Your heart has little “doors” that open and close to let blood flow the right way. One of the most important doors is called the aortic valve. It’s the door between the big pumping room of your heart (the left ventricle) and the big tube (the aorta) that sends blood all around your body. Sometimes…
Activated clotting time is a simple test that tells doctors how fast your blood makes a clot. They take a tiny sample of your blood, mix it with a special substance to start clotting, and see how many seconds it takes to form a clot. It is used during surgeries where you’re given blood thinners…
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is like a tiny machine in your body that helps control how tight your blood vessels are. It changes a substance called angiotensin I into another substance that tells your blood vessels to squeeze. When your vessels squeeze, your blood pressure goes up. Doctors use medicines called ACE inhibitors to stop this…
An ankle-brachial index is like a quick check to see if blood can get to your feet. A nurse puts small cuffs on your arm and ankle to measure blood pressure. Then they compare the numbers. If the ankle pressure is lower, it might mean the tubes (arteries) that carry blood to your legs are…
The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) is a group of doctors who do surgery on the heart, lungs, and chest. It started in 1917 so surgeons could share what they know, learn new things, and work together to make operations better. Being part of the AATS is a big honor for heart and chest…
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(Important Note: At Heart Surgery Gifts, we are committed to providing helpful information and resources. To support our work, we may include affiliate links to products and services that we believe can be valuable to you. Clicking on these links may result in us earning a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you…
(Important Note: At Heart Surgery Gifts, we are committed to providing helpful information and resources. To support our work, we may include affiliate links to products and services that we believe can be valuable to you. Clicking on these links may result in us earning a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you…
Navigating the world of heart health can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re faced with a barrage of medical terms and acronyms. At Heart Surgery Gifts, we understand that. Whether you are a patient, a caregiver, or someone simply trying to better understand your heart health, deciphering medical jargon is an important part of the journey….
Introduction Heart bypass surgery, medically known as Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG), is a major procedure that creates new pathways for blood to flow to the heart muscle. During this surgery, surgeons take blood vessels from another part of the body—typically the chest, leg, or arm—and attach them to the coronary arteries beyond the blocked…