April 28, 2008
Pulmonary hypertension is a medical condition where the blood flow that leaves the right side of the heart faces an increased pressure.
Normally blood flows from the right ventricle into the pulmonary arteries and then flows into smaller and smaller blood vessels until it reaches the capillaries. Oxygen is picked up and carbon dioxide is released. The blood vessels have muscles in their walls that can regulate their diameter and allow more or less blood flow to enter the capillaries.
In pulmonary hypertension, the blood vessels of the lungs have more muscle in the walls. This causes a higher pressure in the lungs. The right ventricle then has to work harder to pump blood out to the lungs. The right ventricle then gets larger and becomes thicker in response to the extra work. With time, the load placed on the right side of the heart can cause it to fail.
The long-term prognosis for pulmonary hypertension depends on the severity of the disease at the time of diagnosis and how well a patient responds to therapy. Recent advances in medical therapies have made great progress on the outcome of pulmonary hypertension.
Ask your doctor to explain pulmonary hypertension in greater detail.
Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • Heart Disease • irregular heart beat • pulmonary arteries • pulmonary hypertension
Aortic stenosis is a condition that causes obstruction of blood flow between the left ventricle and the aorta. There are different causes, including obstruction at the valve itself, or narrowing of the aorta above the valve.
The most common form of aortic stenosis is obstruction at the valve itself.
Patients with aortic stenosis are usually otherwise in normal health. A heart murmer is the most common sign detected by a physician indicating that a valve problem may be present.
Patients with mild-to-moderate degrees of aortic stenosis will have easily detectable heart murmurs, and are typically without any symptoms at all.
Symptoms occur only with severe aortic stenosis. For example, a newborn with critical aortic stenosis will develope heart failure in the first days of life if not treated.
In older patients, severe aortic stenosis rarely causes heart failure. The patint may experience chest pain, lightheadedness or fainting spells especially when exercising. Severe aortic stenosis is a rare, but well-documented, cause of sudden death during strenuous sports activities.
Long-term follow-up, with regular evaluations by a qualified cardiologist, is essential to helping provide the highest quality outcome for patients with aortic stenosis. When ever a person experiences any of these symptoms, they should speak to their doctor immediately.
Tagged with: aortic stenosis • cardiovascular disease • Heart Disease • heart healthy • irregular heart beat
We are onto our fourth day in the fat-fighting foods series wherein foods that help get rid of the excess fat in your diet are featured. Among the many food items that we have identified so far, this one is my favorite: dairy.
Whether it is a thick slice of grilled cheese, a glass of low-fat milk or a healthy serving of yogurt – I have always loved that milky and rich taste which has always been associated with dairy.
The reason why dairy is considered to be a fat-fighting food is due to the fact that when the body is deprived of the proper amount of calcium, a chemical called calcitrol is released in the body. This is the one which is responsible for storing fat.
By increasing your calcium intake with dairies, you are also helping your body burn fat more efficiently. Another fat-fighting component included in dairy is leucine.
I personally suggest increasing your daily dose of dairy to about three or four servings a day. This can include cheese, non-fat milk or yogurt – whatever dairy catches your fancy. Aside from helping rid your body of the fat, it will also help improve your bone health and keep those excess pounds for good!
Tagged with: cheese • dairy • fat fighting foods • Health Articles • Health Food • milk
The FreeStyle Flash Blood Glucose Meter is larger by a few inches than your ordinary key so it is very portable and and an be slipped in your purse to accompany you wherever you go. This home medical equipment, which is only 3 inches long and weighs 1.4 ounces, is a must have for diabetics who must monitor their blood glucose all the time.
It may be the smallest diabetes testing gadget in the world but it provides reliable, accurate and almost painless testing. It makes use of the precuse coulometric strip technology for which FreeStyle is known for, allowing you to test from any body part with a tiny or 3/10th microliter blood sample. It can be used to test on your upper arm, forearm, calf, thigh, hands and even your fingers.
It has a backlit display with test lights and a very handy and compact case. It runs on two cell coin batteries particularly the CR2032.
Tagged with: 3/10th microliter blood sample • CR2032 "coin cell" batteries • FreeStyle Flash Meter • Home Medical Equipment • precuse coulometric strip technology
Quadriplegics and paralyzed people will benefit from the simplified bowel are offered by Ableware Suppository Inserter.
Most suppositories make use of cold metal devices which makes it all the more uncomfortable and create some kidn of a shock. However, the Ableware Suppository Inserter is made of a better material which is soft plastic and it also has a plastic collar for maximum comfort.
This home medical equipment is 7 inches long and weighs 3 oz. For $75 you can simplify your bowel care with no fuss at all.
Tagged with: Ableware Suppository Inserter • cold metal devices • Home Medical Equipment • plastic collar • soft plastic
