Being a little short of breath is normal during pregnancy, especially in the later months. As the body prepares for baby, hormonal shifts, crowded organs and anemia all can contribute to this breathlessness. However, there are some conditions you should be aware of during pregnancy. Here are some more facts to consider: Heart disease (also…
Most people are familiar with the typical way someone shows they are having a heart attack: gasping, clutching their chest and so on. Despite what’s depicted in movies and TV, sometimes chest pain is just chest pain. And sometimes a heart attack has very subtle symptoms. Here are five ways to tell the difference. Millions…
It’s not every day that your doctor calls you a textbook example. But that’s what Pastor F. Bruce Williams’ cardiologist called him. Pastor Williams is an example for other African American men. He knows that his race puts him at increased risk for various health conditions, so he takes a proactive approach to his health….
The risks of high blood pressure while pregnant have prompted a panel of medical experts to recommend all pregnant people get blood pressure screenings at every prenatal visit. The draft recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel that makes evidence-based recommendations about ways to prevent disease, advises that all pregnant people,…
Bob Wilson was busy as could be. He was working a full-time job in management, traveling with his life partner, Lucy, and active in adult sports leagues including a travel softball team, golf and bowling. At 64 years old in 2021, he was experiencing some mild chest discomfort every so often and some tiredness, but…
If you’re pregnant and have a blood pressure of 140 systolic/90 diastolic or higher, you should see a specialist, as untreated high blood pressure can risk your health as well as the unborn baby’s. A healthy blood pressure for women and men is below 120/80. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends women who…
At age 25, Alexis Helm had been pregnant three times, and her heart was failing. The increased blood volume from her pregnancies and strain on her heart muscle had taken a toll, as it does with many women. With her fourth pregnancy, she knew she risked damaging her heart further but wanted to do all…
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels. High blood pressure, or hypertension, makes the heart work harder than normal. Left untreated it can scar and damage the blood vessels, and can lead to heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, eye damage and other dangerous conditions. Of the total adults…
Something just wasn’t sitting right with Tony Seadler. The 66-year-old Pewee Valley, Kentucky, native felt himself growing tired very easily, and the long walk down his 600-foot driveway had his full attention. “I had to stop two or three times on the way up the driveway,” Tony said. “My neck was hurting really badly. At…
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…
Commotio cordis causes the heart to stop beating after taking a blow to a specific spot on the chest from a hard object striking at a precise time during the heartbeat, according to a heart rhythm specialist at Norton Heart & Vascular Institute. “It’s very rare because of all of these things that have to…
With age, injury and even infection, the structure of your heart can change. Sometimes, these changes affect valves that either don’t let enough blood pass or leak when the powerful muscle of the heart contracts, sending blood backward. It’s a complicated issue, and unlike other heart conditions, isn’t caused by diet, smoking or even genetics….