Acute heart failure is a sudden and severe condition where the heart is unable to pump blood effectively, leading to a rapid buildup of fluid in the lungs, body tissues, or both. This can result in symptoms like severe shortness of breath, leg or abdomen swelling, and a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Unlike chronic heart failure, which develops gradually over time, acute heart failure demands immediate medical attention as it can be life-threatening. This condition can occur as a sudden worsening of chronic heart failure or emerge as a new and unexpected event, often triggered by factors like heart attacks, severe infections, or uncontrolled high blood pressure. Understanding its causes, recognising the warning signs, and acting swiftly can make a critical difference in outcomes for those affected.

Xanthelasma are fat deposits around the eyes, usually found near the inner corner of the eye and the inner upper eyelid. They tend to look slightly paler than the person's skin tone, and the lumps can vary in size. They are harmless themselves but can represent a high level of cholesterol (a type of fat) in the body, although this is not always the case. Higher levels of cholesterol in the body can increase your risk of heart problems. They do not need to be removed from around the eyes but can be removed privately for cosmetic reasons by a variety of methods from excision of the lumps to laser, chemical or freezing.

A stroke happens when blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off. Without blood, brain cells start dying within minutes. This makes the speed of treatment very important, so the most important thing that people can do is recognise the signs of a stroke and call for help quickly. Every year in the UK around 115,000 people have a stroke, and a further 30,000 have a recurrent stroke. Although strokes can occur at any age – even in the very young – the vast majority of cases are in the elderly. This means that in the UK about 1 in 100 of the over-75 population have a stroke every year. To remember the signs to identity a stroke, think “F-A-S-T”. F stands for face (face droop) A stands for arm (weakness in one or both arms) S stands for speech (trouble in speaking) T stands for time (immediately call the emergency number local to you, such as 999 in the UK). Other symptoms of stroke can be sudden confusion, blurred vision in one or both eyes, seeing double, dizziness or loss of balance and coordination, and a severe headache.

Named after the doctor who first described it in 1862, Raynaud's phenomenon – often just called Raynaud’s - is a condition that affects the circulation of blood in certain areas of the body, most often the fingers and toes, usually when exposed to the cold. It can cause the areas to change colour (white, blue and then red in an attack), become painful, numb, and restrict movement. It is a fairly common condition that affects women more than men and the most common type usually develops before the age of 30, sometimes running in families. It can be triggered by various factors like stress, cold weather (the most common trigger), and even excess caffeine. It is not usually a serious condition although it can affect people's quality of life, and sometimes can also be linked to other underlying medical conditions.

A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a clot blocking a blood vessel to the lungs. This threatens to stop you from breathing in oxygen to keep organs alive and stops you from getting rid of toxic carbon dioxide gas. With prompt recognition and treatment, most people recover from PEs. This can be life-threatening and requires immediate hospital admission.

Phlebitis (also known as superficial thrombophlebitis) occurs when the superficial veins in your skin become inflamed, with the potential of having a small blood clot inside of it. It typically occurs in the veins in your leg but it can occur in any vein in your body. Different things can trigger the inflammation. Trauma or injury to the vein (for example from a blood test), people with problems with their veins already (for example varicose veins or a previous blood clot), or people who have conditions that make their blood clot more easily. People who smoke, or are immobile, or have had major surgery are also more at risk.

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) – also sometimes called peripheral arterial disease - is a disorder of the blood circulation that causes your vessels to become narrow and get blocked, thereby reducing the blood flow to organs. It often affects the lower legs and feet and is quite common, affecting around 1 in 5 men and 1 in 8 women in the UK over the age of 50. PVD is usually caused by the build-up of fatty deposits inside the walls of arteries and veins but infection and injury can also cause damage.

Panic attacks are sudden extreme episodes of anxiety that can happen out of the blue with no clear trigger. They are common with around 1 in 10 people experiencing them during their life. During a panic attack, your body has gone into "fight or flight" mode where adrenaline is released into your bloodstream. This causes physical changes where your heart starts racing and you’re breathing fast (hyperventilating).

Low blood pressure (BP), or hypotension, can give symptoms of feeling lightheaded, dizziness, feeling a bit weak, feeling sick, disorientation, and suffering momentary blurred vision. It can cause you to faint. It may also cause no symptoms. It’s diagnosed when a BP machine gives a reading of less than 90/60 mmHg. A healthy BP should be 100-120/80-90 mmHg. You might have a slightly faster heart rate (the third number on the BP machine) to make up for the low BP, in order to keep blood flowing to your vital organs.

Hypertension refers to high blood pressure (BP) in your arteries, the vessels that carry oxygen to your tissues and organs to allow them to function. If left untreated, hypertension puts you at higher risk of having a stroke or heart attack. Pressure provides the pumping mechanism from the heart to this artery pipework around the body. If the pressure is too high, this causes narrowing of the arteries which, over time, can lead to damage to vital organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes. Think of it like limescale attacking your water pipes, until they narrow and become bumpy with deposits, making it harder for liquid to get through them. Eventually, the pipes may block entirely, which is what causes a heart attack. BP is measured by a machine – a soft cuff is attached to your upper arm, which inflates and gives a fraction reading: one number at the top (your systolic BP) and one at the bottom (your diastolic BP).

Hypercholesterolemia, commonly known as high cholesterol, is a condition characterised by elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood. This condition is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks and strokes. Understanding the causes, symptoms, risk factors, and dietary management of hypercholesterolemia is essential for maintaining heart health and preventing associated complications.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is present in your blood. High cholesterol, also known as hypercholesterolemia, occurs when there are raised levels in your body. Cholesterol is carried in the blood by particles called lipoproteins, and there are two types of these – low density and high density. When low-density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol) carry cholesterol this is often called 'bad' cholesterol because high levels of LDL cholesterol increase your risk of heart disease. In contrast, HDL cholesterol is viewed as 'good' cholesterol because higher levels help to prevent cardiovascular disease. Fatty substances build up in your blood mainly as a result of diet and lifestyle choices. Eating unhealthy fatty foods and not exercising enough puts you at risk of developing high cholesterol. If you smoke or drink alcohol or are overweight, your risk increases further. Too much cholesterol can cause a blockage in the blood vessels and there is a link between increasing blockage of blood vessels and a higher risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. If someone in your family has high cholesterol then you are also more likely to suffer from it. There are no symptoms of high cholesterol, the only way to confirm this is with a blood test.