An Ectopic Beat is an irregular heart beat that occurs due to variations in the electric conduction or impulse of the heart. It is usually harmless and occurs due to various triggering factors. Sometimes it also is an indication of an underlying cardiac ailment. Ectopic beats can have an origin in the atrium or can…
Patients who commonly used anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs and COX-2) are studied to be more prone to atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is irregular heart rhythm which is often associated as an underlying cause of heart failure, cardiac arrest, stroke and even death. A study conducted was on 32,602 patients with atrial fibrillation. The patients were classified…
WPW Syndrome stands for Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. It is also called as Ventricular pre-excitation with arrhythmia. WPW syndrome is the most common type of ventricular pre-excitation syndromes. In normal conditions, the electrical signals in the heart move through the heart using a single path. It is as a result of the movement of electrical signals from…
A Cardiac Pacemaker is a device placed externally or internally to treat patients with irregular heartbeat. Naturally, the heart beats are controlled through electrical impulses from sinus node. A pacemaker is administered to the patients with ‘cardiac arrhythmia’ when this natural system fails and results in heart problems with too slow, too quick, or an…
Coronary angioplasty is a procedure to open narrowed or blocked coronary arteries.Usually the procedure is done via the transfemoral route.Though this route provides an easy vascular access,due to certain complications at the vascular site an alternative route has been experimented and has been successful.The complications of femoral access includes grion hematoma,may require blood transfusion, and…
Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent, effective in inhibiting thrombus formation in arteries. It is very efficient drug for unhindered arterial circulation, where anticoagulants have minimal impact. The drug is specifically used to inhibit blood clots in the case of coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease. Clopidogrel is marketed only by the following…
Diastolic heart failure is a form of a cardiac disease (heart failure) wherein the heart’s ventricles become too stiff which results in the blood filling problems. Due to this, the heart tends to pump less blood, resulting in fluid to fill up in the lungs. Symptoms The symptoms of diastolic heart failure are similar to…
Digitalis is a drug that is derived from the foxglove plant. The effects of the plant extract on heart were first observed in the late eighteenth century by William Withering. Digitalis is a medication prescribed to patients with certain heart problems. It has been illustrated in the medicine literature for decades. Uses of Digitalis …
Veins from all over the body pumps back blood to the heart. Chronic venous insufficiency is a medical condition where veins, mainly in the lower part of a leg, are incapable of pumping blood back efficiently. This condition could also be due to plain absence of such veins. Men with leg injuries, pregnant women, tall…
Carotid artery Stenting (CAS) is a non surgical catheter based procedure that is performed, in order to prevent stroke by opening the narrowed carotid arteries. Procedure CAS procedure is quite similar to that of coronary angioplasty. A tiny metal mesh tube is fitted into the carotid artery. This is done in order to increase the…