Angina pectoris (chest pain)
Angina pectoris derives from Latin and translates as 'tight chest'. It feels like an oppressive, heavy, crushing pain or a constricting feeling in the centre of the chest behind the breast bone (sternum) or on the left side of the front of the ... [... more]
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Stroke (cerebrovascular accident)
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disturbed in some way. As a result, brain cells are starved of oxygen causing some cells to die and leaving other cells damaged. Most strokes occur when a blood clot blocks one of the arteries ... [... more]
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cleaning of the artery (endarterectomy)
Atherosclerosis refers to the build up of plaque in the walls of the arteries leading to a reduction in the calibre of the vessel. Atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis - hardening of the arteries) The narrowing does not occur suddenly but builds up ... [... more]
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Heart failure
Heart failure is a disorder in which the heart loses its ability to pump blood efficiently throughout the body. The oxygen and nutrients in the blood provide the body with the energy it needs to operate efficiently. Heart failure may affect the ... [... more]
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Vascular disease
Vascular disease is mainly caused by atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) due to a thickening of the lining of the arteries (the intima). The arteries are blood vessels that supply blood, oxygen and nutrients, to the body from the heart. ... [... more]
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High cholesterol level (hypercholesterolaemia)
Cholesterol is one of the body's fats (lipids). Cholesterol and another lipid, triglyceride, are important building blocks in the structure of cells and are also used in making hormones and producing energy. To some extent, the cholesterol level ... [... more]
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Coronary thrombosis (heart attack)
The heart is surrounded by three major coronary arteries that supply it with blood and oxygen. If a blood clot develops in one of these arteries, the blood supply to that area of the heart muscle will stop. This is known as a coronary thrombosis, ... [... more]
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Pulmonary embolism
A lung embolus (pulmonary embolism) occurs when a blood vessel supplying the lung becomes clogged up by a clot - a lump of coagulated blood. The clot may have travelled in the bloodstream from a vein in the pelvis, abdomen or in the leg; through ... [... more]
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Fainting
Fainting can be caused by a number of factors linked to a person's heart, circulation, blood pressure and breathing. The type of fainting attack described here is the most frequent and can happen at any time to otherwise healthy people. Things ... [... more]
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Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH)
Raised cholesterol levels in the blood - hypercholesterolaemia - are generally caused by a poor diet and lifestyle in combination with the way an individual produces cholesterol in their liver. However, in some individuals (1 in 500 of the ... [... more]
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Heart attack - emergency first aid
Important: this is a brief guide to the emergency help that can be given in the event of a heart attack or cardiac arrest before the arrival of emergency services. It is not intended as a replacement for a first aid or resuscitation course. If ... [... more]
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Heart valve disease
The heart has two halves, a left and a right, each with two chambers - the atrium and the ventricle. Between the chambers are the heart valves which ensure the blood runs only in one direction. There are also heart valves situated between the ... [... more]
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