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Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) is a life-threatening lung condition that prevents enough oxygen from getting into the blood.Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema; Increased-permeability pulmonary edema; Stiff lung; Shock lung; ARDS; Acute lung...
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A heart attack is the death of, or damage to, part of the heart muscle because its blood supply is severely reduced or stopped.Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States. Approximately every 29 seconds one American will have a...
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A heart attack is when blood vessels that supply blood to the heart are blocked, preventing enough oxygen from getting to the heart. The heart muscle dies or becomes permanently damaged.
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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The Framingham risk-assessment tool is used to evaluate a person's risk of heart attack, but it does not consider the influence of inflammation. Researchers have developed a new tool that uses three additional factors to evaluate your heart attack risk.
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Over the long term, your quality of life is tied to how severe your heart attack was and how it was treated. Beyond that, any change will depend largely on you.
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Chest pain could be simple indigestion or a heart attack. Knowing the warning signs of a heart attack, and knowing how to respond, could save a life. The following guidelines can help you make the right decisions and take the right steps when seconds count.
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Discussion of what constitutes a heart attack and new ways to treat them.It's a story that is played out countless times every day. A 58-year-old man develops chest pain while watching a playoff game on TV. He's always been pretty healthy, but he hasn't had a check-up for years. He's had some heartburn from time to time, but this pain is different: a heavy pressure just below his breastbone with an ache in his jaw. He feels sweaty, nauseated, and a bit lightheaded. Probably the chips and garlic dip, he thinks, reaching for an antacid. But his wife knows better; she calls 911 and gives him an aspirin to chew. The EMTs arrive in a few minutes, but by then the pain is gone. Feeling foolish, he agrees to an IV, oxygen, and a trip to the hospital. In the emergency ward there are questions, EKGs, chest x-rays, and blood tests. And then the big question: Did I have a heart attack?
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A heart attack is an urgent message from your heart that it's starved for oxygen. When oxygen-rich blood to your heart is blocked by a clot, heart muscle begins to die and symptoms of a heart attack start.
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Detailed information on heart attack, symptoms of heart attack, warning signs, how to respond in an emergency, and heart attack treatment
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Technology has given us the automated external defibrillator (AED), which is turning up far from hospitals. Some schools and public buildings already have AEDs.
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For many women, a heart attack may feel like a strange discomfort in the back or some other easily ignored sign, instead of crushing chest pain.
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A new study suggests an aspirin before bed may lower blood pressure while protecting against heart attack and stroke.
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Researchers believe that enough evidence exists now to list rheumatoid arthritis as a marker of increased heart attack risk. The next step is to examine how people with RA might alter their drug treatment plan or make lifestyle changes to reduce their risk for heart attack.
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about how to tell heartburn from more serious heart trouble.
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People who are at risk for heart disease may be fine for some time, until a stressful event or situation acts as a trigger for a heart attack or stroke. Even in those with heart disease, some of these triggers can be minimized or avoided.
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People at risk for heart attack or stroke will likely benefit from taking low-dose daily aspirin, but for some there are greater risks (such as ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding) that outweigh aspirin's help.
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Research shows that heart attack risk varies by both the season and time of day.
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Besides the nutritional benefits, eating beans regularly can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
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Depression can often develop as a result of a heart attack or cardiac surgery, and has more serious effects on heart health and overall health than depression that was present before a heart attack.
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Aspirin is safe for some healthy women over age 65 to take to prevent stroke and heart attack, but probably not for most younger women.
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The Women's Health Study, released in March 2005, provides surprising new information about the health benefits of aspirin for women.
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Although their symptoms and effects can be similar—and confusing—strokes and heart attacks are two different medical problems.
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Heart attacks rise during winter and, especially, over the holidays. Possible explanations for this phenomenon, and how to protect yourself this season.
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Though clot-busting drugs are delivered with little delay in most emergency rooms, angioplasty does not fare as well, according to a new study.
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Advisory ratchets down targets for LDL (bad) cholesterol for some people, not others; no one-size-fits-all recommendation yet.
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This article discusses the drug Plavix: what it does; who needs it; and, the risks and benefits.
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Studies suggest mental health care following a heart attack can improve patient health and mortality.
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A myocardial infarction, or heart attack, is the death or damage of part of the heart muscle because the supply of blood to the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped.Myocardial infarction(MI) is the leading cause of death in the United State...
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A heart attack is the death of, or damage to, part of the heart muscle because the supply of blood to the heart muscle is severely reduced or stopped.Heart attack is the leading cause of death in the United States. More than 1.5 million Americans ...
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If you're looking for a reason to exercise, try this one: A routine workout may help ward off blood clots, the villains behind most heart attacks. You suffer a heart attack when a blood clot forms in an artery, blocking oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart.
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Normally, your body warns you of a problem by making you feel pain. But over time, high blood sugar damages nerves in your body. This may keep you from feeling pain caused by a heart problem.
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If hospitals become accredited as "chest pain centers," it could make deciding where to go for treatment easier, and also increase recovery rates.
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A review of advances in heart medicine since the 1950s, when President Eisenhower bucked conventional wisdom by returning to physical activity several months after a heart attack.
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Angioplasty to treat chest pain will be most efffective if the procedure is done within the first 12 hours after onset. If you have had symptoms for longer, drug treatment is likely to be as effective as angioplasty.
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More Americans have their hypertension under control. Folic acid does not prevent heart attacks. Exercise after heart surgery is safe and beneficial. Program your cell phone with an emergency contact.
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Two new tests aim to provide better measures of "bad" cholesterol in order to more accurately predict the risk of heart attack.
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The experience of a heart attack can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder, which can delay recovery and perhaps cause heart disease to progress further.
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A recent study offers evidence that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may help those who develop depression after a heart attack.
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Many instances of "sudden" cardiac arrest are not sudden at all. In the majority of occurrences there is at least one warning sign before the event: chest pain, shortness of breah, nausea, and dizziness are the most common ones.
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Sweating is an almost as common, but lesser-known, sign of heart attack as more "classic" chest pains.
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The Harvard Health Letter celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In the first of a series, the Health Letter takes a look back at three decades in medicine.
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Unlike traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as aspirin and ibuprofen, COX-2 drugs have been linked to heart attacks because they encourage blood clots to form.
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The benefits of aspirin for those at risk for heart disease are clear, but for women under 65 who are not at risk, there is no benefit to a daily aspirin. There is evidence that taking aspirin regularly may reduce the risk of stroke, regardless of age.
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An expert shares his beliefs about how best to treat and avoid cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.
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A pair of studies found that increased, prolonged strain in people's close relationships or jobs correlated with an increased risk for a cardiac event.
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Altitude sickness is a general term encompassing a spectrum of disorders that occur at higher altitudes. Since the severity of symptoms varies with altitude, it is important to understand the range of the different altitudes that may be involved.
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Acute mountain sickness is an illness that can affect mountain climbers, hikers, skiers, or travelers at high altitude(typically above 8,000 feet or 2,400 meters).High altitude cerebral edema; Altitude anoxia; Altitude sickness; Mountain sickness;...
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An overview of the medical problems you can face, preventative measures you can take, and treatments for sickness at high altitudes.
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Valvular heart disease refers to several disorders and diseases of the heart valves, which are the tissue flaps that regulate the flow of blood through the four chambers of the heart.The human heart consists of four chambers—two upper chambe...
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Detailed information on heart valve diseases, including causes, anatomy of the heart valves, disease symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information
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Valve disease occurs when a valve doesn't open or close the way it should. If a valve doesn't open all the way, the heart has to push blood through a smaller opening. If the valve doesn't close tightly, some blood will leak backward.
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Mitral stenosis means the mitral valve stiffens and doesn't open right. Blood must move through a smaller opening. In severe cases, fluid can build up in the lungs, leading to coughing and breathing problems.
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Mitral insufficiency means your mitral valve has problems closing, letting blood leak back through the valve. Mild cases of mitral insufficiency, when a small amount of blood leaks, rarely lead to problems. But severe cases can cause damage to the ventricle and heart muscle.
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Aortic insufficiency means your aortic valve has problems closing. Blood leaks back through the valve. Extra blood may cause the ventricle to stretch. A stretched ventricle doesn't squeeze as well. In time, the heart won't move blood the way it should.
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Aortic stenosis means your aortic valve has a problem opening. The left ventricle has to work harder to push the blood through the valve. In some cases, this extra work will make the muscle of the ventricle thicken. This type of stenosis can quickly get worse.
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During heart valve surgery, one or more heart valves can be repaired or replaced. The decision whether to repair or replace a valve often can't be made until after surgery has begun. If a valve can't be repaired, it may be replaced with a prosthetic valve.
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A problem with a heart valve will usually cause the heart to make a noise. Your doctor can hear this noise, called a murmur. But you can have a heart murmur and not have valve disease or any other heart problem. Other tests can help confirm the diagnosis of valve disease.
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Mitral valve prolapse is the most common heart valve problem. With this problem, the valve bulges slightly back into the atrium when it closes. This may allow a tiny amount of blood to leak.
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If you are having symptoms, certain medications can ease them. Other medications help prevent problems that may occur due to valve disease. Your doctor can discuss what medications might be right for you. Here are some types of medications that may be prescribed and what they do.
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Anaphylaxis is a severe, sudden, often fatal bodily reaction to a foreign substance or antigen.In humans, anaphylaxis is a rare event usually triggered by an antiserum(to treat snake or insect bites), antibiotics(especially immunoglobulin), or was...
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Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening type of allergic reaction.Anaphylactic reaction; Anaphylactic shock; Shock- anaphylactic.Anaphylaxis is an severe, whole-body allergic reaction. After being exposed to a substance like bee sting venom, the person''...
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Detailed information on anaphylaxis, including causes, symptoms, and treatment Anaphylaxis, also called anaphylactic shock, is a severe and sometimes life-threatening reaction to an allergen (the items that your child is allergic to are called allergens). It is a medical emergency, in most cases. The reaction to the allergen can occur seconds to as long as an hour after the exposure. It is necessary to have come in contact with the allergen at a previous time for sensitization to occur.
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Anaphylaxis is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening allergic reaction.Anaphylaxis is a type of allergic reaction, in which the immune system responds to otherwise harmless substances from the environment. Unlike other allergic reactions, howeve...
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Anaphylaxis is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening allergic reaction.Anaphylaxis is a type of allergic reaction, in which the immune system responds to otherwise harmless substances from the environment. Unlike other allergic reactions, howeve...
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Anaphylaxis is a severe, sudden, and potentially fatal allergic reaction to a foreign substance or antigen that affects multiple systems of the body.Anaphylaxis is a severe, whole-body allergic reaction. After initial exposure to a substance such ...
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Allergic reaction is more common than ever before. And it's not just hay fever or bee stings. This comprehensive report describes the causes and cures for everything from food allergies to poison ivy.
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Acute(sudden) kidney failure is the sudden loss of the ability of the kidneys to remove waste and concentrate urine without losing electrolytes.Kidney failure; Renal failure; Renal failure- acute; ARF; Kidney injury- acute.There are many possible ...
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This guide discusses ways to recognize, prevent, and treat the most common types of kidney disease, such as kidney stones, glomerulonephritis, and chronic kidney disease.
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Chronic kidney failure occurs when disease or dis- order damages the kidneys so that they can no longer adequately remove fluids and wastes from the body or maintain proper levels of kidney-regulated chemicals in the bloodstream.Chronic kidney fai...
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Chronic kidney failure occurs when disease or disorder damages the kidneys so that they are no longer capable of adequately removing fluids and wastes from the body or of maintaining the proper level of certain kidney-regulated chemicals in the bl...
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Hemodialysis is one kind of dialysis. It uses a machine that holds a filter called a dialyzer. As blood flows through the dialyzer, waste is removed and fluid and chemicals are balanced. Hemodialysis treatments are usually done at a special dialysis center. In some cases, treatments may be done at home.
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"Near drowning" means a person almost died from not being able to breathe(suffocating) under water.If a person has been rescued from a near-drowning situation, quick first aid and medical attention are very important.
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Near-drowning is the term for survival after suffocation caused by submersion in water or another fluid. Some experts exclude from this definition cases of temporary survival that end in death within 24 hours, which they prefer to classify as drow...
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Smoke inhalation is breathing in the harmful gases, vapors, and particulate matter contained in smoke.Smoke inhalation typically occurs in victims or fire-fighters caught in structural fires. However, cigarette smoking also causes similar damage o...
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Other than burns, smoke inhalation is the greatest threat posed by fires. Smoke can burn delicate airways and deprive your body of oxygen. It also contains poisonous gases that can badly damage your throat and lungs. Inhaling even a little smoke may affect breathing. Exposure to large amounts can be fatal.
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Smoke inhalation is breathing in the harmful gases, vapors, and particulate matter contained in smoke.Smoke inhalation typically occurs in victims or firefighters caught in structural fires. However, cigarette smoking also causes similar damage on...
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Drug interactions are changes in the effect of one drug due to the effect of either another drug taken at the same time(drug-drug interactions) or food consumed while the drug is being taken(drug-food interactions).Some drugs are deliberately comb...
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Drug allergies are a group of symptoms caused by allergic reaction to a drug(medication).Adverse reactions to drugs are common, and almost any drug can cause an adverse reaction. Reactions range from irritating or mild side effects such as nausea ...
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Detailed information on different types of drug rashes, including acne, exfoliative dermatitis, fixed drug eruption, hives, morbiliform/maculopapular rash, purpuric eruptions, Stevens-Johnson syndrome
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A drug allergy is an adverse reaction to a medication, often an antibiotic, that is mediated by the body''s immune system. A drug sensitivity is an unusual reaction to a drug that does not involve the immune system.Adverse reactions to medication m...
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If you want to be fully informed, you should read the fine print connected with any drug that you intend to use.
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Drug metabolism is the process by which the body breaks down and converts medication into active chemical substances.Drugs can interact with other drugs, foods, and beverages. Interactions can lessen or magnify the desired therapeutic effect of a ...
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Detailed information on food-drug interactions A food-drug interaction can occur when the food you eat affects the ingredients in a medication you are taking, preventing the medicine from working the way it should.
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Chemotherapy and radiation treatments save lives. They also can bring a variety of temporary but unpleasant side effects.
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A guide to information available online and in print about the side effects of prescription drugs.
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Exploring the causes and treatment for loss of taste, which may result from years of taking high blood pressure medications.
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Can the high blood pressure drugs Vasotec and Toprol affect the libido?
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A Harvard Medical School physician answers your question about whether three drinks per day is too much for a woman, and why.
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Lung disease is any disease or disorder that occurs in the lungs or that causes the lungs to not work properly. There are three main types of lung disease:.Airway diseases-- These diseases affect the tubes(airways) that carry oxygen and other gase...
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Lung abscess is an acute or chronic infection of the lung, marked by a localized collection of pus, inflammation, and destruction of tissue.Lung abscess is the end result of a number of different disease processes ranging from fungal and bacterial...
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