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.
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.
Troponin is the blood test at the heart of chest pain assessment. If you have been to emergency with chest pain, here is what it measures and what the result means.
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.
A patent foramen ovale, a small opening in the heart present in around one in four adults, can sound alarming when first mentioned. For most people it is entirely harmless and needs no treatment. Here is when it matters, and when it doesn't.
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.
A stress echocardiogram combines an ultrasound of the heart with an exercise challenge, revealing how the heart performs under pressure, not just at rest.
ARBs are among the world's most prescribed heart medicines, and the go-to alternative when ACE inhibitors cause a cough. Here is what an ARB does, what to expect while taking one, and how it protects your heart and kidneys.
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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