What Is tPA? Defining a Key Medication for Treating Blood Clots
When a blood clot is stopping blood flow to the brain, a powerful clot-busting medication called tPA is used to dissolve the clot and restore blood flow. The drug must be given within 4½ hours after...
View ArticleBrain Attack: Stroke Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
The term brain attack is often used to describe a stroke. Just as a heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is interrupted, a brain attack can occur when blood flow to part of the brain is...
View Article10+ Asthma Triggers to Avoid
People with asthma may suffer an asthma attack if they are exposed to certain triggers, which tend to vary from person to person. The following are the most common culprits. Pollen and Mold Outdoor...
View ArticleSmoking and COPD
The primary cause of COPD is smoking, but long-term exposure to air pollution, dust, or certain chemicals also may cause or contribute to it. Genetics and biological differences also may be involved. A...
View ArticleCOPD Treatment Regimens
Even though COPD cannot be cured, it can be treated. COPD treatment is aimed at reducing symptoms, preventing the disease from getting worse, improving the ability to exercise, preventing and treating...
View ArticleDiuretic Definition, Uses, and Side Effects
The diuretic definition is anything that promotes the body to lose water by increasing the excretion of urine and fluids. Diuretics cause the kidneys to excrete more water and sodium. They are used to...
View ArticleWhat Are Beta Blockers?
With the advent of beta blockers, and compelling evidence of their effectiveness, recommendations for heart failure treatment have changed. In general, patients are now treated with an...
View ArticleNuclear Stress Test, MUGA Scan Effective Ways to Evaluate Heart Failure
In addition to blood tests, chest X-ray, EKG, echocardiogram, PET scan, or MRI, your doctor may prescribe a nuclear stress test or a MUGA scan. These are all ways a cardiologist can evaluate heart...
View ArticleWhat Is Cerebrovascular Disease?
A cerebrovascular disease is one caused by arteries blocked by a blood clot, bleeding in or around the brain caused by a ruptured blood vessel, and any change in the brain’s blood vessels that alters...
View ArticleDon’t Stop Taking Your Blood Pressure Meds, Cardiologists Say
When facts are few and far between, misinformation often steps in to fill the gap. That’s precisely what happened when a prominent British medical journal published an opinion article on March 11...
View Article
