John A Spertus M.D.

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...

Surgical treatment is the most appropriate option for inborn heart defects, which is not something you can put off.What is a congenital heart defect (CHD)?It is combined damage of the heart muscle in which there are structural deformations and anomalies in the inner chamber partitions, as well as...

Do you want to know what Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) is? Do you know exactly how your heart functions? It works in a rhythm. It beats 60 to 100 times per minute, and when it beats, it pumps oxygenated blood to your whole body. When the heart relaxes immediately after each beat, impure...

Although heredity and age can contribute to the demise of a healthy heart, there are still some precautions you can take to prevent heart disease. Some precautions include:1. SmokingSmoking has a profound effect on an individual's blood pressure, and it can also cause blood clots. A smoker may also...

OrthopneaOrthopnea is a condition that causes breathing difficulties when an individual is lying down. It usually happens at night when the person is going to sleep. People with orthopnea usually experience tightness in the chest and being oxygen-deficit. The shortness of breath is due to lying down...

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...