Heart Health

I am so sorry to hear about your mother. Aortic valve stenosis is a narrowing of one of your heart's valves that prevents it from opening fully. This can obstruct blood flow in your heart from going onward to t... continue reading  about  My 86-year-old mom just passed away from aortic valve stenosis. Should I contact my doctor and have my heart checked out? I've heard that most heart exams are geared for men more so than women. What should I do?

A stroke results from lack of blood flow to the brain. This means that a region of cells is not able to work properly and can generate a variety of symptoms, depending on the brain area that has been affected. ... continue reading  about  How do I know if I have had a stroke?

In short, don't do it. The American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and National Institute of Health are all against chelation therapy for cardiovascular disease. At the very least, it has nev... continue reading  about  What is your opinion of chelation therapy for heart disease? Am I at any risk if I try it for my hardening of the arteries?

Great question. Here are a few additional thoughts about your particular situation: You mentioned a trip to Lake Tahoe, so keep in mind that altitude by itself, even without the cold weather, is a special consi... continue reading  about  My husband has heart disease. I heard that someone with this condition needs to be careful in the cold weather. We'll be vacationing in Lake Tahoe soon, so I'd like to know how cold weather affects the heart. Should we cancel the trip?

This is a good question. In people who are professional athletes, it is quite normal to have heart rate in the upper 30s. However, in this case, the low heart rate is a result of a well-trained, efficient heart... continue reading  about  What can cause dizziness and light-headedness? I have low blood pressure and sometimes a heart rate in the high 30s. Is this normal?

In general, premature atrial complexes (PACs) and premature ventricular complexes(PVCs) are not harmful. This holds especially true if there is nothing else wrong with the heart. When someone presents with both... continue reading  about  I'm a woman (52) who's had heart palpitations for 20 years. Now they happen more often. I get 10 - 50/day where I feel my heart skip around. I've been to cardiologists and they find nothing wrong and say it's just PVCs and PACs. Should I worry?

Depression is a common occurrence after stroke, and can occur in approximately 20-60 percent of stroke patients, depending on which research study you look at. The depressive symptoms may be in addition to the ... continue reading  about  My mom had a stroke about seven months ago. Although she is slowly recovering from it, she seems depressed to me. Is this just part of the recovery, or should I talk to her about it so that she can get some sort of treatment?

When the heart beat starts to slow down, or when the conduction starts to block every so often, sometimes it is because a medication is stressing the heart's electrical system. If there are no medications to ac... continue reading  about  My heart has been skipping and I'm feeling dizzy. I went in for testing and was diagnosed with second degree heart block. The doctor said that if it goes to third degree, he might suggest a pacemaker. What can I do to avoid moving to third degree?

This is a common question from anyone who has had a heart attack or has been diagnosed with a heart problem. The Scientific Journal, Circulation, reported on thousands of patients with coronary artery disease w... continue reading  about  How do I know if my heart is healthy enough for sex?