Harvard Health Content API

I have an electrocardiogram as part of my yearly checkup. After the last one, my doctor mentioned that my ST segment was longer this year than it was last year. He recommended that I have a stress test to check this out. I passed with flying colors. When I asked the cardiologist who did the stress test about the ST segment, he said the length isn?t really important, that the height and shape are what matter. Can you explain?

Your article on mitral valve surgery didn’t mention how often someone like me – with mild regurgitation from a leaky mitral valve but no symptoms – should have his or her valve checked. Are there any standards for this?

If you have a slow heart rate (bradycardia), is it safe to drink wine? If so, how much per day? Does alcohol affect the heart rate?

Can muscle damage from a statin, or from strenuous exercise, elevate creatinine even after I stopped taking the statin and exercising but continue to take Zetia and Diovan HCT?

Six months after having my knee replaced, I developed an arrhythmia. I know of this happening to others, including a friend who developed an arrhythmia after having his hip replaced. Does joint replacement surgery often cause heart rhythm problems?

I’m a 79-year-old man with atrial fibrillation on Pacerone. I also take warfarin and aspirin. I plan to have a tooth pulled next month and wonder if it is safe to go off the blood thinners. How are these medications handled when serious surgery is needed?

After my heart attack, my doctor told me that damaged heart muscle cannot be replaced. If this is true, why am I walking on a treadmill five days a week? Is this helping repair the damage or strengthen what’s left?