Plain-English cardiology, written by Dr. Voss.
Long-form pieces written for patients — not for other cardiologists. The questions Dr. Voss answers most in clinic, expanded into long-form for the patients who want to read further. Updated monthly.
The latest
When chest pain isn’t a heart attack — and how to tell
About 80% of chest-pain ER visits aren’t cardiac in origin. We walk through what features make chest pain more or less likely to be cardiac — pressure vs sharp, exertional vs at rest, radiation vs isolated, with vs without other symptoms — and the workup we run for ambiguous cases. We also discuss when chest pain absolutely warrants an immediate ER visit and when it’s safe to schedule an outpatient cardiology evaluation.
AFib treatment options in 2026 — beyond rate control
Atrial fibrillation treatment has evolved meaningfully in the last 5 years. Catheter ablation, watchman devices, newer antiarrh…
Preventive cardiology · the workup we run
Cardiology is mostly preventive medicine. The 9-test panel we run on first preventive visits, why each one matters, and what we…
Lp(a) — the cardiac risk factor your insurance probably hasn’t checked
Lipoprotein(a) is genetic, identified once-in-a-lifetime, and predicts MI risk independent of LDL. Why most PCPs don’t ch…
What to expect after a heart attack · the first 6 months
Post-MI care has a structure. Cardiac rehab, GDMT optimization, lifestyle interventions, return to work. What patients can expe…
Women’s heart disease · what gets missed
Cardiac symptoms in women often present differently than in men. The diagnostic patterns we look for in women presenting with c…
Athletes + arrhythmia · syncope on the field
When does syncope on the field warrant a full cardiac workup? The criteria we use and the diagnostic pathway for athletes prese…