Diagnosing and Treating Heart Disease

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Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United Kingdom, killing more than 90,000 people each year with the most common symptom being chest pains. Chest pains can be very scary for the sufferer and it is important to remember that these can be caused by factors such as indigestionDiscomfort after eating. and are not necessarily the result of a heart attackThe death of a section of heart muscle caused by an interruption in its blood supply. Also called a myocardial infarction..

Expert articles

Aortic Stenosis and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

By Dr Michael Mullen, Consultant CardiologistContact
University College Hospital London, The Harley Street Clinic
and Mr John Yap, Consultant Cardiac SurgeonContact
University College Hospital London, The Harley Street Clinic

The healthy heart has a number of valves which prevent the bloodA fluid that transports oxygen and other substances through the body, made up of blood cells suspended in a liquid. from flowing backwards. Normally these delicate structures are made of thin flexible and durable tissueA group of cells with a similar structure and a specialised function. that works efficiently over the 2000 million heart beats that occur during the course of our lives. When you consider this statistic it is not surprising that on occasions the heart valves can begin to fail. This can occur in one of two ways. Firstly, and most commonly, the valve tissue can become narrowed or stenosed. Alternatively the valves can begin to leak. This is known as regurgitation or incompetence.

Laser balloon ablation FAQs

By Dr Oliver Segal, Consultant CardiologistContact
University College Hospital London, The Wellington Hospital

Laser balloon ablation is a new treatment for atrial fibrillationA common abnormal heart rhythm causing a rapid, irregular pulse and failure of the upper chambers of the heart (atria) to pump properly. Abbreviated to AF. (irregular heart rhythms), using catheters inside the heart to ablate tissueA group of cells with a similar structure and a specialised function. using a laser guided by a camera. For many patients this will mean being able to come off their anti-coagulants, betablockers and anti-arrhythmic drugs.

Laser balloon ablation for atrial fibrillation

By Dr Oliver Segal, Consultant CardiologistContact
University College Hospital London, The Wellington Hospital

Atrial fibrillationAbnormally fast and uneven contractions of the heart muscle, so that blood cannot be pumped efficiently is the most common heart rhythm disorder in the developed world and it is estimated 1 million people in the UK have this condition. Atrial fibrillation, or AFAn abbreviation for atrial fibrillation for short, is the leading cause of strokeAny sudden neurological problem caused by a bleed or a clot in a blood vessel. in the country and may also cause heart failureFailure of the heart to pump adequately. in some patients. It results from abnormal electrical impulses in the top chambers of the heart, the atriaThe two upper chambers of the heart., which can lead to rapid, irregular palpitationsThe feeling when you become aware of your heartbeat - when frightened, for example., breathlessness, chest pain light-headedness and tiredness. AF increases with age and is very frequently associated with having high blood pressureThe pressure of blood within the arteries. but can also occur in patients with no other medical problems.

The benefits of minimally invasive keyhole heart surgery

By Mr Inderpaul Birdi, Consultant Heart SurgeonContact
The Harley Street Clinic

Being informed that you require heart surgery can create considerable anxiety. On the one hand, there is the fear that without intervention your health will be seriously compromised, yet the alternative is a major procedure with inherent risks attached. Fortunately, heart surgery has advanced enormously since it was first performed in the early 1950s and patients can now expect to feel better and live for longer following their operation with minimal risk.

Cardiac rhythm abnormalities - symptoms and treatment options

By Dr Anthony Chow, Consultant CardiologistContact
University College Hospital London, The Wellington Hospital

In order to understand how cardiacRelating to the heart rhythm abnormalities occur and how different treatments can be effective, it is firstly important to appreciate how the normal heart works.

I’ve got chest pains - have I had a heart attack?

By totalhealth, Authoritative medical information

Pain in the chest is a very worrying symptom. It can have a very simple and relatively harmless cause, such as indigestionDiscomfort after eating. or muscleTissue made up of cells that can contract to bring about movement. strain, but it can also be caused by a heart attackThe death of a section of heart muscle caused by an interruption in its blood supply. Also called a myocardial infarction., an alarming and potentially life-threatening condition. It is therefore extremely important to find out quickly and precisely what is causing chest pain but it can often be difficult for doctors to reach a diagnosisThe process of determining which condition a patient may have. based simply on the symptoms and medical history. There is however now a laboratory test that greatly assists with this task.

Early diagnosis of heart disease

By Professor Avijit Lahiri, Clinical CardiologistContact
St Mary's Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
and Dr Anand Jeevarethinam, Research Fellow in CardiologyContact
The Wellington Hospital

Coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the leading cause of death in the United Kingdom, killing more than 90,000 people each year. Coronary heart disease occurs when the bloodA fluid that transports oxygen and other substances through the body, made up of blood cells suspended in a liquid. supply to the heart becomes restricted or blocked due to the furring up of the coronaryRelating to the arteries supplying the heart itself. arteries with fatty deposits. This results in insufficient oxygen-rich blood reaching the heart so that the heart muscleTissue made up of cells that can contract to bring about movement. is unable to function properly, leading ultimately to a possible heart attackThe death of a section of heart muscle caused by an interruption in its blood supply. Also called a myocardial infarction. (myocardial infarctionDeath of an area of heart muscle due to poor blood supply. This is commonly known as a heart attack.). It also increases the risk of blood clots forming in the arteries.

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Diagnosing and Treating Heart Disease

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