These packages can be reliable and helpful, but it depends. This type of screening usually involves ultrasound imaging of the heart and blood vessels, and the reliability of the testing depends on the skill of ... continue reading  about  I see screening offers for heart health and stroke risk. They offer stroke, vascular disease and heart rhythm packages, as well as tests for abdominal aortic aneurysm and peripheral arterial disease. Are these reliable?

A pacemaker is an implanted device that is designed to keep your heart rate from getting too slow. It is given to patients who have too slow a heart rate that makes them feel weak, short of breath, or dizzy. Th... continue reading  about  What is the difference between a pacemaker and a defibrillator? How reliable are they?

Palpitations are frequently caused by anxiety. On the other hand, anxiety can be caused by palpitations. Sometimes it is difficult to determine what is causing what.Typically, if you have no history of heart di... continue reading  about  I have been having palpitations and skipped heartbeats for several months. My EKGs and blood work are normal. Is this all stress and anxiety?

Keeping your heart healthy is complicated. Many factors contribute to your risk of heart disease, including genetics, diet, physical activity and stress. Here are some tips to help you lower your blood choleste... continue reading  about  What's a bigger dietary cause of high cholesterol -- animal protein like eggs and meat, or high-sugar foods and simple carbs? Seems like I'm hearing a lot more about the harm of sugar these days.

There are a number of heart rhythm abnormalities that can cause a sudden rapid heartbeat during exercise. A normal evaluation in the emergency room typically will not reveal the rhythm problem because the evalu... continue reading  about  My son, 20, is leaving for boot camp soon. He's developed a rapid heartbeat during his work outs and sudden spikes in blood pressure. He had an EKG and all was normal. They thought it was stress. What are the next steps?

PSVTs, or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias, are generally quite bothersome, but almost never life-threatening. The only time when PSVTs can pose serious danger is in the rare setting of Wolff-Parkinson-... continue reading  about  I have occasional rapid heartbeats, which my doctor recently diagnosed as PSVD. But I have no other heart conditions. So he did not suggest any type of treatment except to avoid certain things like alcohol. Is there anything else I should be doing?

When the heart beat starts to slow down, or when the conduction starts to block every so often, sometimes it is because a medication is stressing the heart's electrical system. If there are no medications to ac... continue reading  about  My heart has been skipping and I'm feeling dizzy. I went in for testing and was diagnosed with second degree heart block. The doctor said that if it goes to third degree, he might suggest a pacemaker. What can I do to avoid moving to third degree?

Palpitations are a very common problem and generally speaking, they are usually more of an annoyance than a danger. The time it does raise concern is when there is some underlying heart disease. The normal EKGs... continue reading  about  I've had an eating disorder for 10 years. One of the main problems that seem to continue is heart palpitations, which I've had daily for three months. Tests (Holter, ECHO, EKG) show that I have palpitations, but no other problems. I also have chest pains

In general, premature atrial complexes (PACs) and premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) are not harmful. This holds especially true if there is nothing else wrong with the heart. When someone presents with bot... continue reading  about  I’m a woman (52) who’s had heart palpitations for 20 years. Now they happen more often. I get 10-50 per day where I feel my heart skip around. I’ve been to cardiologists, and they find nothing wrong and say it’s just PVCs and PACs. Should I worry?