Heart Disease
Health and lifestyle FAQs
View our short videos designed specifically to answer all your questions about how your health and lifestyle affect your heart health.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease is a group of conditions that affect the heart differently, such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and heart failure. These conditions affect the cardiac muscle tissue and valves. They can also cause arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).
These conditions are not reversible or curable but are manageable with the appropriate treatment. Most people can prevent these by making lifestyle changes, though some types are not preventable.
Types
Roughly 2.3 million people in the UK have CAD, the most common type. CAD is also known as coronary or ischaemic heart disease. Additional types include:
- Rheumatic or valvular (heart valve damage), such as aortic stenosis
- Congenital heart defects, such as atypical heart valves
- Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)
- Cardiomyopathy (abnormal heart muscle)
- Arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (AF)
- Heart failure
The term heart disease can be confused with cardiovascular disease (CVD), also known as heart and circulatory disease, which is similar but refers to conditions affecting the blood vessels and the heart.
Symptoms
Symptoms differ depending on the type of heart condition you have and how severe it is. You may experience angina (a type of chest pain), chest tightness, muscle weakness, palpitations, and oedema (swelling). You might also feel dizzy or lightheaded, breathless, and tired. Women, people with diabetes, and older people may be less likely to feel chest pain or may feel minor pain.
If you have an arrhythmia, you might have low blood pressure, tachycardia (a fast heartbeat) or bradycardia (a slow heartbeat). Some people experience cardiac syncope (fainting) or a fluttering feeling in their chest. Read our blog to find out more: Heart disease symptoms and early warning signs.
Gender differences
Women and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) may have slightly different and less obvious symptoms. For example, women may feel anxious or sick and have back pain, neck pain, or indigestion.
Causes
Each condition has its own set of possible causes. However, there are some similarities. You may develop a heart condition if you have a problem with your blood vessels, a low oxygen supply to the heart, or heart damage.
Some infections and excessive alcohol consumption can cause heart damage that leads to this condition. You may also develop one if you have an issue with the structure of your heart, which can occur from birth or as you age.
Risk factors
Certain factors can raise your risk of having these conditions. We call these risk factors. Many increase your risk of other heart and health problems, such as obesity, smoking, inactivity, and an unhealthy diet.
High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and a family history of these conditions can also increase your risk. Some artificial sweeteners are associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. You may wish to monitor how often you consume these.
Diagnosis
We can use a variety of tests to diagnose one of these conditions, depending on which we suspect. First, our specialist will perform a physical exam, ask about your symptoms, such as their severity and how long you’ve had them, and discuss your medical and family history to determine possible causes.
Then, we will recommend appropriate tests, which can include:
- Exercise stress tests, such as a stress echo
- An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
- Holter monitor (portable ECG)
- An echocardiogram (echo)
- Cardiac MRI or CT scans
- A tilt table test
- Chest X-ray
If we cannot confirm your diagnosis using these tests, we may suggest a more invasive one; for example, cardiac catheterisation and coronary angiogram, which allow us to find blockages in your coronary arteries.
Treatment
Using your test results, we can form a treatment plan that works for you. Many treatment plans start with lifestyle changes that improve your heart and general health, such as quitting smoking, eating a balanced diet, and more physical activity. We may also suggest medications and surgery or another procedure.
Medication
We use many medications to treat these conditions, such as blood thinners to prevent clotting and statins to reduce cholesterol. Additional medications include beta blockers, nitrates, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics.
Beta blockers can slow your heart rate, lower blood pressure, and prevent angina. You may take this if you have heart failure, AF, or a heart attack. Nitrates also lower blood pressure by widening and relaxing your blood vessels. You may benefit from taking nitrates if you experience heart pain.
ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics address high blood pressure too. Read our blog – How to lower blood pressure: Easy tips and lifestyle changes – to learn more ways to lower blood pressure.
Surgery and other procedures
When medications are ineffective, we may recommend a procedure to treat blocked arteries, heart problems and heart damage.
Possible procedures include:
- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
- Valve repair or replacement
- Coronary angioplasty
- Pacemaker surgery
- Maze procedure
- Heart transplant
- Cardioversion
The exact operation will depend on the type of condition you have and how severe it is.
Complications
If your condition remains untreated and poorly managed, you may experience a complication due to the damage it causes. These complications can be other forms of heart disease; they include heart failure, heart attack, stroke, aneurysm, pulmonary embolism, peripheral artery disease, and sudden cardiac arrest.
Ensure you follow your treatment plan and your heart specialist’s recommendations to avoid these. If you think your treatment is not working, contact our clinic for an assessment or to discuss other options.
How to prevent heart disease
Many methods to manage these conditions can help prevent some of them, such as not smoking and following a healthy lifestyle. You may benefit from eating a diet low in saturated fat and sodium. Try to reduce your stress levels in a way that works for you. Some people enjoy connecting with others, doing yoga, or practising mindfulness techniques.
If you have any underlying condition that increases your risk, such as diabetes, follow your doctor’s advice to control it. You should also maintain good hygiene and stick to a sleep schedule. Poor sleep can harm your heart and overall health, raising the risk of many health problems.
Alcohol and heart disease
Drinking alcohol excessively or binge drinking can cause heart damage and increase your blood pressure. However, drinking moderate amounts of red wine has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, but more research on this is needed. We explain this further here: Alcohol and heart disease: How are they related?
Book an appointment
If you are experiencing symptoms of heart disease, we recommend speaking to a cardiologist (heart specialist). Our experienced private specialists will thoroughly assess you to determine which tests you need and create a personalised treatment plan once they have the results.
Understanding heart disease is the first step towards taking control of your well-being. Book your initial consultation today and prioritise your heart health.
Resources
What our patients say
After suffering from a heart condition for a number of years I was very happy to meet Dr Ahsan, from the first consultation where he believed there was a solution I have now completed the surgery and had my final consultation with him today…”
I am very grateful to have Dr Syed Ahsan as my consultant. Dr Ahsan always greets you warmly on each visit despite his busy workload. Dr Ahsan explains everything clearly and helps you to understand even the most complex medical terms…”