Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm in which the heart quivers instead of beating regularly. This occurs because the command center of the heart fails to coordinate activity with the pumping center. People may thus experience...
Tuna steaks make a great alternative to red meat. Lightly sear the fish and enjoy it in a sandwich or with sides of fresh vegetables. Thin slices served with wasabi or ginger make a traditional appetizer.
Potassium is an essential dietary mineral that helps maintain cell health, nerve and muscle functions. It is also an electrolyte, or positively charged electrical ion, responsible for maintaining fluid balance in your body. Without adequate...
Veins and arteries need calcium to contract and dilate, muscles need it to function, nerves need it to transmit impulses and cells need it in order to secrete hormones. Only 1 percent of the calcium in your body is needed for all of these...
A serious health condition called thrombocytopenia, or low blood-platelet count, could cause internal bleeding and stroke. The causes of low platelets include leukemia, immune system disorders and medication side effects. According to Dr. Serkan...
A stress test is also called a treadmill test, cardiac stress test or an exercise test. This test helps doctors understand how well your heart is working, especially under the stress of moderate exercise, as you will be walking at a variety of...
Possible signs of a mild heart attack can be quite vague. A person may only feel tired and somewhat anxious without knowing why. The symptoms experienced during a mild heart attack can be similar to those experienced during a major heart attack....
Fish oil contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Fish oil is most commonly used to fight heart disease and associated complications, but is also used to fight other health...
The sinoatrial node regulates each heartbeat by sending an electrical impulse that spreads through the right and left atria, or chambers in the heart, causing them to contract and force blood into the ventricles. The ventricles then contract and...
Guanfacine belongs to the drug family referred to as anti-hypertensives. It is prescribed to help treat high blood pressure and works by relaxing the blood vessels, making less work for the heart. Before taking guanfacine, you should be aware of...
Viagra (generic name sildenafil) is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (impotence). According to the Physician's Desktop Reference, it dilates the blood vessels in your penis and more blood flow results in an erection. The typical...
A heart arrhythmia is a deviation from the normal sequences of activation of the heart muscle fibers, resulting in irregular cardiac contraction. The heart contains an amazing complex of electrical circuits. The sinus node, the primary stimulator,...
Potassium, a part of the fluid inside the cells, is an important mineral needed by the body for functions such as the contraction of muscles, the sending of nerve signals and the process of digesting food. A low potassium level in the blood is...
Heart flutter symptoms are caused by heart arrhythmias. Arrhythmias, or irregular heart rhythms, can make the heart beat too fast or too slow. Everyone may experience an arrhythmia at some point in life. Many times, people feel irregular...
Food contains minerals and vitamins that are essential to proper functioning of your body, which is why eating a balanced diet is important. One nutrient that is particularly important for blood vessel health is magnesium. Magnesium prevents...
Rhythmol (propafenone) is a medication used to treat irregular heart rhythms. According to Drugs.com, this drug belongs to a group of medicines called Class IC antiarrythmics. It works to normalize your heart rhythm. The National Library of...
Calcium channel blockers are typically prescribed to treat high blood pressure, chest pain and irregular heart rhythm. They may be used to treat cardiomyopathy, which is a disease that causes the heart muscles to become weak and inflamed. Common...
Low potassium, a disorder known as hypokalemia, is a dangerous serum electrolyte imbalance associated with several causes and symptoms. One of the causes of the condition is diarrhea, particularly if the diarrhea is excessive. If you experience...
A genetic disease called carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase deficiency can cause damage to the skeletal muscles and abnormalities in the liver, heart and nerves. Many with this disorder will have symptoms when they are just infants, and the...
According to the American Heart Association, "a stroke is the disruption of the blood supply to, or within, the brain. When the blood supply is cut off, the brain does not receive the oxygen and nutrients it needs. The result is injury to the...
Potassium is an important electrolyte and mineral in the body that affects various organ systems. A high potassium level is known as hyperkalemia, which occurs when potassium is found in the bloodstream at concentrations higher than therapeutic...
Hawthorne has been used as a medicinal herb since the 1st century for a variety of heart conditions. Hawthorne is a source of flavonoids, which may contribute to its beneficial health effects. However, there is insufficient reliable scientific...
Primatene is a brand name of two over-the-counter medicines for certain types of breathing problems. The inhalant Primatene Mist contains the active ingredient epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. Primatene Asthma tablets contain ephedrine and...
Also called an exercise or cardiac stress test, a treadmill test is performed to measure how well your heart performs during physical activity. Treadmill tests can detect a variety of heart problems that other types of tests can't pinpoint. You...
Getting enough potassium is essential for the body to function properly. It helps regulate water balance and it must be present for the muscles to contract properly and for the nerves to send electrical signals through the body. A deficiency can...
If you are having heart palpitations, it means that you are aware of your own heart beat. Heart palpitations can be just an unpleasant symptom or they may be a warning sign of an underlying medical condition. If you are having this symptom, talk...
Diabetes mellitus, refers to the abnormal handling of sugar by the body which leads to elevated sugar levels in the blood. Every year 1.6 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed. Diabetes is caused by lack of insulin production or by a...
Iscador is a white-berried mistletoe extract. Mistletoe therapy is popular in Europe as a complementary cancer treatment. German's regulatory agency for herbs, Commission E, has approved mistletoe as a therapy to treat symptoms of malignant...
The dietary supplement 5 Hour Energy is marketed as a product that helps boost your energy. The product website says it contains about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. It also includes niacin, taurine, vitamins B6 and B12, sodium,...
Dehydration occurs when your body loses more water or fluids than it takes in and can not function properly as a result. In this video learn more about this common issue and how to prevent it.
