Heart Disease Medical Reference

If your doctor says you need surgery to replace your heart’s aortic valve, this is why you need it and what you can expect from the procedure and recovery.

WebMD discusses broken heart syndrome, a condition that occurs when stress and a troubled mind affect the heart, causing symptoms that can mimic a heart attack.

Treatment options for your aortic stenosis range from careful monitoring to surgery.

It’s common to have this heart valve disease long before any symptoms show up. Even so, not everyone will have the same signs -- or need the same treatment.

When your heart is working like it should, your heartbeat is steady with a normal sinus rhythm. When it's not, you can have the most common irregular heartbeat, called AFib.

Myoglobin is a protein that helps store oxygen in your muscle tissues. Learn about normal levels of myoglobin and what it means to have high amounts in your blood.

What affects your body going into shock? While there are different types of shock, they occur because your blood flow is disrupted.

Find out what you need to know about anasarca. Learn about its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

Find out what you need to know about restenosis, and discover what causes it, how it's treated, and how it may affect health.

Learn about vasospasm—a sudden artery narrowing that can affect the brain, heart, and extremities. Explore its causes, symptoms, and effective treatments.

Learn more about sick sinus syndrome, how it impacts your health, and what to do to treat and prevent it.

Ischemia is a serious problem where some part of your body, like your heart or brain, isn’t getting enough blood. Learn what causes it, what the symptoms are, and how you can prevent it.

Learn more about this rare condition -- its symptoms, causes, and treatment.

Heart skipping a beat? If it’s not love, it may be heart block – an issue with the heart’s electrical system.

Aortic regurgitation means one of your heart’s valves is leaky. Learn what can cause it, the symptoms, and how to treat it.

Your aortic valve plays a key role in getting oxygen-rich blood to your body. Aortic valve stenosis is a common and serious heart problem when the valve doesn’t open fully. Learn about what causes it and how it can be treated.

You might get a central venous catheter if you need long-term treatment for issues like infections, cancer, or heart and kidney problems. Learn about the types of catheters, when you need them, and what it’s like to get one put in.

If you have a central venous catheter, taking care of it the right away helps you avoid infection and keep the catheter working. Learn what to expect, tips to avoid problems, and when you should call your doctor.

Are you having a heart attack? How to know.

Ever feel like your heart skips a beat or flutters? Those are common symptoms of premature ventricular contractions – an extra, early beat.

Catecholamines are hormones made by your adrenal glands like dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. Your doctor may want to test your levels if he thinks you might have a rare tumor that's affecting your hormone levels.

Find out about this stress test that looks for heart trouble.

Congenital heart defects are the most common kind of birth defect, and they can have serious complications if they aren't found and repaired.

WebMD explains causes and treatment of an aortic aneurysm.

Heart palpitations are usually harmless, but a rare condition of irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, known as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, could cause problems.

Short-acting nitroglycerin can prevent and relieve angina. It shouldn’t be taken with medicine for erectile dysfunction.

Aortic aneurysm can be repaired surgically. What’s the best option for you?

If you have minor chest pain, you might want to treat it at home. Don’t! Go to the E.R. now.

Endocarditis is a serious heart infection that can put your life in danger. Learn how to prevent and treat it.

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is a test that provides images of your blood vessels. Find out when your doctor might recommend one.

Aortic dissection: Get details on this rare condition of the aorta that requires emergency medical treatment.

Cardiac rehab can help prevent further heart complications. Find out if it’s right for you.

Congenital heart defects may require multiple surgeries to treat, while some heal on their own. Learn some of the most common conditions that could affect a newborn’s heart.

Scheduled for a chest X-ray? Get all the details here on what to expect.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms can have an impact on your health. Understanding how to manage and monitor the condition can help you stay as healthy as possible.

What is an aortic aneurysm: WebMD explains the symptoms and treatments.

A coronary calcium scan might just help you avoid a heart attack.

Some of the blood in your heart isn’t flowing the right way if you have mitral valve regurgitation. Learn the signs and what you can do about it.

Your doctor may be able to find whether you’ve had a heart attack with a cardiac enzyme test.

Why your doctor might want to check your ankle to see how well your blood is flowing. Keywords: ankle-brachial index test, peripheral artery disease, cardiology, vascular disease

Heart failure can make you feel a range of emotions, from fear and anxiety, to anger. Learn how to manage them so you can feel better.

Your heart rate is quite slow if you have bradycardia. Learn about the main types of this condition.

While peripheral artery disease is a serious condition, lifestyle and foot-care tips can help you prevent problems and enjoy life.

Medicine and lifestyle changes aren’t always enough to treat peripheral artery disease. Learn about the types of surgery you might need and what to expect.

Find out about temporal arteritis: symptoms, causes, and how to manage it.

Do your legs hurt when you exercise? It could be intermittent claudication. Here's what you need to know.

Swollen, puffy skin? Here's what could be causing your edema.

From problems with arteries, veins, and lymph vessels to disorders that affect blood flow, here's what can happen to the tubes that carry fluid in your body.

Learn about agonal breathing and discover what to do when it happens.

Learn what subacute bacterial endocarditis is, what causes it, and how it's treated.