Introduction
Are you worried that you may have a heart problem?
Do you have concerns relating to high blood pressure, angina, palpitations or shortness of breath?
Consultant Cardiologist Dr David Lipkin hopes this site will help you understand common cardiological conditions and explain the investigations and treatments you may receive.
Dr Lipkin specialises in the treatment of coronary artery disease, coronary angiography and coronary angioplasty including the treatment of angina and heart attacks. He also has a major interest in heart failure and the treatment of valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathies (abnormalities of the heart muscle).
If you are suffering from chest pains,shortness of breath, palpitations, high blood pressure or raised levels of cholesterol then now is the time to seek a referral to Dr Lipkin
.
Appointments are available at Dr Lipkin's North London practice and major London private hospitals.
Please call one of Dr Lipkin's secretaries on 020 7722 9346 or 020 7483 5075, or email: enquiries@heart-specialist.org to book your private consultation.
The Heart and How it Works
Blood from the body enters the right side of the heart through the right atrium. Blood flows into the left ventricle which pumps the blood through the pulmonary arteries to the lungs. There it picks up fresh oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. The left atrium of the heart receives the oxygen enriched blood from the lungs. Blood flows into the thick walled left ventricle and this chamber pumps the blood through the aorta around the body.
The heart can be considered a pump and like any pump or engine it needs its own fuel supply. The heart pumps blood back itself through 'fuel pipes' that run over the surface of the heart. These pipes are called the coronary arteries. If a coronary artery blocks and the fuel supply to the engine is restricted then the heart 'chokes'. This usually causes chest pain or angina. If the interruption in blood supply is temporary then the heart recovers but if the obstruction is prolonged then a small part of the heart muscle dies and a heart attacks occurs.
The Function of the Heart
The heart is in fact two separate pumps which work together. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs and the left side of the heart pumps blood to the circulation around our bodies.
The side of the heart has a thin walled 'collecting chamber' called the atrium, which helps to fill the thick walled main pump, the ventricle. The heart wall is made of a special sort of muscle called the myocardium. The left and right sides of the heart are divided by a muscular wall called the septum.