Heart attacks are among some of the highest causes of death in men and women alike in this country however what was once almost always fatal may now be possible to live through with the prompt and proper cure and treatment of a heart attack. The technical or medical term for heart attack is myocardial infarction and this happens when the flow of blood to any area of the heart is disrupted. This disruption of the blood supply can cause serious damage to the heart due to a lack of oxygen and may even result in the death of the heart tissue if not treated quickly enough. In many cases a heart attack may be a direct result of a condition known as CAD or coronary artery disease. This is an illness that occurs slowly over time with plague slowly forming on the inside walls of the coronary blood vessels. In some cases this plaque can rupture and lead to the development of a blood clot therefore causing a heart attack to occur when the clot reaches a size that obstructs a  [...]

The objective of atrial fibrillation treatment is to restore the normal and regular rhythm of the heart as well as slow an excessively fast heartbeat and prevent the formation of blood clots. Treatment options for these issues can include both surgical and nonsurgical procedures as well as medication. Some of the nonsurgical options that may be used include either electrical cardioversion or cardioversion with drugs and catheter radiofrequency ablation. Cardioversion is a procedure that is used to restore the heart to its natural rhythm. This can be done either electrically or with medications. Cardioversion with medications includes the use of anti-arrhythmics to prevent the irregularity of the heart and restore a natural and regular rhythm. In the majority of people this process is effective for at least a year however these medication can cause side effects in some individuals and in very rare situations may even increase the rate at which the heart beats. When  [...]

Aortic valve replacement surgery is a complicated procedure that is used to replace a defective or malfunctioning aortic valve of the heart. There are several defects which may constitute the necessity of this operation however the two most common ones are aortic stenosis and aortic regurgitation. Aortic stenosis simply means the flow of blood through the heart valve is restricted or blocked and aortic regurgitation means that blood is backing up into the heart. If these defects are severe surgery becomes necessary to replace the malfunctioning valve in order to restore proper function. If this surgery is not done it can cause other complications of the heart such as enlargement of the heart and congestive heart failure because of the strain that is placed on the heart muscle from the overworking of the defective valve. As with many surgeries related to heart valves this procedure is an open heart operation that is performed by licensed and well trained heart specialists.  [...]

The main artery that comes from the heart is the aorta and it carries the blood pumped from the heart and distributes it to the organs of the body through its various branches. There are 4 sections of the aorta which are: The ascending aorta The aortic arch The descending thoracic aorta The abdominal aorta Aortic aneurysm is the term used to describe the enlargement of an area of the aorta that has become weakened. Aneurysm’s that affect the ascending and descending aorta or the aortic arch are given the name thoracic aortic aneurysm. Aneurysms in these areas often burst after they reach a certain size. About half of the individuals who experience aneurysm’s that burst do not make it to the hospital and of the ones who die only between ¼ and ½ survive when surgery is used as the treatment, however when other treatments  [...]

The aortic valve is one of the four valves that is in control of the blood flow in and out of the heart. To be more specific this valve allows for the flow of blood that is pumped out of the heart from the left ventricle to the primary artery that leads to all the other parts of the body. This artery is called the aorta. Aortic valve insufficiency occurs when this valve is damaged or does not function properly and is very common among the elderly being the main cause of the majority of defects of the valvular type. If a valve is too narrow this is referred to as aortic stenosis and means that in order for an adequate amount of blood to pump out each time the heart beats the heart has to work much harder. At the other end of the spectrum if the valve has issues with improper closing it can lead to aortic regurgitation. This is because some of the blood that is pumped out leaks back into the left ventricle each time the heart beats. Either of these circumstances  [...]