The human heart consists of four chambers: the two upper chambers, which receive blood and are known as the atria, and the two lower chambers, which pump blood and are known as the ventricles. The left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood into the...
Heart failure describes a condition in which the heart fails to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure usually develops over time due to conditions that interfere with the normal flow of blood through the heart. When the...
Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart problem which results in blood that is low in oxygen being pumped throughout the body. This can cause babies to be slightly blue in color, also known as cyanosis.
Cardiomegaly, or enlarged heart, occurs for multiple reasons. The heart may enlarge temporarily due to stressors such as pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. Other problems with the heart may cause the muscle to weaken and enlarge. An enlarged...
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is characterized by increased resistance to blood flow throughout the body. According to the American Heart Association, or AHA, about 74.5 million Americans over the age of 20 have hypertension, and the cause...
Dianabol is the commercial name of methandrostenolone, a type of oral anabolic steroid. Methandrostenolone is a synthetic version of the hormone testosterone that is responsible for the development of male reproductive organs and male secondary...
The heart consists of four chambers, the left and right atria and left and right ventricles. The lower chambers, the ventricles, pump blood to different parts of the body, with the left side sending oxygenated blood from the lungs out to the rest...
Many forms of heart problems exist and the severity of symptoms depends upon the specific type of condition present. The U.S. National Library of Medicine reports that heart disease is the number one killer in the United States and is also a major...
The cardiovascular system is a term that describes your heart and its associated blood vessels--or circulatory system--which collectively pump oxygen-rich blood to your body and retrieve oxygen-depleted blood for replenishment in your lungs. As...
Many diseases in infants can lead to an enlarged heart, also known as cardiac hypertrophy. Congenital defects, acquired cardiac problems that occur right after birth and maternal diseases such as diabetes can cause enlarged hearts. The right or...
The kidneys play an important role in the regulation of fluids and electrolytes, and when they malfunction it often leads to an electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes are charged particles involved in the transmission of impulses in nerve and...
Cardiomyopathy or enlargement of the heart is responsible for 10,000 deaths and 46,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States according to Marilyn Weigner, MD and James Morgan,MD in their UptoDate article "Causes of Dilated...
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is considered a "silent killer" due to its effects on the body that can increase the risk of serious events such as heart attack or stroke, often without symptoms. High blood pressure can develop over many...
High blood pressure is sometimes called the "silent killer" because it usually has no symptoms. The American Heart Association states that 1 in 3 Americans has high blood pressure, and many are unaware they have it. In 2006, an estimated 56,561...
Your heart beats between 60 and 100 beats per minute when you're at rest and it can conceivably double its rate during sports and exercise. If you exercise regularly, your heart trains along with you, eventually becoming more efficient and beating...
Anabolic steroids are drugs sometimes used illegally by athletes and bodybuilders in high dosages to build up muscle mass rapidly, though using these drugs can lead to extreme side effects, such as aggressive rage, psychosis, depression and mania,...
The heart is a complex organ made of four chambers: arteries, capillaries, veins and muscle. KidsHealth.org reports that the heart pumps 2,000 gallons of blood through about 60,000 miles of blood vessels several times a day. At about 100,000 beats...
Anadrol, a brand name for the drug oxymetholone, is an oral anabolic steroid. Anadrol has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating anemia and osteoporosis in humans. Patients have reported a wide range of side effects while...
Some athletes take performance-enhancing drugs to gain a competitive edge and recover faster from injury. These substances include anabolic steroids, growth hormones and erythropoietin. Illegal use of these medications is called "doping," and...
Numerous factors influence or affect heart rate. Although a wide range of acceptable resting heart rates exists, unusually low or high heart rates may indicate an underlying health condition, according to MayoClinic.com. A typical adult resting...
Cardiovascular fitness describes the ability and efficiency of your body to supply your organs and tissues with oxygen. The primary components of your cardiovascular fitness are your heart, your lungs and your blood vessels. Your cardiovascular...
The circulatory system is much like plumbing: It consists of the heart--a pump; blood vessels--the pipes; and blood--the substance being pumped. Any disease that clogs up the pipes, raises the pressure within them, or otherwise interferes with the...
Congestive heart failure and heart disease are two of the serious medical conditions that can hurt your body in a number of ways. Yet these conditions -- and several others -- can lead to a health problem with its own risk factors: an enlarged...
Right-sided heart failure can be defined as the right ventricle weakening to the point that blood flow is impaired and the body suffers. Impaired circulation can affect many body systems including the gut, liver, skin and lungs. When the right...
Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rare lung disorder that restricts blood flow through the vessels from the heart to the lungs. Blood pressure rises in the pulmonary artery for unexplained reasons, narrowing the process of conduction while also...
Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In this condition, blood vessels supplying blood and oxygen to the heart narrow down, affecting the...
Atrial septal defect, sometimes called ASD, is the third most common congenital heart defect, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Two types of ASD exist: patent foramen ovale, where the opening infants have at birth between the top chambers of the heart...
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, affects 12 million Americans, according to the Merck Manual, and is the second most common cause of death. COPD also runs second only to heart disease as a cause of disability that affects people...
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber that was used extensively as a building material in the construction industry because of its insulation and fire-retardant properties, high tensile strength, and chemical and thermal stability. In...
