Infective endocarditis is an infection of the heart's inner lining, usually settling on a valve. It is uncommon, but the early signs are vague enough that it is often missed. Knowing who is at risk is most of the answer.
A prolonged QT on an ECG report often has a simple explanation, such as a medicine or a low potassium level. This guide explains what the QT measures, when it is inherited, and how it is managed.
Pericarditis is inflammation of the sac around the heart. The pain is sharp, worse lying flat, better sitting forward, and alarming enough to mimic a heart attack. Here is what causes it and what the evidence supports.
Cardiac rehabilitation lowers the chance of another heart attack and of returning to hospital, yet only around 4 in 10 eligible people take part. Here is what it involves, who it is for, and what the evidence shows.
Should blood tests be done fasting? Only a few need it, chiefly glucose tests. Here is which heart-related tests require fasting, what counts as a fast, and why cholesterol usually does not.
The breakfast question patients ask most often is what will actually keep them full until lunch. This 10-minute smoothie answers it with viscous fibre, protein, and berries, and explains why the milk you pour in matters more than it looks.
Most people are home within hours of a coronary angiogram, but knowing what to expect from the TR band, the results conversation, and the days after makes a real difference.
Being told there is plaque in a heart artery can feel like a verdict. A CT scan study adds to the evidence that lowering cholesterol can shrink plaque, which matters most after a heart attack, stent, stroke, or bypass.
A simple, non-invasive CT scan that detects calcified plaque in the arteries years before symptoms appear. If you or someone you know has been referred for a calcium score, this guide explains exactly what it measures, what your result means, and what to do next.
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By Professor Peter Barlis, Interventional Cardiologist and Founding Editor, Heart Matters. Published by Wiley.
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