BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a simple calculation that compares your body weight to your height. A BMI below 18.4 is considered underweight; 18.5 to 24.9 is normal; 25 to 29.9 is overweight; and above 30 is categorized as obese. According to a 1997...
Celebrex (celecoxib) is a prescription analgesic medication indicated to alleviate painful symptoms associated with certain arthritic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis. This medication is a member of a class of compounds called nonsteroidal...
Heart disease is a major health concern in the United States, according to the American Heart Association. Millions suffer from a broad range of conditions that fall under the classification of cardiovascular or heart disease including stroke,...
Beta blockers are medications whose effects include decreasing the blood pressure and heart rate, thereby also decreasing the overall workload of the heart. They are often used cautiously due to their significant effects, which are determined by...
One of the most unpleasant conditions a person can experience is shortness of breath, or the inability to draw in enough air, a condition physicians refer to as “dyspnea.” Emergency rooms assign urgent priority to patients with...
Isradipine is a medication used to manage hypertension (high blood pressure). It belongs to a class of medicines called calcium channel blockers and it works to relax your blood vessels and heart muscles, subsequently increasing blood flow and...
Dopamine is an injectable medication that typically comes as a colorless aqueous solution. It is often used to treat emergency problems with blood flow (such as those caused by a heart attack), but it may also be prescribed for home administration...
For a woman, the waist circumference is more important than body mass index in determining her risk of cardiovascular disease, some cancers and premature death, according to a report in the March 2005 issue of "American Heart Journal." Researchers...
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be obtained from certain foods like oily fish, cheese, egg yolks and many fortified products. It is also made in the skin from a cholesterol derivative after exposure to ultraviolet sunlight. According...
Association between vitamin E and hypertension is probably due to the effect vitamin E can have on the cardiovascular system. Studies do not show that vitamin E causes hypertension. In fact, vitamin E's antioxidant properties might help to prevent...
According to sports medicine researchers at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands, 50 percent of athletes experience exercise-associated nausea. This nausea may be associated more with exercise itself than with desaturation, or lower oxygen...
Diabetes is a chronic disease that requires frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels. Diabetes drugs can normalize blood sugar levels and reduce risks of complications, according to the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes drugs can also have...
Heart disease refers to a medical problem that affects the heart and its blood vessels. The Mayo Clinic explains that heart disease is also known as cardiovascular disease, and is a potentially fatal condition in which blood vessels are blocked or...
Abdominal aortic stenosis (AAS) refers to abnormal narrowing of the aorta anywhere along its course in the abdomen. The aorta enters the abdomen through the thoracic hiatus at the level of the 12th thoracic vertebra in front of the spinal cord...
Lisinopril is a medication that inhibits the angiotensin converting enzyme, commonly known as an ACE inhibitor. Lisinopril is indicated for the treatment of high blood pressure, heart failure and myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart...
Vitamin D is one of the major vitamins that has been identified as necessary for human health, growth and development. Like other vitamins, a vitamin D deficiency can result in disease and impairment, particularly if the deficiency lasts over a...
According to "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine," shock is defined as multisystem organ hypoperfusion. Blood flow and oxygen delivery to tissues are impeded. Shock may be due to trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction,...
A Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, or CMP, is a group of 12 to 20 blood tests used to screen for a wide variety of medical disorders. The presence or absence of liver, kidney or other diseases may be determined based on the pattern of results....
While similar in their common names, black cohosh and blue cohosh are entirely different herbs. Black cohosh, or Cimicifuga racemosa, is an herb that is widely used in Europe and is regarded as safe for use for a period of less than six months,...
Vitamin Q10, or coenzyme Q10, is necessary for energy production. It also may serve as an antioxidant. Blood contents of coenzyme Q10 are related to age, peaking at age 20 and then decreasing with age. Vitamin Q10 is often investigated for its...
Panax ginseng has been used for more than two millennia by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This versatile medicinal herb has been used to treat a wide variety of common conditions...
Medline Plus states that coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes are the leading causes of heart failure. Heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough blood to supply the rest of body. It is a chronic, or...
A fast pulse is called tachycardia. Tachycardia is an arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) defined as a heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute. Tachycardia can be caused by a number of factors, such as exercise, pain, fear, anxiety,...
Blood pressure is a measure of the pressure exerted by the circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels. Blood has a normal, safe pressure during certain activities and positions, but your pressure can increase dramatically during exercises....
A rapid heart rate (over 100 beats per minute) is called tachycardia. The elderly and individuals who are already ill do not tolerate the adverse health effects of a high heart beat rate. General side effects of tachycardia include feeling...
Numerous herbs may be effective for heart failure. According to the Texas Heart Institute, congestive heart failure, or heart failure, is a condition in which your heart is not pumping as well as it should. If you have heart failure, your heart is...
Between the high social premium placed on sexual potency and the increasing popular attention to herbal remedies, a supplement called "horny goat weed" is sure to sell like hot cakes. Unfortunately, not only is the herb's efficacy in restoring...
Diabetes mellitus, or type 2 diabetes, is a common endocrine disorder that can lead to a number of complications as the disease progresses. If diabetes is not managed properly, complications can affect the circulatory system. Diabetes can cause...
Meloxicam is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, used to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Tablets come in 7.5 and 15 mg amounts, while an oral suspension comes in 7.5 mg per 5 mL....
