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.
Second-degree AV block means most signals reach the lower chambers of the heart and the occasional one does not. Some causes are entirely benign. Here is what the finding describes and what usually happens next.
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.
Cardiac amyloidosis is caused by misfolded proteins stiffening the heart muscle, and it is now treatable. Here is what patients need to know about this increasingly recognised and now treatable condition.
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.
Most towns do not have a catheter laboratory. When someone has a heart attack there, a clot-dissolving drug goes in first and the journey comes second. Here is why that order is the right one.
High blood pressure rarely causes symptoms, which is why measuring it regularly matters. This guide covers how to choose the right monitor and how to get accurate readings at home.
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 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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