Carl J Pepine MD

Unfortunately, there is an increasing prevalence of hypertension, which is the term used to indicate high blood pressure with a reading of 140/90 mm Hg or higher. It is being blamed on living a modern lifestyle, the frequency of alcohol and tobacco intake, certain physical activities, and processed...

Experts are of the opinion that phytosterols improve the body’s ability to lower cholesterol levels. Like other cholesterol-lowering foods, including salmon and oats, phytosterols are supposed to lower the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol, LDL. Phytosterols, or plant sterols and stanol esters, are...

What is ischemia?Ischemia is the medical term used to describe a lack of blood flow to certain organs or body parts. Since the blood carries oxygen and other necessary nutrients to parts of the body, when blow flow is reduced these body parts do not receive the adequate amount of oxygen and...

Heart palpitations, although it feels like a scary experience, are not always a sign of something serious. These palpitations are harmless but there are some instances when it could be a signal to a serious heart disease, especially if it is associated with other symptoms. This article explains...

The standard dose of this medication for adults with high blood pressure is 10 mg taken by mouth once a day.The doctor may increase the dose up to a maximum of 80 mg per day depending on the requirement. For heart failures, the starting dose for adults is 5 mg per day and the dosage can be increased...

What is a bubble study?A bubble study is a type of echocardiogram, which is the ultrasound of the heart. An echocardiogram is done to visualize the heart and its surrounding areas. Better images of the heart can be produced when a “contrast” is used during the echocardiogram. In a bubble study,...