Dr Diana R Holdright
MD, FRCP, FESC, MBBS, DA, BSc

Consultant Cardiologist

Email: info@drholdright.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7631 4346
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7224 2204
110 Harley Street
London, W1G 7JG

News

February 2012

The Y male sex chromosome and risk of heart disease

The main part of the Y male sex chromosome is transmitted from father to son and contains genes that are responsible for a small number of distinct proteins. The fundamental biological role of the Y chromosome is to impart male characteristics. However, there are also data linking the Y chromosome to the cardiovascular system.

January 2012

Sex and the heart

Decreased sexual activity and function, a topic frequently not raised by patients or doctors, are common in patients with heart disease and are often interrelated to anxiety and depression.

December 2011

MRI heart scans - latest study shows benefit over older techniques

Over the years an increasing number of techniques have been developed to measure how well the heart is functioning, and in particular whether the blood supply is normal or impaired.

November 2011

Dabigatran treatment in atrial fibrillation

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has approved the use of dabigatran etexilate (Pradaxa) as a treatment option for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation

October 2011

Which statin is best?

AstraZeneca, a leading pharmaceutical company, has announced the results from SATURN (The Study of Coronary Atheroma by InTravascular Ultrasound: Effect of Rosuvastatin Versus AtorvastatiN).

September 2011

Butter versus spreads – what is the difference?

The range of butter, oils and spreads available to us is vast – and baffling! I suspect that most of us do not really know the important differences between the products

August 2011

Update on alternatives to warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation

In patients with atrial fibrillation clinical trials have shown drugs such as dabigatran to be as effective as warfarin.

July 2011

New management of hypertension

Hypertension (high blood pressure) affects more than 25% of adults and more than 50% of those over 65 years of age.

June 2011

The future for niacin

Many patients take supplements such as omega 3, fatty acids, niacin and folic acid, hoping to reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke

May 2011

Alternatives to warfarin?

Although we use a number of factors to try to estimate an individual’s risk of coronary artery disease it is still difficult to predict risk with a high level of accuracy.

April 2011

Better ways to screen for coronary artery disease - the Coronary Artery Calcium Score

Many patients are advised to take warfarin to thin the blood and reduce the risk of clot formation, for example on a metal heart valve replacement, or within the collecting chambers of the heart, the atria, in patients with atrial fibrillation.

March 2011

Natural ways of lowering cholesterol?

Patients often ask what they themselves can do to lower their cholesterol rather than relying on drug therapy, typically statins, alone.