Heart Rhythm Disorders Center - Des Plaines, IL
Des Plaines Cardiologist Doctors for Heart Rhythm DisordersType of Physician: Cardiologist What is a Cardiologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners are expert in diseases of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. They consult with surgeons on heart surgery, perform diagnostic procedures, and manage complex conditions such as heart attacks and arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat). Specialty: Cardiology Common Name: Heart Doctor Cardiologist Doctors in Des Plaines * Dev Medical Associates  Maine Ridge Medical Associates  Sumac Surgical Associates Ltd  Sumac Surgical Associates Ltd  Advocate Medical Group Cardiology  Advocate Medical Group Cardiology  Advocate Medical Group Cardiology  Thomas Pavlovic MD & Christopher Pavlovic MD  Thomas Pavlovic MD & Christopher Pavlovic MD  Advocate Medical Group Cardiology  Lake Cook Surgical Associates  Advocate Medical Group  ENH Cardiology  ENH Cardiology  ENH Cardiology  ENH Cardiology  Cardiovascular Associates of Glenbrook Evanston  Cardiovascular Associates of Glenbrook Evanston  Cardiovascular Associates of Glenbrook Evanston  Cardiovascular Associates of Glenbrook Evanston  Cardiovascular Associates of Glenbrook Evanston  Cardiovascular Associates of Glenbrook Evanston  Dev Medical Associates  Talcott Internal Medicine & Cardiology Ltd  Drs Vohra & Cioata  North Shore Cardiology Consultants  North Shore Cardiology Consultants  Talcott Internal Medicine & Cardiology Ltd  Dev Medical Associates  Progressive Care SC  Talcott Internal Medicine & Cardiology Ltd  Amishi Sawlani MD  North Shore Cardiology Consultants  Amishi Sawlani MD  North Shore Cardiology Consultants  Drs Vohra & Cioata  Youhana Yousefi MD  Cardio Med Ltd  Ashok M Doshi MD  Uday Vyas MD  Northwest Cardiovascular Associates  Northwest Cardiovascular Associates  Northwest Cardiovascular Associates  Northwest Cardiovascular Associates  Northwest Cardiovascular Associates  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Northwest Heart Specialtists SC  Elmhurst Clinic  Bronislaw Orawiec MD PhD  Northwest Cardiovascular Center  Cardiovascular Associates  Chicago Cardiology Institute  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Cardiovascular Associates  Clinical Cardiology Consultants  Bashi Bandari MD  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Consultants in Cardiovascular Medicine  Ramesh Dhingra MD  S J Hasanain MD  Dragan Ivkovic MD FACC  Lloyd W Klein MD  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Consultants in Cardiovascular Medicine  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Midwest Heart Specialists Elmhurst  Clinical & Interventional Cardiology Ltd  North Shore Cardiologists  Clinical & Interventional Cardiology Ltd  The Elmhurst Clinic  Clinical & Interventional Cardiology Ltd  Sushil K Sharma MD  Jerrold E Shapiro MD  Rebecca Duke MD  David L Fishman MD SC  Dev Medical Associates  North Shore Cardiologists Des Plaines, IllinoisUpcoming Local Events2012-06-09
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Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Heart Rhythm Disorders)Read the Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Heart Rhythm Disorders) article » How does the heart work?The heart is a two stage electric pump whose job it is to circulate blood through the body. There is a group of cells that serve as an automatic pacemaker located in the atrium that generates an electrical current that spreads to the heart muscle cells to generate a coordinated squeeze, so that the pump can function. The heart has four chambers, the right and left atria (singular= atrium) and the right and left ventricles. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs while the left side pumps it to the rest of the body. Blood from the body is collected in the right atrium and is pushed into the right ventricle with a small beat of the upper chamber of the heart. The right ventricle then pumps the blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. They oxygen-rich blood returns to the left atrium where the small atrial beat pushes it to the left ventricle. The left ventricle is much thicker than the right because it needs to be strong enough to send blood to the entire body. There are special cells in the right atrium called the sino-atrial node (SA node) that generate the first electrical impulse, allowing the heart to beat in a coordinated way. The SA node is considered the "natural pacemaker" of the heart. This pacemaker function begins the electrical impulse which follows pathways in the atrial walls, almost like wiring, to a junction box between the atrium and ventricle called the atrio-ventricular node (AV node). This electric signal causes muscle cells in both atria to contract at once. At the AV node, the electric signal waits for a very short time, usually one to two tenths of a second, to allow blood pumped from the atria to fill up the ventricles. The signal then passes through electric bundles in the ventricle walls to allow these chambers to contract, again in a coordinated way, and pump blood to the lungs and body. The SA node generates an e... Read the Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Heart Rhythm Disorders) article » Recommended Reading Related to Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Heart Rhythm Disorders)Introduction to fainting (syncope)Fainting, "blacking out," or syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness followed by the return to full wakefulness. This loss of consciousness may be accompanied by loss of muscle tone that can result in falling or slumping over. To better understand why fainting can occur; it is helpful to explain why somebody is awake. The brain has multiple parts, including two hemispheres, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The brain requires blood flow to provide oxygen and glucose (sugar) to its cells to sustain life. For the body to be awake, an area known as the reticular activating system located in the brain stem needs to be turned on, and at least one brain hemisphere needs to be functioning. For fainting or syncope to occur, either the reticular activating system needs to lose its blood supply, or both hemispheres of the brain need to be deprived of blood, oxygen, or glucose. If blood sugar levels... Other Related Heart Rhythm Disorders ArticlesEmergency Contact for Des Plaines
Nearby Des Plaines Hospitals *Resurrection Health Care Holy Family Medical Center Advocate Lutheran General Hospital Glenbrook Hospital Resurrection Health Care Resurrection Medical Center Northwest Community Hospital Alexian Brothers Medical Center Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital Chicago-Read Mental Health Center RUSH North Shore Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Our Lady of Resurrection Medical Center Kindred Hospital Northlake Gottlieb Memorial Hospital Shriners Hospital for Children Chicago Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Francis Hospital NorthShore University HealthSystems Resurrection Health Care Westlake Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago Central Swedish Covenant Hospital Highland Park Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago North Resurrection Health Care West Suburban Medical Center RUSH Oak Park Hospital CINN Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago Methodist Hospital of Chicago Adventist GlenOaks Hospital Kindred Hospital Chicago Lakeshore Loyola University Medical Center Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital Riveredge Hospital Edward Hines Jr VA Hospital John J Madden Mental Health Center St Alexius Medical Center Chicago Lakeshore Hospital Loretto Hospital Weiss Memorial Hospital Thorek Memorial Hospital Hartgrove Hospital Norwegian-American Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Elizabeth Hospital Sacred Heart Hospital Streamwood Behavioral Health Center Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Resurrection Health Care Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center Lake Forest Hospital Advocate Bethany Hospital Condell Medical Center Children's Memorial Hospital Resurrection Health Care Saint Joseph Hospital Lincoln Park Hospital Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital MacNeal Hospital John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County Jesse Brown VA Medical Center Johnston R Bowman Health Center Rush University Medical Center Saint Anthony Hospital Adventist Hinsdale Hospital University of Illinois Medical Center RML Specialty Hospital Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital Prentice Women's Hospital Northwestern Memorial Hospital Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Mount Sinai Hospital Medical Center Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital North Chicago VA Medical Center Central DuPage Hospital Mercy Hospital & Medical Center Sherman Hospital Elgin Mental Health Center Holy Cross Hospital Provident Hospital of Cook County Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Abnormal Heart Rhythms (Heart Rhythm Disorders) by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Atrial Fibrillation
- Atrial fibrillation is an abnormality in the heart rhythm which involves irregular and often rapid beating of the heart.
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High Blood Pressure
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Heart Attack
- Heart attack happens when a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery supplying blood to the heart muscle. A heart attack can cause chest pain, heart failure, and electrical instability of the heart.
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Palpitations
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Stroke
- A stroke results from impaired oxygen delivery to brain cells via the bloodstream. A stroke is also referred to as a CVA, or cerebrovascular incident. Symptoms of stroke include: sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance, and/or sudden severe headache with no known cause. A TIA, or transient ischemic attack is a short-lived temporary impairment of the brain caused by loss of blood supply. Stroke is a medical emergency.
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Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome
- Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a condition in which abnormal electrical pathways in the heart cause arrhythmias. Symptoms of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome include tachycardia, dizziness, palpitations, fainting, and shortness of breath. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a common cause of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is caused by mutations in the PRKAG2 gene.
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Congestive Heart Failure
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs. A poor blood supply resulting from congestive heart failure may cause the body's organ systems to fail, leading to a weakened heart muscle and fluid accumulation in the lungs and body tissue. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, medications, heart transplant, and therapy.
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Fainting (Syncope)
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Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)
- Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are premature heartbeats originating from the ventricles of the heart. PVCs are premature because they occur before the regular heartbeat. There are many causes of premature ventricular contractions to include: heart attack, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, hypokalemia, hypoxia, medications, excess caffeine, drug abuse, and myocarditis.
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Low Blood Pressure
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Biorhythms
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Alpha Thalassemia
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Heart Attack Prevention Overview
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Stroke Prevention
- Stroke is the third leading killer in the United States. Some of the warning signs of stroke include sudden confusion, trouble seeing with one or both eyes, dizziness, loss of balance, and more. Stroke prevention and reatable risk factors for stroke include lowering high blood pressure, quit smoking, heart disease, diabetes control and prevention.
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Sleepwalking
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Sudden Cardiac Arrest
- Sudden cardiac arrest is an unexpected, sudden death caused by sudden cardiac arrest (loss of heart function). Causes and risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest include (not inclusive): abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), previous heart attack, coronary artery disease, smoking, high cholesterol, Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation after a heart attack, congenital heart defects, history of fainting, and heart failure, obesity, diabetes, and drug abuse. Treatment of sudden cardiac arrest is an emergency, and action must be taken immediately.
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Heart Failure
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How the Heart Works
- The heart is a very important organ in the body. It is responsible for continuously pumping oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout your body to sustain life. It is a fist-sized muscle that beats (expands and contracts) 100,000 times per day, pumping a total of five or six quarts of blood each minute, or about 2,000 gallons per day.
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Loeys-Dietz Syndrome
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Shock (Medical)
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Coma
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Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT)
- Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is an abnormal conduction of electricity in particular areas of the heart. PSVT was referred to at one time as paroxysmal atrial tachycardia or PAT, however, the term PAT is reserved for as specific heart condition. Symptoms of PSVT include weakness, shortness of breath, chest pressure, lightheadedness, and palpitations. PSVT is treated with medications or procedures that return the heart to its normal electrical pattern.
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Mitochondrial Disease
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Low Potassium (Hypokalemia)
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Pulmonary Embolism (Blood Clot in the Lung)
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Heart Disease
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Hypothermia
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Dizziness
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Hypercalcemia (Elevated Calcium Levels)
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