Dr. Kulick received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. He performed his residency in internal medicine at the Harbor-University of California Los Angeles Medical Center and a fellowship in the section of cardiology at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology.
Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are premature heartbeats
originating from the ventricles of the heart.
Premature ventricular contractions are premature because they
occur before the regular heartbeat.
Normal function of the heart
The heart has four chambers. The upper two chambers are the atria, and the lower
two chambers are the ventricles.
The atria deliver blood to the ventricles, and
the ventricles deliver blood to the lungs and to the rest of the
body.
The right ventricle delivers blood to the lungs while the left ventricle delivers
blood to the rest of the body.
The heartbeat (pulse) that we feel is
caused by the contraction of the ventricles.
The heartbeat is normally
controlled by the electrical system of the heart. The electrical system of the
heart consists of the SA node (sino-atrial
node), the AV node (atrio-ventricular
node) and special tissues in the ventricles that conduct electricity.
The SA
node is the heart's electrical pacemaker. It is a small patch of cells located
in the wall of the right atrium; the
frequency with which the SA node discharges electricity determines the rate at
which the heart normally beats. The SA node keeps the heart beating in a regular
manner. At rest, the frequency of the electrical discharges originating from the
SA node is low, and the heart beats at the lower range of normal (60-80 beats/minute). During exercise or
excitement, the frequency of discharges from the SA node increases, increasing
the rate at which the heart beats. In people who exercise regularly, the resting
heart rate may be below 50-60 and is not of concern.
The electrical discharges pass from the SA
node, through the special tissues of the atria into the AV node, and through the
AV node to the special conduction tissues of the ventricles and causing the
ventricles to contract.
Low blood pressure, also referred to as hypotension, is blood pressure that is so low that it causes symptoms or signs due to the low flow of blood through
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
Dizziness is a symptom that is often applies to a variety of sensations including lightheadedness and vertigo. Causes of dizziness include low blood pressure,
Hyperthyroidism is an excess of thyroid hormone resulting from an overactive thyroid gland. Symptoms can include increased heart rate, weight
loss, depression,
Fainting, also referred to as blacking out, syncope, or temporary loss of consciousness has many causes. Often a person will have signs or symptoms prior
Palpitations are unpleasant sensations of irregular and/or forceful beating of the heart. Palpitations can be relieved in many patients by stress reduction,
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP) is also also known as "click murmur syndrome" and "Barlow's syndrome." Mitral valve prolapse is the most common heart valve
Potassium is an essential electrolyte necessary for cell function. Low potassium (hypokalemia) may be caused by diarrhea, vomiting, ileostomy, colon polyps,
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,
Atrial fibrillation is an abnormality in the heart rhythm which involves irregular and often rapid beating of the heart. Symptoms may include palpitations,
Heart valve disease occurs when the heart valves do not work the way they should. Symptoms of valve disease include shortness of breath, weakness or dizziness,
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. COPD mainly involves three related conditions,
Heart disease (coronary artery disease) is caused by a buildup of cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries. Risk factors for heart disease include
Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle and can be caused by a variety of infections, conditions, and viruses. Symptoms of myocarditis include
Sudden cardiac arrest is an unexpected, sudden death caused by sudden cardiac arrest (loss of heart function). Causes and risk factors of sudden cardiac
Heart failure is caused by many conditions including coronary artery disease, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, and conditions that overwork the heart. Symptoms
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
If you have a COPD such as emphysema, avoiding chronic bronchitis and colds is important to avoid a more severe respiratory infection such as pneumonia.
