Heart Palpitations – Irregular Heartbeat Explained

Have you ever experienced or sensed your heartbeat? Although such a sensation is usually completely normal, it may be unpleasant. For instance, people often describe hard beats, fast beats, irregular beats, skipped beats, fluttering, “flip-flopping” or a pounding sensation in the chest or neck. The term palpitations is used to describe an unpleasant awareness of the … Read more

18 Questions and Answers About Fainting – Syncope Explained

Syncope is the medical term used to describe the phenomenon of fainting or passing out. Although syncope is common and frequently experienced by healthy people, it is often, quite wrongly indeed, considered a sign of frailty or illness. Indeed, history shows that fainting spells occurring under the attention and scrutiny of the public may have … Read more

19 Important Causes of Shortness of Breath – Dyspnea Explained

Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea is a symptom that describes a sense of breathing discomfort or difficulty in breathing. It is often expressed as feeling out of breath or suffering from breathlessness. It is estimated that up to 7-8 percent of patients presenting to emergency rooms complain of dyspnea (1). In half of … Read more

Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter – AFib Explained

Arrhythmia is a term that is used to describe disorders of heart rhythm. It may be an irregular rhythm, or rapid or slow beating of the heart. Although most arrhythmias are completely innocent, some may need medical attention, and a few are life-threatening. The term palpitations describes an awareness of heart muscle contractions in the … Read more