What Is Pulmonary Embolism?

Pulmonary embolism is a common and dangerous condition that occurs when blood clots (deep venous thrombosis, or, DVT) break loose and travel from where the clots formed—mostly the leg veins (or, uncommonly, veins elsewhere)—to the pulmonary arteries, which conduct blood from the heart to the lungs. Sometimes these clots are small and may not cause clinical symptoms, because the surface area of the lungs, when opened out, would cover the surface of two tennis courts! However, occasionally, a pulmonary embolism can be massive and rapidly fatal. (more…)

Women and Heart Disease: We Are Not Just ‘Small Men’

Here is the bad news: Heart disease kills more women than do all cancers combined, yet many women still cite breast cancer as their chief health concern. Young women, especially, do not think heart disease is a threat. But, since 1984, more women than men die each year from heart disease. Although death from heart attack has declined in both men and women over the last 30 years, the decrease has been more pronounced in males than females. Depression after a heart attack is twice as likely to occur in women than men, and depression increases the chance of a second heart attack. (more…)

Mount Sinai Heart Hosts Live Symposium of Complex Cases

More than 1,100 interventional cardiac and vascular specialists participated in Mount Sinai Heart’s 16th Annual 2013 Live Symposium of Complex Coronary, Valvular, and Vascular Cases held from Tuesday, June 11, to Friday, June 14. It was the largest number of attendees in the event’s history and included cardiologists, vascular surgeons, radiologists, fellows, nurses, technicians, and other allied health care professionals from cardiac catheterization and vascular laboratories around the globe.

The four-day event featured 28 live broadcasts of cardiac procedures, as well as expert presentations and panel discussions on the latest advances and treatment approaches for complex coronary and cardiovascular disease. (more…)

Cardiac Surgery Reporting in NY State: Is it Reliable?

When deciding on which car or college — or, increasingly, health care provider — to choose, many of us compare reviews and ratings in such sources as Consumer Reports and U.S. News & World Report. More than two decades ago, the New York State Department of Health, itself, began to report information on cardiac surgery because the Commissioner of Health noticed wide variations in mortality rate and complications reported by different hospitals in the state. (more…)

How Does a Cardiologist Keep Heart-Healthy?

As a cardiologist specializing in prevention of heart attack and stroke, you can imagine I try to practice what I preach. Some of this is easy and comes naturally to me. I was always athletic and competed in track and field while in college, which is one of the things that drew me to the study of medicine. But, like most people, I still have to work at maintaining certain healthy lifestyle choices. (more…)

From The Heart: A Cardiologist Shares Simple Advice

Guest post by Jacqueline E. Tamis-Holland, MD, Director, Cardiac Catheterization, Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital, and Director, Women’s Heart NY

A love of chemistry and physics led Dr. Jacqueline Tamis-Holland to cardiology — and a love of patient care has kept her there. Leading by example is very important to Dr. Tamis-Holland, who is Site Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab  at Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital and Director of Women’s Heart NY.

“Many of the risk factors for heart disease can be controlled or even avoided,” says Tamis-Holland. “So there are actually a lot of steps people can take for a healthier heart.” (more…)

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