The completely up-to-date fourth edition of this popular question & answer book answers 420 real patient questions about the heart. It tells you how to keep your heart healthy, and how to strengthen it if has already been affected by heart disease. This title answers over 420 real questions on all aspects of heart health - from coronary heart disease to angina, from palpitations to vascular disease. It explains what causes heart disease and tells you how to prevent problems or how to deal with them if they arise. It tells you everything you need to know about healthy eating and taking exercise - and the dangers of miracle diets and unproven treatments. It provides an easy-to-follow plan to adapt your lifestyle for a full and active life. It tackles the questions you may feel uneasy asking your doctor.
Author(s): Graham Jackson
Series: Answers at Your Fingertips
Edition: 4th Revised edition
Publisher: Class Publishing
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: 349
Contents......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 13
Foreword by Ronnie Corbett OBE......Page 14
Preface to the fourth edition......Page 16
Introduction......Page 18
1 | How your heart works......Page 22
ANATOMY OF THE HEART......Page 23
HOW YOUR HEART WORKS......Page 28
WHAT CAN GO WRONG WITH MY HEART?......Page 30
2 | Coronary heart disease......Page 33
RISKS OF SMOKING......Page 35
RISKS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE......Page 50
RISKS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVELS......Page 74
OTHER RISK FACTORS FOR CORONARY HEART DISEASE......Page 87
WOMEN AND CORONARY HEART DISEASE......Page 94
3 | Angina......Page 102
SYMPTOMS......Page 103
TESTS......Page 108
TREATMENT......Page 120
OTHER TREATMENTS FOR ANGINA......Page 158
4 | Heart attacks......Page 165
SYMPTOMS......Page 167
HEART ATTACK – THE EVENT......Page 170
RECOVERY PERIOD......Page 175
EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS AFTER A HEART ATTACK......Page 179
TREATMENT......Page 181
HELPING YOURSELF......Page 184
5 | Heart failure......Page 190
CAUSES......Page 191
SYMPTOMS......Page 194
TESTS......Page 197
TREATMENT......Page 201
6 | Palpitations......Page 213
TYPES OF PALPITATIONS......Page 214
SELF-HELP......Page 217
TESTS......Page 220
TREATMENT......Page 223
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION......Page 225
OTHER ABNORMAL HEARTBEATS......Page 231
BLACKOUTS......Page 237
7 | Valve disease......Page 239
CAUSES......Page 240
TESTS......Page 241
TREATMENT......Page 242
INFECTION......Page 245
8 | Sex and the heart......Page 247
QUESTIONS YOU MAY FIND DIFFICULT TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR......Page 248
9 | Diet......Page 262
FOOD TYPES AND EATING HEALTHILY......Page 263
LOSING WEIGHT......Page 287
WHY BOTHER?......Page 302
HOW MUCH?......Page 308
SAFETY......Page 309
CHOOSING YOUR EXERCISE......Page 311
| Glossary......Page 318
PRACTISING WHAT I PREACH......Page 326
| Appendix 2 Useful addresses and websites......Page 328
| Appendix 3 Useful publications......Page 337
| Appendix 4 Guideline desirable weight in adults......Page 339
| Index......Page 341
