William Hwai-cheng Kou M.D.

Our heart rate is automatically controlled by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) that has two divisions: sympathetic and parasympathetic. The part of the ANS that is responsible for raising a person’s heart rate through the sympathetic plexus is the sympathetic division. The parasympathetic...

IntroductionOrthopnea is the medical term used when referring to the occurrence of dyspnea (shortness of breath) when you are lying flat. This symptom is often a sign of heart failure. However, orthopnea can also be due to other health conditions. Dyspnea (shortness of breath) is not the same with...

Introduction A GI cocktail or gastrointestinal cocktail is a mixture of liquid antacid, viscous lidocaine, and an anticholinergic agent. A GI cocktail is primarily used to treat dyspepsia.There are a wide variety of GI cocktail recipes nowadays. One popular recipe is a mixture of viscous lidocaine,...

Generic Name: ClopidogrelBrand Name: PlavixWhat is Plavix?Plavix is a drug that prevents the platelets in the blood from sticking together, thereby avoiding the formation of blood clots. There can be unwanted cases of blood clots, which can occur in cases of heart diseases or blood vessel...

What is ischemia?Ischemia is the medical term used to describe a lack of blood flow to certain organs or body parts. Since the blood carries oxygen and other necessary nutrients to parts of the body, when blow flow is reduced these body parts do not receive the adequate amount of oxygen and...

Introduction An unpleasant sensation of rapid breathing or difficulty breathing is known as breathlessness. People sometimes complain of feeling winded, puffed, or out of breath. Medically, it is called as dyspnea. Breathing may hurt and the person may feel tightness in the chest. It is normal to...