Does smoking cause high blood pressure?  In the short term, yes. Every time you smoke, it causes a temporary increase in blood pressure (1). Blood pressure increases when blood has difficulty traveling through the blood vessels. In simple terms, it’s like you’re in a tunnel with a lot of people, and you need to make […]

What does muscle pain in the chest feel like? You usually feel a pain in the upper chest muscles, which may be either sharp and well-localized, indicating an acute injury, or dull aching involving the whole chest in chronic conditions. This pain may occur during your exercise session due to muscle spasms or tightness, followed […]

Heart pounding after drinking alcohol: Unraveling why Drinking red wine or other alcoholic beverages can help you relax but can also slow down your brain, affecting how you feel, act, and stay in control. Drinking can also make it tough to think clearly and remember things (1). You may notice an irregular or fast heart […]

Heart palpitations at night: Why does my heart race when I lay down? Palpitation occurs when your heart beats too fast or too hard, flutters, or when you feel that your heart skipped a beat. Many people express these symptoms as bothersome or frightening, especially at night when they wake up with a pounding, racing heart. […]

How to lower heart rate immediately The average heart rate in adults ranges between 60 and 100 beats per minute (bpm). When it exceeds 100 bpm, it is considered tachycardia, often manifesting through palpitations. Various reasons may cause these palpitations, including: Lifestyle triggers Diseases that cause an increase in heart rate Some methods can immediately […]

What is chest pain? Causes and alarm symptoms Chest pain occurs in the thorax area (commonly known as rib cage or chest area), which can be sharp or dull, sudden or progressive onset, lasts from minutes to hours, and can radiate to other places like your arm, neck, and jaw. It all depends on the […]

Average heart rate while running: What is good and bad? When we start running, our heart begins to work harder, increasing blood flow to keep up with the demands of our muscles in motion. The resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute (1), which causes the heart to pump approximately 5 […]

Heart murmur sound Murmurs are often unexpectedly found during auscultation, which means listening to sounds in your body, often with a stethoscope, a key part of examining the heart (1, 2).  Irregular heart sounds can also be detected with a manual or electronic stethoscope (3). What does a normal heartbeat sound like? Your heart consists […]

Chest pain radiating to the jaw: The link to heart attack Cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart attacks, are among the top three leading causes of death worldwide. In the United States, a heart attack occurs every 40 seconds, affecting approximately 805,000 people each year (1). A sedentary lifestyle, obesity, fast food consumption, smoking, and stress stand […]

Remove plaque from arteries: Understanding atherosclerosis Before discussing how to remove plaques from the arteries, we need to understand some basic concepts that will help us understand how our body works. What is arterial plaque? An arterial plaque is a buildup of substances, such as cholesterol, fats, and other elements, that is deposited on the […]

171/101 blood pressure: Is it dangerous? Blood pressure has two components: systolic, the higher number or top number, and diastolic, the bottom number. Systolic occurs when the heart contracts and pumps blood with force, while diastolic is the pressure during the resting phase between the heartbeats (1). Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury […]

142/79 blood pressure and 153/97 blood pressure: What do they indicate about your health? When evaluating blood pressure values, physicians focus on more than just the number to establish a diagnosis or assess cardiovascular risk. A value such as 153/97 can have very different meanings depending on the context.  For example, a measurement of 153/97 […]

119 over 77 blood pressure: Is it good or bad? Before discussing the meaning of 119 over 77 blood pressure numbers, we should start with what is blood pressure.  What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force that your blood is applying against your blood vessels. There are two numbers: systolic and diastolic. Systolic […]

Heart palpitations and headache —Causes and treatments? Sometimes your heart might start racing when you have a headache. Many conditions and lifestyle factors could cause these two symptoms. A fast heartbeat and headache may not be a big deal, yet sometimes they can be your body’s alarm bells. Let’s explore the possible reasons and how […]

Dehydration and heart rate: Exploring the connection Our bodies are made up of around 55%‒65% water. Our hearts, particularly, contain a remarkable 73% water content (1, 2). However, per the lay press, over 75% of Americans face chronic dehydration, though this is not fully supported by medical literature, in which their bodies lose more water […]

Why does heart race after eating: Facts you should know Heart palpitations are rapid pulsations or abnormally rapid or irregular heart beating. They are often described as the perception of a skipped beat, rapid fluttering in the chest, pounding sensation in the chest or neck, or a flip-flopping in the chest (1).  Heart palpitations during […]

Can stress cause heart problems? The underlying connections In ancient times, the heart was considered the source of emotions, including stress. However, in the 17th century, they discovered that feelings stem from the brain. That’s when people realized that the heart was just a metaphor (1). Our ancestors had a point when they believed emotions […]

Can acid reflux cause heart palpitations? Heart palpitations are related to the heart, whereas reflux disease falls under the digestive category. Some people connect the two since the stomach is located near the heart.  Is there any scientific evidence to back this idea? What are acid reflux and heart palpitations? When your heart’s electrical rhythm […]

Can you stop a heart attack: What are the facts? In developed nations, heart attacks are a leading cause of death. With an alarming prevalence spanning nearly three million people, the disease claims the lives of over one million U.S. citizens each year (1). In fact, a third of patients die before they can get […]

Why is exercise good for your heart?  Exercising regularly also means putting your heart and muscles to work regularly.  It will pay off by amping up your heart’s power, making sure blood reaches every corner of your body. More oxygen may also get to your muscles thanks to those widened capillaries (1).  The trick is […]