In winter, hypothermia is a valid concern for those of us living in the northern climes — it can be a dangerous, life-threatening condition. And, yet, according to the latest medical research, mild hypothermia may help in the recovery from another life-threatening condition — cardiac arrest.
What is hypothermia? This is a condition in which a person’s core body temperature is lowered. Body heat is lost due to prolonged exposure to low temperatures and improper clothing and protection in such conditions. Shivering and confusion are the first signs of a lower body core temperature, typically in the range of 90º to 95º F.
As we embark on another winter season, people are starting to suffer from a variety of respiratory illnesses — the common cold, a cough, bronchitis, or pneumonia. There are certain measures one can take to lessen the risk of getting sick. Let’s take a look at some of these issues.
What are the causes? Many respiratory illnesses are caused by a viral infection. Antibiotics are only used with bacterial infections, thus there is no specific treatment that will shorten the course of a viral illness. The best you can do is treat your symptoms in order to make yourself more comfortable. On the other hand, bacterial infections require more aggressive treatment, such as antibiotics, once the pathogen is identified.
It was a great shock to hear of the death of George Carlin - a comedic icon. Many of us remember when he was the first guest host on Saturday Night Live, a must-see show for college students. Carlin, who seemed ageless, was 71 and died of congestive heart failure (CHF) this week after a hospital admission. Let’s look a little more closely at this fairly common cardiology problem.
What is congestive heart failure (CHF)? CHF occurs when the heart is unable to fill with blood or pump enough blood through the body. CHF is caused by a variety of health problems including heart attack, high blood pressure, or blood vessel damage such as hardening of the arteries. Other factors that can lead to CHF are hereditary diseases, infections, drug abuse, and alcoholism.
This past week, the University of Chicago released a study evaluating a chiropractic manipulative technique of the neck and its effect on blood pressure. Let’s take a look at hypertension and current treatment recommendations.
What is hypertension? Hypertension is defined as abnormally high blood pressure, with a reading of 120/80 measured in millimeters of mercury by a blood pressure cuff. The systolic (top) number measures the pressure against the arteries as the heart pumps. The diastolic (bottom) number is the resting pressure in the arteries between each heartbeat.
For the past few years, Vice President Cheney has made headlines because of his cardiac problems. Most recently, doctors detected an irregular heartbeat – atrial fibrillation – during Cheney’s examination for a lingering cough. Doctors proceeded to apply an electrical shock to restore his heart’s normal rhythm.
Definition. Atrial fibrillation is a common heart problem. Statistics show that over 2 million Americans suffer from an irregular heartbeat in which the upper and lower chambers of the heart are not synchronized.
The danger associated with this condition is the possibility that a person can experience a stroke if the atrial fibrillation is left untreated. Fifteen percent of people with this condition can eventually suffer a stroke. A stroke occurs because the uncoordinated beating increases the likelihood that a small blood clot will form in the lower chamber of the heart, called the ventricle. Eventually, a small piece of the clot can break off and travel to the brain leading to a stroke.
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