Author: Rhyse Ortal
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From Flutter to Frenzy: Tachycardia Simplified
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Overview Tachycardia is a heart condition where the heart rate is faster than normal; a normal heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute, while tachycardia is over 100 beats per minute. However, during exercise or stressful situations, it is normal to have a faster heart rate; it is only concerning…
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Your Heart, Out of Rhythm: A-Fib Simplified
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Overview Atrial fibrillation, or A-Fib, is a dangerous type of arrhythmia, but less than its counterpart V-Fib. This arrhythmia affects the upper chambers of the heart, the atria. It is the most common type with about five million Americans estimated to have it. A-Fib most commonly leads to blood clots,…
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Heartbeats at a Snail’s Pace: Bradycardia Simplified
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Overview Bradycardia is a heart condition in which the heart rate is slower than normal. A normal heart rate is 60-100 beats per minute, while those with bradycardia have a heart rate of less than 60 beats per minute. It is important to note that bradycardia can be considered normal;…
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Rescue in a Heartbeat: Sudden Cardiac Arrest Simplified
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Overview Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a medical emergency that results in the sudden loss of heart activity. Although it is similiar, this is NOT a heart attack. The differences between the two can be read here. It is also noted that a heart attack can lead to sudden cardiac…
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Unclogging the Heart: Coronary Artery Disease Simplified
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Overview Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a disease that results in limited blood flow to the heart. This is due to a buildup of plaque within the blood vessels leading to the heart. CAD can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, and future heart issues. This disease mainly affects…
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Cardiologists: Saving Lives One Heart at a Time
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Overview A cardiologist specializes in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular system illnesses – focusing more on the heart. Cardiologists is a broader term for doctors who treat the cardiovascular system of adults. If a problem occurs in any child, from infant to adolescent, they would see a pediatric cardiologist, whom you…
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Pediatric Cardiologists: Heart Doctors of Hope
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A pediatric cardiologist is someone who specializes in diagnosing and treating children – infants and adolescents as well – regarding their cardiovascular system, more specifically the heart. As said before, pediatric cardiologists focus on children’s hearts and cardiovascular systems, which become present at birth or early in their lives. Compare…
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NICU Nurses: Swaddle Specialists of the Medical World
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A NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) nurse is someone who sub-specializes in treating newborns in a frailer state than they are already in. Working in the NICU as a nurse means that you work with newborns who need attentive care because of their fragile state. This means that NICU nurses…