Patient Education

Our Health Library information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Please be advised that this information is made available to assist our patients to learn more about their health. Our providers may not see and/or treat all topics found herein.

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Your searched on: Heart Conditions

Heart and Circulation
Provides link to info on high cholesterol and cholesterol/triglyceride tests. Also has links to info on coronary artery disease and peripheral arterial disease of the legs, plus tools to decide about treatment options.

Cardiac Rehabilitation
Discusses cardiac rehabilitation (rehab), which helps you feel better and reduce risk of future heart problems with exercise and lifestyle changes. Looks at rehab for people who have heart conditions such as heart attack, heart surgery, or heart failure.

Living With More Than One Health Problem
Many people have more than one long-term (chronic) health problem. You may be one of them. For example, you may have high blood pressure and diabetes, or you may have high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart failure. When you have more than one problem, doctors call the health problems comorbidities. One health problem...

Congenital Heart Disease in Children
Discusses problems with how a baby's heart forms. Also looks at problems found when a person is an adult. Includes info on patent ductus arteriosus, aortic valve stenosis, and coarctation of the aorta. Covers treatment with medicine and surgery.

Physical Activity Helps Prevent a Heart Attack and Stroke
Physical activity is one of the best things you can do to help prevent a heart attack or stroke. Being active is one part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy foods, not smoking, and staying at a healthy weight are other ways you can be heart-healthy and help prevent a heart attack or a stroke. If you are not...

Coronary Artery Disease: Family History
You're more likely to have coronary artery disease if you have one or more close relatives who had early coronary artery disease. For men, this means being diagnosed before age 55. For women, it means being diagnosed before 65. Things that increase your risk include: Inherited risk factors. A tendency to develop some...

Chronic Illness: Help for Caregivers
Helping or caring for a loved one with a long-term (chronic) condition, such as COPD or heart failure, can feel like a lot to take on. Sometimes it can be hard for people to accept help. Or they may choose not to accept help. So you may have to adjust the way you think, ask, listen, and respond. These tips might help...

Giant Cell Arteritis
Covers symptoms of giant cell arteritis, which include vision problems and pain in the jaw. Covers how this condition is treated.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Covers symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica, which include muscle pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders. Covers how this condition is treated.

Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome
What is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome? Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a heart rhythm problem that causes a very fast heart rate. WPW is one type of supraventricular tachycardia called atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia (AVRT). With WPW, an extra electrical pathway links the upper chambers (atria) and...

Physical Therapy
Discusses exercise, manual therapy, and education for chronic conditions like COPD or arthritis. Covers goals that include increasing flexibility, strength, and endurance. Covers what to expect.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Risk of Sudden Death
Some people who have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are at high risk for sudden death. It can occur at any age, but it is most shocking when it happens to young adults or athletes. While the media often highlight these tragic deaths, sudden death is rare. It occurs in about 1 out of 100 adults with hypertrophic...

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
What is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy? Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (say "hy-per-TROH-fik kar-dee-oh-my-AWP-uh-thee") happens when the heart muscle grows too thick. The heart gets bigger, and its chambers get smaller. Many people have no symptoms and live a normal life with few problems. But in some people: The heart...

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Types
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic disease in which the heart muscle grows abnormally, making the heart muscle thicken. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is described as either obstructive or nonobstructive. Nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The heart muscle is abnormally thick but not to the extent that any...

Stroke: Problems With Ignoring the Affected Side
Some people who have had a stroke ignore or are not aware of one side of their body. This can happen when the stroke damages one side of the brain. Caregivers may notice signs that the person is ignoring, or neglecting, the affected side, such as: Mentioning or responding to stimulation only on the unaffected side of...

Stroke: Common Problems
The problems you have after a stroke depend on what part of your brain was affected and how much damage the stroke caused. They may include problems with: Movement and senses. You may have trouble walking, grasping objects, or doing other tasks. Other symptoms may include joint pain or muscle stiffness or spasms. You...

Nausea and Vomiting, Age 12 and Older
Briefly discusses the common causes of nausea and vomiting, including stomach illnesses, infections, health conditions, and medicines. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.

Familial Lipid Disorders
A familial lipid disorder is a condition that runs in families. It causes very high levels of cholesterol. This condition can cause a person to get coronary artery disease while still young. Familial lipid disorders are not common. Your doctor may look at cholesterol levels and family history to check if you or your...

Conserving Your Energy
Learn how to conserve your energy when doing daily activities.

Clopidogrel and Genetic Testing
Clopidogrel (Plavix) is a medicine to prevent blood clots, which can cause heart attacks and strokes. It may be prescribed after a heart attack, after angioplasty, and for people who have coronary artery disease or peripheral arterial disease. Some people have changes, or mutations, to a certain gene (CYP2C19). These...

Complications of Paget's Disease
Paget's disease can cause complications such as: Osteoarthritis. Paget's disease can damage the bone around a joint. This can cause the cartilage in the joint to weaken and break down, which leads to arthritis. Many people feel bone or joint pain before they are diagnosed with Paget's disease and osteoarthritis. Broken...

Stroke: Perception Changes
When a stroke occurs on the right side of the brain, a person's ability to judge distance, size, position, rate of movement, form, and the way parts relate to the whole is affected (spatial-perceptual problems). People with these problems may have more trouble learning to care for themselves. Signs of perception...

Stroke: Speech and Language Problems
Some people have speech and language problems after a stroke. Their ability to speak, read, or write may be affected. Also, they may not be able to understand what someone else is saying. Trouble communicating can be very frustrating. When you talk to someone who's had a stroke, be understanding and supportive. You...

Stroke: Behavior Changes
Depending on what part of the brain was affected, a person may not act the same after a stroke as they acted before the stroke. In some cases, these behavior changes may be the result of an emotional or psychological problem. But they might also be linked to: A memory problem. For example, someone may need reminders to...

Stroke: Preventing Injury in Affected Limbs
After a stroke, you may not feel temperature, touch, pain, or sharpness on one side of your body. This may lead to injuries such as: Cuts and scratches. These can happen if your nails aren't kept short and smooth. For example, if you can't feel sensations in your feet, you won't know if your toenail is cutting into your...

Stroke: Bladder and Bowel Problems
Urinary incontinence Some people who have a stroke suffer loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence) after the stroke. But this is usually temporary. And it can have many causes, including infection, constipation, and the effects of medicines. If you have problems controlling your bladder, your doctor may: Test a...