Thousands of people receive implantable cardioverter-defibrillators each year, but not everyone who receives the device really needs it, and some people would be better off pursuing other treatment avenues.
I am 92 and have atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure, both controlled by medication. Every so often when I am relaxing after dinner, my heart feels like it stops and then starts up again with a jerk. Is this something I should worry about?
My doctors recommended I get a defibrillator as “insurance,” but I have had it for eight years and it has never gone off. My doctor wants to put in a new battery. At age 86 I’d rather not. Could I just leave the device in place or have it taken out?
Compared to the problems your readers ask about, my issue may seem silly. But I hope you’ll give me some advice, since it really is very annoying. I’m troubled by excessive sweating.
Care at a specialized center may provide a better chance of surviving a stroke, even if it requires extra travel time to reach.
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet can help with a number of health issues.
Brief reports on hypertension statistics, a theory about why some people show more of an HDL cholesterol benefit from exercise than others, and more about the connection between depression and heart disease.
My doctor told me I have pericardial effusion. I know it has something to do with fluid in the heart. Can you tell me more?
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a widening of the artery where it passes through the stomach. The size of the aneurysm helps determine the risk of rupture, and whether it should be repaired surgically.
Although weight-loss surgery benefits the body with improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, the procedure stresses the heart significantly, so this risk must be weighed if considering the surgery.