According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. This can damage multiple organs. Shock requires immediate medical treatment and can get worse...
Each year, blood clots inside the heart account for 20 percent of ischemic strokes--or strokes due to lack of blood to the brain, according to Loyola University professor of neurology Michael J. Schneck, M.D. In medical terms, a clot originating...
Hypotension is word that describes low blood pressure. In general, blood pressure reflects both the heart's ability to pump blood and the amount of fluid in the patient. A fast heart rate is the body's way of trying to distribute oxygen and...
The first 24 to 48 hours immediately following surgery is a critical time period. Many things need to happen in order to safely recover. A patient needs to awaken from anesthesia, vital signs need to be stable, and the patient must start to...
The average healthy adult has a heart rate of about 70 beats per minute, or 100,800 beats each day. Many heart conditions such as bradycardia, tachycardia, heart attack, cardiogenic shock, valve disorders, high blood pressure, blood clots,...
Cardiac output is the amount of blood in liters pumped by the heart per minute. It is measured by heart rate x stroke volume. Normal cardiac output equals 70 beats/min x 70 mL, or approximately 5 liters/min in an adult at rest. Cardiogenic shock...
According to the Mayo Clinic, flecainide belongs to the class of drugs known as anti-arrhythmics. It converts irregular heartbeats to normal rhythm. Flecainide works by slowing nerve impulses in the heart and making heart tissue less sensitive....
Blood tests called heart damage markers, or cardiac enzymes, detect injury to the heart muscle by displaying an increase in normal levels. The blood test most commonly used called creatine kinase, or CK for short, confirms the existence of heart...
According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," shock is defined as multisystem organ hypoperfusion. Blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues are impeded. Shock may be due to trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction,...
According to the journal American Family Physician, 40 to 60 percent of patients with congestive heart failure have diastolic heart failure as opposed to systolic heart failure, which means that the heart's ability to refill with blood during...
Dopamine is a chemical found naturally in the brain and blood. It acts on nerves and as a hormone. When given intravenously, it is in a class of drugs known as vasopressors. These drugs increase the blood pressure dramatically. Dopamine is a...
Lanoxin, known also by the generic name digoxin, belongs to a group of medications known as cardiac glycosides. It is used to treat congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia and cardiogenic shock. Lanoxin is...
Calcium channel blockers are prescribed to treat a variety of medical conditions, particularly high blood pressure, angina and migraine. They work by inhibiting the movement of calcium ions through the slow calcium channels in the cell membranes,...
The sun's rays can infuse vitamin D into your body--but the effects of too much sun can cause damage to the skin and to your body, according to the Mayo Clinic. A knowledge of how much sun is too much and how sun can affect your body helps you to...
Dopamine IV may be administered in cases of cardiogenic shock, when the heart has been damaged to the point where it isn't supplying enough blood to the arterial system, such as during a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Symptoms indicating a...
Dopamine and dobutamine are both substances that have important actions on our bodies. Both act at specific cell receptors and produce significant changes in those cells. Dobutamine is a drug that acts on the sympathetic nervous system. Physicians...
Influenza is a respiratory tract infection producing symptoms mainly in the nose and throat. Infection usually lasts about a week, and the symptoms are present with rapid onset of fever, headache and generalized ache. Flu viruses are spread easily...
Embolic strokes are caused by clots forming in other parts of the body, breaking free and traveling to the brain, blocking an artery. An embolic stroke is classified as an ischemic stroke, a stroke caused by a blocked vessel. The infarcted, or...
Quinine is a medication that is used to treat malaria. Quinine is a naturally occurring plant substance that is native to South America. Currently, treatment of malaria is the only approved use of quinine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration...
Hanta virus is a common virus that causes two syndromes: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Rodents are the natural host for this virus, and humans become infected after coming into direct contact with the...
The development of the human being is a dynamic process. Shortly after conception, the cells that make up the developing embryo will differentiate into three distinct tissue types known as germ layers: endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm. Heart...
Heat stroke is a type of hyperthermia. It is a very serious condition that results in the body's internal temperature reaching a high, unhealthy and sometimes life-altering state. Heat stroke occurs when the body's internal core temperature...
Heat stroke, or hyperthermia, is where the body's internal temperature hits 104.9 F. Heat stroke occurs when someone has excessive exposure to hot weather elements, an increase in overall physical activity and lack of adequate fluid intake. All...
Diuretics, also called water pills, are medications used to treat hypertension, swelling due to fluid accumulation, glaucoma and congestive heart failure. They promote the removal of water and salt from the body through urine. Heart palpitations...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists heart disease as the number one cause of death in the United States. Approximately 630,000 people die every year due to heart disease in the United States alone. Early discovery and treatment of...
The organs need oxygen and nutrients carried in blood in order to function. The cells of the body use oxygen and glucose together to make fuel in the process of aerobic metabolism. If deprived of oxygen, the cells can compensate for a short time...
Metoprolol succinate (extended release), also known as Lopressor and Toprol, is a prescription medication used to treat cardiac conditions such as arrhythmia and angina (chest pain), heart failure and hypertension. It is also prescribed to prevent...
The heart's primary function is to pump blood throughout the body. Various measurements are used to determine the effectiveness of the heart's pumping action. Certain cardiovascular disorders can affect the ability of the heart to effectively pump...
Dopamine is a natural chemical substance that is produced from the amino acid tyrosine by a mid-brain structure called the substantia nigra. As a neurotransmitter, dopamine transmits chemical signals from the dopamine-containing neurons to target...
Cardiogenic shock is the result of inadequate circulation of blood due to ventricle failure; learn about cardiogenic shock in this heart healthy video.
Medical shock is a serious circulatory condition not to be confused with emotional shock or surprise. Learn more about shock health in this health video.
