Medical dictionary

What is an abnormal chest x-ray? A chest X-ray is an imaging test that utilises low doses of radiation in short blasts to create images of the inside of a patient’s chest. In this way, doctors can examine the heart, lungs, bones, and blood vessels.   If the X-ray images show abnormalities, this means that there is something unusual on the image of the ch

What is ambulatory blood pressure monitoring?Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is quite a new method used to assess a person's blood pressure. ABPM allows a doctor to assess your blood pressure results gathered throughout your normal daily living, instead of recording your blood pressure in one sitting, at a clinic.ABPM is used to assess people with "white coat hypertension", a phen

What is ambulatory ECG monitoring? Ambulatory ECG (electrocardiogram) monitoring is used to detect arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). It does this by recording the electrical activity of the heart while you perform the normal activities of your day-to-day life. There are different types of ambulatory monitor and the most suitable one for you depends on several factors, incl

What is angina? Angina, or angina pectoris, is chest pain that occurs when the blood supply to the muscles of the heart is restricted. This is because the arteries supplying the heart become hardened and narrowed. An angina attack has been described as a dull and tight pain in the chest, which can spread to the left arm, neck or b

What is an angiography? An angiography is a type of X-ray which examines the blood vessels, particularly the arteries, veins and heart chambers.  What happens during an angiography? First, a catheter is inserted into one of your arteries, depending on the area which needs to be examined. Through the catheter, a dye is administered to contrast the area that needs to be v

How is anxiety defined?Anxiety disorder differs from simply feeling anxious, which is a normal response to a stressful situation, like making an important decision, or taking an exam. When anxiety becomes a medical problem, known as anxiety disorder, it can affect people at any time, causing constant fear and worry, often for intangible reasons, and can often make it difficult to ca

What is aortic stenosis? Aortic stenosis is a heart defect characterised by the narrowing of the aortic valve opening. In turn, this narrowing restricts the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. It can result either from a congenital birth defect or in ageing patients where scarring and calcium deposits build up in the valve opening. Treatment may require surgical valve repai

What is aortic valve replacement? The aorta is the main blood vessel which carries blood from the heart to the rest of your body. The aortic valve opens and closes to allow blood to flow out of the heart.  Aortic valve replacement is a type of open heart surgery which consists of removing a faulty or damaged valve and replacing it with a new valve. The new valve is made from synethic ma

What is aortic valve replacement (minimally-invasive)? Minimally-invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) uses a much smaller incision compared to traditional aortic valve replacement methods, which means patients recover much faster and the scar post-surgery is noticeably smaller too. MIAVR is used to treat patients with narrow or leaking valves who often complain of chest pains or shortness