Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is the most common arrhythmia in adults and it increases with age. In A-fib, the heart’s upper chambers (atria) beat irregularly and chaotically and are out of sync with the lower chambers (ventricles). This chaotic electrical activity in the atria leads to irregular and sometimes rapid heartbeats. This irregular rhythm can lead…
Heart palpitation, or a rapid heartbeat, can bring on dizziness and even fainting and can be a symptom of a potentially serious heart condition. When the fast heart rate begins in the upper heart chambers, it is called supraventricular tachycardia (soop-rah-ven-TRICK’-yoo-lar TAK-ih-KAR-dee-ah), also known as SVT. When it starts in the lower chambers, it’s called…
A normal heart rhythm is 60 to 100 beats per minute. If your heart is beating too fast, too slow or irregularly, you may have an arrhythmia. An abnormal heart rhythm doesn’t always require treatment. However, if the arrhythmia is causing significant symptoms or putting your health at risk, an electrophysiologist can help. One common…
Statistically, more people experience a heart attack during the holidays. However, most cardiologists would agree the holidays don’t cause heart attacks. “Stretching from Thanksgiving to Christmas and even into the new year, there is about a 5% increase in heart attacks or emergency room visits due to heart-related concerns,” said Abdolreza Agahtehrani, M.D. , cardiologist…
Fingernails are good for scratching itches, but they are also a window into your health. If the skin under your fingernails has a blue or purple tinge, you might need to see a health care provider or a heart specialist. Why are my nails blue? The medical term for blue nail beds is cyanosis. Cyanosis…
A recent study of atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and alcohol found patients with intermittent A-fib would have episodes within hours of drinking. The study in Annals of Internal Medicine provided more evidence that A-fib patients could improve their condition by drinking less. This was the first study to show and measure the real-time relationship between alcohol…
Barry Barmore had been getting his annual physicals, and the routine had become familiar. Blood pressure, reflexes, lots of poking and prodding. “I never expected to hear anything serious from my exam,” Barry said. His primary care provider, Alice H. Johnson, M.D., an internal medicine specialist at Norton Community Medical Associates – Audubon East LL2,…
A device recently approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is changing the way heart specialists can care for patients with A-fib. A-fib is a potentially serious heart rhythm irregularity that raises the risk of stroke and heart failure. Heart specialists at Norton Heart &…
Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is a heart rhythm condition that isn’t life-threatening, but can lead to other conditions such as stroke and heart failure, so it should be taken very seriously. A-fib is an irregular heart rhythm starting from the atria — the top of the heart — sending out fast, erratic signals that cause the…
During his 30-year coaching career at the University of Louisville, legendary Basketball Hall of Famer Denny Crum was prepared for the toughest matchups on the court. Off the court, two strokes in two years not only caught him off guard but proved to be a formidable opponent. Now, one year after his debilitating second stroke,…
Snoring loudly is a telltale sign of obstructive sleep apnea and a warning you may face a higher risk of stroke. Sleep apnea more than doubles the risk of stroke for middle-aged and older men and also increases the stroke risk in middle-aged and older women. “Sleep apnea is a common but under recognized risk…
Today Norton Healthcare held a celebration to honor the Norton Heart & Vascular Institute team. During the event, local businessman G. Hunt Rounsavall, a long-standing member of the Norton Healthcare board of trustees and major donor to the health system, announced a $1.5 million gift to the Norton Healthcare Foundation from the Robert W. Rounsavall…