Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

 The most accurate method (the “gold standard”) for evaluating and defining coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary angiography is used to identify the exact location and severity of CAD. During coronary angiography, a small catheter (a thin hollow tube with a diameter of 2-3 mm) is inserted through the skin into an artery in the groin or the arm. Guided…

A procedure performed to view blood vessels after injecting them with a radiopaque dye that outlines them on x-ray. This technique can be usefully used to look at arteries in many areas of the body, including the brain, neck (carotids), heart, aorta, chest, pulmonary circuit, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and limbs.

An X-ray image of blood vessels. The vessels can be seen because a contrast dye within them blocks the X-rays.

The process of developing new blood vessels. Angiogenesis is critically important during the normal development of the embryo and fetus. It also appears to be important during tumor formation.

A genetic form of angioedema. (Angioedema is also referred to as Quinke’s disease.) Persons with it are born lacking an inhibitor protein (called C1 esterase inhibitor) that normally prevents activation of a cascade of proteins leading to the swelling of angioedema. Patients can develop recurrent attacks of swollen tissues, pain in the abdomen, and swelling of the voice…

Like hives, but affects deeper skin layer.

This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the mouth and throat due to the spread of infection from the gums. Certain germs (including fusiform bacteria and spirochetes) have been thought to be involved, but the full story behind this long-known disease is still not…

Chest pain due to coronary artery spasm, a sudden constriction of a coronary artery (one of the vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood rich in oxygen) depriving the heart muscle (myocardium) of blood and oxygen. This is also called Prinzmetal angina. Coronary artery spasm can be triggered by emotional stress, medicines, street drugs (cocaine) or exposure to cold. Treatments include…

Chest pain due to a coronary artery spasm, a sudden constriction of one of the vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood rich in oxygen. This deprives the heart muscle of blood and oxygen. Coronary artery spasm can be triggered by emotional stress, medicines, street drugs (cocaine) or exposure to cold. Treatments include beta-blocker medications and, classically, nitroglycerin to open up the coronary arteries. Named for…

This has nothing whatsoever to do with the usual type of angina (angina pectoris) which is chest pain of cardiac origin. Angina trachealis is more commonly known as croup. Croup is an infection of the larynx, trachea, and the bronchial tubes, that occurs mainly in children. It is usually caused by viruses, less often by bacteria. The symptoms of croup include a cough that…