Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Heart Murmur – only a cardiologist in NYC can explain what it is

Medical professionals regard cardiac problems as the biggest threat to human health. Over the years, because of changing lifestyles, there has been a serious rise in the incidence of cardiac problems amongst people.

Although now people are more aware about cardiac issues than they were in the past, still there are many problems that are not commonly known to people and can be very dangerous.

Heart Murmur is amongst one such problem that a cardiologist in New York can tell you about. Here is brief overview of this critical medical condition –

What is a heart murmur?

Heart produces sounds when it pumps the blood through its chambers. You can detect these sounds with the help of a stethoscope. In case of any abnormality in the cardiac structure or if there is any problem in the blood flow, the sound is slightly changed signifying turbulence in the functioning of the organ.

What can be the possible reason behind a heart murmur?

The problem can be due to birth defects in the organ or may be caused due to a medical condition. Based on its causal reason, medical professionals have, for example, classified several categories-

Congenital- heard in the new born babies due to defect in valves, blood vessels, the septum or all of these. The child may have to go for surgical intervention to get the defect cured, in case medications do not work effectively

Functional- observed because of any fundamental medical condition. The most common reason for this type of abnormality is the increased heartbeat observed during fever, anemia, pregnancy or hyperthyroidism.

However, the biggest cause of a heart murmur is abnormalities in the heart valves. In medical science, these have been further categorised as –

1. Stenosis or the narrowing of the cardiac valve – the underlying cause for valve stenosis can be scarring of the valve due to any injury or infection (rheumatic fever) or even due to calcification. The narrowing can result into cardiac failure, in extreme situations

2. Sclerosis – it is associated with the medical condition of a build up of calcium, for example, causing stiffness of the valve. Aging is the most prominent reason behind valve sclerosis causing it to narrow and stiffen.

3. Endocarditis – this condition arises because of an infection that can destroy the valve. It has been observed that the cause of infection travels in the bloodstream, and after it reaches heart, causes  oninfection.

4. Regurgitation or insufficiency – it can cause blood leakage in the cardiac cavity, leading to its backward passage (against the normal blood flow)

5. Atrial or Ventricular Septal defects –
also known as the holes in the wall of heart can be a major reason behind a heart murmur.

Although, a murmur is considered harmless in most of the cases, this medical condition is known to occur commonly amongst infants, where it can lead to serious consequences, if not treated properly.

Even in case of adults, the disease can lead to fatal concerns, if not treated properly. So, in case you have regular chest pain, swelling abnormalities, or breathlessness, it is advisable to visit a NY cardiologist and get the check-up done at newyorkcardiac.com

Monday, April 22, 2013

Why you must care for your heart?

The heart holds great significance in the functioning of the human body. This makes it essential for us to take the best care of the heart, so that it stays fit and healthy!

Simple steps can make a huge difference when it comes to caring for the heart. You may not even realize how simple changes in your diet and lifestyle, might tend to mark a huge difference in keeping your heart safe from all harms.
Here are few of the major habits that can make a big difference in keeping your heart healthy:

Eat well- You need to eat healthy and nutritious food if you want your heart to stay in the pink of health. Any Cardiologist in NYC would suggest keeping a check on what you eat to ensure healthiness of your heart. Eating green leafy vegetables, fruits and nuts shall keep your heart strong and your metabolism rate at a good level. This would mean you will not put on more weight and the risk of heart ailments will also be reduced.

Workout well- As important as it is to maintain a healthy diet routine, it is equally important to make sure that you burn your calories well by exercising. It doesn’t have to mean an intense workout session in the gym, if you don’t want it to be! Try different things like dancing, yoga, swimming and aerobics to shed off the pounds, burn the calories to ensure healthiness of heart, and also to stay in perfect shape. Exercising also helps to strengthen your heart muscles directly leading to a stronger, fitter and prettier you!

Find solace-
The stress and tensions of the modern day are a huge reason for heart ailments. This calls for measures that we never took! We need to take out time for ourselves. Pick a hobby, read a book, take your dog for walk, listen to soothing music, collect coins, anything! You need to do something that helps you get away from the routine rattrap of life so that you find peace of mind and body. These activities shall not only give you a way to rejuvenate your mind and freshen up, but the happiness that it would bring to your life, will help your heart grow stronger each day.

Give up your unhealthy habits – If you are a chronic drinker and smoker, then it’s time you prepare yourself to say goodbye to these unhealthy habits. Wake up and do something about it before it’s too late! You need to make sure that you give up excess drinking and smoking before it degrades your health and makes you extremely sick and vulnerable to a heart attack.

Looking for a good NY Cardiologist can help you stay in touch with the updates about the best healthcare possible. There are heaps of healthcare options to choose from and this is why you need to be careful to make the right choice for the sake of your health. Look for a doctor who can guide you step by step at newyorkcardiac.com

Thursday, April 18, 2013

How inculcating healthy habits can save you from heart disease

Heart health is of vital importance for everyone. Because of pollution and several other natural factors, risk of heart ailments have drastically increased over the years.

There is no sort of age specification for heart ailments these days and people of all age groups tend to fall under the risk of heart ailments. This increases the need for being all the more intelligent about what to do to decrease the increasing risks of heart ailments.

The best New York Cardiologist would be that person who would give you a fresh perspective towards these heart problems that might be plaguing your life slowly, and must be waiting to guide you to get the proper diagnostic tests performed.

Understanding the risks


When you go to a good cardiologist, they shall not only examine you for the signs and symptoms that you suffer from, but shall also analyze the various areas of risk that you might be prone to, considering your condition. Heart ailments have different forms. There are many factors contributing towards affecting your health and wellness. A typical cardiologist would examine each of those.
  • Congenital heart diseases are the ones that affect a person by birth. Complications during birth might be one of the factors responsible for the same.
  • An unhealthy lifestyle can lead to a heart disease. Stress and tensions could literally be hampering your heart. Improper rest, work related stress and unhealthy eating and drinking habits are other prevalent reasons for heart disease.
  • Habits like smoking and drinking alcohol in uncontrolled quantities also contribute towards increasing your risk of heart disease.
  • Eating food that contains a lot of fat and cholesterol is harmful as it tends to set you on the path of a heart ailment
  • Lack of proper exercise and workout, will also contribute to heart attack risk by increasing conditions such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, and diabetes.

So what does the doctor suggest you to do?

If you find a good NYC cardiologist, he shall help you in taking the simple yet crucial steps towards a better life. Warding off the risk of heart ailments is not entirely impossible and one needs to keep some basic things in mind to achieve this feat.
  • Eating healthy and nutritious food is essential. Including lots of fiber and proteins in your diet shall help you in maintaining a healthy heart.
  • Brisk walks and going to the gym a couple of days a week shall not only tone your physique and keep  your weight in check, but also help you in warding off the risk of heart ailments.
  • Simple lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to your health. You need to focus on making efforts, and then incorporating them in your life for positive results. Even the smallest signs and symptoms should not be ignored and be told to the doctor immediately.
To know more about heart related diseases and their prevention, visit newyorkcardiac.com

Friday, April 5, 2013

Consider the risks of a silent heart attack before it takes your breath away!

Lately, there has been a rise in the number of silent heart attack cases. Not only are the  symptoms of this deadly health situation not felt by the individual, but also it is one of the most defenseless health concerns! There have been many cases in the world where people were not able to feel even the slightest movement or disturbance when the people sleeping next to them died of a heart attack!

The plight of a person who gets a silent heart attack cannot be imagined; dying helplessly, without being able to move enough to get the attention of the person lying just a few inches away from you. One of the reasons why situations like these occur is because we are not entirely aware of the signs and symptoms that tend to occur before a person faces a heart attack.

This makes it really important for one and all to have the proper education about the increasing risk of heart attacks, so that even when the slightest discomfort occurs, proper medical aid can be sought, so that one can avert the danger.

The function of the heart is to pump blood throughout the body in regular rhythms, and when the blood supply to the heart is restricted the initial stage of a heart attack occurs. The disruption of flow of blood is called ischemia, and when this occurs in the heart, pain is usually felt.

This pain in the chest is called angina and is usually one of the preliminary symptoms of a heart attack. However, in cases of silent heart attacks, this angina probably is not felt.  Silent ischemia or disruption of blood flow without pain is the reason for a heart attack that exhibits no symptoms of pain.

There is need for understanding that risks of silent heart attacks can also be determined. These risks have to be weighed out and calculated beforehand, so that when an actual situation occurs, you can be prepared for it.  Don’t take any chances with your health because if you do, there is no way in which you will be able to survive a heart attack, unless you are prepared to fight it.

Go to the best cardiologist in NYC and let them weigh the risks for you. If you are at risk of any cardiac disease, you need to make sure that you get yourself tested. These professionals can suggest appropriate tests for you, through which you shall be able to determine your risk, and on that basis undergo the appropriate treatment if you are at increased risk.

So make sure that your NYC cardiologist can do the proper testing. It’s essential for you to make sure that you go to the right medical office; so that you find the right cardiac doctor who can take the best care of your heart health, and help you lead a long, happy and healthy life. Looking through various options in the city, you are sure to find the suitable doctor who offers quality healthcare.

Log on to newyorkcardiac.com to get in touch with them.