Heart Attack or Heartburn? Differences Between Types of Chest Pain

Anyone worried about chest pain should not wait to get urgent medical care. They should call for an ambulance straight away, especially if the pain is unexplained, sudden, or severe.

Heart attack pain is caused when one of the arteries supplying the heart becomes blocked. Angina is a similar chest pain caused when these arteries are narrowed by heart disease.

Heartburn is a burning pain often felt in the upper belly or lower chest. It is caused by stomach acid going back up the food pipe.

Read more: Heart Attack or Heartburn? Differences Between Types of Chest Pain

A heart attack is when there is a loss of blood supply to part of the heart muscle. Though the pain is
located in the chest, heartburn is not related to the heart in any way. Angiography, passing dye into
the heart circulation, is one way doctors test for heart attack.

Source: medicalnewstoday

New Understanding Of Pulmonary Hypertension Leads To Promising Drug Targets

A groundbreaking new study led by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC has identified a new group of compounds that could have robust effects in treating pulmonary hypertension (PH), an enigmatic but sometimes fatal disease of the blood vessels of the lungs that currently has no cure. The findings, which were published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, highlight the use of these drugs to alter vessel stiffness and its downstream control of metabolism, a link previously unknown for people suffering from the progressive disease.

“If we aim to cure this disease, the next set of medications and treatments should be those that target the origin at the molecular level,” said Stephen Y. Chan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UPMC Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine at the Vascular Medicine Institute at Pitt, and senior author of the study. “As a community, we are struggling right now to understand those origins of PH, and this study aimed to address that untapped need.”

Read more: New Understanding Of Pulmonary Hypertension Leads To Promising Drug Targets

Source: bioengineer

Early Signs That Cancer Is Growing In Your Body

There’s an important rule about cancer, one of the leading causes of death in the world, and it’s the sooner it’s detected, the higher chances of successful treatment.

Because of that fact, don’t rely on routine tests alone to protect you from cancer. It’s just as important to listen to your body and notice anything that’s different, odd, or unexplainable.

Here are some early signs that are commonly overlooked:

1.Wheezing or shortness of breath

One of the first signs many lung cancer patients remember noticing is the inability to catch their breath.

2.Chronic cough or chest pain

Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. Some lung cancer patients report chest pain that extends up into the shoulder or down the arm.

Read more: Early Signs That Cancer Is Growing In Your Body

Source: healthiestalternative

Blood Vessel-Forming Protein Could Offer Alternative to Heart Bypass Surgery

For patients with severe coronary artery disease, heart bypass surgery can reduce the risk of heart attack and improve overall quality of life. Now, researchers report the possibility of a new treatment that may be even more beneficial, without the surgery.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of heart disease in the United States, responsible for more than 370,000 deaths in the country every year.

The condition arises when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, partially or fully blocking the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. This blockage can cause heart attack, angina - severe chest pain - and, over time, heart failure.

While lifestyle changes - such as adopting a healthy diet and regular physical activity - are considered key to improving CAD, some patients may require heart bypass surgery, which can help restore blood flow to the heart.

But, as with all surgery, it has its risks. These include chest wound infection, bleeding, stroke, heart attack, and kidney or lung failure.

Read more: Blood Vessel-Forming Protein Could Offer Alternative to Heart Bypass Surgery

Researchers say the protein AGGF1 could be a promising treatment for coronary heart disease and
heart attack.

Source: medicalnewstoday