Bleeding is the loss of blood from a vessel and the medical term is hemorrhage. Although bleeding is often only associated with an open wound on the skin, there can be blood loss internally without any obvious signs of bleeding. Blood may pass out into environment any of the extravascular spaces – these are any >> Read More ...
What is angina pectoris? Angina pectoris (Latin for chest pain) is pain that is caused by injury to the heart muscle (myocardium) during times of increased cardiac activity as a result of impaired blood flow and reduced oxygen supply. Angina pain is often described as a dull, constricting or crushing pain that is felt >> Read More ...
Hypertension known more commonly as high blood pressure is an elevation of the arterial blood pressure above the upper limits of the normal range. It is defined as a blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or more. It is a global problem associated with various risk factors including obesity, cigarette smoking, alcohol misuse, >> Read More ...
What is hypertension? Hypertension is the medical term for elevated blood pressure. This is a higher than normal pressure within the blood vessels as blood travels through it. High blood pressure in the short term does not cause any significant damage in the body and may even go unnoticed. However, prolonged elevation of >> Read More ...
The heart beats about 70 to 80 times per minute in the average adult and the rhythm is usually regular. The rate, however, may rise during activity and lowers during rest. Usually a person is not aware of their beating heart unless they feel their pulse. During periods of exercise, the heart beat may become more prominent >> Read More ...
What are heart sounds? The heart sounds are the normal sounds that is made by the activity of the heart and heard with a stethoscope placed on the chest wall (auscultation). This sounds like a “lub, dub” and is associated with the beating heart (contraction and relaxation) and the flow of blood through the >> Read More ...
What is endocarditis? Endocarditis is the medical term for inflammation of the inner heart wall (endocardium) and heart valves. The middle muscular layer of the heart known as the myocardium may also be affected (myocarditis). When the endocardium and myocardium are both inflamed, the condition is known as endomyocarditis. >> Read More ...
The heart is surrounded by a sac known as the pericardium, which is made up of two layers – the fibrous and serous pericardium. The inner lying serous pericardium is in turn composed of two linings – the parietal and visceral layers of the serous pericardium. The visceral layer of the serous pericardium is >> Read More ...
Blood flow to the brain (cerebral blood flow) is essential to maintain consciousness and many vital functions. Unlike certain other parts of the body, a few seconds without blood flow will not be detrimental to functioning but in the brain, a lack of blood flow for even just 10 seconds will lead to unconsciousness. The >> Read More ...