Cardiology
Cardiology is the medical speciality dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the heart.
Cardiologists are specialists in diseases of the heart. The biggest area of heart disease they treat is coronary artery disease e.g. angina and chest pains. They also treat abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, high blood pressure and some rarer conditions.
Many different cardiology diagnostic tests are available, including echocardiogram and angiogram. Treatment can then fall into one of three areas:
- drug therapy
- interventional procedures (e.g. coronary angioplasty and pacemaker implants)
- cardiac surgery
Description of service
The cardiology department provides a full range of cardiac diagnostic tests and inpatient and outpatient services.
Northwick Park Hospital has a catheter laboratory in which angiograms and angioplasties are performed. The majority of patients from Central Middlesex Hospital will also have their angiograms and angioplasties performed at Northwick Park, although some cases will be referred to St Mary’s Hospital. Both Northwick Park and Central Middlesex perform pacemaker implants and run pacemaker clinics.
Both hospitals also run one-stop-shop outpatient clinics where all basic diagnostics are performed on the day of the first consultation. They also have coronary care units for dedicated, specialist cardiac inpatient care and operate rapid access chest pain clinics, in which patients are seen within 14 days of GP referral. We work closely with the local GPs with a special interest in cardiology and have a team of specialist cardiac nurses.
The Trust does not provide cardiac surgery but has excellent links with St Mary’s Hospital and Harefield Hospital where the majority of patients requiring cardiac surgery are transferred.
The cardiology department has a special interest in nuclear cardiology and echocardiography. The echocardiography department at Northwick Park Hospital has been granted ‘centre of excellence’ status in the UK for transthoracic, transesophegeal and stress echo, following a formal visit by the British Society of Echocardiography.
Locations
Northwick Park and St Mark's Hospitals
The cardiology department is situated on level 9 of St Mark's Hospital on the Northwick Park Hospital site. The nearest car park is car park 4.
Central Middlesex Hospital
The cardiology department is situated on the ground floor of Central Middlesex Hospital.
Contacts
- Service Manager
020 8869 2350 0900 - 1700 - Outpatient Bookings
020 8235 4200
Central Middlesex Hospital
- Reception
020 8963 7134 0900 - 1700 - Coronary Care Unit
020 8453 2683 - Secretary
020 8963 7150
Northwick Park and St Mark's Hospitals
- Reception
020 8869 2552 0900 - 1230 *closed* 1300 - 1700 - Jenner Ward
020 8869 2969 / 2167 - Secretary to Dr Stephens
020 8869 2558 0900 - 1700 - Secretary to Dr Bethell
020 8869 2360 0900 - 1300 - Secretary to Dr Senior
020 8869 2351 - Secretary to Dr Violaris
020 8869 2351