Heart and Vessels

How to Spot Heart Pain from Heartburn

Most of us think that we will be able to spot a heart attack when we see one. The typical image of a person clutching their chest, gasping for air and falling to the ground is the way we have seen heart attacks portrayed time and again in the media. Pretty easy to spot even if you have absolutely no medical training. But >> Read More ...

Silent Heart Attack

Heart Attack but No Symptoms We all think of a heart attack presenting in a typical manner – the crushing chest pain, severe shortness of breath, dizziness and excessive sweating. These symptoms arise suddenly and are unmistakably due to a heart attack. The first warning signs can help us seek emergency medical >> Read More ...

Holiday Heart Syndrome (Arrhythmias with Alcohol Binge Drinking)

What is holiday heart syndrome? Holiday heart syndrome is a term coined by a cardiologist, Philip Ettinger, M.D. to describe a cardiac condition associated mainly with excessive alcohol consumption coupled with overeating and possibly a lack of sleep. Despite the term, it does not not only occur on holidays although it is >> Read More ...

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome (SVC Blockage)

Definition Superior vena cava syndrome is a condition where blood flow through one of the major veins to the right side of the heart is blocked. This vein is known as the superior vena cava (SVC). It carries low oxygen blood from the upper part of the body to the right atrium of the heart. The other major vein is the >> Read More ...

Myocardial Ischemia (Low Oxygen Supply To Heart Muscle)

Myocardial Ischemia Definition Myocardial ischemia is injury to the heart muscle as a result of diminished or interrupted blood supply to the heart wall. The condition needs to be differentiated from myocardial infarction (heart attack). In myocardial ischemia the heart muscle undergoes injury due to an insufficient oxygen >> Read More ...

Raynaud Phenomenon Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

What is Raynaud Phenomenon? Raynaud phenomenon is a condition where the small blood vessels at the peripheral parts of the body (finger, toes, ears and/or nose) drastically narrows with cold or stress. Although this response is normal, in Raynaud’s phenomenon it is severely exaggerated and there is drastic reduction >> Read More ...

Cocaine-Induced Heart Problems

Cocaine and the Heart Cocaine is a potent illicit stimulant produced from the leaves of the coca plant. It is widely used in the powder form which is inhaled or in the chunky form which is smoked (crack cocaine). Cocaine is often mixed with other substances to ‘cut’ the pure drug, thereby diluting it. Sometimes >> Read More ...

Cardiac Tamponade (Fluid Pressing on the Heart)

What is a cardiac tamponade? Cardiac tamponade is a condition where the accumulation of fluid around the heart hampers its filling and circulation of blood. The fluid that collects around the heart can either be blood, serous tissue fluid, pus or lymph with fat droplets. Sometimes a solid mass or even gas can restrict the >> Read More ...

Prinzmetal’s Angina (Coronary Artery Spasm)

What is Prinzmetal’s angina? Prinzmetal’s angina is cardiac pain caused by an inadequate blood supply (ischemia) as a result spasm of the coronary artery. It is just one type of angina pectoris – heart pain caused by the inadequate flow of blood to the heart muscle. The coronary arteries carry oxygen-rich >> Read More ...

Milroy Disease (Lymph Swelling from Birth)

What is Milroy Disease? Milroy disease is a condition where there is a problem with lymph drainage and subsequent swelling of the soft tissues (lymphedema) present from birth (congenital). It is a genetic disorder where a mutated gene is inherited from at least one parent but there are instances where there is no known >> Read More ...
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