cardiovascular conditions library

 

From atrial fibrillation to heart attacks and congestive heart failure. We cover cardiovascular conditions and the treatments available.

Featured Article:  Foods That Lower Cholesterol

Foods and supplements that can help lower cholesterol are a powerful tool in the fight against heart disease. Learn which foods, as part of a healthy diet, act as the most potent cholesterol-lowering agents. See more »

Can you predict the likelihood of a child becoming a victim of heart disease?

Can you predict the likelihood of a child becoming a victim of heart disease?

It doesn't take psychic powers to determine whether your child will one day face heart trouble. What are the indicators? And is there any way to turn the tides?

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Could you have a heart attack -- and not know it?

Could you have a heart attack -- and not know it?

Sometimes the grim reaper is subtle. With the silent heart attack, the victim experiences no obvious signs or symptoms. Or is the problem that we need to revamp our symptom checker?

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Heart Health Quiz

Heart Health Quiz

The heart is a pump, and like other pumps, break down and need repair. And it does break down for many people -- heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. How much do you know about the dangers that threaten it?

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How can alcohol be good for your heart?

How can alcohol be good for your heart?

Heart-healthy usually means eating right and exercising more. But a new study suggests drinking moderate amounts of alcohol to reduce the risk of heart disease. Could happy hour be heart-healthy?

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How can plane travel increase the risk of heart attack?

How can plane travel increase the risk of heart attack?

It's a nuisance getting up from your seat on a flight. The cabin is filled with obstacles and space is tight. But what's worse, a stumble through the cabin or a potentially deadly clot?

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How could someone with relatively healthy arteries be at risk for a heart attack?

How could someone with relatively healthy arteries be at risk for a heart attack?

You figure that if you eat right, don't smoke and exercise regularly, you're probably safe from a heart attack, right? So how could a person with good habits still have one?

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How Diuretics Affect Mortality in Heart Failure Patients

How Diuretics Affect Mortality in Heart Failure Patients

Diuretic drugs help remove excess fluid from the bodies of heart failure patients. But long-term use of diuretics may not be the best treatment for these patients.

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How does heart failure affect quality of life?

How does heart failure affect quality of life?

Heart failure happens when your heart can't pump enough blood for your body. People with heart failure are at risk for developing disabilities and needing full-time care. How is heart failure treated?

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How Fluid Overload and Edema Work

How Fluid Overload and Edema Work

The human body is approximately 60 percent water, which is essential to almost every life process. But sometimes a condition called fluid overload can occur, in which more fluid (primarily water) is going into your body than is coming out.

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How Heart Disease Works

How Heart Disease Works

Chances are, at some point in your life, you or one of your loved ones will confront some aspect of heart disease. It's a major cause of death all over the world. Find out what you need to know.

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How Jugular Venous Distension Works

How Jugular Venous Distension Works

Jugular venous distension can be a sign of heart disease -- it happens when high blood pressure swells your jugular vein. How do doctors diagnose it, and how do they treat it?

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In heart disease, what's a clot and what's a clog?

In heart disease, what's a clot and what's a clog?

Cardiologists see clots and clogs all the time when they're examining our hearts. But unlike the obstacles that stop up our kitchen sinks, these can kill us. Do you know the difference?

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Is there a link between heart disease and kidney disease?

Is there a link between heart disease and kidney disease?

Heart disease is more common in people with even mild to moderate kidney disease than in those of the same age and sex without kidney disease. Why is that? And what are the risks?

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Top 5 Foods for a Heart Healthy Diet

Top 5 Foods for a Heart Healthy Diet

We hear about whole grains and "the good kind of fat" all the time. But exactly what does this mean? What makes a grain "whole" and fat "good"?

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Top 5 Heart Attack Symptoms that Should Have You Calling 911

Top 5 Heart Attack Symptoms that Should Have You Calling 911

A heart attack is no time to overanalyze your symptoms. Sections of your heart could be dying. So what heart attack symptoms should have you reaching for the phone?

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Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Alternative Heart Medicine

Top 5 Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Alternative Heart Medicine

If it's all-natural, it's all-safe, right? Ask someone who's itching furiously after walking through a patch of poison ivy. There are some things you should talk about before you start perusing the herbal supplements aisle.

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Top 5 Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Top 5 Risk Factors for Heart Disease

You can blame your family for psychological trauma, but you might want to look to them to find out your risk for heart disease. The No. 1 killer in the United States isn't pretty -- do you know what you're in for?

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Top 5 Things You Should Know (But Don't) about Mitral Valve Prolapse

Top 5 Things You Should Know (But Don't) about Mitral Valve Prolapse

Bet you didn't know that flossing your teeth had anything to do with your heart. You probably don't think about your heart valves all that often, but we've got five simple things you need to know.

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What are the symptoms of heart failure?

What are the symptoms of heart failure?

Heart failure is a condition that develops gradually as a weakening heart loses its ability to pump enough blood through the body to take care of the needs of the body’s other organs. So what are the symptoms?

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What exactly happens during a heart attack?

What exactly happens during a heart attack?

You're probably already familiar with the warning signs of a heart attack. But do you know what's going on inside your body while your hearts cells are gasping for oxygen?

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