Cardiology

Welcome to The King’s Oak Cardiovascular Unit. Our specialist Cardiovascular team offer immediate access to appointments with world specialists in surgical and non-surgical treatment of cardiovascular problems. Our comprehensive expertise can help whether you have a pre-existing diagnosis or have symptoms you are concerned about and would like investigating from world class experts.

Our individual approach to care and our ability to request immediate, comprehensive diagnostics following an in-depth initial consultation and examination allow you to get the care you need. The King’s Oak cardiac surgeons work closely with specialist nursing teams and specialist imaging teams to get you the most efficient and accurate diagnosis.

Our team is able to provide specialist advice on lifestyle treatments, medication where appropriate, as well as world class surgical expertise in minimally invasive techniques for treating and angina, heart valve disorders and arrhythmias.  

Cardiology refers to a medical specialty concerned with the health of the heart and vascular system. It may also be termed cardiovascular health.

Cardiology performs two board functions for patients. Firstly, we offer expert problem solving in terms of symptoms. Secondly, we assess patients for certain characteristics which may make them more susceptible for developing problems with their cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular complaints may range from common symptoms which include: 

• Palpitations
• Fast heart rate
• Chest discomfort or chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Collapses/ Blackout
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol

Cardiology also deals with other serious symptoms and clinical problems including:

• Valve disorders
• Coronary disorders
• Heart function and heart failure
• Electrical abnormalities and arrhythmias

Treatments for cardiovascular disorders may be broadly divided in to three areas. Lifestyle factors, medicinal treatments, and surgical interventions (procedures).

Lifestyle changes may involve addressing well evidenced factors that we know contribute to increasing risk for certain cardiovascular disorders. These include exercise habits, sleep patterns and work-lifestyle balance or other factors increasing psychological stress.

• Medicinal treatment for cardiovascular health may be considered following a comprehensive consultation and diagnostics. Some commonly prescribed medications involved in cardiovascular health include:
• Medicines to reduce cholesterol commonly referred to as statins
• Medicines to reduce blood pressure of which various forms exist including:
• Medicines to reduce the sensitivity of blood vessels to the normal hormone which increases their pressure (angiotensin) 
• Medications to reduce the movement of calcium into the heart and blood vessel cells (calcium channel blockers) 
• Medications to reduce heart rate (beta blockers)
• Medications used to dilate blood vessels - vasodilators (some of these medications can be useful for use in real time for individuals suffering with shortness of breath and chest pain)
• Medicines to reduce the bodies water retention (diuretics). Reducing the amount of fluid reduces the force needed for the heart to pump.

Cardiovascular procedures are wide ranging and include:

• Stenting procedures to open up blood vessels: Blood vessels often become blocked due to cholesterol/ plaques lining the inside of the vessels over time. If left untreated this can lead to shortness of breath, chest pain and sometimes a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
• Valve replacements: The heart’s a pump and the heart has a valve which is the last doorway out of the heart. These valves can get stiff due to age and for other reasons. Stiffness of the heart valve means it can't pump as well.
• Ablation procedures: Sometimes the electric circuit in an individuals heart becomes inefficient and may develop some additional electrical circuits which are able to be removed with minimally invasive techniques.  

A cardiovascular consultation will focus on the individual nature of each patient’s problem. A full history will be conducted covering present symptoms, any associated symptoms, and then an assessment of cardiovascular health risks:

• Prior history of other health problems
• In depth medication review (present and past)
• Allergies
• History of smoking, alcohol and other lifestyle risks

Initial examination may include taking current blood pressure, listening to the heart, the neck vessels, lungs (with a stethoscope), as well as taking pulse (heart rate) measurements. Sometimes if symptoms require an examination may also include the abdomen or other areas.

Following an initial consultation, several forms of diagnostics may be requested. Common diagnostics may include blood tests:

• Lipid profile/ Cholesterol
• Blood sugar including glucose and HBA1C (blood glucose averaged over three months)
• full blood count to check whether you're anemic or not.
• Urea & Electrolytes (U&E's), to check kidney function
• Liver Function Tests (LFT’s)
• Thyroid function tests (TFT’s) because that can often give problems with blood pressure or heart palpitations
• Inflammatory marker (CRP)
• In some acute complaints a D-Dimer test (to measure possibility of blood clot) and Troponin test (to measure possibility of heart tissue damage) may also be requested

Further to bloods, an Electrocardiogram which measures the underlying electrical impulses throughout the heart may also be requested.

Depending on the nature of a patient’s complaint imaging will also be requested. Chest xrays may be requested to give a good indication of any basic underlying pathology. More sophisticated imaging techniques may include a specialist ultrasound scan, an echocardiogram (Echo scan) which allows real time visualization of the heart chambers and pumping system.

A CT or MRI scan of the blood vessels are also requested for certain symptoms. These specialist tests may be conducted with specialist contrast agents or agents which stress the heart (injected prior to the scan) to better visualize the heart and vessels.

Cardiovascular treatments and innovations have seen significant progress in the last decade. Our The Kings Oak hospital cardiovascular unit draws on the considerable talent and experience from world leading surgeons, and other medical specialties involved in cardiovascular treatment to deliver these innovations for our patients. Innovations include being able to offer previous procedures done with open heart surgery with minimally invasive techniques significantly reducing the risk for patients as well as more accurate diagnostic techniques and scans.

Our world leading cardiac surgeons and colleagues have worked as a team in tertiary level cardiac centres for many years and due to the significant volume and experience driven by getting referrals from other cardiac centres in the UK and worldwide means our outcomes remain world class. There is no treatment that our cardiac surgeons do not offer.

Not only are we able to deliver innovative, world class treatments by experienced professionals you will be able to book for an immediate consultation as well as be referred for immediate diagnostics rather than lengthy waits sometimes experienced elsewhere.

Often, our patients may have some health concerns that have troubled them for some time and can be fully reassured after getting our comprehensive consultations and cardiovascular diagnostics. When our thorough diagnostics have not demonstrated any serious pathology, each patients’ individual concerns will be fully addressed by our team and follow up arranged when necessary. Additionally, our experts can advise on specific follow up treatments that may involve referrals to other medical specialties or therapies where indicated.