Category Archives: Heart Health

Your doctor told you that you have high cholesterol, so now what? Well, you know that diet and exercise can go a long way in reducing cholesterol, but it can be difficult to navigate the world of healthy eating. However, there is good news. Lately, more and more research suggests that a vegetarian diet is ...click here to read more

Ventricular arrhythmia (VA) is an abnormal heart rhythm of the ventricles. These are the two lower chambers of the heart that work to pump blood throughout the body. To pump blood in an effective manner, the heart needs to contract in a synchronized manner. If this doesn’t occur, as in the case of ventricular arrhythmia, ...click here to read more

September is National Cholesterol Education Month. It is a time when you are reminded to get this important blood lipid checked by your doctor to help keep your health in check. Cholesterol plays a vital role in maintaining the cells in your body, but too much of it can lead to severe and even life-threatening ...click here to read more

September marks the beginning of National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness and garner support for a condition that affects nearly 2.2 Americans. Atrial fibrillation is characterized by a rapid and irregular heartbeat that occurs in the upper chambers—called the atria—quiver erratically. Atrial fibrillation is a treatable condition, yet as few as ...click here to read more

Masked hypertension (MH) can be considered the opposite of white coat hypertension, which is when during a typical doctor’s office visit your blood pressure reads as being high despite being normal at home. The white coat effect is thought to be caused by increased anxiety, which leads to higher blood pressure readings. You can, therefore, ...click here to read more

You may not think that gaining a couple of pounds is that big of a deal, but according to research findings, even the slightest weight gain is enough to increase your risk of heart failure. Any amount of weight gain changed the heart’s structure, which can lead to potentially damaging outcomes. Heart failure occurs when ...click here to read more

Discussing heart rate vs. pulse can be a confusing when trying to decipher the two. Essentially, they are two separate measurements and indicators of health but are closely related. The heart is a muscular pump that with each heart beat pumps blood throughout the body. A pulse is what you feel over an artery as ...click here to read more

High blood pressure is something most people don’t think about, as its symptoms usually go unnoticed until the damage is already done. Heart attacks, stroke, and even brain aneurysms all have links to high blood pressure. About 75 million Americans have high blood pressure and only half have their condition under control. In 2014, more ...click here to read more

High cholesterol is known to be a silent killer, as it doesn’t present many symptoms. Symptoms related to high cholesterol can also be attributed to other health conditions, meaning there is a higher risk for misdiagnosis, which can delay treatment. Cholesterol problems are quite dangerous because many don’t realize they have high cholesterol until a ...click here to read more

Infectious diseases can be deadly and at times difficult to contain, but new research suggests that cholesterol-lowering drugs could actually provide some protection against a long list of infectious conditions. Influenza, hepatitis, measles, mumps, tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS, chlamydia, and malaria are among the hundreds of infectious diseases that exist. Over the years, different approaches have been ...click here to read more

The term “anteroseptal” refers to a location of the heart in front of the septum — the wall of tissue that separates the left and right sides of the heart. An infarct is an obstruction of blood supply to an organ or region of tissue, which can lead to cell death. Knowing the definition, it’s ...click here to read more

By now, you’re probably aware that salt is one of the heart’s biggest enemies. But do you know exactly how much salt it takes for problems to arise? Not much. In fact, a mere two teaspoons (3.73 grams) of salt is all it takes for blood pressure to rise, causing damage to the heart. The ...click here to read more

Heartburn is often linked to the foods we eat, and nearly 40 percent of Americans suffer from the condition at least once a month. Heartburn is often confused with other conditions that lead to chest pain, leading people to become anxious and worried that their symptoms are worse than they really are. To give our ...click here to read more

Chest pain is experienced by nearly six million people in the U.S. every year. It is the feeling of a sharp, discomforting agony whose cause isn’t clear at the get-go. We at Bel Marra feel that our readers should be more knowledgeable about different types of chest pain, so we have compiled a list of ...click here to read more