Welcome. Healthtalkonline, an award-winning charity website, lets you share in other people's experiences of health and illness. This information is based on qualitative research into patient experiences led by experts at the University of Oxford.

Heart disease includes a variety of conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels in the heart. We have interviewed a wide range of people with personal experience of heart disease, so that you can share in their stories. All of the topics covered in this section are listed below and in the menu on the left.

Heart attack

Heart attack (myocardial infarction) occurs when an artery carrying blood to the heart muscle is blocked. We interviewed 37 people about their experiences of this condition.

Heart failure

In heart failure the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. We interviewed 42 people about their experiences of this condition.

High blood pressure

In high blood pressure (hypertension) the blood pressure is consistently higher than normal. We interviewed 18 people about their experiences of this condition.

Parents of children with congenital heart disease

Congenital heart disease includes a range of conditions affecting the heart from birth. In partnership with the British Heart Foundation we interviewed the parents of 30 children with congenital heart disease about their experiences during their child's early years.