of Cardiomyopathy, or a heart disorder which damages the walls of the heart. The cause of onset of this disorder may be not be determined. Restrictive Cardiomyopathy causes…
The first attempts to view the heart was done in the 1970s using Computrised Tomography(CT).But since the heart was an organ in constant motion and due to the defects in the equipment at that time,the result doctors got was sufficient only for viewing tumors and other major pathological lesions on the surface of the heart.Eversince…
In the sixties, drugs known as Calcium Antagonist Blockers or Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs) were introduced into cardiovascular medicine and have since become one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the treatment of heart diseases. Calcium Channel blockers are used for treating Hypertension Angina Pectoris Cardiac Arrhythmias Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction Raynaud’s phenomenon …
Thyroid is a small gland located in the neck. It modulates many vital functions of the body. The hormone the gland produces directly affects the heart and peripheral vascular system. The hormone can increase cardiac input by increasing myocardial inotropy and heart rate and dilate peripheral arteries. Deficiency of the thyroid hormone causes cardio vascular…
Stress levels in a person have a direct wallop on his cardiovascular system. It is a well known fact that stress and ability to cope with it has an association with a person’s wellbeing. But does stress lead to a heart attack? This seems to be the most common question that the people ask in…
There lies little scientific evidence about whether cardiovascular system of a person would be harmed or benefited after a Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). However some studies have linked HRT with heart disease, stroke,and cancer. The impact of HRT on Cardiovascular disease is of special importance as CVD is one of the leading causes of death…
Human Heart is composed of three layers. The tough, outermost protective covering of the heart is known as Pericardium. Inflammation of the Pericardium is termed as Pericarditis. Pericarditis can be acute or chronic. “Acute” means that it occurs suddenly and usually doesn’t last for a long time(<6 weeks). “Chronic” is one which develops over time…
A US-based study recently concluded that a daily dose of watermelon could help one stay protected against heart related diseases. Watermelon’s ability to keep the increasing levels of cholesterol as well as growing weight in check is the primary reason for this association. High fat-based food diet results in accumalation of low-density lipoprotien (LDL) in…
A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Iowa on mice showed that the increased risk of death with heart attacks in diabetic patients could be due to activation of a vital heart enzyme which leads to the death of pacemaker cells and an irregular heart rate. The death rates of diabetic adults…