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Heart Doctor Recent Questions and Responses 

• In treating atrial fibrillation, how does one decide between the Watchman
  procedure vs. the Lariat procedure?
• I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Why do I have a dilated left atrium?
• Why are my efforts with diet and exercise not enough to improve results of my
  lipid profile?
• What is atrial fibrillation with slow ventricular response?
• Can cardiac ablation be performed on someone with breast implants?
• Is it likely that my myocarditis will recur?
• What happens when a left internal mammary artery (LIMA) fails to mature?
• Is it safe to take prescribed phentermine in the presence of known right bundle
  branch block (RBBB)?
• Can cardiac MRI technology distinguish between viral and congenital causes of
  heart failure?
• Should I be concerned about the accuracy of my stress test?
• Can vascular necrosis cause a heart attack?
• Do I have pulmonary hypertension?
• Do you always have diastolic heart failure if systolic heart failure is present?
• Is it reasonable to reach a heart rate of 166 in a nuclear stress test?
• Can left ventricular ejection fraction recover after chemotherapy?
• What is the difference between a Lexistress test and a MUGA scan? 
• Should I be concerned about a pulmonary artery measuring 4.2 cm?
  
• Can a coronary calcium score be correlated with age?
• What are attenuation artifacts?
  
• Do these findings constitute a subendocardial infarction?
  
• Which test is better, a nuclear stress test or CCTV?
  
• Please help me understand MPI with Lexiscan.
  
• How does one interpret results from a CACS study?
  
• Will a patient with diabetes who receives a drug coated stent have a greater risk of infection?
  
• Is there a connection between my history of high blood pressure and PVCs, and my drop in LV ejection fraction?
  
• Does taking Atenolol long term alter normal sinus node function?  Am I addicted to Atenolol?
  
• Why is thrombectomy/angioplasty just as effective as stent placement?
  
• Does altitude affect ICD performance?
  
• I’m 73, female and have AV sclerosis.  Should I be concerned about taking calcium supplements?
  
• Can benign arrhythmias be symptomatic?  Are thousands of PACs per day common?
  
• If salt keeps water in the body, why do salt tablets make dehydration worse?
• Can my stenotic, bovine aortic valve be corrected by TAVI?
• Is a person on Eloquis eligible to donate blood?
• Is ZERO the only good score on a calcium score test?
• Is there a correlation between results of CMRI and Calcium Score?
• Is it safe to have EECP treatment with regurgitation in the mitral, tricuspid and pulmonic valves?
• Is it harmful to exercise above maximum heart rate during a 4-5 minute sprint?
• Does high altitude have a negative effect on A-fib patients?
  
• Are blood transfusions always venous blood rather than arterial?
  
• Are aortic aneurysms hereditary?
  
• What centimeter squared measurement is considered critical aortic stenosis?
  
• Our father died of cardiomyopathy. Could this be hereditary / a concern for my sister and me?
  
• Is it common to have low energy after a stent procedure?
  
• Do you think Diastolic Dysfunction stage 1 is over diagnosed?
  
• Is there any evidence that statins help regarding carotid occlusive disease?
  
• Is it safe to take Nugenix in the presence of CHF?
  
• Is there a relationship between PFO’s and heart attacks?
  
• How can I help my daughter with her high blood pressure?  She has had it since age 12.
  
• How does one obtain ideal echo images for a person who has congenital heart disease and unusual anatomy?
• Should I be concerned about a diagnosis of right ventricular dysplasia?
• What can I do about my elevated heart rate?
• Will the radioactive tracer used in a gamma scan of my heart cause problems to my liver?
  
• Why are blood pressures different in one arm versus the other?
  
• How long does it take to recover from viral myocarditis?
  
• What does concentric LV remodeling with LVMI of 70gm/m2 and relative wall thickness and contractility mean?
  
• Will you help me understand more about my symptoms?  I have an LAD muscle bridge and new onset of menopause.
  
• How is silent myocarditis diagnosed?
  
• Is it normal to have a racing heart rhythm after an ablation for atrial flutter?
  
• What can I take for a sinus headache if I am on Coumadin?
  
• What is left anterior hemiblock?

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