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Because symptoms and signs may have completely disappeared by the time one gets to the hospital, A diagnosis of a TIA may be made on a person's medical history alone. A physical examination should include a neurological exam, which may be abnormal...
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A transient ischemic attack, or TIA, is often described as a mini-stroke. Unlike a stroke , however, the symptoms can disappear within a few minutes. TIAs and strokes are both caused by a disruption of the blood flow to the brain. In TIAs and most...
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A transient ischemic attack (TIA), or "mini-stroke," is a neurologic episode resembling a stroke but resolving completely within a short period of time. By definition, symptoms of TIA resolve within 24 hours, and symptoms lasting longer than that ...
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Measurement of the pressure exerted by the circulating blood on the walls of the blood vessels , especially the arteries. Purpose The purpose of blood pressure measurement is to establish a baseline and detect any abnormalities from the normal state.
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You can take your own blood pressure reading using a digital monitor.
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Blood pressure measurement is the non-invasive measurement of the pressure exerted by the circulating blood on the walls of the body ' s arteries. Purpose The purpose of non-invasive blood pressure measurement is to detect any changes from normal values, which may indicate disease.
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A discussion about the lower normal blood pressure reading and whether it is good for us.
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A review of the methods and technology available for home monitoring, which can be an important aid to lowering your blood pressure.
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Echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart. The picture is much more detailed than x-ray image and involves no radiation exposure.
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Echocardiography is a diagnostic test that uses ultrasound waves to create an image of the heart muscle. Ultrasound waves that rebound or echo off the heart can show the size, shape, and movement of the heart ' s valves and chambers as well as the flow of blood through the heart.
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An echocardiogram (echo) is an imaging test. It helps your doctor evaluate your heart. Here is how it works.
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Detailed information on a echocardiography (echo) procedure, including how the procedure is performed, reasons for the procedure, and pre- and post-evaluation instructions
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Detailed information on echocardiography, including types and how the procedure is performed
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Echocardiography is a diagnostic test that uses ultrasound waves to produce an image of the heart muscle and the heart ' s valves. Purpose Echocardiography is used to diagnose certain cardiovascular diseases, and is one of the most widely used diagnostic tests for heart disease.
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Carotid duplex is a procedure that uses ultrasound to look for plaques, blood clots, or other blood flow problems in the carotid arteries. The carotid arteries, located in the neck, supply blood to the brain.
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Ultrasound carotid screening for stroke risk is being promoted as a simple detection tool, but the test does not always identify those at risk, and some doctors feel that treating the factors that contribute to risk is more beneficial to overall health.
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A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following: The number of red blood cells (RBCs; The number of white blood cells (WBCs; The total amount of hemoglobin in the blood; The fraction of the blood composed of red blood cells (hematocrit; The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) - the size of the red blood cells. CBC also includes information about the red blood cells that is calculated from the other measurements: MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin; MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration.
The platelet count is also usually included in the CBC.
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One of the most commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests, a blood count, also called a complete blood count (CBC), is a basic evaluation of the cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) suspended in the liquid part of the blood (plasma). It involves determining the numbers, concentrations, and conditions of the different types of blood cells.
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A complete blood count (CBC) is a series of tests used to evaluate the composition and concentration of the cellular components of blood. It consists of the following tests: red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count; measurement of hemoglobin and mean red cell volume; classification of white blood cells (WBC differential); and calculation of hematocrit and red blood cell indices .
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The clinical laboratory test that evaluates the three main cellular components of peripheral blood (red cells, white cells, and platelets) is called the " complete blood count " (CBC). It is used commonly to assess whether a patient is anemic (low red cell count), has an infection (increased white blood cells), or has abnormal blood coagulation (platelet levels).
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A complete blood count (CBC) is a series of tests used to evaluate the composition and concentration of the cellular components of blood. It consists of the following tests: red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count; measurement of hemoglobin and mean red cell volume; classification of white blood cells (WBC differential); and calculation of hematocrit and red blood cell indices .
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An angiography is an x-ray of the arteries. The arteries are not normally seen in an x-ray, so a special material, called contrast dye, is injected into one or more arteries to make them visible. For a cerebral angiography, the contrast dye is injected into one or both of the carotid arteries in the neck.
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A cranial CT scan is computed tomography of the head, including the skull, brain, orbits (eye sockets), and sinuses.
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An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart. ECG is used to measure the rate and regularity of heartbeats as well as the size and position of the chambers, the presence of any damage to the heart, and the effects of drugs or devices used to regulate the heart (such as a pacemaker. See also stress test and Holter monitor (24h.
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The electrocardiogram (ECG) displays important information about the heart, including the occurrence of a heart attack or lack of oxygen, whether conduction of the heartbeat is disturbed, or its rate or rhythm altered. It is useful as a rapid indicator of the diagnosis and it is easy, painless, and inexpensive to record.
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Detailed information on electrocardiogram, including how the EKG/ECG is performed and what happens after the procedure
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Electrocardiography is a commonly used, noninvasive procedure for recording electrical changes in the heart. The record, which is called an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), shows the series of waves that relate to the electrical impulses that occur during each beat of the heart.
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Did you know that electrical currents flow throughout your body? Because the strongest of these travels through your heart, doctors are able to monitor your heart by placing electrical sensors on the surface of your skin. They do this by giving you an electrocardiogram -- abbreviated either ECG or EKG (from the original German spelling of the word).
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The ECG (also known as EKG) is a test that records electrical signals from your heart onto a paper strip. The pattern of these signals can tell the doctor whether your heart is normal, under stress, or experiencing electrical problems, strain, or damage.
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Detailed information on an electrocardiogram (EKG) procedure, including how the procedure is performed, reasons for the procedure, and pre- and post-evaluation instructions
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The Harvard Health Letter celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. In the first of a series, the Health Letter takes a look back at three decades in medicine.
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During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body; Palpation (feeling the body with hands; Auscultation (listening to sounds; Percussion (producing sounds.
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An MRI of the head is a noninvasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain tissues. Conventional radiography and computed tomographic (CT) imaging use potentially harmful radiation (x-rays) that passes through a patient to generate images. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is based on the magnetic properties of atoms, and there is no exposure to the same type of radiation used in x-rays and CT scans. A powerful magnet generates a magnetic field roughly 10,000 times stronger than the Earth's. A very small percentage of hydrogen atoms within the body will align with this field. Radio wave pulses are broadcast towards the aligned hydrogen atoms in tissues of interest, returning a signal of their own. The slight differences of those signals from different tissues enables MRI to tell the difference between various organs, and potentially, provide contrast between benign and malignant tissue. Any imaging angle, or "slice", can be projected, and then stored in a computer or printed on film. MRI can easily be performed through clothing and bones. However, certain types of metal in or around the area of interest can cause significant errors in the reconstructed images. These errors are called artifacts.
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Detailed information on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including information on how the procedure is performed
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A neurological examination is an essential component of a comprehensive physical examination . It is a systematic examination that surveys the functioning of nerves delivering sensory information to the brain and caring motor commands (Peripheral nervous system) and impulses back to the brain for processing and coordinating (Central nervous system).
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Prothrombin time (PT) is a blood test that measures the time it takes for the liquid portion (plasma) of your blood to clot. See also: Partial thromboplastin time (PTT)
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The prothrombin time test belongs to a group of blood tests that assess the clotting ability of blood. The test is also known as the pro time or PT test.
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Hemostasis has been described as "a process by which the body spontaneously stops bleeding and maintains blood in the fluid state within the vascular compartment." There are at least four major systems that are involved in this complex process: the vasculature system, the platelets, the fibrin-forming system, and the fibrin- lysing system.
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