Calcific mitral stenosis: Overview, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Management
Calcific mitral stenosis is a narrowing of the mitral valve caused by calcium buildup and stiffening around the valve ring (the mitral annulus) and,...
Calcific mitral valve disease: Symptoms and Complications and When to Seek Urgent Care
Calcific mitral valve disease is a spectrum of problems caused by calcium buildup in and around the mitral valve, most often starting in the...
Capillary leak syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options
Capillary leak syndrome is a serious condition where fluid and proteins escape from the bloodstream into surrounding tissues. When that “leak” becomes widespread, blood...
Cardiac allograft vasculopathy: Symptoms, Surveillance, Diagnosis, and Treatment After Heart Transplant
Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a form of coronary artery disease that develops only in transplanted hearts. Instead of creating a few isolated blockages,...
Cardiac amyloidosis: AL and ATTR Types, Warning Signs, and Modern Therapies
Cardiac amyloidosis is a condition where misfolded proteins build up in the heart muscle, making it thicker, stiffer, and less able to fill properly....
Cardiac aneurysm: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
A cardiac aneurysm is a weakened, bulging area in or around the heart that forms after tissue is damaged or structurally fragile. Most often,...
Cardiac angiosarcoma: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Cardiac angiosarcoma is a rare cancer that begins in the cells lining blood vessels and grows within the heart. Even when it starts as...
Cardiac arrest: Causes, Risk Factors, and Prevention Strategies
Cardiac arrest is a sudden failure of the heart to pump blood effectively. Within seconds, a person can collapse, lose consciousness, and stop breathing...
Cardiac asthma: Wheezing From Heart Failure, Signs and Management
Cardiac asthma is a misleading name for a real problem: wheezing and breathlessness caused by heart failure, not inflamed airways. When the left side...
Cardiac contusion: Warning Signs, Arrhythmia Risk, and Recovery
A cardiac contusion is a bruise of the heart muscle caused by blunt force to the chest. It most often occurs after high-energy trauma—such...
Cardiac fibroma: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Risk Factors
Cardiac fibroma is a rare, noncancerous tumor made mostly of tough fibrous tissue that grows inside the heart muscle. Although “benign” sounds reassuring, its...
Cardiac hypertrophy: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options
Cardiac hypertrophy means the heart muscle has become thicker than normal. Sometimes this thickening is a healthy adaptation, such as in well-trained endurance athletes....
Cardiac ischemia: Signs, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options
Cardiac ischemia (myocardial ischemia) happens when the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-rich blood to meet its needs. Most often, the “traffic problem”...
Cardiac lipoma: What it is, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options
A cardiac lipoma is a rare, noncancerous (benign) tumor made of mature fat cells that forms in or on the heart. Many are discovered...
Cardiac myxoma, Overview, Risk factors, Complications, and Surgical removal
A cardiac myxoma is a non-cancerous (benign) tumor that grows inside the heart, most often in the left atrium. “Benign” can sound reassuring, but...
Cardiac rhabdomyoma: Overview, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
A cardiac rhabdomyoma is a noncancerous heart tumor made of muscle-like cells. It is most often found in fetuses, newborns, and young infants, and...