Heart Attack Archive

It's extremely rare for a child or teen to die suddenly because of a heart problem, but several conditions can increase the risk of sudden death. A policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics outlines four questions about personal and family health history that can help identify children who may be at risk.

When doctors insert a stent into the heart's artery, they usually enter the body through an artery at the top of the thigh. But for some people, using a vessel in the arm may be a safer and less costly option.

Heart palpitations are defined as an awareness of a strong, rapid, or irregular heartbeat. They are among the most common reasons people consult general internists and cardiologists. Most brief rhythm disruptions are harmless, such as those caused by an earlier-than-usual contraction of the heart's upper chambers (atria) or lower chambers (ventricles). These are often perceived as either a skipped beat or a pounding or flip-flopping sensation. A fluttering sensation in the chest may suggest an unusually fast heart rate, which can result from an electrical misfire in the upper part of the heart and may require treatment.

Drugs that discourage blood clots (commonly called blood thinners) don't actually make the blood less viscous. The two main types of these drugs, anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs, interfere with different blood components involved in clot formation. Anticoagulants treat blood clots in the legs and lungs and are also prescribed to people with atrial fibrillation. Antiplatelet drugs are used to prevent heart attacks and strokes and to treat people who receive stents.

Fainting happens when the brain isn't getting enough blood, which leads to a temporary loss of consciousness. Most of the time, fainting is benign and not the symptom of a serious underlying problem. In people who are otherwise healthy, fainting (what doctors call syncope) is rarely the first manifestation of a cardiovascular problem. However, people who already have heart problems are more prone to fainting than the average person.