Heart health: frequently asked questions

Common warning signs include chest pain, pressure or tightness that may spread to the left arm, jaw, neck or back; shortness of breath; cold sweat; nausea; and sudden fatigue or light-headedness. In women and people with diabetes, symptoms can be subtle — such as unusual tiredness or upper-abdominal discomfort. If you suspect a heart attack, call emergency services immediately; do not wait.

Consider a cardiology consultation if you have chest discomfort, breathlessness, palpitations, fainting or leg swelling; if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol or a family history of early heart disease; or if you are over 40 and have never had a heart-risk assessment. A cardiologist can evaluate your risk and recommend tests or lifestyle changes.

No. Chest pain can also come from the muscles, ribs, acidity, anxiety or lung conditions. However, it should never be self-diagnosed — cardiac chest pain can feel mild. Pain brought on by exertion and relieved by rest, or that comes with sweating or breathlessness, needs urgent medical assessment.

Angioplasty (PCI) is a minimally invasive, catheter-based procedure that opens a blocked artery from the inside using a balloon and usually a stent, typically through the wrist. Bypass surgery (CABG) is open-heart surgery that creates a new route around blocked arteries using grafts. The right choice depends on the number, location and complexity of the blockages and your overall health — decided after an angiography.

Angioplasty is not open-heart surgery. It is usually done under local anaesthesia through a small puncture in the wrist or groin, and most patients go home within 24–48 hours. Many people resume light activity within a few days, guided by their cardiologist. Recovery can take longer after emergency or complex procedures.

Healthy adults should have blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and weight checked periodically — often yearly from age 40, or earlier with risk factors or a family history. People with known heart disease, diabetes or hypertension need more frequent, individualised follow-up as advised by their doctor.

Much of heart disease is preventable. Not smoking, staying active, eating a balanced low-salt diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar substantially lower risk. Early plaque can often be stabilised and its progression slowed with medication and lifestyle change; established blockages are managed rather than fully reversed, so early action matters.

Modern drug-eluting stents are permanent and designed to last for life. Keeping them working depends on taking prescribed blood-thinning medication exactly as advised, controlling risk factors, and attending follow-ups. Never stop antiplatelet medication without consulting your cardiologist, as this can raise the risk of stent clotting.

Family history matters — having a parent or sibling with early heart disease increases your own risk. Genetics cannot be changed, but the risk they carry can be reduced by screening earlier and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and lifestyle factors closely.