Coronary vascular disease (CVD), also known as coronary artery disease, refers to a condition in which cholesterol (fatty substances in your body) clogs blood vessels and damages your heart. According to the National Heart and Lung Institute, CVD...
Cardiac ischemia is the term used when blood supply to the heart is decreased, which can happen due to a variety of reasons. Causes can include blockage of the arteries that supply the heart (coronary arteries), and decreased blood volume in the...
The aorta is the vein in the body responsible for providing the legs, pelvis and abdomen with blood from the heart. If an area weakens and begins to bulge, it is called an aortic aneurysm. Some aneurysms remain small and grow slowly. Others...
The NuvaRing is a very small, flexible ring that is inserted into the vagina for contraception. The hormones in the NuvaRing are the same hormones as in the birth control pill---estrogen and progestin--according to Planned Parenthood. These...
Prempro contains a combination of conjugated estrogens and medroxyprogesterone.These hormones treat certain symptoms of menopause. Prempro can also help prevent osteoporosis, or thinning bones, in postmenopausal women. Drugs.com advises against...
Amlodipine besylate is a medication in a class of drugs known as calcium channel blockers. It is prescribed for angina, a condition characterized by episodes of crushing chest pain, which usually results from a lack of oxygen in the heart muscle...
Apri is the brand name for the oral contraceptive drug called desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol. This combination form of birth control works by inhibiting ovulation, causing changes in the cervical mucus. This makes it harder for sperm to enter the...
Amitriptyline is an antidepressant drug approved in the United States as early as 1961. These medications are generally not approved for use in pediatric patients but offer benefits to adults who are under the care of a doctor for depression or...
Estradiol, a synthetic form of the female hormone estrogen, is used to treat such menopausal symptoms as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, burning or irritation. According to Drugs.com, estradiol can also treat hypogonadism (a condition in which your...
Indomethacin (brand name: Indocin) is a medication used to manage the pain from such medical conditions as gout, arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis of the pelvis and hips) and bursitis. According to Drugs.com, it is a nonsteroidal...
Enpresse is one of the brand names for the combination of levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol. These two drugs, when used together, have the ability to inhibit ovulation and disrupt the menstrual cycle. For this reason, they can be used for...
Hydralazine is a medication used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). According to Drugs.com, it belongs to a category of drugs called vasodilators that widen your blood vessels and allow more blood flow through your blood vessels. This...
Shingles refers to a viral infection in which the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) leads to such symptoms as pain; burning or numbness on one side of the body; itching; a red rash; fluid-filled blisters; chills and a fever. The Mayo Clinic also says...
Acute diarrhea is the sudden onset of a loose, watery stool that may be accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Chronic diarrhea is ongoing and usually related to an underlying disease or medication regimen. Chronic or acute...
Flector (diclofenac) is a medication used to treat the pain of minor sprains, strains and bruising injuries, says Drugs.com. Flector is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that works to reduce pain and inflammation. The National Library...
The heart, stomach, lungs, pancreas, kidney, gallbladder and brain are a few of the major organs in your body. Some organs are more important than others. For example, you can live with only one kidney and without your gallbladder. Each organ can...
Effexor, generic name venlafaxine, is prescribed to treat depression. It works as a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. This means it increases the amounts of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain....
Heartburn is the result of stomach acid backing up from the stomach into the esophagus. If heartburn occurs more than once a week it may indicate a condition in which the muscles at the end of the esophagus do not close properly, known as...
Amino acids are the building blocks for proteins, which are necessary for human health. Certain proteins are synthesized in the body and others must be consumed through foods or supplements. L-lysine is found in high-protein foods including beans,...
The U.S. National Library of Medicine reports that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Also called coronary artery disease, this condition occurs when the coronary arteries that deliver fresh blood to the heart...
Electrolytes are electrically charged molecules that are integral to many of the body's processes. Electrolytes are particularly important to the heart, both in the transmission of the signal that maintains heart rate, as well as in the...
Apranax (naproxen sodium) is a medication used to manage physical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (pelvic and back arthritis), gout and tendinitis. Apranax is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug...
Heart disease is caused by a number of factors that result in damage to the heart muscle. The American Heart Association states women are as likely to develop the risk factors for heart disease as men are. This helps explains why heart disease is...
Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, results from the buildup of fatty and other substances that form plaque on the walls of the arteries. The condition, called atherosclerosis, causes the narrowing of the arteries and...
Uterine fibroids, also called leiomyomas or myomas, are noncancerous growths that form in the uterus. Fibroids can range in shape and size and symptoms vary greatly. Many women never realize they have fibroids or their physicians discover them...
Heart attacks, also known as myocardial infarctions, occur when a blood clot blocks all or most of the blood flow in an artery. This is a life-threatening event that can result from coronary artery disease or other medical conditions. Knowing...
Coronary artery disease, also known as coronary heart disease, is a condition in which the heart and blood vessels are diseased. The Mayo Clinic says that signs of coronary artery disease include shortness of breath, chest pain (angina), irregular...
A heart attack refers to a sudden and potentially life-threatening condition in which the heart does not receive enough blood. The Mayo Clinic indicates that heart attack symptoms include crushing chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting,...
The American Heart Association explains that a heart attack, sometimes referred to as a myocardial infarction or MI, occurs when part of the muscle of the heart is damaged from a prolonged lack of oxygen. Usually this is caused by a blood clot...
