Sarah.theheartdoc

Sarah.theheartdoc Mum of 2, wife, heart doctor, enthusiastic optimist. Women in Cardiology Representative & founder of

This is the part many patients never get ⏬An atrial fibrillation diagnosis often comes with a label, a prescription, and...
27/01/2026

This is the part many patients never get ⏬

An atrial fibrillation diagnosis often comes with a label, a prescription, and very little context.

Most of the fear comes from not understanding what’s being treated, why certain decisions are made, and what actually matters long-term.

In my latest episode of Beatwise The Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Maria Steuden, consultant electrophysiologist, to talk through AF in a way that reflects real clinical practice - from stroke prevention and symptom control to procedures and lifestyle factors.

This is an episode for patients who want clarity, and for families who want to support without guessing.

Search ‘Beatwise The Podcast’ wherever you listen 🎧

beatwisethepodcast

23/01/2026

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common heart rhythm conditions - and also one of the most misunderstood.

In this episode of Beatwise The Podcast, I’m joined by consultant electrophysiologist Dr Maria Steuden to break AF down clearly and honestly: what it is, how it’s diagnosed, and what treatment can actually look like in real life.

We talk through medications, cardioversion, catheter ablation, pace-and-ablate, and why anticoagulation plays such a crucial role in stroke prevention. We also explore how AF links with heart failure, and why lifestyle and risk-factor management matter more than most people realise.

If you or someone you care for has been diagnosed with AF, this episode is designed to help you feel informed, reassured, and better equipped to take part in decisions about care.

🎧 Search Beatwise The Podcast wherever you listen.

Have you heard of Blue Monday?It’s often described as the most depressing day of the year and it usually falls on the th...
19/01/2026

Have you heard of Blue Monday?

It’s often described as the most depressing day of the year and it usually falls on the third Monday of January.

The idea came from a 2005 PR campaign and isn’t something the scientific community broadly accepts.

That said, January can be hard.

Shorter days, disrupted routines, financial pressure, unmet expectations - all of these can affect mood. Mental health doesn’t follow a calendar, and it certainly isn’t explained by a single day.

If you’re struggling today, that doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you. It means you’re responding to a complex mix of biological, psychological and social factors.

The slides above share three small, evidence-informed ways to support your mood today. And if all you can manage is getting through the day, that’s enough too.

Share an emoji in the comments that reflects how you’re feeling today 👇

18/01/2026

Many people expect to feel back to normal within weeks of a COVID infection.

But for some, that doesn’t happen.

Ongoing symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness, chest discomfort, or palpitations can persist - even when routine tests look reassuring. That can be frustrating and confusing 😥

We now know COVID can affect more than the lungs. In some people, the heart and circulation are involved in long COVID, which helps explain why recovery can be slower and why “pushing through” symptoms isn’t always helpful.

I explore what the current evidence tells us - and what actually supports recovery - with Prof. Vass Vassiliou on Beatwise The Podcast.

Search ‘Beatwise The Podcast’ wherever you listen and make sure to share this with someone you know who is struggling with long COVID.

Long COVID isn’t always obvious.Many people think COVID is only a lung illness. But for some, symptoms like chest discom...
16/01/2026

Long COVID isn’t always obvious.

Many people think COVID is only a lung illness. But for some, symptoms like chest discomfort, breathlessness, palpitations, and ongoing fatigue can linger long after the infection - even when tests look “normal”.

That doesn’t mean nothing is going on. It means recovery can be more complex than we once thought.

The heart and circulation can be involved in long COVID, and understanding that helps people feel less confused, less dismissed, and better supported.

I discuss what we currently know - and what actually helps recovery - with Prof. Vass Vassiliou on Beatwise The Podcast.

If you’re recovering from COVID, or supporting someone who is, this is worth knowing.

Search ‘Beatwise The Podcast’ wherever you listen 🎙️

10/01/2026

COVID-19 is not just a lung disease and long COVID isn’t either 🦠

In the newest episode of Beatwise The Podcast, I’m joined by Prof. Vass Vassiliou to discuss what the latest evidence tells us about the heart in long COVID.

We talk through what we’re seeing clinically and in the research:
• Why the cardiovascular system is frequently involved
• Common symptoms like chest pain, breathlessness, fatigue, and dysautonomia-type features
• Who appears to be at higher risk
• What clinicians should be watching for and what patients should know

We also discuss practical, evidence-based ways to support recovery, including lifestyle measures, structured cardiac rehabilitation, and the role of vaccination in reducing risk - grounded in the latest European Society of Cardiology consensus guidance.

This episode is for patients, clinicians, and anyone trying to make sense of persistent symptoms after COVID - without fear-based messaging or oversimplification.

Search Beatwise The Podcast wherever you listen 🎧

If you find it helpful, please consider rating or sharing - it genuinely helps this information reach the people who need it.

09/01/2026

As a cardiologist, I don’t just think about heart disease in the present tense 🫀

I think a lot about trajectories. What people’s lives look like ten, twenty, thirty years down the line and what shapes that path long before symptoms appear.

The last decade of life matters more than we often admit. Not simply how long it is, but how it’s lived.

🤔Will you still be able to move with confidence?
🤔Be quick enough for a game of tag with a grandchild?
🤔Strong enough to travel, to play, to fully inhabit your days?

Or will those years be dominated by disease, limitation, and managing decline?

These outcomes aren’t decided overnight, and they’re rarely the result of one dramatic moment. They’re shaped gradually - by metabolic health, cardiovascular health, physical capacity, and the cumulative impact of everyday choices across decades.

As we move into a new year, this is the lens I’m bringing with me - both in clinic and in my own life. Not “new year, new you”, perfection or fear.

But a far more important question: are we building towards longevity or vitality?

Because getting older is inevitable. How we age, at least in part, is not!]

Thanks to for sharing!

Heart failure is usually framed as a problem with pumping or filling 🫀But in people with diabetes and obesity, there’s g...
07/01/2026

Heart failure is usually framed as a problem with pumping or filling 🫀

But in people with diabetes and obesity, there’s growing evidence that the issue may start earlier - at the level of cardiac energy metabolism.

The IMPROVE-DiCE study explored this by directly measuring myocardial energetics using advanced MRI techniques, in people with diabetes and obesity, with and without HFpEF.

This was an early, mechanistic trial - not practice-changing - but it offers an important insight into why HFpEF is so complex, and why symptoms don’t always align with a “normal” ejection fraction.

I have collaborated with my colleague Dr. Moritz Hundertmark with this study who focused on patients with diabetes and overweight at risk of heart failure and I focused on patients with diabetes, overweight and established heart failure.

Now published in CIRCULATION.

The full paper is available at the following link: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.125.074041

Or by searching ‘IMPROVE-DiCE study’ on all major search engines 💻

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! ✨

As we step into a fresh start, let’s reflect and grow! 🌟 How often do you laugh wholeheartedly? 😂 A lot of my friends and colleagues often just survive another day, so do I.

How often do you pause to think about what truly matters to you? 🤔

Let’s make this year a journey of joy and self-discovery! What’s your 2026vision?

🌈 ”

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