What Is Cardiomyopathy? When a patient suffers from cardiomyopathy (CM), his or her heart becomes enlarged. When this happens, the muscle can thicken or grow rigid. As the condition advances, there is a marked reduction in its ability to pump blood effectively. As a result, a patient might suffer an arrhythmia, heart failure, and even [...]

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Diagnosing And Treating An Atrial Septal Defect Your heart’s left and right sides are separated by an inner wall of tissue called the septum. This wall helps to prevent oxygen-poor blood on the right side from mixing with oxygen-rich blood on the left side. If the portion of the wall that separates the atria has [...]

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How A Pacemaker Can Keep A Heart Running Smoothly When your heart muscle is working properly, it can continue beating without mechanical intervention. The sinus node generates an electrical current which travels from the top of the muscle downward. As the current travels, it triggers contractions in the muscle’s chambers which pump blood. When the [...]

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