Acute Mitral Regurgitation

Chest Pain
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chest pain is one of the most common reasons that people ages 15 and older visit the emergency room. In 2008, about nine percent of all ER visits were related to chest pain. (More »
HLCMS

Shortness of Breath
Breathing difficulties make you feel as though you cannot get enough air. Mild breathing problems, such as fatigue following an aerobics class, are not a concern. Frequently occurring shortness of breath or sudden, intense breathing difficulty ma  More »
HLCMS

Palpitations
A heart palpitation is the sensation that your heart has skipped a beat or added an extra beat. It may feel like your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering. You may become overly aware of your heartbeat. This sensation is sometimes also felt  More »
HLCMS

Difficulty Breathing When Lying Down
Breathing difficulty is a broad term that is used to describe discomfort when breathing, and the feeling that you cannot draw a breath. This can develop gradually, or your breathing may suddenly become more laboured. In either case, medical attent  More »
HLCMS

Pain
Pain is a universal human experience. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage...  More »
Gale Encyclopedia of Neurological Disorders

Infective Endocarditis
Infective endocarditis is an infection in the heart valves or endocardium. The endocardium is the lining of the heart. This condition is usually caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream and infecting the heart. Bacteria may originate in the: m  More »
HLCMS

Heart Attack
In the movies, heart attacks are always very obvious. In reality, heart attacks aren’t always so sudden or dramatic. Read our brief overview for information about heart attacks.  More »
HLCMS

Color Doppler Ultrasound
Doppler ultrasonography is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that changes sound waves into an image that can be viewed on a monitor.  More »
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine

History and Physical Exam
The health status of populations and of individuals is assessed for many reasons. Assessing needs for care helps guide the allocation of resources— diagnostic assessments guide treatment, prognostic assessments contribute to planning, and assessin...  More »
Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health

Cardiac Echo
An echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to produce live images of your heart, allowing your doctor to monitor how your heart and its valves are functioning.An echocardiogram, also referred to as "echo," can help spot blood clots in the h  More »
HLCMS

Exercise Stress Test
An exercise stress test is used to determine how well your heart responds during times when it is working the hardest. During the test, you will be asked to exercise-typically on a treadmill-while you are hooked up to an electrocardiogram (EKG).  More »
HLCMS

Chest X-Ray
An X-ray is an imaging test that uses small amounts of radiation to produce pictures of the organs, tissues, and bones of the body. When focused on the chest, it can help spot abnormalities or diseases of the airways, blood vessels, bones, heart,  More »
HLCMS

Mitral Valve Replacement
Mitral valve replacement is a surgical procedure in which the diseased mitral valve of the heart is replaced by a mechanical or biological tissue valve.  More »
Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery

Mitral Valvuloplasty
Balloon valvuloplasty, also called percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty, is a surgical procedure used to open a narrowed heart valve. The procedure is sometimes referred to as balloon enlargement of a narrowed heart valve.  More »
Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery

Mitral Valve Annuloplasty
Mitral valve repair is a surgical procedure used to improve the function of a stenotic (narrowed), prolapsed, or insufficient mitral valve of the heart.  More »
Gale Encyclopedia of Surgery

Digoxin
DIGOXIN (di JOX in) is used to treat congestive heart failure and heart rhythm problems.  More »
GOLD

Warfarin
WARFARIN (WAR far in) is an anticoagulant. It is used to treat or prevent clots in the veins, arteries, lungs, or heart.  More »
GOLD

Furosemide
FUROSEMIDE (fyoor OH se mide) is a diuretic. It helps you make more urine and to lose salt and excess water from your body. This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure, and edema or swelling from heart, kidney, or liver disease.  More »
GOLD

Hydralazine
HYDRALAZINE (hye DRAL a zeen) is a type of vasodilator. It relaxes blood vessels, increasing the blood and oxygen supply to your heart. This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure.  More »
GOLD

Hydrochlorothiazide
HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE (hye droe klor oh THYE a zide) is a diuretic. It increases the amount of urine passed, which causes the body to lose salt and water. This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure. It is also reduces the swelling and water ...  More »
GOLD

Heart Failure
Heart failure is characterized by the heart's inability to pump an adequate supply of blood. Without sufficient blood flow, all major body functions are disrupted. Heart failure is a collection of symptoms and problems that weaken your h  More »
HLCMS

Pulmonary Edema
Pulmonary edema is a condition in which the lungs fill with fluid. When this occurs, the body struggles to get enough oxygen. The most common cause of pulmonary edema is congestive heart failure. Heart failure is characterized by the heart n  More »
HLCMS

Infective Endocarditis
Infective endocarditis is an infection in the heart valves or endocardium. The endocardium is the lining of the heart. This condition is usually caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream and infecting the heart. Bacteria may originate in the: m  More »
HLCMS

Abnormal Heart Rhythms
Have you ever felt your heart skip a beat? If you're not a character in a romance novel, that may mean you have an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia). Within the heart is a complex system of valves, nodes, and chambers that control how and  More »
HLCMS

Stroke
A stroke is a medical emergency where part of the brain is deprived of oxygen. There are four major kinds of stroke: cerebral thrombosis, cerebral embolism, subarachnoid hemorrhage & intracerebral hemorrhage.  More »
HLCMS

Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Prophylactic antibiotic premedication is the practice of prescribing limited antibiotic therapy to dental patients who are at risk of contracting microbial disease as a result of invasive dental procedures.  More »
Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health