Causes of Heart Chest Pain

Cardiovascular conditions that result in chest pain should always be taken seriously as some of the causes are life threatening and require emergency medical attention. Heart chest pain may be severe and sudden with other signs and symptoms like dizziness, shortness of breath (dyspnea) and fainting spells. This should raise the warning flag to seek immediate medical attention.

At other times, chest pain due to heart conditions may not require urgent attention but without medical treatment at some point, these causes can complicate into life threatening situations. Some of the causes of chest pain may also cause breastbone pain as part of the heart lies behind this bone.

continue reading Heart Chest Pain

What Is The Heart

The heart (in Latin cor; in Greek kardia) is a muscular organ that pumps the blood through the vessels, supplying the body cells with oxygen and nutrients. Together with the brain, the heart is the center of one’s personality and emotional life.

Location of the Heart

The heart lies in the middle of the chest, between the right and left lung, behind and slightly to the left of the breastbone (Picture 1).

Picture 1. Heart lies behind the breastbone (sternum)
(source: Wikipedia.org)

continue reading Heart Disease Types and Symptoms; Physiology, Pictures, Video

The breast bone, also known as the sternum, is a flat bone located in the middle of the thorax (chest) and serves two important functions in the body. Firstly, the breast bone protects the vital organs lying behind it, primarily the heart and airways, and secondly, it serves as a central point where the ribs and shoulder bones (clavicle) connect and articulate. The breast bone can be divided into three distinct parts :

1. Manubrium
2. Body
3. Xiphoid process

continue reading Causes of Breast Bone Pain (Sternum)

What Is Blood Pressure (BP)?

Blood pressure, abbreviated BP, is the pressure of the blood against the arterial walls.

Blood pressure results from the force of the heart that pumps the blood into the arteries, and the force of the arteries as they resist the blood flow.

Why Are Two Values in the Blood Pressure Reading?

Blood pressure is expressed with two values, separated by a slash and with a unit (mm Hg), for example 125/85 mm Hg; pronounced “125 over 85 millimeters of mercury” (according to height of a column in a blood pressure monitor).

• The first (higher) value (125) represents blood pressure during the heart contraction (systole in Greek) and is called systolic blood pressure
• The second (lower) value (85) represents blood pressure during the heart relaxation (diastole in Greek) and is called diastolic blood pressure

continue reading What Is Normal Blood Pressure Range? Blood Pressure Chart

Acute Ischemic Colitis

Acute ischemic colitis refers to an inflammation of the colon (a part of the large intestine) due to impairment of the blood flow to the colon. Sudden left side abdominal pain and blood in the bowel movement, appearing in a person after 50 years of age, are characteristic symptoms. The resulting injury of the colonic wall may be mild or severe ( requiring an urgent surgery).

A common term used for ischemic injury of small or large intestine or both is acute mesenteric ischemia (mesenteric arteries are those that supply the bowel).

continue reading Acute Ischemic Colitis – Symptoms, Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment

Swelling of the leg may involve a noticeable distension of the shin or calf, ankles, feet or toes.  Foot swelling may be a common occurrence which most of us will experience at some point in life after a long day of standing or sitting but may also be an indication of a more serious pathology as in certain cardiovascular disorders.

Recurrent or persistent swelling of the feet should be investigated by a medical practitioner especially if you have a history of cardiovascular disease or have noticed a change in color, sensation or mobility of the leg, foot or toe.

continue reading Swollen Leg & Swelling of the Feet, Ankle & Toes

What Is Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD)?

Sudden cardiac death is an unexpected death due to cardiac causes occurring within 1 hour of symptom onset in a person in whom no previously life threatening heart condition was diagnosed. Typical SCD victim is an adult, collapsing without obvious reason during regular activity and dying in few minutes from a heart failure. Over 300,000 persons dye in US each year from SCD. More than half of all heart deaths are due to SCD. SCD has a peak at 45-75 years of age, children are rarely affected (1).

Most cases of SCD are related to ventricular fibrillation or other arrhythmias.

continue reading First Aid in Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD)