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Dr Bart Olechowski MD MRCP DM

@fitcardiologist

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Weekly🫀Science
Consultant Interventional Cardiologist
@hampshirehospitals Basingstoke, Winchester, UK
Private Cardiology Practice⬇️
Dad👧🏼🧒🏼Husband👩🏻‍💼

POSTS STORIES REELS

Coffee ☕️ (decaffeinated, ground and instant) in an amount of 2-3 cups daily, reduces risk of CARDIOVASCULAR disease and risk of dying.

Showed this study ➡️ published the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology in September this year.

▪️It was a large clinical trial, which included over 440 000 participants with a median age of 58 years.

▪️55.3% of included individuals were female and the follow up lasted for over 12 years (12.5 +/- 0.7 years).

▪️Interestingly, only ground and instant but not decaffeinated coffee demonstrated reduction in incidence of arrhythmia.

https://bit.ly/3DXpN6K

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Throwback 📸 to when I performed my first Primary PCI for a STEMI, as a consultant, and the patient said: 'Thank you for saving my life'. Professional satisfaction 💯☺️.

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#coffee #coffeetime #cupofcoffee #coffeeresearch ##cardiacresearch #cardiologia #cardiologist #cardioresearch #kardiolog #polskikardiolog #londyn #luxmedica #cardiodoctor #cardiacdoctor #lekarz #polskilekarz #cardiología #interventionalcardiology #interventionalcardiologist by @fitcardiologist

Bournemouth Half Marathon @runbournemouth 🌊🏝️😍

Congratulations to All Runners 👏🏻

and

Thank You to the Organisers 🙏🏻

Great Race 👌🏻, really enjoyed.

Time - 1hr 46mins, Pace - 5mins:3s/km

PB at 41, I will take that 😉.

See You next year 🤞🏻.

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#runbournemouth #bournemouthbeach #bournemouthhalf #bournemouthhalfmarathon #bournemouthhalfmarathon2024 by @fitcardiologist

Heart palpitations - when should you worry? Consultant cardiologist explains.

Full article via the link below on www.drbart.co.uk

https://drbart.co.uk/heart-palpitations-when-should-you-worry/

Have you ever been sitting quietly when suddenly your heart seems to skip a beat? Perhaps you have noticed an unexpected flutter in your chest, a pounding sensation in your throat, or your heart racing for no obvious reason.

These sensations are known as heart palpitations, and they are among the most common reasons people seek advice about their heart.

For many patients, palpitations can be surprisingly frightening. It is natural to wonder whether something is wrong with your heart, particularly if the symptoms happen unexpectedly or wake you during the night.
The reassuring news is that most heart palpitations are harmless. They are often caused by everyday factors such as stress, caffeine, tiredness or occasional extra heartbeats.

However, some palpitations can be caused by an abnormal heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia, which may require investigation or treatment.
The important question is not simply whether you experience palpitations, but what causes them, how frequently they occur, and whether you have other symptoms.

In this article, I explain what heart palpitations feel like, their common causes, the warning signs you should never ignore, and when it is sensible to see a consultant cardiologist. by @fitcardiologist

We can always do better for our Patients.🫀

Nearly 1 in 5 Patients (18.3%) experience a recurrent cardiovascular event or cardiovascular death within 1 year following myocardial infarction*.

For the majority of our Patients, the recommended LDL target is <1.4 mmol/L, in accordance with the 2019/2025 ESC dyslipidaemia guidelines for very-high-risk patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

How can we achieve the recommended LDL targets in a busy clinical setting?

Out-of-Hours cardiology education for our cath lab, pharmacy, resident doctors and nursing teams.

Topic: Secondary Prevention – Injectable Lipid-Lowering Therapies.

Continuing to learn, improve, and advance cardiovascular care for better Patient outcomes.

*Based on a retrospective cohort study of 97,254 patients in Swedish national registries who survived at least 1 week after hospital discharge following MI. The composite endpoint included nonfatal MI, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death.
Reference: Jernberg T, et al. Eur Heart J.2015;36(19):1163–1170. by @fitcardiologist

What is a heart attack? Consultant cardiologist explains.

Full article via the link below on www.drbart.co.uk

https://drbart.co.uk/what-is-a-heart-attack-consultant-cardiologist-explains/

A heart attack, medically known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when part of the heart muscle is damaged due to a lack of oxygen-rich blood. Most heart attacks happen when a blood clot blocks a coronary artery, reducing or stopping blood flow to the heart.

Over time, fatty deposits called plaques can build up in the coronary arteries, a process known as atherosclerosis. If a plaque ruptures, a blood clot can form, restricting blood flow and causing heart muscle cells to become damaged or die.

The severity of a heart attack depends on which artery is affected, how much heart muscle is involved and how quickly blood flow is restored.

If you suspect a heart attack, call 999 immediately. Do not drive yourself to hospital or delay seeking help.

Recognising the warning signs and getting prompt treatment can limit heart damage and save lives. by @fitcardiologist

CAN YOU BE FIT AND STILL HAVE A HEART ATTACK?

Absolutely. Fitness is powerful. But fitness isn’t immunity.

As a cardiologist who loves exercise, one message I regularly emphasise is that being physically fit doesn’t make you immune to coronary artery disease.

We know exercise is one of the most powerful interventions for cardiovascular health. A study of over 122,000 patients published in JAMA Network Open demonstrated a strong association between higher cardiorespiratory fitness and lower long-term mortality (1).

But here’s the interesting paradox.

Research published in Circulation found evidence of coronary atherosclerosis in some highly trained endurance athletes, despite their otherwise favourable cardiovascular risk profiles (2).

More recently, the Master@Heart study, published in the European Heart Journal, found that lifelong male endurance athletes had a greater prevalence of coronary plaques than healthy non-athletes (3).

The significance of the above findings are uncertain and importantly, more plaque does not necessarily mean more heart attacks, and these observational findings do not establish that endurance exercise causes cardiovascular events.

So what’s the takeaway?

You can run marathons, have an impressive VO₂ max and look exceptionally healthy, yet still have elevated LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, raised lipoprotein(a) or underlying coronary disease.

My advice?

1. Keep exercising — the cardiovascular benefits are overwhelming.

2. Know your blood pressure and cholesterol.

3. Consider checking lipoprotein(a) at least once in adulthood.

4. Understand your family history of premature heart disease.

5. Never ignore exertional chest discomfort or unexplained breathlessness.

The goal isn’t simply to perform well today. It’s to protect your heart for decades to come.

Have you ever thought about your cardiovascular risk factors despite feeling fit and healthy? by @fitcardiologist

What is heart failure? Consultant cardiologist explains.

Full article via the link below on www.drbart.co.uk

https://drbart.co.uk/what-is-heart-failure-consultant-cardiologist-explains/

Heart failure is a term that understandably worries many patients. One of the first things I explain in my cardiology clinic is that heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped working, or that it is about to stop.

Instead, heart failure describes a condition in which the heart is unable to pump blood around the body as effectively as it should, or cannot relax and fill with blood normally. As a result, the body may not receive enough oxygen-rich blood during activity and fluid can accumulate, particularly in the lungs, legs and ankles.

Heart failure affects more than one million people in the UK and becomes increasingly common with age. However, it is not simply an inevitable consequence of getting older.

Importantly, treatment of heart failure has changed dramatically. We now have medications, cardiac devices and other treatments that can improve symptoms, reduce hospital admissions and, in many patients, help people live longer.

In this blog post, I explain what heart failure is, its symptoms and causes, how it is diagnosed and how modern heart failure treatment works. by @fitcardiologist

A harmonious medical team isn’t just a nicer place to work. It may be part of better patient care too.

Research on interprofessional teamwork suggests that when doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals communicate effectively, respect one another and make decisions collaboratively, patients can benefit.

The evidence:

• A meta-analysis found interprofessional learning within multidisciplinary teams was associated with a 28% lower risk of mortality and 23% fewer adverse outcomes. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37921751)

• In ICU research, stronger nurse–physician collaboration has been associated with better patient outcomes. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10507630)

• Introducing structured SBAR communication improved perceived nurse–physician collaboration and was accompanied by a reduction in unexpected deaths. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23537699)

• Broader reviews suggest interprofessional collaboration can improve patient, staff and organisational outcomes—although the evidence is heterogeneous, and not every study demonstrates a mortality benefit.

The message isn’t that everyone on a medical team must always agree.

It is that we should be able to disagree respectfully, communicate clearly, listen to each other and keep the patient—not our hierarchy or ego—at the centre of the conversation.

Great medicine is rarely the work of one person. Healthy teams can help create safer care.

And a personal note: Being positive and respectful toward your colleagues is super important. We all have different interests, come from different backgrounds, and sometimes have different priorities. But we share the same goal: the best possible outcomes for our patients. That common purpose is what unites us. A kind word and mutual respect go a long way in building strong teams.

#PatientSafety #Teamworkinmedicine #MedicalTeam #cardiologyteam #cathlab by @fitcardiologist

What is an arrhythmia? Consultant cardiologist explains.

Full article via the link below on www.drbart.co.uk

https://drbart.co.uk/what-is-arrhythmia-cardiologist-explains/

If you have felt your heart flutter, race, pause or “skip a beat”, you may have wondered whether you have an arrhythmia. The word can sound alarming, but it covers a wide range of heart rhythms (heartbeats). Some are harmless and need only reassurance; others deserve investigation or treatment.

In simple terms, an arrhythmia is a problem with the rate (speed) and/or rhythm (nature) of the heartbeat. The heart may beat too quickly, too slowly or irregularly. The important question is not simply, “Is my pulse unusual?” but, “What rhythm is causing it, why is it happening, and does it carry any risk?”

This blog post explains the main types of arrhythmia, their symptoms and causes, how a cardiologist investigates them, and the treatments that may help.

Importantly, please call 999 if palpitations occur with chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting, collapse, or symptoms of a stroke.

#arrhythmia #heartdisease #hearthealth by @fitcardiologist

Can Running TOO MUCH damage your Heart?

For most people, running is very good for the heart. Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular fitness and is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death.¹

But can you have too much of a good thing?

Potentially — particularly when we are talking about years of very high-volume, high-intensity endurance exercise, rather than simply going for regular runs.

Research in endurance athletes suggests that very high lifetime exercise exposure may be associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, particularly in older endurance athletes.² Studies have also reported higher levels of coronary artery calcification and myocardial fibrosis in some lifelong endurance athletes, although the clinical significance of these findings remains an area of active research.³

Importantly, this does not mean that running marathons is bad for your heart. The cardiovascular benefits of regular exercise are well established, and there is no scientifically defined number of races per year beyond which running suddenly becomes harmful.¹

My advice? Don’t simply count races — consider your total training load, intensity and recovery. Build up gradually and allow adequate recovery between demanding events.

Importantly mix cardio and strenght training, the combination of the two is best for longevity.

And never ignore chest pain, unexplained breathlessness, fainting or sustained palpitations during exercise.

References:

1. WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour, 2020.
2. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Review: Atrial fibrillation in endurance athletes, 2020.
3. Franklin BA et al. Circulation. 2020;141:e705–e736.

#Running #RunningTips #RunnersOfInstagram #hearthealth #RunningCommunity by @fitcardiologist

What Is Heart Disease? Consultant cardiologist explains.

Full article via the link below on www.drbart.co.uk

https://drbart.co.uk/what-is-heart-disease-cardiologist-explains/

Heart disease is not one single illness. It is an umbrella term for conditions that affect the heart’s blood supply, muscle, valves, rhythm or structure.

Some develop slowly and remain silent for years. Others appear suddenly, as a heart attack or a dangerous heart rhythm. That sounds alarming, but there is an important positive message: much of cardiovascular risk can be identified and reduced.

The large international INTERHEART study found that nine potentially modifiable factors accounted for most of the population risk of a first heart attack across 52 countries. Good prevention is therefore not about finding one miracle food or test. It is about understanding your personal risk and steadily improving the factors that matter.

#heartdisease #cardiologistexplains by @fitcardiologist