What Is Rheumatic Fever? Rheumatic fever is an uncommon inflammation of the heart, nervous system, skin, and joints after a recent bacterial infection. Rheumatic fever usually occurs in children younger than 18. Rheumatic fever cannot be caught, but the infection that causes it can. What Causes Rheumatic Fever? Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disorder, which […]
Tag Archives: Cardiovascular
CARING FOR YOUR CHILD WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (HYPERTENSION) What Is Hypertension? Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against artery walls. Hypertension is blood pressure that’s the same as or higher than 95% of children of the same sex, age, and height. What’s normal for children changes as they grow, so there’s […]
Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a device that identifies and corrects abnormal heart rhythms. Cardioverter defibrillator implantation is a surgery to place an ICD under the skin in the chest or abdomen. An ICD has a battery, a small computer (pulse generator), and wires (leads) that go into the heart. The […]
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is a test that is used to evaluate how well your heart and lungs are able to respond to exercise. This is called your exercise capacity. During this test, you will walk or run on a treadmill or pedal on a stationary bike while tests are done on your heart and […]
Shock is a life-threatening condition. It happens when vital organs in the body do not get the blood, oxygen, and nutrients that they need. Cardiogenic shock is a type of shock that happens when the heart fails to pump blood effectively throughout the body. The usual cause of this problem is a damaged or weakened […]
Varicose veins are veins that have become enlarged and twisted due to damaged valves in the veins. Valves in the veins help return blood from the vein to the heart. If these valves are damaged, blood flows backward and backs up into the veins. This causes increased pressure within the veins, which may cause the […]
Beta-Blockers for Heart Problems What is a beta-blocker? A beta-blocker is a medicine that is often used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems. Some examples of beta-blockers are atenolol, metoprolol and propranolol. This kind of medicine blocks the harmful effects of stress hormones on your heart. It also slows your heart rate. Beta-blockers […]
Overview What is bacterial endocarditis? Bacterial endocarditis (BE) is an infection of the valves and inner lining of the heart (called the endocardium). It happens when bacteria from the skin, mouth, intestines or urinary tract enter the bloodstream (usually during a dental or medical procedure) and infect the heart. Causes & Risk Factors Who gets […]
Axillobifemoral bypass is a surgery to restore blood supply to the legs and feet if normal blood flow is blocked. Normally, blood that carries oxygen flows from the heart to the legs through a large blood vessel called the abdominal aorta. This blood vessel divides into arteries that run through the groin and supply blood […]
Arteriovenous (AV) fistula placement is a surgical procedure to create a connection between a blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart (artery) and a blood vessel that returns blood to the heart (vein). This connection is called a fistula. It is often made in the forearm or upper arm. You may need this […]