dopamine

Shock is a life-threatening condition with symptoms like low blood pressure, weakness, chest pain, etc. Learn about causes, types, and treatments.

The heart is a very important organ in the body. It is responsible for continuously pumping oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout your body to sustain life. It is a fist-sized muscle that beats (expands and contracts) 100,000 times per day, pumping a total of five or six quarts of blood each minute, or about 2,000 gallons per day.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) refers to a condition in which the heart loses the ability to function properly. Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathies are just a few potential causes of congestive heart failure. Symptoms of congestive heart failure may include fatigue, breathlessness, palpitations, angina, and edema.

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when the sudden blockage of a coronary artery, usually because of blood clot, causes damage and death to heart muscle. Symptoms of a heart attack may include chest discomfort often described as a pain, pressure or tightness associated with shortness of breath, sweating and nausea.

Parkinson's disease is a slowly progressive neurological disease characterized by a fixed inexpressive face, a tremor at rest, slowing of voluntary movements, a gait with short accelerating steps, peculiar posture and muscle weakness, caused by degeneration of an area of the brain called the basal ganglia, and by low production of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Most patients are over 50, but at least 10 percent are under 40.

Heart disease (coronary artery disease) occurs when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to the heart. Heart disease can lead to heart attack. Treatment of heart disease involves control of heart disease risk factors through lifestyle changes, medications, and/or stenting or bypass surgery. Heart disease can be prevented by controlling heart disease risk factors.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that play a crucial role in supporting heart health and overall well-being. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include certain types of fish, walnuts, vegetable oils, and more. Researchers believe that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

The word trauma may be used in two different contexts. In the physical context, it means a physical injury inflicted on a person by some external agent. In a psychological context, the term trauma means an emotional response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event.

Septic shock is a life-threatening condition. Learn what septic shock is, how doctors diagnose septic shock, septic shock signs, and what is done to treat septic shock.

Heartburn is a symptom of another disease or medical problem and can be described as a feeling of burning in the chest accompanied by symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or a sour taste or food stuck in the back of the throat. Heart attack occurs when an artery in the heart is completely blocked by a blood clot, which causes that portion of heart muscle to die. Heart attack also has symptoms of chest pain, nausea, and vomiting, however, other warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack are unusual weakness or fatigue, and persistent and/or increased severity of symptoms over a few minutes. Heart attack is a life threatening emergency. If you think you or someone you are with is having a heart attack, call 911 immediately for urgent medical treatment. It may save your life.

By definition, septic shock requires that various organs in the body fail to work. These include the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys among others. If the infection cannot be controlled and treated, at the same as vital signs are being restored (circulation and breathing), the patient may die.

A heart attack (myocardial infarction) happens when a clot completely blocks an artery supplying blood to the heart muscle, which results in heart muscle death. A stroke happens when part of the brain loses its blood supply (ischemic stroke) or there is bleeding within the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Both heart attack and stroke can be fatal if not treated immediately.

Find out more about the main differences between sepsis and septic shock. Learn more about the treatments available to help those diagnosed with either sepsis or septic shock.

The process of developing hardening of the arteries begins in early childhood. This process puts a person at risk for heart attack and other coronary artery diseases. Once this process begins, it cannot be reversed. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease, you are at a higher risk of having a heart attack.

Vitamins and exercise can lower your risk for heart attack and heart disease. Folic acid, vitamins, and homocysteine levels are interconnected and affect your risk for heart disease or heart attack. For better heart health, avoid the following fried foods, hard margarine, commercial baked goods, most packaged and processed snack foods, high fat dairy, and processed meats such as bacon, sausage, and deli meats.