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Patient Resources

Clear, evidence-based guides on common heart conditions, tests, and prevention

Dr Reza Moazzeni, MBBS, FRACP — Consultant Cardiologist

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Flagship patient guides

Flagship guide

How to prevent a heart attack

The diet, lifestyle, and medical interventions that actually reduce cardiovascular risk — what the evidence supports.

Read guide Flagship guide

What is cholesterol — and what raises it?

Cholesterol, fat, LDL — the words get tangled. A plain-English guide to what actually raises your LDL and what doesn't.

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Understanding Lp(a)

The inherited cholesterol particle most doctors never check. Why it matters, who should be tested, and what to do.

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Browse by topic

Click any category to see the full list of articles. Articles marked "Coming soon" are in production — check back as the library grows.

Heart Rhythm 19 guides

  • What is atrial fibrillation?Coming soon

    The most common heart rhythm disorder — symptoms, risks, and treatment options.

  • AF symptoms and warning signsComing soon

    How AF feels, what to watch for, and when to seek help urgently.

  • Living with AF — what to expectComing soon

    Daily life with atrial fibrillation, lifestyle factors, and long-term outlook.

  • AF and stroke — why blood thinners matterComing soon

    How AF causes stroke and why anticoagulation is usually recommended.

  • AF ablation — what to knowComing soon

    Catheter ablation explained — who it suits, how it works, success rates.

  • Heart palpitations — what they meanComing soon

    When palpitations matter, when they don't, and what tests help sort it out.

  • What is a PVC (ectopic beat)?Coming soon

    Premature ventricular contractions — common, usually benign, sometimes not.

  • What is SVT?Coming soon

    Supraventricular tachycardia — sudden fast heart rates and what to do.

  • Bradycardia — slow heart rateComing soon

    When a slow heart rate is normal and when it needs investigation.

  • Heart block explainedComing soon

    First-, second-, and third-degree heart block — what each one means.

  • Pacemakers explainedComing soon

    Why pacemakers are recommended, how they work, and life with one.

  • ICDs explainedComing soon

    Implantable defibrillators — who needs one and what to expect.

  • Holter monitoring — what to expectComing soon

    Continuous ECG monitoring at home — preparation, wearing it, and results.

  • Event monitors and loop recordersComing soon

    Longer-term rhythm monitoring when symptoms are infrequent.

  • Atrial flutter explainedComing soon

    A close cousin of AF, with its own treatment approach.

  • Long QT syndromeComing soon

    An inherited condition affecting heart rhythm and family screening.

  • Wolff-Parkinson-White syndromeComing soon

    An extra electrical pathway in the heart — when it matters.

  • Inappropriate sinus tachycardiaComing soon

    When a fast heart rate has no obvious cause.

  • POTS — postural orthostatic tachycardiaComing soon

    Heart rate jumps on standing — symptoms, causes, and management.

Blood Pressure 12 guides

  • What is high blood pressure?Coming soon

    Hypertension explained in plain language — why it matters.

  • Understanding your BP numbersComing soon

    Systolic, diastolic, target ranges — what the numbers actually mean.

  • How to lower BP without medicationComing soon

    Diet, exercise, weight, salt, alcohol — what actually works.

  • When BP medication is neededComing soon

    Thresholds, risk factors, and when lifestyle alone isn't enough.

  • BP medications explainedComing soon

    ACE inhibitors, ARBs, calcium channel blockers, diuretics — what each does.

  • Home BP monitoring — how to do it rightComing soon

    Choosing a machine, when to measure, and what to log.

  • White coat hypertensionComing soon

    High BP at the doctor's, normal at home — what it means and what to do.

  • Low blood pressure — when to worryComing soon

    Hypotension, dizziness, and when low BP needs investigation.

  • Salt and blood pressure — the truthComing soon

    Sorting out what the evidence actually shows on dietary sodium.

  • Resistant hypertensionComing soon

    When BP stays high despite three medications — causes and next steps.

  • Secondary hypertensionComing soon

    When there's a treatable underlying cause behind high BP.

  • Postural BP changes and dizzinessComing soon

    Why BP drops on standing and how to manage it.

Cholesterol & Lipids 15 guides
Heart Failure 11 guides

  • What is heart failure?Coming soon

    A condition where the heart can't pump as well as it should.

  • Heart failure symptoms — when to seek helpComing soon

    Shortness of breath, swelling, fatigue — when to act urgently.

  • Heart failure with preserved EF (HFpEF)Coming soon

    When ejection fraction is normal but the heart still doesn't work well.

  • Heart failure with reduced EF (HFrEF)Coming soon

    When the pumping function is reduced — and what treatments help.

  • The four pillars of HF medicationComing soon

    Modern heart failure therapy — the four drugs that change outcomes.

  • Daily weighing and fluid balanceComing soon

    How to monitor for fluid build-up before it becomes a hospital visit.

  • Living with heart failureComing soon

    Activity, diet, alcohol, and travel with a heart failure diagnosis.

  • Ejection fraction explainedComing soon

    The most important number on your echo report.

  • Diuretics in heart failureComing soon

    Water tablets — when to take more, when to take less.

  • BNP and NT-proBNP explainedComing soon

    The blood test that helps diagnose and monitor heart failure.

  • Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT)Coming soon

    A specialised pacemaker for some patients with heart failure.

Coronary Artery Disease 12 guides

  • What is coronary artery disease?Coming soon

    Plaque, blockages, and how heart arteries develop disease.

  • Chest pain — what could it mean?Coming soon

    Cardiac vs non-cardiac chest pain — patterns that matter.

  • Angina explainedComing soon

    Why angina happens, what it feels like, and how it's treated.

  • What is a heart attack?Coming soon

    Myocardial infarction explained — symptoms, treatment, recovery.

  • How to prevent a heart attackNew

    The diet, lifestyle, and medical steps that actually reduce risk.

  • After a heart attack — what to expectComing soon

    Recovery, rehabilitation, medications, and return to activity.

  • Coronary stents explainedComing soon

    What stents do, how they're placed, and life with stents.

  • What is a CABG (bypass surgery)?Coming soon

    When bypass is recommended over stents and what to expect.

  • Cardiac rehabilitationComing soon

    A structured recovery programme after a cardiac event.

  • Stable vs unstable anginaComing soon

    Why this distinction matters and when to act urgently.

  • NSTEMI vs STEMIComing soon

    Two different kinds of heart attack — how they're treated.

  • Microvascular anginaComing soon

    Heart-related chest pain with normal large arteries.

Valve Disease 9 guides

  • What is a heart murmur?Coming soon

    When a murmur is innocent and when it needs investigation.

  • Aortic stenosis explainedComing soon

    The most common valve disease — symptoms and treatment options.

  • Mitral regurgitation explainedComing soon

    A leaking mitral valve — when it matters and what to do.

  • TAVI / TAVR explainedComing soon

    A minimally invasive way to replace the aortic valve.

  • Bicuspid aortic valveComing soon

    An inherited valve variant — long-term monitoring matters.

  • Mitral valve prolapseComing soon

    A very common diagnosis — when it's benign, when it isn't.

  • Aortic regurgitation explainedComing soon

    A leaking aortic valve — causes and management.

  • Tricuspid regurgitation explainedComing soon

    The right-sided valve leak that often goes overlooked.

  • Infective endocarditisComing soon

    When heart valves become infected — diagnosis and prevention.

Stroke & Vascular 7 guides

  • Cardiac causes of strokeComing soon

    When a stroke starts in the heart — AF, PFO, valve disease, and more.

  • What is a TIA (mini-stroke)?Coming soon

    A transient ischaemic attack — symptoms, urgency, and follow-up.

  • PFO (patent foramen ovale) explainedComing soon

    A common hole between heart chambers — when it matters.

  • Warfarin vs DOACsComing soon

    Modern blood thinners compared with traditional warfarin.

  • Peripheral artery diseaseComing soon

    Blocked arteries in the legs — leg pain on walking and what to do.

  • Carotid artery diseaseComing soon

    Narrowing in the neck arteries — risk, screening, treatment.

  • Aortic aneurysm explainedComing soon

    When the main artery dilates — monitoring and repair thresholds.

Tests & Procedures 11 guides

  • Echocardiogram explained

    The ultrasound of the heart — what it shows and when it's needed.

  • Stress echocardiogram explained

    Combining echo with exercise — what the test reveals.

  • What is an ECG?Coming soon

    The basic heart trace — what it can and can't tell us.

  • Cardiac CT — what to knowComing soon

    CT coronary angiogram — what it shows and who benefits.

  • Cardiac MRI — what to knowComing soon

    A detailed scan for muscle disease and structural conditions.

  • Coronary angiogram explainedComing soon

    The invasive test that shows the inside of heart arteries.

  • TOE / TEE explainedComing soon

    A specialised echo from inside the oesophagus.

  • Tilt table test explainedComing soon

    A test for unexplained fainting and dizziness on standing.

  • Electrophysiology study (EPS)Coming soon

    A specialised test of the heart's electrical system.

  • Cardioversion explainedComing soon

    A controlled electric shock to restore normal heart rhythm.

  • Implantable loop recordersComing soon

    A tiny under-the-skin monitor for elusive rhythm problems.

Diet & Lifestyle 17 guides

  • Mediterranean diet for heart healthComing soon

    The most evidence-based dietary pattern for cardiovascular prevention.

  • Best diet for high cholesterolComing soon

    Practical eating patterns that lower LDL cholesterol.

  • Exercise and heart healthComing soon

    How much, how hard, and what kind — sorted out.

  • Alcohol and your heart

    Sorting through the conflicting evidence on alcohol intake.

  • Coffee and heart healthComing soon

    Caffeine, heart rhythm, and what the evidence actually shows.

  • Smoking and heart diseaseComing soon

    The single biggest modifiable risk factor — and the benefits of quitting.

  • Sleep apnoea and heart diseaseComing soon

    A common and underdiagnosed cardiac risk factor.

  • Stress and your heartComing soon

    The cardiovascular effects of chronic stress and what helps.

  • Weight loss and heart healthComing soon

    How weight affects cardiovascular risk and what tools help.

  • Sugar and heart diseaseComing soon

    Where the real evidence sits on added sugar and cardiovascular risk.

  • How much salt is safe?Coming soon

    Daily sodium limits and practical ways to stay within them.

  • Fish oil supplements — do they work?Coming soon

    Sorting trial evidence from supplement-industry marketing.

  • Vitamin D and heart healthComing soon

    What recent trials actually show on vitamin D and cardiovascular events.

  • CoQ10 and statinsComing soon

    The supplement people are told to take with statins — is it justified?

  • Intermittent fasting and the heartComing soon

    A cardiologist's view on the popular dietary pattern.

  • Plant-based diet and heart healthComing soon

    What the evidence says about vegetarian and vegan eating patterns.

  • Keto diet and your heartComing soon

    The popular high-fat diet — and the cardiovascular concerns.

Popular Topics & Supplements 11 guides

  • Vitamin K2 and arterial calcificationComing soon

    A factual look at what the K2 evidence actually shows.

  • Magnesium for palpitationsComing soon

    A cardiologist's take on the popular palpitation supplement.

  • Berberine for cholesterolComing soon

    Sometimes called "nature's statin" — what the evidence shows.

  • Bergamot for cholesterolComing soon

    A citrus-derived supplement marketed for LDL — sorting truth from hype.

  • Red yeast rice explainedComing soon

    A traditional remedy that contains a real statin compound.

  • Garlic and heart healthComing soon

    Does garlic actually lower blood pressure or cholesterol?

  • Aspirin for primary preventionComing soon

    When daily aspirin still makes sense — and when it doesn't.

  • Niacin — does it still have a role?Coming soon

    A once-popular cholesterol treatment with a complicated trial record.

  • Hawthorn for heart failureComing soon

    A herbal remedy with mixed evidence — what trials have shown.

  • L-arginine for cardiovascular healthComing soon

    A supplement marketed for circulation — sorted out.

  • Resveratrol and the heartComing soon

    The "red wine compound" — what it does and doesn't do.

Special Populations 9 guides

  • Heart disease in womenComing soon

    Why heart disease in women is often missed, and what's different.

  • Heart disease in South Asian AustraliansComing soon

    Higher cardiovascular risk and what to do about it.

  • Pregnancy and the heartComing soon

    Cardiac changes in pregnancy and pre-existing conditions.

  • Pre-eclampsia and future heart riskComing soon

    A pregnancy complication that signals long-term cardiovascular risk.

  • Menopause and heart diseaseComing soon

    How cardiovascular risk changes around menopause.

  • Heart disease in young adultsComing soon

    Causes of cardiovascular disease before age 50.

  • Heart disease and diabetesComing soon

    Why diabetes amplifies cardiovascular risk and what helps most.

  • Cardio-oncology explainedComing soon

    Protecting the heart during and after cancer treatment.

  • Athletic heart vs cardiomyopathyComing soon

    When an athlete's heart looks abnormal — but isn't.

Less Common Conditions 11 guides

  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathyComing soon

    An inherited condition with thickened heart muscle — symptoms, family screening.

  • Dilated cardiomyopathyComing soon

    When the heart muscle stretches and weakens.

  • Cardiac amyloidosisComing soon

    A protein buildup in heart muscle — now treatable when found early.

  • Pulmonary hypertensionComing soon

    High pressure in the lung arteries — diagnosis and treatment.

  • Myocarditis explainedComing soon

    Inflammation of the heart muscle — causes and recovery.

  • Pericarditis explainedComing soon

    Inflammation of the sac around the heart — when it's serious.

  • Takotsubo (broken heart syndrome)Coming soon

    A stress-induced cardiomyopathy that mimics a heart attack.

  • Long COVID and the heartComing soon

    Cardiovascular effects of post-COVID syndromes — what's known.

  • Arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathyComing soon

    A rare inherited rhythm condition affecting the right ventricle.

  • Spontaneous coronary dissection (SCAD)Coming soon

    An uncommon cause of heart attack, especially in women.

  • Brugada syndromeComing soon

    An inherited cardiac arrest risk — when ECG patterns matter.

Interactive Tools

Risk calculators & reference tools

Tools to help you and your doctor understand your cardiovascular risk and make informed decisions about prevention.

10-year risk

PREVENT calculator

The 2024 AHA risk calculator for cardiovascular and kidney-metabolic disease — replaces the older Pooled Cohort Equations.

Open calculator CAC risk

Coronary calcium risk

Combines your calcium score with traditional risk factors using the MESA equations.

Open calculator All tools

See all calculators

FH calculator, ApoB conversion, LDL back-calculator, cholesterol units, BMI, blood pressure tracker and more.

Browse calculators
Heartcare Sydney

Need a cardiologist's opinion?

Dr Reza Moazzeni is a consultant cardiologist in Westmead and St Leonards, Sydney. Consultations are available in English and Persian (Farsi). A GP referral is required for all consultations.

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