John M. Duchak MD

What is a bubble study?A bubble study is a type of echocardiogram, which is the ultrasound of the heart. An echocardiogram is done to visualize the heart and its surrounding areas. Better images of the heart can be produced when a “contrast” is used during the echocardiogram. In a bubble study,...

Emergency situations with high blood pressure, called hypertensive crisis, are common when blood pressure is very high. This is a serious situation, as it may lead to organ damage. If the increase in blood pressure is not too high to cause any problems to any of the organs it is referred to as...

Getting the teeth cleaned by a professional may not only give you a healthy and sparkling smile but also a healthier heart, according to a new study. In this study, people who regularly got their teeth cleaned and scaled by a dentist had a 24% less chance of getting heart disease, when compared to...

What is lightheadedness?Lightheadedness or feeling faint may not always be a cause for concern. However, it may also indicate an underlying health problem and can increase the risk of falling and fall-related injuries. If you feel lightheaded, drink water or fluids containing electrolytes and take...

Results of a study presented in the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego showed that coping with mental stress is harder on a  woman's heart, when compared to that of men. Researcher Chester Ray, PhD, professor of medicine, and cellular and molecular physiology at Penn State's College of...

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects several systems of our body. SLE is also known as discoid lupus or disseminated lupus erythematosus. How common is SLE? Out of all the types of lupus, SLE is the most common form. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus is a very common...