Women's Health

Detailed information and illustrations about the two coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart muscle. ...more

A person with coronary heart disease has fatty deposits that have built up in the coronary arteries. These deposits narrow the arteries and can decrease or block the flow of blood to the heart. ...more

Atherosclerosis can cause strokes, heart attacks, and death. But you can prevent this condition with things like a heart-healthy diet, exercise, and keeping a healthy weight. ...more

Surveys show fewer than one in 10 women perceive heart disease as their greatest health threat. But it's the nation's number one killer, and women are its prime target. ...more

Angina pectoris is chest pain or a feeling of chest discomfort that occurs when a part of your heart doesn't get enough blood and oxygen. Learn more about angina, including causes, risks, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. ...more

Millions of people diagnosed with heart disease enjoy active, satisfying lives. Instead of looking at their diagnoses as sentences to be invalids, they have used them as catalysts to make positive changes in their lives. ...more

High blood pressure, or hypertension, increases the risk for coronary heart disease (heart attack) and stroke (brain attack). Read on for details about this condition. ...more

Heart disease is a killer, but you can do plenty to reduce your risk and prolong your life. Research shows that making lifestyle changes can decrease your risk of heart disease and help you control it if you already have it. ...more

A stroke, or brain attack, happens when blood flow to your brain is stopped. It is an emergency situation. ...more

Tests that may be used to help diagnose a stroke include a CT scan or MRI, and an electroencephalogram. ...more

A helpful guide to understanding stroke rehab programs....more

Strokes are classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are caused by the blockage of an artery. Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. ...more

When an area of the brain is damaged, which typically occurs with a stroke, an impairment may result. An impairment is the loss of normal function of part of the body. Sometimes, an impairment may result in a disability, or inability to perform an activity in a normal way. ...more

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. Electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain locations on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by lead wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, interpreted, and printed out. ...more

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to evaluate the heart. For this test, electrodes (small, plastic patches that stick to the skin) are placed at certain spots on the chest, arms, and legs. When the electrodes are connected to an ECG machine by wires, the electrical activity of the heart is measured, interpreted, and printed out. ...more

An echocardiogram is a noninvasive (the skin is not pierced) procedure used to evaluate the heart's function and structures. ...more

An exercise echocardiogram is a procedure in which ultrasound, or sound wave technology, is used to asses the heart's response to stress or exercise. ...more

A dobutamine stress echocardiogram is a diagnostic test to assess the heart muscle under stress. If exercise on a treadmill is not an option (too much stress on the heart) due to a person's medical condition, a doctor may use an intravenous medicine called dobutamine. Dobutamine causes the heart to beat faster and will mimic the effects of exercise on the heart. ...more

In cardiac catheterization (often called cardiac cath), a very small hollow tube, or catheter, is advanced from a blood vessel in the groin, arm, or neck through the aorta into the heart. Once it is in place, several diagnostic and treatment procedures can be done using catheterization. ...more

Angioplasty, also called percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries (caused by coronary artery disease) and restore blood flow to the heart muscle without open-heart surgery. ...more

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease. One way to treat the blocked or narrowed arteries is to bypass the blocked portion of the coronary artery with a piece of a healthy blood vessel from elsewhere in the body. ...more