Episodes

EP320: Blindsided (Almost)

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. The episode discusses Doctor Warrick Bishop's experience with eye issues over several years. After noticing vision problems, he discovered small retinal tears that required laser treatment. Regular checkups then revealed elevated eye pressure, though no glaucoma damage yet. He now must use eye drops indefinitely to control his pressure. Doctor Bishop emphasizes the importance of maintenance and regular health screenings to catch issues early when they can be managed. Read more

EP314: Navigating Heart Disease - Treatment Options and Beyond

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. This episode discusses options for treating heart disease from lifestyle changes to medications, procedures, and surgery. Lifestyle changes like diet, exercise, reducing stress and alcohol are emphasized. Medications are commonly used to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and prevent blood clots. Procedures include tests, ablation for abnormal heart rhythms, and angiograms. Surgery options covered coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic wrap procedures. The future may bring genetic and stem cell therapies. The podcast encourages listeners to prioritize heart health through joining the Healthy Heart Network. In summary, from lifestyle to cutting-edge therapies, a range of approaches were presented for navigating heart conditions. Read more

EP312: QLD Lipid Meeting October 2023

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. This episode discusses presentations from the annual Queensland lipid group meeting. Professor Derek Connelly spoke about overcoming inertia in cholesterol lowering. A new drug called Inclisiran was discussed, which reduces LDL cholesterol through the PCSK9 protein system and only requires dosing every 6 months. Karam Kostner presented on lipoprotein(a), an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Professor David Cahun emphasized the importance of measuring the omega-3 index through a blood test. Talks addressed inflammation and how diet and certain drugs may help reduce it. Imaging techniques are blurring the line between primary and secondary prevention by finding plaque in asymptomatic patients. Coronary calcium scoring provided insights into risk assessment. The meeting covered various topics around optimizing cardiovascular health and risk reduction. Read more

EP311: Fat Bellies and Skinny Brains

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. This episode discusses a study finding that both visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat are linked to lower brain volume in middle-aged adults. Visceral fat around the organs and subcutaneous fat under the skin were associated with brain atrophy on MRI scans, especially in women. Excess abdominal fat was found to predict reductions in total gray and white matter as well as specific brain regions. While the effects were small for individuals, trends emerged across large samples. Lifestyle factors like physical activity and diet were not fully accounted for. The research suggests abdominal fat may help explain previously reported connections between obesity and cognitive decline. Read more

EP310: Common Cardiac Drugs and Common Interactions

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. The episode discusses common cardiac drugs and some potential drug interactions. It covers aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel, proton pump inhibitors, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, digoxin, nitrates, and amiodarone. Notably, grapefruit can increase serum levels of beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and some statins, potentially leading to toxicity. Warfarin's effects can be altered by foods high in vitamin K like leafy greens. Clopidogrel's effectiveness may be reduced when taken with proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole. Combining nitrates with phosphodiesterase inhibitors like sildenafil can cause profound blood pressure drops. The host recommends being aware of possible drug interactions and maintaining regular communication with doctors. Read more

EP308: Myocardial Bridging—a Bridge Too Far

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. Doctor Warrick Bishop discusses heart disease risks and prevention on his podcast. He talks about an interesting presentation he saw on myocardial bridging, where the coronary artery runs through the heart muscle in 20% of people. This was thought to not impact blood flow, but can in rare cases limit flow and cause angina symptoms. This is a cause of MINOCA syndrome, where ischemia occurs despite clear arteries. Doctor Bishop describes diagnostic tests like CT scans and intravascular ultrasound to identify bridging arteries. Surgery called deroofing can be done to free up a compressed artery. Medications may also help symptoms but stents are unlikely to. The podcast highlights this potential new cause of angina symptoms from a rare arterial variation. Read more

EP307: Long QT, Blood Pressure and Pregnancy

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. Doctor Warrick Bishop discusses various topics from a cardiology conference, including long QT syndrome and how stress testing can help evaluate it. He highlights that only 32% of patients with high blood pressure have it adequately controlled. Doctor Bishop also notes the complexities of managing pregnant patients with mechanical heart valves, as anticoagulation treatment needs careful monitoring. The podcast provides insights from medical experts on important cardiovascular issues like blood pressure management and risks during pregnancy, helping listeners understand heart health. Read more

EP306: Inflammation, White Cells, Stroke and Salt

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. Doctor Warrick Bishop discusses various topics related to heart health and inflammation in this podcast. He talks about a study that found intensive periodontal treatment reduced blood pressure by 5-10 mmHg by reducing inflammation. Another interesting finding was that rats who experienced a stroke showed changes in their gut microbiome and increased gut permeability, leading to systemic infection. Doctor Bishop also discusses how a high-salt diet can directly damage the gut microbiome and allow inflammatory proteins to enter the bloodstream, triggering inflammation in blood vessels even before high blood pressure occurs. He recommends keeping salt intake low, staying hydrated, and consuming fiber to help protect the gut from these salt-related harms. Read more

EP305: Syncope CSANZ 2023

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. The episode discusses different causes of non-traumatic loss of consciousness or syncope, including cardiac, epileptic, and psychogenic reasons. Cardiac causes could be things like structural heart issues, arrhythmia, or orthostatic hypotension from standing up. Doctor Warrick highlights how an epileptic seizure may involve jerking at the onset of loss of consciousness unlike cardiac syncope. Taking a thorough history from witnesses is important to determine the likely cause. One interesting point was how tongue biting on the sides suggests epilepsy while biting the tip suggests falling during cardiac syncope. Distinguishing the etiology helps guide appropriate workup and management. Read more

EP303: Take Homes From ESC August 2023

Welcome to my podcast. I am Doctor Warrick Bishop, and I want to help you to live as well as possible for as long as possible. I’m a practising cardiologist, best-selling author, keynote speaker, and the creator of The Healthy Heart Network. I have over 20 years as a specialist cardiologist and a private practice of over 10,000 patients. The episode discusses several studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress, including one finding that completely opening blocked arteries in older heart attack patients led to better outcomes. Another study surprisingly showed iron infusion did not help heart failure patients as expected. The episode also mentions that ablation seems to be more effective for atrial fibrillation in advanced heart failure cases. Managing weight through drugs like Ozempic was found to benefit those with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction as well. Throughout, Doctor Warrick emphasizes the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to genetic heart conditions. Read more