The heart is an essential part of the body. Through its pumping action, the heart delivers nutrient and oxygen-rich blood to the body via the aorta and other blood vessels. Blood deficient in oxygen and nutrients return to the heart through blood...
Cardiac surgery is used to repair faulty valves, widen blocked arteries, repair bulges in the aorta, boost the heart's ability to pump blood, make openings in the heart muscle to allow blood flow and/or replace a heart that is not working...
Cardiac surgery is performed for many reasons, including repairing the heart valves, bypassing the narrowed arteries, implanting devices for regulating heart rhythms, or boosting the heart's pumping power. According to a 2000 study published in...
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), thousands of people undergo some type of heart surgery every day. Some of these surgeries, such as those performed to repair damaged valves, are minimally invasive and considered minor. Others,...
If you have suffered a heart attack or had cardiac surgery, your doctor may have recommended an exercise program to keep you healthy. By exercising, you increase oxygen intake and promote strength and endurance. Exercise is an important part of...
According to the Texas Heart Institute, thousands of heart surgeries are performed in the United States daily. Modern heart surgery techniques now include the ability to operate on a heart without stopping it, and new, robotic-assisted techniques...
Coronary bypass, open-heart surgery, aneurysm repair and heart transplant are among the cardiac procedures commonly performed in the United States. The goal of any heart surgery is to allow the heart to function properly again. If you have...
Cardiac patients who are about to undergo cardiac surgery often follow a set of dietary guidelines leading up to their scheduled surgery date. However, those who are overweight before their surgery may have to make even more drastic dietary...
Nutritional counseling and guidance is an important part of changing your lifestyle toward heart-healthy living. According to a study published in the "Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition" in March 2010, the need for nutritional support...
Eating less salt is an important part of your diet following heart surgery. Salt contains a mineral called sodium, which attracts fluid in your body. Eating too much sodium can lead to excess fluid accumulation, making it difficult for your...
Cardiac bypass surgery is considered open heart surgery and is performed to increase blood flow to the heart, which ultimately decreases your risk of suffering a heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, the surgeon creates a new...
All cardiac surgeries require a hospitalization; the length is dependent upon the type of surgery performed. Cardiac surgeries include everything from angioplasty to open heart surgery. The term hospital precautions refers to a set of rules that...
Before and after a cardiac bypass, proper nutrition is important for both heart health and the healing process. Many people who undergo cardiac surgery follow a cardiac diet with a few extra changes. Those who are overweight or taking certain...
The coronary arteries supply the heart tissue with oxygen-rich blood. With coronary heart disease, deposition of fat-laden material, or plaques, within the arteries narrows the internal space, decreasing blood flow. Coronary artery bypass...
Cardiac rehabilitation first began in the 1950s in response to a rise in heart disease among adults. Today, cardiac rehab begins in the hospital, even in the intensive care unit, as a means to get you back to a functional state as soon as...
Cardiac bypass surgery is a life-changing event. Recovery after surgery can take many months as your strength slowly builds up. Cardiac rehabilitation programs involve monitored cardiac exercise, education and lifestyle changes. These cardiac...
Cardiothoracic surgery is the branch of surgery that involves the treatment of organs inside the thorax, or chest. In countries like the United States and Australia, both cardiac surgery and thoracic surgery are grouped as cardiothoracic surgery....
As medicine has improved and new conditions have been discovered, there's been a great demand for doctors who specialize in these conditions. The field with perhaps the greatest demand is the field of cardiology. Gone are the days of being...
Many different types of services are offered by acute-care hospitals. Some of these services must be done on an inpatient setting because of the degree of severity of the illness or treatment. On occasion, the patient may be admitted as an...
High potassium cardioplegia is used to stop the heart action during heart surgery. Open heart surgery requires that the heart be stopped or slowed during the surgical procedure, as a surgeon can not operate on a moving heart. Potassium is...
Sotalol is a beta-blocker prescription drug that is prescribed for high blood pressure, or hypertension, and abnormal heart rhythms. Beta blockers are often prescribed after a heart attack to prevent irregular heart rates. The mineral magnesium is...
If you have had a heart attack you will need to take steps to prevent another one. Your exact treatment approach will vary depending on the severity of your heart attack and any other medical conditions you may also be living with. The post-heart...
The heart is a complex organ that requires carefully coordinated electrical currents in order to beat properly. Atrial fibrillation is a type of cardiac arrythmmia that can cause serious health problems. Some vitamins, such as vitamins C and E,...
Cardiovascular disease targets those who are overweight, post-menopausal or sedentary. For many of these people, an intense exercise regimen seems too intimidating. Yoga, however, provides a gentle, beginner-friendly cardiovascular exercise --...
No matter how technically skilled a surgeon is, there is always a risk of complications from surgery. Complications cost the health care system millions of dollars and can cost the patient grief, pain and anguish. Though most surgeries will yield...
Cardiologists diagnose and treat heart conditions, including heart diseases and diseases of the blood vessels. These diseases include, but are not limited to, heart attacks, congenital heart defects and coronary artery disease. These doctors also...
Alkaline phosphatase, or ALP, refers to a type of enzyme that can be found in all forms of human tissue. This substance comes in several varieties that differ in their chemical composition, depending on which part of the body they are manufactured...
Open heart surgery is any kind of operation in which the heart is exposed through an incision in the chest. The most common open heart surgery in the United States is coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG. One of the most serious complications...
Cardiac surgery to repair your heart valves or keep your heart beating in perfect rhythm can prove a life-saving effort. Before surgery, your physician may recommend losing weight, particularly if you are obese. This is because those at a healthy...
