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Anatomy and Function of the Heart Valves What are heart valves? The heart has four chambers: two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles). Blood passes through a valve before leaving each chamber of the heart. The valves prevent the backward flow of blood

Coping with Swallowing Problems As you go through daily life, swallowing is as natural as breathing. You rarely give it a second thought as you swallow hundreds of times each day. Swallowing problems can happen for reasons ranging from dehydration to illness. Most of the time it

About the Heart and Blood Vessels The heart is the hardest working muscle in the human body. Located almost in the center of the chest, a healthy adult heart is the size of a clenched adult fist. By age 70, the human heart will beat more than 2.5 billion times. The heart is

Medical Conditions and Pregnancy Certain health conditions may complicate a pregnancy. But with the correct care, you can have a healthy pregnancy even with health challenges. If you are concerned about a medical problem during pregnancy, talk to your doctor or midwife. Diabetes

Scars What is a scar? A scar is the body's natural way of healing and replacing lost or damaged skin. It's often made of fibrous tissue. Scars may form due to infections, surgery, injuries, or inflammation of tissue. They may appear anywhere on the body. A scar may look flat

The Cardiologist A cardiologist is a doctor who has had extra training to treat problems of the heart and blood vessels. A cardiologist has at least 10 years of medical training. It includes: 4 years of medical school. 3 years of training in internal medicine. 3 or more years in

Viral Hepatitis Overview What is hepatitis? Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. The liver is located in the upper right part of the belly (abdomen). Hepatitis can be caused by a virus that leads to damage of liver cells. Hepatitis has 2 types: Acute hepatitis. This type