Harvey L Alpern MD

What is creatine phosphokinase (CPK)?Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is an enzyme, which is predominantly present in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscles. Converting creatine into phosphate is the main task of this enzyme. The cells of the body then quickly consume or burn this phosphate and use it...

Ideal Cholesterol LevelLast week when you went for the regular check up the doctor told you that your ‘bad’ cholesterol levels are high. What does that mean? Is good and bad cholesterol the same thing? Yes, cholesterol is needed for maintaining good health. If the levels of low density...

High blood pressure or hypertension is a chronic condition that may lead to other complications, including organ damage, gradually over a period of time. The blood pressure may become very high and severe all of a sudden resulting in a condition referred to as hypertensive crisis. Hypertensive...

Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the most common causes of death due to cardiac diseases. Sudden cardiac arrest refers to the sudden loss of heart function, resulting in death. It is different from a heart attack in that the latter is caused by a blockage in one of the vessels that supplies the walls...

Worried about your cholesterol and triglyceride levels? Planning to take another blood test to check on your cholesterol levels? Did you get a warning from your physician regarding elevated levels of triglycerides and LDL (low-density lipoproteins, the ‘bad’ cholesterol) cholesterol in your...

Our heart rate is automatically controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that has two divisions: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The part of the ANS that is responsible for raising a person’s heart rate through the sympathetic plexus is the sympathetic division. The parasympathetic...