Cardiology in Bedford

Around 7.4 million people in the UK live with a heart of circulatory disease.

Each and every day, your heart beats tens of thousands of times. With every beat, blood is pumped blood around your body to provide oxygen and essential nutrients.

Having your heart and cardiovascular system working properly is important to good health.

An untreated or long-term problem within your heart or blood vessels (often referred to as the circulatory or cardiovascular system) has the potential to have a big impact not only on your physical health, but also your mental and emotional health.

If you have any concerns about your heart health, being able to talk with an expert can be a big relief. A doctor who specialises in this field of medicine is known as a Consultant Cardiologist.

At Manor Hospital, our Consultant Cardiologists provide an assessment of your concerns and symptoms, arrangement of investigations and recommendations of treatments required to improve your health.

Cardiology is the field of medicine that focuses on conditions and issues relating to the heart, the surrounding blood vessels, and the cardiovascular system.

A cardiologist is a doctor who specialises in diagnosing and treating any conditions affecting the heart, as well as helping you manage your heart and cardiovascular system’s health. They can also work in emergency situations for life-threatening conditions, such as a heart attack or stroke. 

The cost of your initial consultation starts at about £200, and the cost of cardiology treatment will depend on various factors, from your symptoms and condition to the consultant you choose.

We offer a range of payment options, so private cardiology care is more accessible than ever.

You can choose to self-pay, select one of our fixed-price packages for added clarity and peace of mind, or spread the cost with our monthly finance plans.

We also work with all major private medical insurers, meaning your consultation and tests may be covered depending on your policy and referral requirements.

Our goal is to provide high-quality cardiac care with clear, straightforward choices for every patient. 

Cardiac relates to the heart. The medical field that specialises in treating problems of the heart and/or blood vessels is known as Cardiology.

Your heart is a muscle. When it is working as it should, it pumps your blood around the body through blood vessels. If something causes the heart to stop working normally, or if there is a narrowing or blockage in a blood vessel, medical treatment may be needed.

Common problems of the cardiovascular system include:

• Angina and heart attacks
• Heart rhythm problems
• Valve disease
• Heart failure
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure (hypertension)

The first step in treating any medical problem is to obtain an accurate diagnosis through a detailed assessment of the symptoms and appropriate investigations. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, different treatment options can be discussed, planned and started.

If you’re feeling anxious about a heart problem, it’s reassuring to know that good help is available, fast.

There are a number of effective treatments available for a wide range of heart conditions. Conditions treated and procedures performed by our Consultant Cardiologists include:

• Heart failure
• Coronary disease
• Arrhythmias
• Valve disease
• Cardiomyopathies
• Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
• High cholesterol
• Loop recorder implantation (ILR)
• Pacemaker implantation
• Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy (CRTP / CRTD)
• Implantable cardio defibrillators (ICD)
• Coronary angiography
• Angioplasty and stenting
• Intravascular imaging
• Assessment of coronary physiology

Your Consultant Cardiologist will thoroughly investigate the cause of your problem and then talk you through any suitable treatment options.

When you first meet with your Consultant Cardiologist here at Manor Hospital, they will talk with you about your symptoms. They will want to know things like:

• How long you have had the problem for
• If you have chest pain, the type of pain it is (for example, is it dull or sharp, localised or spread throughout the chest, constant or intermittent?)
• Whether any particular activities seem to trigger your symptoms or make them worse
• Whether your symptoms have been getting worse over time.

Some of the more common symptoms are:

• Chest pain
• Breathlessness
• Palpitations
• Dizziness
• Collapsing
• Loss of Consciousness

There are a number of useful diagnostic tests that can be carried out to investigate cardiovascular problems. Because your cardiovascular system is spread throughout the body, you may need a few different tests to narrow things down to a specific cause.

Some tests your consultant may arrange for you include:

• An ECG to measure the electrical activity of your heart
  
  
• Holter monitor/ Patch Monitor: an ECG carried out over a longer period of time (usually between 1 – 7 days)
  
  
• Blood pressure monitoring over 24hrs
  
  
• Tilt test, to help assess changes in heart rate and blood pressure with changes in posture
  
  
• Echocardiography: an ultrasound scan of the heart
  
  
• Coronary angiography and CT coronary angiography: specialised X-ray imaging of the blood vessels that supply the heart (the coronary arteries)
  
  
• Cardiac MRI – specialised magnetic imaging of the heart to look at the heart muscle in detail.

For certain conditions, same-day ECG patch heart monitoring can also be arranged. This measures every heartbeat over a period of time (48 hours – 14 days) and then you simply put the monitor in a pre-paid envelope. The results are then analysed and your consultant will receive them within a week of completion of the test, significantly reducing the time you’ll need to wait.

Your doctor will be able to arrange any additional tests and investigations you need, but please note that these may be carried out off-site, often with the direct supervision of the consultant involved in your care.

The length of a cardiology test varies depending on the type of assessment. However, most are completed relatively quickly.

A standard electrocardiogram (ECG) usually takes just five to ten minutes, while an echocardiogram typically lasts 20 to 40 minutes.

Exercise-based assessments, such as a treadmill stress test, take around 30 to 45 minutes. A stress echocardiogram can take a bit long, usually 45 minutes to an hour. This is because a stress echocardiogram includes both imaging and exercise components.

More advanced imaging, like a computed-tomography coronary angiogram or a cardiac magnetic resonance scan, generally lasts between 30 minutes to an 1hr 30 minutes, including the time taken to prepare.

Wearable monitoring tests, such as a 24-hour Holter monitor, only require a short fitting of about 10 to 15 minutes, though the monitoring itself continues over one or more days. 

People living in and around Bedford trust us for their heart health. When you visit one of our Consultant Cardiologists here, you’ll benefit from:

• Rapid access: Early intervention for heart conditions can be an important factor in long-term health. When you are struggling with a heart problem, you will want it diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. With easy access to a Consultant Cardiologist, we can assess, diagnose and treat you without unnecessary delay.
• Peace of mind: In 2019, 98.7% of the people we treated said they were likely or highly likely to recommend us to their friends and family. Understandably, anything that affects the heart can be a source of worry. Rather than going through things alone, you will be able to talk through any questions or concerns you have with your Consultant Cardiologist.
• Appointments to suit your life: We know that life can often be very busy. We offer flexible times for consultations so that you can schedule time with your doctor at a time that is most convenient for you. This could be a telephone or face to face consultation to start off with.
• A personal approach: For heart health, there is no ‘one size fits all’ treatment. The best treatment for your condition will be the one that will give you the best results and that helps to successfully manage the cause(s) of your condition. Your cardiovascular health will always be in good hands.
• Multidisciplinary team: Our experienced Consultant Cardiologists are supported by a team of other healthcare professionals, including nurses, physiotherapists and radiographers. They work together to ensure you will always benefit from the best possible care and support at all times. Complicated cases can be discussed with a team of local cardiologists or the regional cardiac surgeons in a multidisciplinary team meeting to formulate the best treatment plan for patients.
• Ideal location: Manor Hospital is a Grade II listed Manor House situated in the peaceful village of Biddenham. There is ample parking right next to the building, and disable access if required. Conveniently located for people travelling from Bedford and its surrounding areas, the picturesque surroundings and quiet environment is an ideal place to visit for your health concerns.

To book your initial consultation with one of our cardiologists near you, use our online booking system, or give us a call and one of our dedicated advisors will help you find an appointment time that suits you.