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What Is a Troponin Test, and Why Is It Used for Chest Pain?
Latest · Tests & Procedures

What Is a Troponin Test, and Why Is It Used for Chest Pain?

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.

Cardiac Fatigue: When Tiredness Is More Than Being Tired
Symptoms

Cardiac Fatigue: When Tiredness Is More Than Being Tired

Most tiredness is not your heart. But cardiac fatigue is real: heavy, persistent, and not relieved by rest. Here is how to tell the difference, and when tiredness is worth a conversation with your doctor.

What is a Muscle Bridge?
Conditions

What is a Muscle Bridge?

You have a muscle bridge. For most people that sentence means nothing needs doing. For a minority it explains real chest pain, and new research shows how the troublesome ones can be treated.

Single, Double, Triple, Quadruple Bypass: What Does the Number Mean?
Conditions

Single, Double, Triple, Quadruple Bypass: What Does the Number Mean?

Hearing you need a triple bypass is alarming — but the number describes how many arteries were rerouted, not how dangerous the operation is. Understanding what it means can make one of the most daunting conversations in cardiac surgery far less frightening.

Aortic Stenosis: When the Heart’s Gateway Narrows
Conditions

Aortic Stenosis: When the Heart’s Gateway Narrows

The aortic valve opens and closes 100,000 times a day. When it begins to narrow, the heart pays the price. Here is how aortic stenosis develops, how it is diagnosed, and how modern treatment, from open surgery to TAVR, restores flow.

What Is a BNP Test? Understanding This Key Heart Failure Blood Test
Tests & Procedures

What Is a BNP Test? Understanding This Key Heart Failure Blood Test

BNP and NT-proBNP are blood markers released when the heart is under strain — the primary tests used to diagnose and monitor heart failure. An elevated result is the beginning of an investigation, not a verdict.

The hs-CRP Test: Inflammation, Heart Risk, and Why Context Matters
Tests & Procedures

The hs-CRP Test: Inflammation, Heart Risk, and Why Context Matters

The hs-CRP test measures inflammation in the blood — but it is not a diagnostic test for heart disease. Here is what it can and cannot tell us about cardiovascular risk.

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Women's Heart Health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, yet it is still widely misunderstood and underdiagnosed. Our dedicated section covers the symptoms, risk factors and treatment differences that every woman should know.

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80% of heart disease in women is preventable