Cardiomyopathy is a group of diseases that affect the heart muscle itself, changing how it contracts, relaxes, or conducts electrical signals. The word simply means disease of the heart muscle (the myocardium). In practical terms, cardiomyopathy makes it harder for the heart to pump blood efficiently around the body, either because the muscle becomes enlarged

What Is a Blood Pressure Monitor? A blood pressure monitor is a device that measures the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps. It gives two numbers, both measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg). The first and higher number is the systolic pressure, the peak force when your

So, Why Does My Heart Race When I Lie Down? Feeling your heart racing when you lie down is a common and often unsettling experience. In most cases the sensation is harmless and has a straightforward physiological explanation. When you lie flat, more blood returns to the heart from the veins in your legs and

If you are looking for private cardiologists in Tunbridge Wells, the most important things to consider are who you will see, what tests can be done in one visit, how quickly you can be assessed, and whether the clinic accepts your medical insurance. Private cardiology offers faster access to specialist assessment than NHS routes, with

What Is the Difference Between a Stent and a Bypass? A stent and a bypass are two different procedures used to treat narrowed or blocked coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen. Both improve blood flow to the heart and relieve symptoms such as chest pain and breathlessness, but the

So, What Heart Conditions Might Back Pain Indicate? Back pain is one of the most common reasons people see a GP, and the vast majority of cases are caused by muscles, joints, discs, or nerves rather than anything to do with the heart. But in a smaller, important group of patients, back pain is a

So, Why Do I Feel Dizzy When I Stand Up Quickly? Feeling dizzy or light-headed when you stand up quickly is one of the most common symptoms patients ask us about, and in most cases it has a simple explanation. The condition is called postural hypotension, sometimes also known as orthostatic hypotension. It happens when

So, What Heart Conditions Might Arm Pain Indicate? Arm pain is most commonly caused by something musculoskeletal, a pulled muscle, a trapped nerve, tendinitis, or a problem with the shoulder or neck. But arm pain can also be a symptom of an underlying heart condition, and this is one of the most well-known warning signs

So, What Is Cardiac Arrest vs a Heart Attack? Cardiac arrest vs a heart attack is a comparison we see very frequently, but they are two very different medical emergencies. A heart attack is a circulation problem, caused by a blocked artery that stops blood reaching part of the heart muscle. A cardiac arrest is

So, What Are Heart Murmurs? A heart murmur is an extra sound heard during a heartbeat when blood flows through the heart in a way that creates turbulence. Instead of the usual “lub-dub” rhythm, a doctor listening with a stethoscope hears an additional whooshing or swishing noise. Murmurs themselves are not a disease, they are