A-Z of conditions and treatments

As part of a Heart Health Check, your doctor will calculate your cardiovascular disease risk score. Your risk score estimates your risk of having a heart attack or stroke in the next 5 years.

After heart bypass surgery, eat a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereals and cold-water fish.

Angina attacks can be prompted by exertion or physical exercise, when the hard-working heart muscle requires greater amounts of oxygen.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a type of arrhythmia, which means that the heart beats fast and abnormally.

Endocarditis is an infection of the heart valves or the inner lining of the heart.

An enlarged heart isn?t a condition in itself, but a symptom of an underlying problem that is causing the heart to work harder than normal.

Risk factors for heart disease include smoking, diabetes, obesity, family history and age.

Although blocked blood vessels can cause both coronary heart disease and some types of stroke, stroke is not the same as heart disease.

Some children acquire a heart problem after an illness in childhood, and this is called an acquired heart defect.

The heart is about the size of a clenched fist and lies in the middle of your chest, behind and slightly to the left of your breastbone.