Heart disease

The world’s number one killer

Assess your risk in 2 minutes
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What is heart disease?

Even in 2019, heart disease sadly remains the commonest cause of death in the UK population, and it’s also a big problem in the Western world as a whole.

In the current circumstances, you mustn’t delay seeking care for your symptoms or concerns. Prompt treatment could save your life or help you avoid long-term complications.

With our video appointments, you can get to the bottom of the problem with professional help from the safety of your home.

Heart disease explained

In this video, Dr Navin Chandra explains what you need to know about heart disease.
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Supplementary information about heart disease

Here, we’ve summarised the most important points about heart disease

What is heart disease?

Even in 2019, heart disease sadly remains the commonest cause of death in the UK population, and it’s also a big problem in the Western world as a whole.

Traditionally, heart disease was thought of as being a problem of the coronary arteries – the artery supplying the heart muscle of the heart. But actually, heart disease is much more than that. Heart disease extends to the heart valve, the heart rhythm and the heart muscle. A problem with any of these things can be a sign of heart disease, and they can all present in very different ways.

You can be at risk of heart disease if you have what we call risk factors.

Non-modifiable risk factors

Some risk factors are non-modifiable. For example, being male and having an increasing age are things that can’t be modified but are strongly associated with heart disease.

Modifiable risk factors

Modifiable risk factors include things like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, poor diet, not exercising enough and smoking.

Key heart disease statistics

  • Heart and cardiovascular diseases cause more than a quarter of all deaths in the UK. 170,000 people die each year from the disease. 460 people, on average, die from the disease each day, which is one every three minutes in the UK.
  • Around 7.4 million people are living with heart and circulatory disease in the UK: 3.9 million men and 3.5 million women.
  • Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the most common type of heart and circulatory disease. It is also the most common cause of heart attack.
  • In the UK, there are more than 100,000 hospital admissions each year due to heart attacks: that is one every five minutes.
  • Around 1.4 million people alive in the UK today have survived a heart attack.
  • Over 900,000 people in the UK are living with heart failure.
  • Strokes cause over 36,000 deaths in the UK each year and are the most significant cause of severe disability.
  • People with a history of heart diseases are at least twice as likely to develop vascular dementia.
  • There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year. The survival rate is less than 1 in 10.
  • Nearly 3.8 million adults in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Causes and risk factors of heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is mainly caused by a build-up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the arteries around the heart. The build-up makes the arteries narrower, which restricts the flow of blood to the heart muscle.

Your risk of developing heart disease increases if you:

How do you diagnose heart disease?

At Many Beats it is our prerogative to diagnose your symptoms as early as possible and get you that reassurance and support you need to live a long and healthy life.

We do this through the Many Beats Complete, a comprehensive package of specialised tests designed to investigate your symptoms and rule out or diagnose with a high degree of certainty.

The Many Beats Complete includes:

  • A consultation with a consultant cardiologist
  • A 24hr ambulatory BP recorder to monitor your blood pressure over a 24 hour period.
  • Blood tests to check your cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, kidney function, and your full blood count
  • A 24hr ECG to assess your heart rhythm
  • An ultrasound scan of your heart, called an echocardiogram
  • A CT scan of your heart and arteries to look for any signs of narrowing or blockages in the arteries
  • A stress echocardiogram which assesses the blood flow to the heart muscle and also looks for blockages in the coronary arteries to your heart
  • Occasionally we may need to do an MRI scan of the heart which looks in more detail at the heart muscle and the function of the heart.

What is the treatment for heart disease?

The treatment for heart disease varies greatly depending on whether you have minor narrowing, severe narrowing or an advanced blockage of one or multiple arteries.

Treatment approaches usually involved one or a combination of the following:

  • Lifestyle changes
  • Medication
  • Medical procedures or surgery

The most straightforward treatment in the very early stages of heart disease is simple lifestyle management and dietary changes. At this stage, you can alter the course of the disease, reduce or even stop it from progressing by reversing the blockages or narrowings.

The more extensive treatment involves physically unblocking the arteries using techniques like angioplasty. This is where we essentially ‘plumb’ your arteries to improve the blood flow to the heart muscle. We can do this very safely and easily.

We aim to avoid this kind of intensive, interventional treatment.

Which of these three people describe you best?

Whether you have heart disease, are at risk, or are just generally curious about your heart health, we have a plan that can help you live a long and healthy life

You’re an active person and are curious about your heart health

In your opinion, you may have a low risk of heart disease, eat a balanced diet and make time for exercise. You may have no concerning symptoms and might have never been cautioned regarding your blood pressure or cholesterol. Still, you’re proactive. After the Many Beats Complete, you can run that marathon, hike that mountain and swim that channel confident that your heart and general health is ready for the challenge.

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You’re worried you might be at risk of heart disease

Worried about your risk of heart disease? Why wait to get diagnosed? Take action now to curb your risk and avoid medical or surgical treatment. Take our heart disease risk assessment. This easy online tool will guide you to what we think you should do next. After the Many Beats Complete, you could significantly reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Patients often receive compliments and words of encouragement, and their confidence grows tremendously.

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You have heart disease

If you’ve been diagnosed with heart disease and want to maximise how you manage this disease, book an appointment with us. We’ll carry out the tests we need to give us all the data to map out a plan for you so you can live a healthier and longer life and avoid premature medical or surgical treatment. After the Many Beats Complete, you will have a renewed confidence in your future. Your energy will improve, and you will look and feel more youthful.

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What our patients experience

Whether you have heart disease or if you’re at risk, we have a plan that can help you live a long and healthy life

What do you have before Many Beats Complete?

A heart condition can change your life. We tend to take the inner workings of our bodies for granted. Until something goes wrong, of course, in which case we have to start thinking about it very seriously indeed.

How do you feel before Many Beats Complete?

Emotionally, it’s common to feel distressed, and depression and anxiety are common. Coping can be difficult.

Heart disease can change the way you see yourself as a person and your place in the home or within the family. Friends, family and work colleagues are often the first to notice if you’ve become withdrawn and down.

What is your average day like before Many Beats Complete?

We tend to take the inner workings of our bodies for granted. Until something goes wrong, of course, in which case we have to start thinking about it very seriously indeed.

What is an average day like before Many Beats Complete?

You have to live life at a slower pace which can be frustrating. Everyday tasks like showering, cleaning and climbing the stairs can be difficult. You may be less productive at work, have to reduce your hours or take time off. Heart disease can dictate what you eat, how you exercise, what activities you do, and even what holidays you go on.

What avatar’s average day is like before treatment

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Getting your health and happiness back on track

Fortunately, with the right guidance, you can prevent and treat many forms of heart disease with healthy lifestyle choices.

Getting your health and happiness back on track

Heart disease may be a leading cause of death, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it as your fate. With the right guidance, you can prevent and reverse many forms of heart disease with healthy lifestyle choices.

Patients describe the feeling as though they have taken over the reins of their life, giving them renewed confidence in their future. Their energy improves, and they often look and feel more youthful.

Many Beats gives you a map to turn your life around and avoid developing heart disease

Assess your risk in 2 minutes
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Insurers

We are happy to be assured by the following private medical insurance providers

It’s the wonderful words of our patients that make this job so worthwhile

Excellent bedside manner / patient care, thoughtful analysis and care. Great cardiologists!

J. T.

Dr Elghamaz was professional and compassionate in equal measure. He made me feel completely at ease and explained in detail exactly my situation answering all questions kindly and in a language I understood – not medical jargon. A complete gentleman under whose care I have every confidence.

R. R.

I called Dr Chahal’s secretary to get advice and an appointment for a stress echocardiogram as quickly as possible. Dr Chahal called me himself, to explain the procedure, and he managed to fit me in quickly, as I requested. On the day, he and his colleague carried out the test quickly, efficiently and kindly, explaining what they were doing and why. I would certainly recommend them as true healthcare professionals.

M. S.

Dr Elghamaz was very efficient, thorough and personable and made me feel at ease through through the process of undergoing several tests and then discussing results with myself and my husband to ensure we understood everything and were comfortable.

L. S.

Highly recommended. Professional, honest, put me at ease. Wonderful experience all around.

L. O.

Dr Elghamaz goes above and beyond for his patients. As well as being kind, he is extremely thorough, and I feel very comfortable knowing he is in charge of my care.

C. W.
Dr Sehmi is a fusion of the best of the old and new schools of medicine. Whilst reassuringly up to date with the latest evidence-based practice and comfortable with all the leading-edge technology of his field, he has always listened to my fears and given informed answers to all my questions.
S. L.

I had a really positive experience when I saw Dr Navin Chandra in his clinic. He took time to really listen to my problems and then explained what was wrong in simple terms. I had all my tests performed swiftly and have started to feel much better!

P.B.

Having been referred for specialist Cardiology review, I was very fortunate to be assigned Dr Sehmi as my Consultant. From the outset, his level of interest in my personal case has been exceptional. I have had several consultants for a variety of reasons over the years but Dr Sehmi is the first where a consultant has proactively followed up in between appointments to determine progress.

N. T.

I was admitted under Cardiology and Dr Chandra was my Consultant. He quickly got to the heart of the problem and he and his team didn’t miss a step. Later that evening Dr Chandra took the time to see my partner and his patience and knowledge gave us the answers to our many questions.

R. K.

Affiliations and memberships

We are happy to be associated with the following esteemed organisations

Live a longer and healthier life

Book an appointment and we’ll test your heart so we can map out a plan to give you the best chance of maximising your longevity.

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How it works

3 easy steps to get on the road to heart health

GET AN APPOINTMENT

Booking an appointment is easy with our online scheduler. Simply choose a date and time that suits you and we’ll let you know how to visit.

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GET TESTED

Typically, we’ll set you up to take specific tests that will give us the information we need to make an accurate assessment of your heart’s health and recommend a plan.

LIVE LONGER

With your cardiologist-vetted plan, we’ll support you in the long term so you can build the habits that will enable you to live a longer and healthier life.

Heart Health Programmes

We offer a selection of packages that can help people at risk of heart disease or those who might already be diagnosed.

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Discover your heart disease risk

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More information on heart disease

We’ve produced many informative videos and blog posts so you can educate yourself about heart disease risk factors, symptoms, tests and treatments.

Read more about heart disease

Educate yourself further about your heart health by reading the links below

To learn more about cardiovascular disease, including the causes and prevention techniques, click here.

The NHS has an informative write-up on cardiovascular diseases, which can be found here.

A great test that tells the myths and facts about your heart health can be found here.

If you would like an excellent overview of the symptoms of heart attacks, please click here.

If you would like to learn more about all the types of heart diseases, please click here for more information.

Take our quick quiz to assess your heart disease risk in 2 minutes

It will provide you with a good indication of your heart health so that you can take steps towards a long, happy and healthy life free from heart disease.

About the cardiologists

The Many Beats team consists of not one, but four highly experienced consultant cardiologists

Dr Navtej Chahal

Consultant Cardiologist

PhD FESC FACC

Navtej is a Consultant Cardiologist at Many Beats. He also consults at the London Northwest NHS Trust and the Royal Brompton Hospital, London having qualified from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Medical School in 2001. He is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at Imperial College London…

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Dr Navin Chandra

Consultant Cardiologist

MD, MRCP, MBBS, BSc

Navin is a Consultant Cardiologist at Many Beats. He is also a Consultant Cardiologist at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust and an Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust. He qualified from Guy’s, King’s & St. Thomas’s in 2004...

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Dr Ahmed Elghamaz

Consultant Cardiologist

FRCP, MB BCh

Ahmed is a Consultant Cardiologist at Many Beats. He also consults at Northwick Park Hospital and London North West Healthcare University Hospitals NHS Trust and is an Honorary Consultant Cardiologist at Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust. He completed his junior…

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Dr Joban Sehmi

Consultant Cardiologist

BSc, MBBS, MRCP, PhD

Joban is a Consultant Cardiologist at Many Beats. His NHS practice is at West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS trust. He sees patients privately at Spire in Bushey and Bishops Wood Hospital in Northwood. He trained in medicine at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ medical school and qualified in 2003 with numerous academic awards…

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