Diseases & Conditions Archive

Living with a chronic condition or as a survivor of cancer or a heart attack needn't take a toll on intimate relationships.

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Strategically timing when you take pain medication can make sex more comfortable.

Sexual satisfaction is an important part of well-being, yet women who have been successfully treated for cancer or are living with chronic conditions often accept a diminished sex life as a trade-off for being alive. "Women with cancer go through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in order to be alive, but once they're through treatment they may not feel as though they are really living to the fullest," says Dr. Sharon Bober, a psychologist at Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Women with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and arthritis may also feel that their health issues have eroded their intimate relationships.

A high blood pressure diagnosis can come as a shock due to a lack of symptoms, but the condition is manageable. Dr. Naomi Fisher explains what to do after you are diagnosed.

Hiccups are often caused by many everyday situations, including distention of the stomach (which can be the result of overeating), swallowing air, or drinking carbonated beverages. They usually go away on their own, but episodes that last longer than 48 hours could be a sign of certain medical problems. 

Proton-pump inhibitors are among the most-prescribed medications, but is long-term use safe?

Proton-pump inhibitors reduce stomach acid, which helps to treat symptoms of acid reflux.
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Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are used to treat a variety of gastrointestinal problems, are among the most popular drugs in the United States. In fact, the FDA estimates about one in 14 Americans has used a PPI.

About one in six strokes can be traced to atrial fibrillation. Doctors now have newer and better options to lessen this risk.

Close to one in 10 people ages 65 or older have atrial fibrillation (afib), the most common heart rhythm disorder. During a bout of afib, the usually rhythmic contractions of the heart's upper chambers (the atria) are replaced by an ineffectual quiver. While the symptoms, which include a racing heartbeat, dizziness, and shortness of breath, are troublesome for some people, the real threat lies in the increased risk of stroke that accompanies the condition.

When the heart takes on the afib rhythm, blood does not completely move out of the atria. Instead, it tends to pool and clot in a pouchlike extension in the upper left quadrant of the heart, called the left atrial appendage. If these clots break loose, they may travel to the brain and cause a blockage. This is known as an ischemic stroke.

Q. Last year, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and started taking an anti-clotting drug to lower my stroke risk. But my heart is now back in a normal rhythm. Why is my cardiologist keeping me on the drug?

A. During a bout of atrial fibrillation, or afib, the heart's upper chambers (atria) quiver erratically instead of making normal, steady contractions. This common heart rhythm disorder takes many different forms. While some people seem to have a single, isolated episode of afib, others have persistent afib, which lasts longer than a week. Common symptoms include a rapid, irregular heartbeat; a fluttering or "thumping" sensation in the chest; and feeling weak, dizzy, breathless, or fatigued.

A negative attitude about aging appears to be associated with a higher likelihood of Alzheimer's disease.

A study in the journal Psychology and Aging examined healthy, dementia-free subjects from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, the nation's longest-running scientific study of aging.

Heart palpitations can be alarming, but are they dangerous?

Do you ever feel that your heart is pounding, skipping, or racing so fast that you're certain it will explode from your chest at any moment? That's how many people describe the experience of heart palpitations. In the most literal sense, palpitations are simply an awareness of your heart beating, says Dr. William Stevenson, professor of medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital. The most familiar trigger for palpitations is heavy exercise, such as when you pedal extra hard to summit the last computerized hill in your indoor cycling class.

Skipping a beat

Although common, palpitations alarm many people, in part because they tend to come on unexpectedly. Isolated palpitations typically occur when a small rush of adrenaline courses through your body, causing your heart to beat more forcefully than usual. These surges can be generated by a strong emotion such as excitement, fear, or anger. They also can come on after consuming a stimulant such as caffeine.

Ask the Doctor

Q. My primary care doctor referred me to a cardiologist, and I just found out that I have a bicuspid aortic valve. What does that mean for me?

A. The aortic valve sits between the heart and the aorta, the main artery from the heart that distributes oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. A normal aortic valve has three leaflets, or flaps, that open and close tightly to regulate the flow of blood. But between 1% and 2% of people are born with an aortic valve that has only two flaps, known as a bicuspid valve. This defect is twice as common in males as in females and often runs in families.

Even the newer, targeted cancer therapies may harm the heart.

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About 14 million people in the United States are living with cancer, a number that reflects the steady rise in cancer survivorship in recent decades. In 1980, only about half of people with cancer lived five years after diagnosis. Today, five-year cancer survival rates are greater than 70%.

Unfortunately, many cancer-suppressing treatments can have undesirable effects on the heart and blood vessels. The increasing awareness of these effects—coupled with the surge of older people being diagnosed with and surviving cancer—has spurred a new specialty known as cardio-oncology. Experts in this burgeoning field focus on promoting heart health in people with cancer, both during and after their treatment.