Kirk Laman, D.O.
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Kirk Laman is a board certified cardiologist and an expert in stress reduction. He wrote for HealthCentral as a health professional for Heart Disease and Heart Health.
Latest by Kirk Laman, D.O.
What is an Ablation?
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” i...
Heart Failure: What Does It Mean?
"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 ...
Why Do Blood Clots Form in Atrial Fibrillation?
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 prop...
Electric Shock for Atrial Fibrillation: Is it Dangerous?
_"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 ...
I have Atrial Fibrillation: Will I be on Coumadin ® Forever?
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. ...
What is a TEE Heart Test?
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 ultraso...
Chest Pain: When You Should See the Doctor
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 ...
When Your Heart Skips a Beat
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 ...
What Causes Atrial Fibrillation
"Why Me?" Just last week one of my patients was in the office asking this important question. Carl was a man in his forties, balding, portly with a belly that hung at least a foot over his belt. (I’ve changed his identity.) Carl worked as ...