Are You Scared of a Catheter Coronary Angiogram?
Are you scared to have a catheter angiogram, but need one? A catheter coronary angiogram is an invasive procedure, and if your doctor recommends you should have one, you may end up too afraid to [...]
CT Abdomen Scan Can Predict Heart Disease and Mortality
Plaque in your abdomen is a strong clue that there is plaque in your heart: coronary artery disease, or "sludge" in your heart's arteries. When a CT abdominal scan shows very high degrees of abdominal [...]
Postmenopausal Women: Fast Resting Pulse Linked to Heart Attacks
A fast resting pulse rate in postmenopausal women is correlated to a higher risk of heart attacks and coronary deaths. But should you allow this study's unexpected results to scare you into worrying about your [...]
Early Menopause, Heart Attack Risk: Thin Fit vs. Obese Women
The research-verdict is out that early menopause appears to double heart attack risk and increase risk of cardiovascular disease. But does this take into consideration variables of exercise, diet, body weight and smoking history? The [...]
Why Eating and Swallowing Increase Heart Rate
Ever notice an increase in heart rate when eating or swallowing? Perhaps you can feel your heart rate increase upon eating or swallowing; or, maybe you accidentally discovered this by happening to take your pulse [...]
Can Obesity & Overweight Cause Congestive Heart Failure?
When one thinks of obesity's harm to the heart, it's usually clogged arteries. But being fat can impair the heart's pumping action: heart failure. The heart fails to pump the amount of blood it's supposed [...]
Does DVT Risk Increase with a Cast or Splint?
Wondering if your risk of deep vein thrombosis goes up if you must wear a cast or a splint? “Any kind of immobility, which slows down the blood flow in the legs, will increase the [...]
Do ALL Pulmonary Embolisms Come from a DVT?
The common-held belief among physicians is that pulmonary embolism is always from a DVT, a blood clot that forms in the legs or pelvis. The DVT may break away and end up in a lung, [...]
DVT from Air Travel: Truth or Hype?
Is deep vein thrombosis from air travel exaggerated? DVT from long air travel times is not likely in healthy people, says the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). The IQWiG reveals [...]
Which Is Better for CABG: Radial Artery or Saphenous Vein?
What’s better for coronary bypass surgery: a vein from your leg or an artery from your arm? In coronary bypass surgery (aka CABG), the saphenous vein from the leg is typically used for the grafting [...]
Which Lowers Stroke Risk More: Off Pump or On Pump CABG?
Stroke is a real risk during and following coronary bypass surgery -- which may be on or off pump. There are actually four kinds of CABG, but which one has the lowest risk of stroke? [...]
Is Same Day Angiogram, Bypass Surgery, Valve Replacement Safe?
Can angiogram, bypass surgery and valve replacement be done in the same day? And if so, how life-threatening could this trio be? Coronary angiogram, coronary bypass surgery with heart valve replacement, all in the same [...]
Does the Heart Lung Machine Cause Cognitive Impairment or Not?
The heart-lung machine used in coronary bypass surgery is a two-edged sword. The cognitive problems that are associated with it have led to the name "pump-head" to describe some patients who -- seemingly -- are [...]
Beating Heart vs. Heart Lung Machine in Bypass Surgery
If you need bypass surgery you might wonder about having it done without the heart lung machine and instead with the "beating heart" procedure. The absence of the heart lung machine is called off-pump or [...]
Sleep Requirements Following Coronary Bypass Surgery (CABG)
How much sleep should you get during recovery from coronary bypass surgery? A healthy amount of sleep is so very important following CABG: coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. “Most patients have difficulty returning to their [...]
Can CABG (Heart Bypass Surgery) Disrupt Thyroid Function?
Can thyroid levels be affected by heart bypass surgery? The thyroid controls metabolism. And metabolism is a lot more than how many calories per hour your body burns at rest. "Metabolism is the process by [...]
Why Don’t More Heart Surgeons Do Off-Pump Bypass?
Why don’t more heart surgeons perform off-pump (beating heart) surgery? Off-pump heart surgery carries less risk of stroke and other serious issues when compared to on-pump heart surgery (i.e., operations that use the heart-lung, or [...]
What if Coronary Bypass Patient Keeps Eating Junk Food?
How long do the grafts from coronary bypass surgery last if the patient continues eating a junk food diet? Is coronary bypass surgery a green light to continue eating a junk food diet, and how long [...]
Can Coronary Bypass Surgery Cause Orthostatic Hypotension?
Can orthostatic hypotension be caused by coronary bypass surgery? If you’re wondering if orthostatic hypotension can be caused by coronary bypass surgery, you’re not alone. “Hypotension after surgery is a common problem and takes several [...]
Does the Heart-Lung Machine Affect Sense of Taste?
Does the heart lung machine (cardiopulmonary bypass) affect sense of taste? The heart lung machine is used during cardiac surgery so that the surgeon can make repairs on a completely still heart (no pumping), but [...]
Emergency Quintuple Bypass Surgery: What to Expect
Here's what goes on the day you're told a family member needs emergency quintuple bypass surgery after an angiogram shows severe blockages in five major coronary arteries. My mother was wheeled into the OR for [...]
How Common Is Depression after Heart Bypass Surgery?
Depression after heart bypass surgery isn't just about feeling depressed over clogged arteries, but the depression can have other related causes. How expected or common is depression after coronary bypass surgery? The University of Pittsburgh [...]
What to Expect Hours after a Quintuple Bypass Surgery
Here's what to expect hours after quintuple bypass surgery -- and it's not pretty. Forget what you've seen on TV shows; expect the patient to look hideous. My mother underwent emergent quintuple bypass surgery; we had [...]
Coronary Bypass Surgery: What Patient Looks Like Right After
After coronary bypass surgery, what exactly does the patient look like? What should family members expect to see when they walk into the ICU where the patient just arrived after undergoing coronary bypass surgery? There [...]
Is 90s Too Old for Coronary Bypass Surgery?
Coronary bypass surgery is actually becoming more and more common in very old people. Thousands of people in their 90s have had heart bypass surgery, also known as CABG. People over 90 Years of Age [...]
Survival Rates of Elderly Bypass Patients after Heart Attacks
An elderly person suffers a heart attack and undergoes coronary bypass surgery. How long are they expected to survive on average? Is the bypass surgery even worth it for a very elderly person? Heart bypass surgery [...]
How to Prevent Weight Gain from Caregiving Stress
Here's a no-nonsense way to outright prevent gaining weight no matter how stressful your caregiving tasks are, no matter how demanding your charge is. I’m an exercise and fitness enthusiast, and former personal trainer, who [...]
Why Grown Kids of the Super Obese Keep Bringing Food to Them
Why do the grown kids of the super morbidly obese who can't even walk across a room keep bringing them giant portions of junk food? Bringing enormous amounts of food to one’s 900 pound parent [...]
Morbidly Obese Reality Shows Ignore the Enabler Issue
Why don’t TLC shows about massively obese people confined to bed ever explore why their family members keep bringing them food? Over the past several years there’s been quite a few TLC programs focusing on people [...]
Enabler of Super Obese Family Member: Might YOU Become One?
Are you at risk of ever becoming an enabler to a family member who eventually gets so super morbidly obese that they can barely get out of bed or are even confined to bed? They [...]
How Obese People Who Can’t Get Out of Bed Control Their Enabler
It’s been said that the super morbidly obese person is skilled at “manipulating” their enabler or caregiver. What makes someone continuously bring huge amounts of unhealthy food to their loved-one who’s so obese that they’re [...]
Whey Protein Benefit: Lowers High Blood Pressure
Whey protein may be a safe, cheap way to lower high blood pressure, a possible alternative to drugs that have side effects. Lowering high blood pressure means cutting down on stroke and heart disease risk. [...]
Low Blood Pressure: Symptoms, Dangers & How to Safely Raise
What are the symptoms of LOW blood pressure, how dangerous is this and how is it treated? “Many people have ‘low’ blood pressure and are perfectly healthy,” says Susan L. Besser, MD, with Mercy Medical [...]
Aortic Aneurysm: Are Pull-ups Safe to Do?
A leading aortic aneurysm repair surgeon answers if pull-ups are safe for patients to perform. People who are diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm are typically warned that they must avoid straining with heavy weights. This [...]
Lifting Weights with Aortic Aneurysm: Detailed Guidelines
Are you fed up with the vague, non-descript guidelines of weightlifting for thoracic aortic aneurysm? Finally, here are guidelines that you can make sense out of. A diagnosis of a thoracic aortic aneurysm doesn't mean [...]
Aortic Aneurysm: Is High Intensity Interval Training Safe?
A leading aortic disease surgeon explains about aortic aneurysm and high intensity interval training cardio. If you’ve been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm and have always been a fitness enthusiast, you’re likely wondering if high [...]
Aortic Aneurysm: Safe Weightlifting Techniques
Dr. Allen Stewart, aortic repair surgeon, comments on safe weightlifting techniques for people with aortic aneurysm. Aortic aneurysm: safe weight lifting techniques – there are several. When a fitness enthusiast is told he or she [...]
Following Aortic Aneurysm: CT Scan vs. Echo vs. MRI
A cardiologist gives imaging information about following an aortic aneurysm. If you’ve been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, perhaps you’ve been wondering what is the most accurate imaging tool for which to “follow” it. Whether [...]
Can Beta Blockers Shrink Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?
A leading vascular surgeon discusses beta blockers can shrink an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Many people with abdominal (and thoracic) aortic aneurysms wonder if taking beta blockers will shrink the bulge. A beta blocker belongs to [...]
Can Lifting Weights Cause Aortic Dilatation (Enlargement)?
A vascular surgeon who performs aortic repairs answers if weightlifting can cause aortic dilatation. “With regard to aortic dilatation in athletes, these kind of exercises (lifting weights) do in fact, over a long period of [...]