King’s Cardiology Department

Consuming monounsaturated fats can improve your HDL as well as reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. These includes some types of vegetable oils, olive oils, avocados and nuts. Some foods such as green peas, peanuts, sunflower seeds and corn can also raise HDL. Other ways to raise the HDL include cessation of smoking, alcohol moderation and regular exercise.

It is not unusual for persons to have strong emotional feelings after going through an ordeal such as a heart attack. Heart attacks can occur suddenly in otherwise healthy people who are not accustomed to the idea of having to deal with any illness. This can sometimes trigger the feelings of depression, irritability, hopelessness and fear. Any patient who is struggling with such emotions after a heart attack should discuss this with his/her doctor. Counselling and medication can help in removing this obstacle to good health. Also, joining a supervised cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack can also be quite beneficial.

A Holter monitor is a portable electrocardiogram (EKG) that monitors the electrical activity of an ambulatory patient’s heart for a period of 24 hours. It is often used when your doctor is suspecting an abnormal heart rhythm, often based on complaints of a sensation of a beating heart, palpitations or a fast heartbeat. Wires from the monitor are usually taped to the patient’s skin, and he/she then goes about their usual daily activities. The patient is then tasked with keeping a diary so the doctor can compare the results from the monitor with the patient’s symptoms.

This is a type of metal strut that is used to expand blockages in heart arteries and looks like small springs found in pens. They help stop heart attacks and relieve chest pain as well.

This is a small device that is implanted in the upper chest region for the prevention of an abnormally slow heartbeat. A slow heartbeat develops when the heart’s natural electrical conducting fibres wear out or when the heart’s natural pacemaker slows down with age. A pacemaker system generally consists of a pulse generator that houses the pacemaker battery and circuitry as well as two pacemaker leads. The leads are usually inserted through the veins into the top and bottom chambers of the heart. A pacemaker is implanted under local anesthesia and it can be completed within 1-2 hours. Patients with pacemakers can enjoy normal, active lifestyles with minimal restrictions.

Also called the transthoracic (across the chest) echo, it is a painless test that is used to observe the heart valves and chambers. It is not an x-ray, and it uses ultrasound high frequency waves so as to get a picture of all the four heart chambers and valves. This helps a cardiologist to detect any damage and disease in the heart. An echocardiogram is a non-invasive test that uses the same technology used to take an image of a foetus before birth. During this test, a transducer is used generate images for interpretation.

Atrial fibrillation (A fib) is one of the most common heart rhythm disorders whereby the heart beats rapidly and irregularly. Although A fib is not directly life-threatening, it can cause palpitations, other rhythm problems, shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, chest pain, stroke and dizziness.

Coronary artery disease is a chronic condition that causes the arteries that supply blood to the heart to narrow and harden. This narrowing leaves less room for blood flow, thereby depriving the heart muscle. The risk factors that contribute to the development of coronary artery disease include diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lifestyle and family history.