Online Patient Education Materials

Documents for Cardiology

• Cardiac Sarcoidosis Show Details

  Description

  Sarcoidosis is a poorly understood disease that commonly affects the lungs. It can also involve the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, eyes, skin, bones, salivary glands and heart. Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is estimated to be present in 10-25% of people with sarcoidosis.

  Owner

  Patient Education

  Last Updated

  2/1/2011

• Coronary Artery Disease Show Details

  Description

  Your heart is a muscle a very important muscle that your entire body depends on. As with all muscles, the heart is dependent on blood supply to provide necessary nutrients, fuel and oxygen. The heart gets its blood supply from the coronary arteries. When the coronary arteries become blocked, narrowed, or completely obstructed, the heart cannot get the nutrients, fuel, and oxygen it needs. This causes the heart to become weak, develop a heart attack or stop altogether. This blockage, narrowing or obstruction is known as Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

  Owner

  Patient Education

  Last Updated

  2/1/2011

• Fish Oil and Omega-3 Fatty Acids Show Details

  Description

  Omega-3 fatty acids have become quite popular because of the many positive effects on human health. Omega-3 fatty acids benefit both healthy people as well as those with cardiovascular disease. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to improve heart health by lowering triglycerides, raising good cholesterol (HDL, or high density lipoprotein), thinning the blood preventing blood clots from forming and protecting the heart from dangerous heart rhythms. Omega-3 fatty acids may also slow the progression of plaque build-up and lower blood pressure.

  Owner

  Patient Education

  Last Updated

  2/1/2011

• High Cholesterol (Dyslipidemia) Show Details

  Description

  Cholesterol is a type of fat that is found in every cell in the body. It is used to build healthy cells and some vital hormones. High levels of cholesterol in the blood (high blood cholesterol) can be serious because it can cause fatty deposits, called plaque, to build up in arteries, making blood flow more difficult. High blood cholesterol can be secondary to many diseases and can contribute to many forms of disease, most notably cardiovascular disease, or heart disease.

  Owner

  Patient Education

  Last Updated

  2/3/2011

• Intracardiac Shunts Show Details

  Description

  Intracardiac shunting refers to the diversion of normal cardiac blood flow to alternate pathways within the heart. This is the result of a hole in structures that normally separate arterial from venous blood.

  Owner

  Patient Education

  Last Updated

  2/3/2011

• Pulmonary Hypertension Show Details

  Description

  Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a condition in which high blood pressure exists within the vessels of the lungs. Normally, venous (low oxygen) blood returns from the body to the right side of the heart where it is pumped to lungs via the pulmonary arteries. Breathing brings oxygen to venous blood in the lungs, turning it into arterial (high oxygen) blood. Arterial blood returns to the left side of the heart through the pulmonary veins where it is pumped to the rest of the body.

  Owner

  Patient Education

  Last Updated

  2/14/2011