Atherosclerosis, a buildup of fatty material called plaque in the arteries, can narrow the vessels that supply the heart with blood. If an artery becomes completely blocked, a heart attack can result. Stents, which are mesh tubes, hold the artery...
Over time, a diet high in cholesterol and fat can lead to the development of coronary artery disease, a condition that can clog your arteries. When the arteries become clogged, blood cannot flow as effectively to the heart, which causes symptoms...
Abdominal aortic aneurysm is the localized ballooning or abnormal bulging in the artery walls, as defined by Medline Plus, a website supported by the National Institutes of Health. The major blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the...
A stent is a tube that is inserted into a duct or tubular structure in the body, such as an artery, to hold it open. The procedure is called stenting. Stents can help prevent or counteract localized flow constriction and also allow access for...
The kidneys connect to the bladder with a small tube called a ureter. Some medical conditions, such as kidney stones, can cause an obstruction in the kidney or the ureter. Kidney stents, also called ureteral stents, are thin, flexible, hollow...
A coronary stent is a small tube made of metal or plastic. Stents were introduced to help solve the problem of rebound blockage following balloon angioplasty, whereby compressed atherosclerotic deposits re-expand into the artery, reversing the...
The breakthrough metal mesh tube that cardiac surgeons now use to keep a coronary artery open has the name "stent". The stent can help alleviate chest pain once it has successfully entered the artery, holding it open. This occurs with the help of...
When you walk, do you get pain in the calves? It is common for patients to see their doctors for limb pain. Predictable discomfort that occurs with exertion in the legs may be the first sign that you have heart problem brewing. Peripheral...
In the last several months there has been some bad press about cholesterol-lowering drugs. The ENHANCE trial is at the forefront of this controversy. This trial has been overblown in my opinion with regards to the importance of lipid lowering. I...
A pulmonary artery stent is a small tube made of a wire mesh material. A stent is used to open the pulmonary artery when it is too narrow and is a type of treatment that may be used for pulmonary artery stenosis. Exercising can usually be resumed...
Symptoms from an enlarged prostate gland, also known as BPH, range from mild to debilitating. The most likely symptoms include trouble initiating urination, weak urine flow, excess dribbling after urination, continuous need to urinate, night...
A stent is a medical device that is used to prop open an obstructed or damaged artery. Stents are commonly used in cardiac angioplasty surgery and, according to the American Heart Association, 70 percent of angiolasty procedures include the...
There are two carotid arteries (right and left); these are the main arteries that carry blood from the neck to the brain. A blocked carotid artery may be due to fatty deposits (called plaque), or to a blood clot trapped in a carotid artery...
Traditional risk factors for heart disease include obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, age and family history of heart disease. Over recent years, nontraditional risks have been identified, particularly those...
The urethra is a small tube that helps move urine and liquid waste through the bladder to the outside of the body. It also helps transport semen in the male ejaculatory system. Urology Health describes the urethra as beginning at the bladder and...
Hydronephrosis is characterized by a warping or ballooning of the renal pelvis and calyxes in the kidney, caused by increased pressure inside the kidney due to a blockage to the free flow of urine. The renal pelvis is a funnel-like tube that forms...
Cholesterol lowering can be achieved in many ways. The first choice is always lifestyle modification with diet and exercise. A regular exercise program will raise the protective cholesterol (HDL) and lower the harmful cholesterol (LDL) while...
The urinary system has several components working together for successful elimination of waste from the body. The ureters are ducts that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, and the urethra is a tube that carries urine from the bladder...
Kidney stones, small, rock-like lumps of minerals that can build up in your kidneys, will usually pass through your system on their own. To speed them along, drink several quarts of water per day. Use pain medication if the stones hurt as your...
An artery becomes clogged when a buildup of plaque forms on the inner walls. Plaque consists of calcium, fat, cholesterol and cellular waste. If you have clogged arteries due to poor diet and lifestyle choices, you are at an increased risk of...
The heart valve stent is a prosthetic heart implant that is used to support and preserve the heart valve in its natural shape and function. The heart valve stent may be made from metal or polypropylene, a bioprosthetic material that mimics those...
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the hardening and narrowing of the peripheral arteries caused by plaque and resulting in lack of circulation to muscles and organs. According to the P.A.D. Coalition, this disease affects 8 to 12 million...
Coumadin, or generically named Warfarin, is a medication prescribed by a doctor to thin the blood and prevent clots. If you currently have a blood clot or once had heart surgery including stent placements, your doctor may start you on Coumadin....
People who hear the phrase "deep tissue massage" may think this treatment is too painful to enjoy. However, in the hands of a capable therapist, a deep tissue massage is not painful or unpleasant. You, as the client, are involved in the process....
Arteries are strong blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to all areas of the body. When arteries get blocked either due to atherosclerosis or a blood clot, it can reduce or eliminate blood flow to parts of the body---an...
Strictures, an abnormal narrowing, can affect any vessel, duct or passageway in the body. Symptoms, diagnostic techniques and treatments vary, depending on the location and the amount of limitation caused by the stricture. The seriousness of a...
Peripheral arterial disease is a condition in which plaque buildup causes partial or complete blockage of the arteries. The plaque results in narrowed arteries that impede proper blood circulation, thus reducing blood flow to the arms and legs....
Peripheral artery, or arterial, disease, also called PAD, is similar to coronary artery disease in that blood no longer flows normally through blood vessels. In the case of peripheral artery disease, the affected arteries are located in areas of...
Atherosclerosis is the name given to the gradual buildup of plaque that occurs in the arteries' inner lining that causes the arteries to narrow and harden.The materials that build up causing the plaque to form include fatty substances, cellular...
Congestive heart failure, or congestive cardiac failure, is the failure of the heart resulting from any structural or functional disorder. Learn more about congestive heart failure in this health video.
Coronary artery disease, or coronary heart disease, is the end result of the heart muscle losing nutrients due to blockage in blood vessels of the heart. Learn more about coronary heart disease, including warning signs and treatments in this video.
An aortic aneurysm is any swelling of the aorta, usually due to a thinning wall. The condition is not always severe, but rupture is a risk. Learn more about aortic aneurysms in this video.
The bile duct is a long tube-like structure that connects the liver to the intestine and transports bile. Learn about bile duct cancer including possible causes, and treatment options for bile duct cancer in this video.