Author: Jennifer

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. It’s used to assess the function and structure of the heart in a wide range of cardiac conditions. 

Doctors can learn a great deal about the heart from an echocardiogram. Among other things it can show us:

• How well the heart is pumping, by measuring left ventricular ejection fraction
• Whether there are any problems with blood flow through the coronary arteries, by measuring variability in wall motion in the left ventricle  
• Heart valve problems like stenosis (narrowed valves) or regurgitation (leaky valves)
• Problems with the right ventricle 
• Evidence of shunting (abnormal connections between chambers) or other inherited cardiac conditions.

An echocardiogram takes about half an hour. The sonographer asks the patient to lie on their left side then attaches several electrodes to monitor their heart rhythm. A probe is applied to several different positions on the chest with some ultrasound gel.  Some patients will need repeat echocardiograms to monitor their heart condition over time.

This article is for reference purposes only – it is not designed to be, nor should it be regarded, as professional medical advice. Please consult your own medical practitioner for health advice specific to your condition.

Running is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise that really gets the heart pumping.  Like other forms of aerobic exercise, running helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthen the heart and blood vessels and improve the flow of oxygen around the body.

One study in 2014 found that runners were 45% less likely to die of a heart attack or stroke than non-runners.

How running impacts your heart health|UHealth 

Running helps to improve cardiovascular fitness, burn off calories and manage weight.

New to running? See a GP for a check-up first, especially if over 40, are overweight or have a chronic illness.

Then get a good pair of sneakers and start slowly, maybe with 30-mins of brisk walking. As time goes on, start jogging for some of those 30 minutes, then increase to a running pace.

This article is for reference purposes only – it is not designed to be, nor should it be regarded, as professional medical advice. Please consult your own medical practitioner for health advice specific to your condition.

Heart failure isn’t always a problem with the heart’s ability to function as a pump. Sometimes the heart can pump well but has become stiff, meaning it can’t relax and fill with blood as well as it should.

This can lead to classic symptoms of heart failure like breathlessness, difficulty lying flat due to breathlessness, weight gain and ankle swelling.

That’s known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (that is, the “pump” of the heart is preserved). This is actually a very common type of heart failure, usually at an older age – people with this form often have a history of high blood pressure, diabetes or obesity.

People living with this condition may be advised to manage fluid retention by restricting fluid intake and using diuretics as prescribed. 

Managing weight and having high blood pressure treated are important. Daily exercise is also recommended and can help to improve breathlessness.

This article is for reference purposes only – it is not designed to be, nor should it be regarded, as professional medical advice. Please consult your own medical practitioner for health advice specific to your condition.

High blood pressure (or hypertension) is an increase in the force of blood against the walls of the arteries in the body. High blood pressure is common but easily overlooked because it doesn’t cause obvious symptoms.

However, that increased pressure over a long period raises the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke, enlargement of the aorta and heart failure.

Concerned about high blood pressure? Here’s what to do:
– Get it checked regularly by a GP
– Eat a healthy diet, low in salt
– Exercise regularly
– Drink less alcohol
– Take your blood pressure medication regularly

Some people find their blood pressure is still high and hard to manage despite doing all the right things. If BP readings vary a lot or remain high when taking several medications, a specialist review can be beneficial.

This article is for reference purposes only – it is not designed to be, nor should it be regarded, as professional medical advice. Please consult your own medical practitioner for health advice specific to your condition.

How can mindfulness help after a heart attack?

Research presented at the European Society of Cardiology shows that 15 minutes a day of mindfulness meditation improves the quality of life and reduces fear of movement in people who’ve experienced a heart attack.

Mindfulness can take a number of forms, and helps to focus awareness on being in the present moment and acknowledging and accepting current thoughts and feelings. The psychological benefits of meditation have been recognised for a long time.

There’s an increasing awareness that experiencing a heart attack has both physical and emotional consequences. That’s why cardiac rehabilitation programs are beginning to incorporate mindfulness alongside physical exercises.

The British Heart Foundation has developed a 6-minute mindfulness and meditation exercise if you would like to try it:

Meditation, mindfulness, and heart disease | BHF

This article is for reference purposes only – it is not designed to be, nor should it be regarded, as professional medical advice. Please consult your own medical practitioner for health advice specific to your condition.

What are the cardiac blues? 

If you’ve had a cardiac event, you might be surprised by your emotional state afterwards. For many people, it triggers an emotional rollercoaster that includes feeling shocked, traumatised, sad, anxious, tearful or worried about the future. 

Welcome to the cardiac blues! They’re not fun, but they are a normal part of recovering from a cardiac event. Most people’s emotional wellbeing improves as their physical recovery progresses. 

That’s not the case for everyone though. For 1 in 5 people, the cardiac blues persist and turn into depression. That’s particularly likely if you already had risk factors for depression such as other illnesses, financial worries, a history of anxiety or depression, or if you’re grieving. 

There are many treatments available that can help you feel better. If you’re making a good physical recovery but are concerned about your mental health, then you can:

? Talk to your GP

? Call Lifeline on 13 11 14

? Call Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636

This article is for reference purposes only – it is not designed to be, nor should it be regarded, as professional medical advice. Please consult your own medical practitioner for health advice specific to your condition.

? Sterols are substances found in plants that lower your absorption of cholesterol. 

Narrowings and blockages in the arteries that supply blood to your heart can develop due to a build up of cholesterol plaque. Reducing your cholesterol can help to prevent this occurring.

You’ll find plant sterols in fresh fruits and vegetables and in sterol-enriched foods like margarine, breakfast cereal, reduced fat yoghurt or reduced fat milk.

If you’re at high risk of cardiovascular disease due to your lifestyle or medical history, the Heart Foundation recommends that you eat 2-3 g of sterols each day.

This article is for reference purposes only – it is not designed to be, nor should it be regarded, as professional medical advice. Please consult your own medical practitioner for health advice specific to your condition.