Health Library
Conditions & Symptoms A–Z
Plain-language explanations of 60 conditions we treat at SIMS — written the way a consultant would explain them across the desk. Each entry sets out the symptoms, the point at which you should stop waiting, the tests usually advised and how the condition is treated here.
Browse the A–Z
Heart & Circulation
Choose a system below to narrow the list to that body system.
Showing 5 of 60 conditions
Heart & Circulation (5)
Heart Attack
A heart attack happens when blood flow through a coronary artery is blocked and part of the heart muscle begins to die. Every minute of delay costs muscle that does not grow back, which is why it is treated as a time emergency rather than a consultation.
Angina
Angina is chest discomfort that appears when the heart works harder — walking uphill, climbing stairs, hurrying — and settles with rest. It is the warning signal of narrowed coronary arteries, and it is far better to act on it than on the heart attack that may follow.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is raised pressure inside the arteries that usually causes no symptoms at all until it has damaged the heart, brain, kidneys or eyes. It is the single most common reason for stroke and heart failure in this district, and it is entirely treatable.
Heart Failure
Heart failure means the heart is not pumping strongly enough to meet the body's needs, so fluid backs up into the lungs and legs. The name frightens families more than it should — with the right medication and fluid discipline, many patients remain active for years.
Arrhythmia
An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm — too fast, too slow or irregular. Some are harmless and need only reassurance; others, such as atrial fibrillation, raise the risk of stroke and need long-term treatment.
These pages describe conditions in general terms. They cannot tell you what is wrong with you, and self-diagnosis delays treatment far more often than it speeds it up. For chest pain, stroke symptoms, breathing difficulty, serious injury, seizures or heavy bleeding, call 108 or come straight to the emergency department.
Found the condition but not the answer?
Every entry links to the department that treats it. Book a consultation and a specialist will tell you which parts of it apply to your case.