Health Expert Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/410684/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/410684/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/410684/index http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/100999/answer Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:26:00 -0500 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist "Can't I just take a pill to get my cholesterol down?"   Not long ago, one of my patients said this to me in the office.  He was a middle aged man with known heart disease, previous angioplasty, and a high cholesterol.  I had suggested to him that his cholestrol was too high.  His bad cholesterol, LDL, was elevated over 120 and his belly was quite large.  The man had been eating ice cream 3-4 days a week and wanted to... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/100999/answer http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/98231/ablation Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:43:00 -0500 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist So your heart is beating irregularly.  It jumps.  It skips.  You've been diagnosed with the medical condition called Atrial Fibrillation.  The question is do you need an ablation.First, if you may ask the question, "What is an ablation?"An "ablation" is a cardiac procedure where specialized plastic tubes (called radiofrequency ablation catheters) are inserted into the heart's venous system through the right groin.  The... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/98231/ablation http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/95280/health Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:49:00 -0500 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist I became angry the other day.  We’ve all been watching the ongoing debate about healthcare reform.  The Democrats recently celebrated the U.S. House’s passage of a healthcare bill. News in the U.S. Senate wasn’t so great.  Senators said that the bill was dead if the government's public option wasn’t modified.  Obviously, compromise will need to be part of any final bill’s passage.  Perhaps... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/95280/health http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/92161/failure Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:42:00 -0400 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist “Heart Failure?  What does that mean,” she asked.  “Does is mean my heart is going to stop beating?”  Janet was an Italian woman in her mid-fifties.  She had slowly been developing shortness of breath after a prolonged illness.  Soon her legs began to swell. Now she was in the office to review the echocardiogram (a sound wave test that evaluated the function of her heart.)  The test revealed... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/92161/failure http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/88587/form-atrial Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:28:00 -0400 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist Blood clots are the dreaded complication of the abnormal heart rhythm aka, Atrial Fibrillation.  By itself the rhythm rarely is fatal. What makes it a serious heart condition is the fact that blood clots commonly form if the rhythm is not treated properly.  Atrial Fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm arising from the upper chambers of the heart called the Atria.   Normally, the atria act as priming chambers for the... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/88587/form-atrial http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/87638/dangerous Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:37:00 -0400 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist “You want to do what?” she asked.   “Because you have Atrial Fibrillation, I’d like to schedule you for an electrical cardioversion,” I said. A middle-aged woman with Atrial Fibrillation was in my office.  She was suffering with symptoms of fatigue and breathlessness.  Her heart was racing at times and it was difficult to get controlled.  I felt should would best be served by getting her... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/87638/dangerous http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/85882/coumadin Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:00:00 -0400 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist People who suffer with Atrial Fibrillation ask this question very, very frequently. It is a common worry.  Why?   A couple reasons seem to pop up when you ask patients.  First, people are afraid of the medication used to prevent strokes called warfarin. (The trade name and most commonly used medication is called Coumadin®.)  Because Atrial Fibrillation can lead to stagnant blood flow, and the formation of blood clots... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/85882/coumadin http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/84949/heart-test Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:53:00 -0400 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist A TEE - Trans Esophageal Echocardiogram is a special ultrasound test for examining the heart in greater detail.An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart.  Most people are familiar with ultrasound.  Women who are pregnant generally get an ultrasound to look at the fetus.  We know that high quality pictures of the baby, pictures that can astound us, can be obtained during pregnancy utilizing ultrasound.Ultrasound can also be... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/84949/heart-test http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/84172/sharp-chest Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:20:00 -0400 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist Chest pain afflicts people of all ages.  It doesn’t make a distinction based on demographics or social position.  Having chest pain can unnerve a person.  The fear is that a heart blockage could be lurking around the corner, a blockage that could be the “big one”- the one that stops a person in their tracks. As a cardiologist I see people of all ages who develop chest pain.  Chest pains come in many sizes... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/84172/sharp-chest http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/83375/dangerous Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:35:00 -0400 Dr. Kirk Laman: Wholehearted Cardiologist Not a week goes by that I don’t see someone in cardiology consultation for skipping, jumpy heart beats.   It is a common problem- a problem that worries many people.Why?  It’s unnerving to feel your heart beating.  Most people are rarely aware of their heart’s movement in their chests.  So when a person suddenly can feel their heart, thumping erratically it often sends them to the doctor.Should you be... http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/410684/83375/dangerous