Statin drugs belong to a group of cholesterol-lowering substances known as 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors, or HMG CoA reductase inhibitors. Pravastatin, lovastatin, rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, fluvastatin and simvastatin are...
Heart failure is a cardiovascular condition in which the heart is unable to sufficiently pump blood to meet the needs of the body's organs and tissues. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 5.8 million Americans have...
Heart disease, frequently known as cardiovascular disease, is the term that is used for conditions that involve tapering or blocked blood vessels that can cause heart attack, chest pain or stroke. Coronary heart diseases, congenital heart defects...
Calcium is necessary for the function of all muscle cells in the body. Calcium channels in cardiovascular tissue help regulate heart muscle and blood vessel contractions. Calcium channel blockers, or CCBs, reduce the amount of calcium entering the...
Common cardiac drugs are used to prevent or treat existing heart disease. Cardiac drugs help healing after a heart attack, treat congestive heart failure, control heart rhythm problems and lower blood pressure. Cardiac drugs also relax the blood...
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses, which are air-filled spaces in the bones of your face. Sinusitis results in nasal congestion and stuffiness, as blood vessels are expanded causing congestion of the nose. Local and oral decongestants...
Hyperkalemia refers to high potassium levels in the blood. Potassium is an electrolyte, or charged mineral. It is important for the normal functioning of cells, particularly in cells that more actively use electrical currents, such as those of the...
There are a variety of treatments for heart arrhythmias, or irregular heart beat, one of which is a drug called sotalol. Arrhythmias can be triggered by too much zinc in your diet, but zinc toxicity may also influence the way sotalol works....
Unhealthy eating is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Eating an unhealthy diet can lead to chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. It can also lead to micro-nutrient deficiencies....
The beating of your heart is a complex process that is initiated by an electrical impulse that starts at the sino-atrial node (SA), or natural pacemaker, at the top of the heart and spreads downward through the muscle in a precise pattern, causing...
According to the Mayo Clinic, blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood the heart pumps and the level of resistance to blood flow in the arteries. Sporadic blood pressure readings can indicate minor problems such as a stressful reaction...
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that most commonly manifests in men between the ages of 20 and 40, reports MayoClinic.com. This condition, which is a type of arthritis, usually affects your spine, eventually causing fusion...
Heart disease kills more men and women in the United States than anything else, including accidental death -- it is responsible for 40 percent of all deaths, notes MayoClinic.com. This broad term covers a variety of conditions, including heart...
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...
One in four deaths in the United States is due to heart disease; consequently, heart disease is the number one killer for both men and women, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease is an umbrella term used to...
Amiodarone is a drug that is used only in the treatment of serious life-threatening heart rhythm problems. Amiodarone has potential to cause fatal side effects, and patients are strictly monitored for the first few doses in a hospital setting....
Liver cirrhosis occurs when normal cells and tissues of the liver are replaced by fibrous scar tissue. Common causes include viral infections and alcohol abuse. Liver cirrhosis is associated with a number of complications including pulmonary...
Heart ablation, also known as cardiac ablation, is a procedure that is done to treat heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter and atrial tachycardia. Generally patients with heart arrhythmias have tried other courses of...
According to the Mayo Clinic, "peripheral artery disease, also known as peripheral arterial disease, is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to your limbs." Proper treatment is necessary with peripheral...
Heart disease, a general term used to describe conditions and diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels, remains the number one killer of both men and women in the United States, according to MayoClinic.com. Heart disease includes diseases of...
Coronary artery disease (CAD) refers to a medical problem in which fatty substances accumulate in the blood vessels and make blood flow throughout the body difficult. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute notes that symptoms of CAD include...
Vitamins are essential nutrients for your life and health. They are classified as water soluble and fat soluble. Water-soluble nutrients include B and C vitamins. If water-soluble vitamins are taken in excess, they are not stored in the body and...
Fish oil supplements contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which may help to prevent heart disease and stroke, according to MedlinePlus. They are also used to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression and a wide range of other...
The drug generically named pimozide is marketed in the United States under the trade name of Orap. This medication works by blocking the dopaminergic receptor sites within the brain. It is a medication used in the treatment of Tourette syndrome in...
Equisetum arvense, known as horsetail, is a weed used traditionally in Europe as a diuretic for treating fluid retention, or edema. People also take horsetail supplements to prevent or treat osteoporosis because it contains silicon, which helps...
Concerta is a central nervous system stimulant that is prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. The paradoxical effect is not understood. It is also used for depression in the elderly, narcolepsy and other conditions....
Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are used in the control and management of angina, hypertension and arrhythmias, such as supraventricular tachycardia. The three classes of calcium channel blockers are represented by verapamil (phenylalkylamine),...
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a steroid hormone that is converted by the body through a multi-step process into testosterone and estrogen. Athletes use DHEA to increase muscle and burn fat, but the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) , also referred to as calcium antagonists are prescribed to manage high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and chest pain. The National Institute of Health (NIH) says CCBs stop calcium from entering the muscle...
The word "dizzy" is used to describe everything from feeling faint or lightheaded to feeling weak and unsteady. Dizziness that creates the sense that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving is called vertigo. Learn about the different...
