Heart
Schizophrenia: News
May 12, 2012 05:27PM
May 09, 2012 04:32AM
Acting Strange Today - Problems Tomorrow
Is there any way to tell if someone is at risk for psychosis later in life? If doctors could predict later psychosis, could they do something to prevent onset?
May 08, 2012 02:05PM
Are Antipsychotics Really Worth It?
There is no cure for schizophrenia, and though drug treatments can be helpful the side effects can turn people away from them too. Recent statistical analysis shows antipsychotic treatments to be more helpful than placebos.
May 08, 2012 05:04AM
Treating schizophrenia with benzodiazepines is not proving to have a great track record of success. Suicide and non-suicidal deaths both spike when there are benzodiazepines prescribed to schizophrenics.
May 06, 2012 12:28PM
Autism and Schizophrenia Genes linked
Scientists have discovered an unexpected overlap between genes implicated in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.
Apr 04, 2012 09:53AM
Mental Illness Drugs and Pregnancy
Approximately two-thirds of all women with a history of mental illness give birth, and it can be tough to figure out which medications should or shouldn't be taken during pregnancy.
Feb 28, 2012 07:53PM
Your genetic makeup can determine a lot of how life plays out for you. In the case of people who experience bipolar depression and schizophrenia, much of their gene expression is the same.
Feb 28, 2012 04:54PM
While previous studies have suggested that art therapy may improve schizophrenia, new research demonstrates no measurable mental functioning increase for schizophrenic patients.
Feb 28, 2012 05:37AM
Schizophrenia has long held stigmata attached to it. To many people, it is considered one of the most severe mental conditions out there. But there may be good news.
Feb 22, 2012 11:00AM
Computer Training for Schizophrenics
Current medicine only treats the symptoms of schizophrenia, and conventional psychotherapy has not been proven to work. This is the difficult reality for schizophrenics, but new therapies may be on the horizon.
Feb 02, 2012 04:02PM
Borna Doesn't Cause Mental Illness
Recent studies confirm that borna disease virus, (BDV), an infectious neurological disorder, does not cause mental illness.
Video Overview: Acne
How the Heart Works
To understand congenital heart defects, it's helpful to know how a normal heart works. Your child's heart is a muscle about the size of his or her fist. It works like a pump and beats 100,000 times a day.The heart has two sides, separated by an inner wall called the septum. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. Then, oxygen-rich blood returns from the lungs to the left side of the heart, and the left side pumps it to the body.
The heart has four chambers and four valves and is connected to various blood vessels. Veins are the blood vessels that carry blood from the body to the heart. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart to the body.
Heart Chambers
The heart has four chambers or "rooms."The atria (AY-tree-uh) are the two upper chambers that collect blood as it comes into the heart.
The ventricles (VEN-trih-kuls) are the two lower chambers that pump blood out of the heart to the lungs or other parts of the body.
Heart Valves
Four valves control the flow of blood from the atria to the ventricles and from the ventricles into the two large arteries connected to the heart.The tricuspid (tri-CUSS-pid) valve is in the right side of the heart, between the right atrium and the right ventricle.
The pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) valve is in the right side of the heart, between the right ventricle and the entrance to the pulmonary artery, which carries blood to the lungs.
The mitral (MI-trul) valve is in the left side of the heart, between the left atrium and the left ventricle.
The aortic (ay-OR-tik) valve is in the left side of the heart, between the left ventricle and the entrance to the aorta, the artery that carries blood to the body. Valves are like doors that open and close. They open to allow blood to flow through to the next chamber or to one of the arteries, and then they shut to keep blood from flowing backward.
When the heart's valves open and close, they make a "lub-DUB" sound that a doctor can hear using a stethoscope.
The first sound—the "lub"—is made by the tricuspid and mitral valves closing at the beginning of systole (SIS-toe-lee). Systole is when the ventricles contract, or squeeze, and pump blood out of the heart.v The second sound—the "DUB"—is made by the pulmonary and aortic valves closing at the beginning of diastole (di-AS-toe-lee). Diastole is when the ventricles relax and fill with blood pumped into them by the atria.
Arteries
The arteries are major blood vessels connected to your heart.The pulmonary artery carries blood pumped from the right side of the heart to the lungs to pick up a fresh supply of oxygen.
The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygen-rich blood pumped from the left side of the heart out to the body.
The coronary arteries are the other important arteries attached to the heart. They carry oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to the heart muscle, which must have its own blood supply to function.
Veins
The veins also are major blood vessels connected to your heart.The pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the left side of the heart so it can be pumped out to the body.
The superior and inferior vena cavae are large veins that carry oxygen-poor blood from the body back to the heart.
For more information on how a healthy heart works, see the Diseases and Conditions Index article on How the Heart Works. This article contains animations that show how your heart pumps blood and how your heart's electrical system works.
|
|
 |
 |
Privacy Policy Site Policies About Contact Us Pharmacy Affiliate Pharmacist Contributors Medical Advisory Board