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SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Cardiology
Languages spoken
English
Doctor Q&A
43 Answers
2 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Sometimes u cant: "heart burn" typically occurs after meals, worse in supine position, described as a "burning", "gnawing symptom that is associated with dyspepsia symp... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Need cardiac testing: A sensation of heart pumping is a common finding that usually is a benign process. However, any association with hest pain, left arm pain and elevated... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
It can happen: Unfortunately, sometimes young people also get affected by heart failure. Most often it relates to a viral infection that infects the heart muscle, c... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Lifestyle change: Best thing is to avoid it in the first place, but limiting to a 2gm sodium diet, limiting fluid intake, and watching your blood pressure very closely ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Depends: For a new diagnosis of heart failure, with normal arteries, one has to assess the heart function after 3-9 months of therapy prior to deciding on the ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Diuretics: Right sided hf is a challenge if in isolation. The most common cause is left heart failure, for which treatment is established. However, we dont ful... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
No: Decreased heart rate variability can cause a delay in having your heart rate come down after exercise or stressful situations, but if it is episodic a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Symptomatic arrhythm: Symptomatic arrhythmia, including vt, afib, aflutter, or even svt.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Depends: Depends on reason for exercise. Aerobic work out usually best at 70-80% of age predicted target hr (220-age), with intermittent increase to anaerobic... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Multiple: Most common: coronary artery disease. Others: viral illness, drugs/ toxins, infiltrative disorders, hyper and hypothyroid, tachycardia, , and many mo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Multiple causes: One would need a full detailed history and exam to identify the multiple causes of shortness of breath, rangingfrom metabolic disorders, pulmonary con... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Arteriolar dilator: Best data on acei as first line therapy, which is a predominant arteriolar vasodilator, though has some venous effects as well. Second line agents su... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 56-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Yes: As a center participating in parachute trial, if u have evidence of certain areas of the heart that have been infarcted, i.E, dead tissue causing aneu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Non-specific: Ecg can be non-specific. A blood test called a bnp level can help differentiate heart failure versus other conditions that may cause shortness of bre... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Get evaluated: You need to be evaluated if you are having symptomatic tachycardia that is not resolving.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Not defined: No defined data on optimal hr. We know that lower heart rates over time provide a correlation to longer life span and decreased cv events.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 56-year-old male asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Normal: Some people can normalize, depending on appropriate therapy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Elevated pressure: Heart failure causes elevated filling pressures in the heart which then reflect back in the lungs. The elevated pressures in thelungs causes fluid to... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 24-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Excellent question: Stunned usually refers to reduced ejection fraction in the setting of normal perfusion, i.e., takotsubo, stress induced cmp, which usually recover rap... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
10-15: Pad will often reflect as a surrogate for left atrial pressure (lap), and therefore should range in the 10-15 range. In pulmonary htn, these values ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Stress: Most often related to stress and catecholamine changes, but also with changes in your accessory intercostal muscle use with disturbed respiration duri... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
It can be: Weight loss can reflect appropriate dietary changes, salt reduction, and colirc reduction that may be beneficial if part of one's heart failure status... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Depends: There are no definitive surgical options for pulmonary hypertension. There are several option fors pulmonary vasodilator therapies , and if one is ca... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Tough question: Possible UTI with dehydration, not sure how to incorporate insomnia except due to discomfort or nocturia?
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
S3: Only one heart finding has shown to be predicitive of acute heart failure status, nad that is a s3, a third abnormal heart sound. However, this is no... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
A-HEFT Trial: A large trial looked at the combination of hydralazien and Isordil (isosorbide dinitrate) with african american patients and showed a benefit of impro... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Chemotherapy drugs: There are some chemotherapy drugs that have cardiotoxic potential, such as adriamycin (doxorubicin) and anthracycline derivatives, which may cause car... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 51-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Yes: Without more data, best answer is always to seek medical attention to find out if something is going on..
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Pulmonary vasodilate: To acutely dilate pulmonary vasculature.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Sudden cardiac death: Sudden cardiac death can occur due to an arrhythmia if one has a weakened heart muscle. That is why evaluation for defibrillators are always done fo ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
A 27-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Depends: Depends on cause. If prior heart attack, then chances of complete recovery of dead tissue is very unlikely. If no prior CAD or mi, then chances of r... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 56-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Increase ppi: You can increase the dose of Lansoprazole for a few days , and even go twice daily for maximum effect. However, this needs to be done in conjunction ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Ideally should avoid: Cardiomyopathy in pregnancy is a difficult situation, because often times the mother requires medications to maintain a stable status, that may be ter... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
CAD risk factors: Most common form is ischemic, and therefore people with underlying risk factors for heart attacks and cad. Otherwise, there are several patients who ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Yes: It is the gold standard test to detect a cardiomyopathy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
BNP level: It is iften difficult to determine how much of patient's shortness of breath is related to infection or pneumonia versus that of fluid and heart failu... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Depends on factors: Suriival in heart failure is most directly related to functional status, and dependent upon the patient's exercise capabilities following a diagnosis ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old male asked:
How can my bp at dr be 135/82 and at home be as low as 115/63? is white coat hypertension a reality?
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Yes: White coat HTN has been confirmed as a reality, and very common finding on patients. You can qualify for 24 ambulatory home BP monitoring if you want... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 39-year-old female asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Angina: Coronary spasm can lead to symptoms of angina, and an anginal equivalent can be that of shortness of breath.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Evaluation by cardio: She needs to be evaluated completely by a cardiologist, with an echocardiogram as the first step, and laboratory data and exam. Depending upon the re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Depends: Treatment somewhat depends on severity of co-morbid conditions, and severity and degree of heart failure. If he has advanced heart failure stages, th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Multifactorial: Could be due to several reasons, but best evaluated by your physician soon to ensure that nothing is missed.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Ali Valikaanswered
22 years experience
Evaluate: Best to have your child evaluated if having ongoing dyspnea symptoms.. Not usual for children to have this.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
2
Recommendations
79
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Valika is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Valika is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question .
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful!
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful!
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
university of illinois College of Medicine, IL
Graduated 2001MD
Awards
Top Cardiologist , First Place, Illinois - Summer
2013
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