Echocardiology uses an echocardiogram, which is a non-invasive procedure that is used to evaluate and diagnose heart conditions. There are different types of echocardiograms. One or more of these may be used, depending on the doctor's diagnosis.
Echocardiograms are made using ultrasound technology. As Montefiore Medical Center explains, ultrasound uses sound waves at frequencies that are too high to be audible to the human ear. These sound waves are emitted using a small portable device...
Stress echocardiography is a diagnostic procedure utilizing echocardiography---an ultrasound test of the heart. This test visualizes the heart muscle at rest and under stress to evaluate for signs of coronary artery disease. A cardiologist then...
The aorta is the main blood vessel coming off of the heart to deliver blood to the rest of the body. It leaves the left side of the heart and travels up into the chest then curves down, enters the abdominal cavity, and continues on until splitting...
Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of death in developed nations in both men and women. Coronary artery disease, or CAD, causes almost 25 percent of all deaths in women, according to a study published in the European Heart Journal. The...
There are more than 80 diseases that affect the heart, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There are many tests and procedures that can assist physicians in diagnosing the correct condition. These tests can be grouped according to non-invasive...
Leaking valves of the heart are referred to as having insufficiency or regurgitation. The most common valves to be affected are the aortic and mitral valves. Leaking valves are caused by several conditions, including myxomatous degeneration,...
Doctors diagnose diseases by the primary cause, for example, one type of diarrhea results from dysentery, an infection of the intestines caused by a bacterium. Another type of diarrhea can be caused by Crohn’s disease, an inflammation of...
A cardiac stress test is a screening tool to determine the effect that exercise has on your heart. Some people with coronary artery blockages are asymptomatic and have normal electrocardiogram, or ECG, readings while at rest. During a cardiac...
A leaky heart valve can result from genetic factors or from acquired injury to your heart. Common acquired causes of heart valve dysfunction include high blood pressure and heart attacks. While some degree of exercise is important to prevent...
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the American Heart Association, there were over 445,000 deaths in 2005 attributed to coronary heart disease. The good news is that over 90 percent of people having a...
Learn to recognize some of the most common symptoms of an arterial embolism--the dangerous interruption of blood flow to an area of your body due to a blood clot--so you can be treated quickly. Embolisms can appear in your arms, legs, lungs, brain...
Your body contains more calcium than any other mineral. Even though 99 percent of your calcium is stored in your bones and teeth, the small amount in your circulation plays a vital role in maintaining optimal function of your muscles, nerves and...
Each day in the U.S., an estimated 2,200 people die from heart disease, according to the American Heart Association . While you can't control certain disease risk factors, you can modify your level of physical activity. Exercise alone can reduce...
In 2008, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 28,921 confirmed cases of Lyme disease and an additional 6,277 probable cases in the United States. Looking at the number of confirmed cases since 1994, Lyme disease...
Your heart consists of four chambers. Two upper atrium and two lower ventricles. Blood returning to the heart after delivering oxygen to the body enters the right atrium. It is then pushed through the left ventricle and into the lungs to be...
Interstitial lung diseases represent many different conditions; some have a known cause like asbestos, while others have an unknown cause like progressive systemic sclerosis, or scleroderma. ILD occurs in approximately 75 percent of patients with...
Ultrasound training is necessary for people who wish to work as diagnostic medical sonographers or vascular technologists, health occupations that involve the use of the ultrasound machine. Because ultrasound equipment uses sophisticated...
Many cardiovascular exercises involve using your back as part of the physical movement. If you have suffered a back strain or injury, you might wish to choose exercise forms which minimize strain on your back. Alternatively, you may wish to choose...
Your maximum heart rate is the highest pulse rate your body can achieve when you are exercising as hard as you can. Your maximum heart rate is measured with a stress test, usually done on a treadmill. There are several types of stress tests that...
Abdominal ultrasounds are typically done at least once during a pregnancy. There are different types of abdominal ultrasounds, but all offer a glimpse inside the womb at the developing baby. Several types of ultrasounds are available for use...
Ribose is generated naturally in the body. It is a sugar that affects energy production and delivery to cells as part of the adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, process. Additionally, ribose is a key ingredient in ribonucleic acid, called RNA, which...
A fetal, or pregnancy, ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image of your baby, your uterus and the placenta. Ultrasound can determine pregnancy, detect potential problems with a pregnancy or the baby and provide estimated...
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...
Classifying the severity of heart failure is necessary in order to apply the most optimal treatment protocol for each patient. While cardiologists have been classifying heart failure patients for over 80 years, the systems used have evolved...
To identify pericarditis means understanding what the pericardium is and how it works. The pericardium is a two-layer sac or membrane that covers the heart and holds it in place, helping it to work properly. The sac consists of an inner layer and...
Ultrasonography is a technique in which high frequency sound waves, or ultrasound, is focused on a target object, allowing the underlying structures to be visualized through analysis of the reflected sound waves. The medical field widely uses this...
Cardiac ultrasonography, more commonly known as an echocardiogram, is a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart, according to Medline Plus. Medline Plus states an echocardiogram allows doctors to see the heart beating...
Narrowing of the aortic valve is referred to as aortic stenosis. Caused by the inability of the valve to open normally, the heart has to work harder to pump blood past the narrow valve. This disease is mainly diagnosed using Doppler...
Cardiac arrhythmia is a term covering a broad group of conditions that denote irregular electrical activity in the heart. Learn more about arrhythmias, including symptoms and treatments in this health video.
