Welcome. If you've come for help or advice about heart disease, you are in the right place. This part of our website aims to help you find the advice you need.
It will help you find useful information for any of the following purposes:
Immediately below you will find a short description of each of the following:
- The main heart conditions
- Risk factors for heart disease
- Common tests
- Treatments
After these you will find a lot more heart health advice and links HERE.
Angina can be a sign of a heart problem. It is a pain or discomfort usually, but not always, felt in the chest. Click HERE for more information.
Atrial fibrillation is when the upper chambers of the heart are not beating in their usual regular pattern. Click HERE for more information.
There are different types of cardiomyopathy. They all affect the structure of the heart and its ability to pump blood around the body. They can also affect your heartbeat. Click HERE for more information.
Coronary heart disease is a very common condition affecting around 2.3 million people in the UK. CHD is sometimes called ischaemic heart disease (IHD) or coronary artery disease (CAD). Some people may also refer to it as heart disease. Click HERE for more information.
For an additional helpful video from Canada about Coronary Heart Disease click HERE.
A heart attack occurs when there is a sudden loss of blood flow to a part of the heart muscle. It is a medical emergency and you should dial 999 for an ambulance immediately. Click HERE for more information.
This is an umbrella name for conditions affecting the heart. These include high blood pressure, stroke and vascular dementia.Click HERE for more information.
A stroke happens when the blow flow to part of the brain is cut off. It is a medical emergency. If you think someone is having a stroke call 999 immediately. Click HERE for more information.
Blood pressure is the pressure of your blood in your arteries. Arteries are the blood vessels (tubes) that carry blood, from your heart, around your body.
Your blood pressure naturally goes up and down but if it is always too high it can cause complications such as heart failure, kidney failure, problems with eyesight and vascular dementia. Click HERE for more information.
Diabetes is a condition where the amount of sugar in your blood is too high.
It can cause damage to your blood vessels which in turn can increase your risk of developing heart or circulatory disease. Click HERE for more information.
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of heart and circulatory disease such as heart attacks, strokes and vascular dementia. Click HERE for more information.
Smoking is very harmful to your heart. It seriously increases your risk of heart and circulatory disease. Click HERE for more information.
Being physically inactive or sedentary can lead to heart and circulatory diseases which in turn can cause heart attacks and strokes. Click HERE for more information.
High cholesterol is when you have too much cholesterol in your blood which can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. There are different forms of cholesterol but the 2 main types to look out for are LDL (low density lipoprotein) known as the ‘Bad’ cholesterol and HDL (high density lipoprotein) known as the ‘Good’ cholesterol. A high level of LDL can lead to narrowing of the arteries, so this is the one that needs be carefully controlled. Click HERE for more information.
For a helpful video about cholesterol click HERE.
Stress is a risk factor for heart disease as it can sometimes encourage unhealthy habits. Some people try to cope with stress by turning to comfort foods, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking to help them feel relaxed. These are unhealthy habits that can increase the risk of heart and circulatory disease. Click HERE for more information.
An echocardiogram, also known as an echo, is a scan of the heart. It is similar to ultrasound scanning used in pregnancy because it uses sound waves to build up a picture of your heart. Click HERE for more information and to WATCH A VERY INFORMATIVE VIDEO.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a simple and useful test which records the rhythm, rate and electrical activity of your heart. Click HERE for more information.
This is also sometimes called a Holter monitoring or ambulatory monitoring. It involves continually recording your heart’s electrical activity over 24 or 48 hours or sometimes longer. This can diagnose conditions such as atrial fibrillation or episodes of missed beats which don’t happen all the time. Click HERE for more information, & scroll down the page.
This is an ECG that is recorded while you are walking on a treadmill or cycling on an exercise bike. The aim of the test is to see how your heart works while you are exerting yourself. Click HERE for more information.
A cardiac MRI is a non-invasive test that uses an MRI machine to create magnetic and radio waves to show detailed pictures of the inside of your heart. Click HERE for more information.
An angiogram (also known as cardiac catheterisation) is a special type of x-ray which uses contrast dye to allow your doctor to look at your coronary arteries (the blood vessels that supply your heart). Click HERE for more information.
This is a treatment that improves the blood supply to your heart. Click HERE for more information.
A pacemaker is a small electrical device that’s implanted in the chest or abdomen. It’s used to treat some irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) that can cause the heart to either beat too slowly or miss beats. Click HERE for more information.
An ICD is a small device which can treat people with dangerously abnormal heart rhythms. Click HERE for more information.
There are four valves in the heart. Each valve makes sure blood flows through the heart in the right direction. If one or more valves is diseased or damaged surgery may be an option to fix it. Click HERE for more information.
Other ways you can get advice are by attending our monthly meetings at Ealing Hospital or by coming along and talking to our members about their own heart problem experiences.
The British Heart Foundation provide a FREE CARDIAC HELPLINE where you can talk to a Cardiac Nurse. It operates 9am-5pm Monday to Friday on 0808 802 1234.
To learn more about Heartlink checkout the rest of this website including our HOME page, the ABOUT US section and our ACTIVITIES.
This excellent website is designed to help people in this part of London who have heart health issues or worries. You can register for your own account on the site, BUT this is not necessary if you want to look up information. See the website HERE.
Advice on heart health & cholesterol HERE
Heart attack prevention advice HERE
Advice on your blood pressure HERE
Helpful fact sheets HERE
Heart failure guidance HERE
Advice about heart failure HERE
What is a stroke? Advice HERE
Or call the Stroke Association HELPLINE on 0303 303 3100
What is cardiomyopathy? Find out HERE
Advice about congential heart disease HERE
Factsheet about Smoking, the Heart and Circulation HERE
This excellent website is designed to help people in this part of London who have diabetes issues or worries. You can register for your own account on the site, BUT this is not necessary if you want to look up information. See the website HERE.
Advice about all aspects of diabetes - click HERE
Or call the Diabetes UK HELPLINE on 0345 1232399
Learn how to do CPR in 15 minutes - click HERE
The Charity 'London Hearts' can provide Charity Grant Funding towards the cost of a defibrillator and storage, as well as a FREE online training video, so that one is readily available to potentially save a life if someone has a heart attack. If you are interested in this for your organisation, see HERE.
People of South Asian heritage have high rates of heart disease, diabetes, and other critical illnesses. This large scale research study is attempting to identify why this is. It is based in Southall and being led by Professor Jaspal Kooner. You can apply to take part in the study if you meet a basic criterion of being:
You will not be able to participate if you are pregnant or have suffered from a recent acute illness.
If you are accepted onto the study you will undergo an assessment which will measure your height, weight, and body fat. You will have an ECG, an assessment of your lung function, and have a photograph of your retina taken. In addition the study will collect blood and urine samples. You will receive a full report of your assessment.
For more details see HERE.
Watch Heartlink Trustee Dr Harmandeep Singh talk in punjabi about heart disease and how to reduce your risks.
These are recordings of interviews on the Late Show of the Akaal Channel broadcast in April & July 2024.
Dr Harman is a Consultant in Cardiology & Acute Medicine at Ealing Hospital.
Our local sister voluntary organisation ECG fitness run a full regular programme which is based in Hanwell and also available online using Zoom. It is a proper Level 4 Cardiac Fitness Programme run by accredited cardiac trainers. It will benefit anyone wanting to improve heart health through exercise and for recovering heart patients it follows on from the 6 week programme provided by the NHS - Full details are on the ECG website HERE.
If you are recovering from a heart procedure you are likely to need to do some rehabilitation exercises to help your recovery - the BHF has put together this video based programme of exercises for the different stages of your recovery. See HERE for the programme.
You may have been recommended to go on a local rehab programme - and you can use these exercises alongside the group sessions.
Many thanks to one of our speakers Angela Hartley, who is a Cardiac Nurse and Personal Trainer, for recommending them.
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