Heart Condition
Medication
There are a variety of drug treatments that patients with heart problems can have. These vary from drugs such as aspirin, beta-blockers and statins to newer treatments such as novel anticoagulants to reduce stroke risk in atrial fibrillation.
If you already have a heart condition and wish to have a review of your medication with a specialist you can make an appointment to see Dr. Hamaad who can go through your current medication and advise if any changes are required.
Pacemaker
a pacemaker implant is a device that is implanted into patients who have a slow pulse (also called bradycardia). The pacemaker operation can take up to an hour. The pacemaker consists of a battery (generator) and leads. The leads are special wires that are inserted into the heart from a vein under the collar bone using an x-ray to guide the wire into the heart. The leads are then tested to make sure they are in the correct position. The leads are then connected to the generator which is buried under the skin. If you have a pacemaker implant you will need to have regular checks to make sure it is working properly (every 6 to 12 months).
We are now offering video consultations.
Coronary angioplasty
A coronary angioplasty procedure is a treatment for a blocked or narrowed heart artery. It can be used to treat angina or a heart attack. It is usually performed via the wrist using an x-ray to guide a catheter and wire into the affected artery. The narrowed artery is then opened with a balloon and kept open with a ‘stent’ a small metal pipe made of a tiny meshwork to help keep the artery open.
Implantable defibrillator (ICD)
An ICD is a device that is implanted into patients who are at risk of having a cardiac arrest due to a serious disturbance of the heart rhythm. Usually this occurs in patients with heart failure, but it can also happen in a number of hereditary conditions that predispose to cardiac arrest.
The operation is performed under a local anaesthetic with wires inserted into the heart using x-ray to guide placement. These wires are then connected to a generator and buried under the skin on the left side of the chest. The procedure is very similar to that of a pacemaker but the generator is usually larger than a pacemaker. Patients with ICD implants usually need to have them checked every 6 months to ensure they are working properly
Coronary bypass surgery
If a patient has lots of narrowing affecting a lot of the heart arteries it may be necessary to have coronary bypass surgery. This is a routine but major operation that involves opening the chest through the breast bone, stopping the heart and using the veins in your leg and the artery in your wrist or breast bone to graft onto the blocked arteries to restore the blood supply to the heart. Although it is a big operation done with a general anaesthetic it is a routine procedure involving approximately a one week stay in hospital.
Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (biventricular pacemaker)
Cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) is a specialised pacemaker implanted into patients with heart failure where the left and right ventricles of the heart stop working together. Only patients with a certain type of heart failure benefit from CRT. The procedure is very similar to that of a pacemaker with wires placed into the heart via a vein under the collar bone. However CRT pacemakers have a third wire that is placed around the back of the heart to allow the left and right ventricles to work together again. CRT pacemakers can help improve heart failure symptoms as well as heart function.
We are now offering video consultations.
Dr. Ali Hamaad is a recognised specialist
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Why see a specialist privately?
You may already have been referred to see a specialist at your local NHS hospital. However, you may be waiting several weeks for your appointment and that is several weeks of worry that can be avoided by seeking a private consultation. A private appointment can be made within a few days and you can avoid weeks of unnecessary waiting. You can also pick a day and time for your appointment that suits you without having to take a day off work.
Another advantage of seeing a specialist privately is that you get to see the consultant you want to and not a trainee or junior doctor.
Disclaimer/privacy policy
This website and content are meant for guidance and not a replacement for a clinical consultation. If you are worried about any aspect of your health or are concerned you have a heart condition please see a doctor without delay.
Any queries submitted through this website are secure and patient confidentiality is respected at all times.
