Heart disease is a term used to describe a broad range of conditions that affect the circulatory system including coronary artery disease, heart rhythm disturbances and heart valve problems. Other disorders affect the pumping ability of the heart,...
Calcium is crucial for the normal functioning of all the cells in the body. Its level in the blood is maintained within a very narrow range, through the combined effect of parathyroid hormone, vitamin D and the kidneys. Hypocalcemia, or low blood...
There are several types of heart disease. Among these types are the diseases that affect your heart's arteries, its muscle layer, as well as the membrane that covers it. The term coronary arteries refers to the arteries of your heart. The muscle...
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for approximately 40% of all deaths, according to Mayo Clinic. It encompasses a broad group of diseases that affect the normal functioning of the heart. The chambers,...
Cardiomegaly is an enlarged heart and a symptom of cardiomyopathy, or disease of the heart. Cardiomegaly occurs from multiple causes, and poorly controlled high blood pressure is a common factor. The American Heart Association explains there are...
Alcohol affects many different organ systems. According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," more than one or two drinks a day have a toxic effect. Some effects appear after only a few drinks, others after years of heavy drinking....
Plaquenil, sold under the generic name of hydroxychloroquine sulfate, is a medication used to prevent and treat malaria, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus erythematosis (autoimmune disease characterized by a butterfly rash on your face and skin or...
A virus is a parasite that infects animals and humans and can lead to diseases. A virus needs a host such as a human or animal to reproduce. The virus enters the body through the eyes, nose or mouth or breaks in the skin. Once the virus is inside,...
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, or CHF, refers to the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. According to the Mayo Clinic, over time conditions such as narrowed arteries in your heart, which is...
A pacemaker is a medical device that is inserted into the body in order to regulate abnormal heart rhythms. Pacemakers exert their therapeutic effect by emitting a a low electrical current that stimulates the heart muscle to contract. There are...
Ventricular fibrillation is a life-threatening condition in which the heart loses its normal rhythm and quivers uncontrollably. In ventricular fibrillation, the heart is no longer able to pump blood out of the lower chambers or ventricles....
Coenzyme C10, or CoQ10, is present in every cell in plants and animals. It helps improve energy function and acts as an antioxidant, interrupting the damage of free radicals. It can help prevent cancer and heart disease in healthy people and has...
Dizziness is one of the most common reasons people visit their doctor, according to MayoClinic.com. Dizziness refers to feeling faint, unsteady or unbalanced. It can also refer to vertigo, a sensation that the room is spinning. Most causes of...
Your heart pumps 5 liters of blood every minute, in order to circulate that blood throughout your body to the various tissues and organs. Your kidneys alone need 22 percent of your blood supply every minute, while your brain must have 14 percent....
According to the National Institutes of Health, diabetes is caused by a problem in how the body makes and uses insulin. The high levels of blood sugar and fats seen in diabetes adversely affects several organ systems, leading to health...
In amyloidosis, substances called amyloids deposit in various tissues and organs throughout the body. They accumulate and cause a great deal of damage. One type of amyloid can accumulate in the heart and cause harm to the heart as a whole or to...
Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10, is produced in the body and helps the functioning of cells. But levels of the compound may decrease as people age. It has also been found that CoQ10 levels decrease with certain diseases. CoQ10 is also found in foods such...
Cardiac abnormalities can affect the structure and/or the function of the heart. Some of the abnormalities affect the cardiac muscle layer and interfere with its ability to function. An abnormal structure in the cardiac valves, tumors and abnormal...
The Mayo Clinic states that there are a number of conditions that contribute to heart disease. Some are more common than others, and some are more easily treated. Each has its own set of symptoms and method of treatment. The key to receiving...
Fainting, known as syncope, is a brief loss of consciousness from lack of blood flow to the brain that results in a person falling or collapsing. According to the American Heart Association, cardiac, non-cardiac and idiopathic (unknown) causes can...
Most people experience lightheadedness at one time or another but it may be unnerving if it happens after you exercise. Exercise gets your blood going, makes your adrenaline race and boosts serotonin levels in your brain, creating a euphoria from...
Most people associate vitamin D with building strong bones. Vitamin D promotes the effective absorption of calcium and plays a vital role in maintaining the levels of calcium and phosphorus necessary to keep bones strong, but recent research...
Atrial fibrillation is a type of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, that occurs when the heart's two upper chambers--the left and right atria--beat erratically and out of sync with its two lower chambers--the left and right ventricle. The...
The heart is composed of four chambers. The right and left atria are smaller chambers on top of the heart. The right and left ventricles are larger chambers underneath the ventricles. The atria pump blood into the ventricles. The right ventricle...
L-carnitine is an amino acid that metabolizes fat into energy. In healthy people, the body maintains sufficient supply of L-carnitine from endogenous biosynthesis from the amino acids lysine and methionine, dietary sources and reabsorption of the...
There are many types of heart disease, all of which have some effect on the heart. Different diseases will cause different effects but at the same time, one effect can be due to more than one disease. More than one disease can interfere with the...
Whether referred to as "heart disease" or "cardiovascular disease," conditions of the heart are extremely dangerous. Heart disease is the No. 1 worldwide killer of men and women, according to MayoClinic.com. Among the many types of cardiovascular...
As of 2010, heart disease has been the number one cause of death in America for nearly a century. In fact, the American Heart Association reports that one heart disease-related death occurs every 38 seconds. Heart disease refers to any disorder...
Heart transplants occur when the heart can no longer effectively pump blood through the body. This is known as heart failure. Heart failure occurs when there has been severe damage to the heart muscle.The symptoms of heart failure include...
Cardiomyopathy refers to deteriorating in the function of the heart muscle itself, which can lead to further medical difficulties. Learn more about cardiomyopathy, including symptoms and treatment options in this video.
Heart disease is a general term including many diseases that deteriorate the heart's function or structures, including coronary heart disease and cardiomyopathy. Learn more about heart disease, including warning signs and treatments in this video.
