John T. Beard MD

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...

Heart failure should be treated early. With the right treatment, your life expectancy can be increased. Patients observing any of the symptoms related to congestive heart failure should never wait for the regular appointment dates. Instead, they should consult your doctor in no time to avoid further...

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...

What is catheter ablation?This is a surgical procedure that is used to correct heart irregularities. It involves the use of radio frequency energy to get rid of the heart tissues that cause irregular and rapid heartbeats. It can also be referred to as radio frequency ablation, and it has proved to...

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,...

Atrial fibrillation - also known as AF or a-fib - is a medical condition that affects the rhythm of the heart. Problems that affect the rhythm of the heart cause a condition known as arrhythmia. This condition often causes irregular blood flow. It is quite common, with more than 200,000 cases in the...