Much like heart attack symptoms, there are some common stroke symptoms that men and women share, but there are some subtle differences for women. In women, stroke warning signs can be more subtle and may not appear serious enough to seek medical attention, putting the person experiencing them in grave danger. Emergency stroke treatment can…
If someone in your family has had a stroke, your risk of a stroke is higher. Stroke sometimes can be the result of genetics, passed from one generation to the next, but family habits also can be carried on. You can improve your odds significantly by knowing the risk factors and making healthy lifestyle choices….
Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious condition that can occur in people with diabetes, both undiagnosed and known diabetes. It can be brought on by a variety of contributors including lack of insulin, infection, alcohol or substance abuse, pancreatitis, acute coronary syndrome, a cerebrovascular accident or a pulmonary embolism. Some of the first warning signs…
When your heart is beating too fast, the heart doesn’t have time to fill up with the normal amount of blood between beats. As a result, you might feel lightheaded or dizzy. The medical term for an abnormally fast heart rate is tachycardia. Two types of tachycardia are supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and ventricular tachycardia (V-tach)….
Heart palpitation, or a rapid heartbeat, can bring on dizziness and even fainting and can be a symptom of a potentially serious heart condition. When the fast heart rate begins in the upper heart chambers, it is called supraventricular tachycardia (soop-rah-ven-TRICK’-yoo-lar TAK-ih-KAR-dee-ah), also known as SVT. When it starts in the lower chambers, it’s called…
Occasionally misplacing keys or forgetting the time of an appointment are examples of the normal forgetfulness that comes with age. When the memory loss involves repeatedly asking the same question, having trouble naming objects, or changes in personality, these may be signs of dementia. Dementia is persistent and progressive, meaning it will get worse with…
A doula is a trained, nonmedical professional who helps you before, during and shortly after giving birth. Doulas are not the same as a nurse midwife. They do not deliver babies. Instead, they offer emotional, physical and educational support to you and your family. The goal of a doula is to help you have a…
Not all strokes cause the classic symptoms: weakness in an arm or leg, difficulties speaking, or drooping of one side of the mouth or another part of the face. You can have a stroke and not know it. These so-called silent strokes can result in no noticeable symptoms at all, but they are not harmless….
As Russell Deakins crossed the finish line of the 2023 Urban Bourbon Half Marathon in Louisville, his eyes welled up with tears. “My only goal that day was to finish,” Russell said. “I got super emotional for the last 100 yards, because I could see the finish line and I knew I achieved it.” Years…
Dressed as Santa Claus, David Grady was back at Norton Cancer Institute to thank employees for their care and the compassion they demonstrated to him when he was a patient — and to encourage others who have received a diagnosis like his. Referring to the team who treated him, David said, “When they saved my life,…
At age 30, Stephanie Deeley was diagnosed with familial cardiomyopathy — the same diagnosis that abruptly took the life of her father when he was just 31. Stephanie received a pacemaker and implanted defibrillator, and lived a full life until five years ago, when she began being shocked repeatedly by her defibrillator. “This is a…
Dementia is known as a disease that robs people of their memories, but it’s possible to have dementia without memory loss. Dementia refers to any loss of mental functioning that is not part of normal aging. This includes not only losing your memory, but issues with thinking, learning and reasoning. “There are many facets to…