An echocardiogram is a diagnostic tool that uses sound waves to produce images of your heart. Like an ultrasound, the echocardiogram allows the doctor to develop a comprehensive picture of your heart’s condition and efficiency. If your doctor is recommending you undergo an echocardiogram, know that he is on the right track to better understanding whatever symptoms you are experiencing of concerns you are having with regard to your heart function. What an Echocardiogram Can Tell You Simply put, ... [Read More]
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Dangers of Blood Clots
Blood clots get a bad rap; that’s because clotting is necessary to stop bleeding. In fact, those who take blood thinners or whose clotting factors are compromised run the risk of developing painful and unsightly bruises or bleeding extensively after even the smallest nick or injury. However, blood clots can also be extremely dangerous, especially when they are the result of blood pooling in your body when it doesn’t need it to. When this happens, you run the risk of the clot traveling to a vital ... [Read More]
What Does an Internist Do?
The hundreds of medical specialties available can confound you, especially when it comes to deciding who to see for a medical condition. No specialty induces a head scratch more than internal medicine. Their practitioners – internists – are not the interns who are in their first year of medical residency. Internists are doctors who specialize and focus on adult illnesses. It has been said that internal medicine draws the brightest and sharpest minds in the medical field. So what exactly ... [Read More]
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (commonly called antiphospholipid syndrome) is an autoimmune disease that can cause blood clots in the arteries and veins. It occurs when the immune system creates antibodies that can cause clotting by mistake. A person may be genetically predisposed to this condition or be exposed to environmental factors that can lead to its development. The presence of autoantibodies can cause the clots to form in the brain, which can lead to a stroke. A blood clot can ... [Read More]
Is Sleep Apnea Affecting Your Rest?
Everyone knows what it feels like to be sleep-deprived. Many people accept the all-too-familiar tiredness and drowsiness as the usual consequences of a busy lifestyle. However, if you constantly feel sleepy and tired, you might be suffering from a more serious condition: sleep apnea. Sleep apnea interrupts sleep and makes it difficult to get enough rest. It can have even worse consequences because the disorder is also associated with cardiovascular problems. However, the condition can be ... [Read More]
