Cardiovascular disease is one of the main causes of death the UK and Ireland. Disease prevention strategies give you control of your cardiac health.
If you are over 40 and concerned about your diet, lifestyle, stress levels or family history, Kingsbridge Private Hospital can offer you the opportunity to have your heart disease risk assessed.
We know that heart conditions can be worrying for you and your family so we provide access to a full range of services specifically for cardiac conditions at our Belfast clinic.
Our expert cardiologists are available to discuss any symptoms or concerns you are having about the health of your heart. If required, we provide a comprehensive range of cardiac investigations and tests that will help diagnose any cardiac problems and help you find effective treatment.
Cardiac Investigations available include:
ECG (Electrocardiogram)
At Kingsbridge Private Hospital we can easily arrange for you to have an electrocardiograph (ECG) at our Belfast clinic for medical insurance, pre-employment checks or for peace of mind.
An ECG involves attaching monitoring electrodes or pads to your chest to produce a record of the electrical activity of your heart. This provides information about the rate, rhythm, and electrical conduction of the heart. It also provides some information about the health and contractility of the heart muscle.
An ECG at our clinic in Belfast will provide benefits including:
- General health assessment
- As part of a cardiac assessment
- Pre-employment health check
- Medical insurance
(Echocardiography)
Echocardiography is an ultrasound examination available in Northern Ireland performed by our team of Clinical Physiologists providing accurate images of the heart muscle, chambers and the heart valves to aid the diagnosis of heart disease.
Echocardiography can provide a wealth of clinical information, including the size and structure of the valves, chambers of the heart, pumping capacity and allows visualisation of any abnormalities. By assessing the motion of the heart wall an echocardiography examination can help assess previous damage due to coronary artery disease.
The biggest advantage of echocardiography is that it uses non-invasive ultrasound and has no known side effects. It can also be used pre and post-surgery and alongside specific chemotherapy treatments.
Structures visualised with echocardiography include:
- Valves and their function
- Chambers of the heart
- Wall thickness and motion
- Pericardium
- Intra-cardiac masses
- Ascending and descending aorta
What is involved during an echocardiogram exam?
Three electrodes (small, flat, sticky patches) and an ultrasound transducer/probe will be placed on and moved over your chest. You should feel no discomfort during the examination.
The examination will take approximately 30-40 minutes and results will be reviewed by one of our expert cardiologists at our clinic in Belfast.
Treadmill & Exercise Stress Testing
Treadmill or Exercise Stress testing is a diagnostic tool used to assess the presence of coronary artery disease or ECG and blood pressure response to exercise, and is offered as part of 3fivetwo cardiac services.
The results can demonstrate if blood supply is reduced in the arteries that supply your heart.
It involves walking on a treadmill at increasing levels of difficulty. During the test the heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG) tracing, and how tired you feel are monitored throughout and after the examination.
An exercise stress test may be requested to:
- Diagnose coronary artery disease
- Diagnose a possible heart-related cause of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or light-headedness
- Determine a safe level of exercise
- Check the heart's overall function as part of an anaesthetic assessment for surgery
- Depending on the results of the exercise stress test, your cardiologist may recommend more tests such as a nuclear stress test, cardiac catheterization or CT cardiac angiography.
How is the test performed?
You will be asked to wear comfortable clothes, walking shoes or trainers and you will have small electrodes placed on your chest to monitor the heart.
You will be required to walk slowly whilst the speed is increased and the treadmill is tilted to produce the effect of going up a small hill. You may also be asked to breathe into a tube for a few minutes. The test can be stopped at any time if you feel tired, in pain or distressed.
The complete examination will take approximately 40 minutes. Medical professionals will be present throughout the test. We provide on-site showering facilities, should you require them after the examination.