Cryptogenic Stroke: When a Stroke Has No Obvious Cause
Reviewed by Dr Edgar Tay, interventional cardiologist and structural heart specialist at Asian Heart & Vascular Centre. Last reviewed September 2026. Reading time: about 8 minutes. TL;DR About one stroke in four has no identified cause after a full investigation, and is then called cryptogenic. In younger patients a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a small […]
Hole in the Heart (PFO) in Singapore: Do You Need It Closed?
Reviewed by Dr Edgar Tay, interventional cardiologist and structural heart specialist at Asian Heart & Vascular Centre. Last reviewed August 2026. Reading time: about 10 minutes. TL;DR A patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a small flap-like opening between the two upper chambers of the heart that everyone has before birth and that fails to seal […]
Pacemakers in Singapore: Slow Heartbeat, Heart Block, and When You Need a Device
Reviewed by Dr Pipin Kojodjojo, consultant cardiologist specialising in cardiac devices at Asian Heart & Vascular Centre. Last reviewed August 2026. Reading time: about 11 minutes. TL;DR A pacemaker is a small implanted device that steps in when the heart’s own electrical system fails to keep the rate up. It does not speed up a […]
Life With a Pacemaker in Singapore: Recovery, Device Checks and Everyday Limits
Reviewed by Dr Pipin Kojodjojo, consultant cardiologist specialising in cardiac devices at Asian Heart & Vascular Centre. Reading time: about 9 minutes. TL;DR Recovery from a traditional pacemaker implant, the kind with a generator under the collarbone and leads running into the heart, is mostly about protecting the wound and the leads while they settle. […]
Aortic Regurgitation: Do You Need Treatment Now, and What Are the Latest Valve Options?
By Dr Edgar Tay. Reviewed by Dr Edgar Tay, interventional cardiologist and structural heart specialist at Asian Heart & Vascular Centre. Last reviewed July 2026. Reading time: about 6 minutes. TL;DR Aortic regurgitation is a leaking aortic valve, where blood flows backwards into the heart’s main pumping chamber with each beat. It can stay silent […]
Unexplained Fainting (Syncope) in Singapore: Causes, Red Flags, and When to See a Cardiologist
Reviewed by Dr Pipin Kojodjojo, consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist at Asian Heart & Vascular Centre. Last reviewed June 2026. Reading time: about 10 minutes. Fainting, known medically as syncope, is a brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary drop in blood flow to the brain. It is common: an estimated one in three people […]
Tilt Table Testing in Singapore: What It Is and What It Diagnoses
Reviewed by Dr Pipin Kojodjojo, consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist at Asian Heart & Vascular Centre. Last reviewed July 2026. Reading time: about 9 minutes. A tilt table test is a safe, outpatient assessment used to find out why a person keeps fainting. The patient lies on a motorised table that tilts them upright while heart […]
Medtronic Affera AF Ablation in Singapore: PFA and RF With One Catheter
By Dr Pipin Kojodjojo, consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist, Asian Heart & Vascular Centre (AHVC). Last reviewed June 2026. Reading time: about 7 minutes. The Medtronic Affera system combines high-density cardiac mapping with a focal dual-energy catheter that can deliver pulsed field ablation (PFA) or radiofrequency (RF) energy. AHVC reports that its doctors were the first […]
Atrial Fibrillation in Singapore: What to Do After a Smartwatch Alert
Reviewed by Dr Pipin Kojodjojo, consultant cardiologist and electrophysiologist, Asian Heart & Vascular Centre (AHVC). A smartwatch alert for possible atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib) is not something to panic about, but it should be checked. Save the recording, note any symptoms, and arrange a clinical review. Seek emergency help immediately for chest pain, fainting, […]
Understanding Aortic Regurgitation: When the Heart’s Valve Doesn’t Close Properly
Aortic regurgitation, also known as aortic valve regurgitation or aortic valve insufficiency is a type of heart valve disease that occurs when the aortic valve does not close properly. This allows blood to leak backward into the heart instead of moving efficiently to the rest of the body. Over time, this extra volume of blood […]