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.
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.
Beta-blockers calm the heart by blocking adrenaline, and they treat far more than blood pressure. Here is what yours is doing, the side effects worth knowing about including vivid dreams, and why you must never stop one suddenly.
A new trial found that a vitamin K2 supplement modestly slowed calcium build-up in the heart's arteries. The result is promising, but experts say it is too early to recommend supplements, and there are important safety caveats.
The echocardiogram is cardiology's most comprehensive non-invasive imaging test. Here is what it reveals about your heart and what to expect from the procedure.
Most cardiac emergencies build gradually. An aortic dissection does not. It arrives at full force in people who felt perfectly well moments earlier, and recognising the pain is what gets you to hospital in time.
In complete heart block the top and bottom of the heart stop communicating, and a backup rhythm takes over. It is serious, and it is also among the most fixable problems in cardiology.
CoQ10 is a widely used supplement, especially among people on statins, but the evidence is more mixed than the marketing suggests. Here is what it can and can't do, who might benefit, and the interactions that matter if you are on a blood thinner.
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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