Interventional Cardiology

to investigate and treat problems with coronary arteries and heart valves In our hospitals across the UAE.

At Mediclinic, our interventional cardiologists Perform tests such as coronary angiograms to investigate for narrowed or blocked coronary arteries and if it is appropriate these can then be treated with balloons and stents to help open up and restore blood flow. This means that open surgery is often not required. It can also be possible to treat heart valves and a similar way.

Working across our UAE heart centres, they carry out planned procedures such as coronary angioplasty and transcatheter aortic valve implantation, or TAVI, and treat heart attacks as emergencies.

The interventional cardiologist will often work with a wider group of cardiologists and something called a heart team which gives a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the optimal and the most multiple treatment for any condition

T An interventional cardiologist plans each procedure, carries it out and stays part of your care team..

When should you see an interventional cardiologist?

Book an appointment if you notice:

• Chest pain or tightness, especially on exertion
• Chest pain that spreads to the arm, neck or jaw
• Breathlessness that comes with chest tightness
• New or worsening chest pain when you are resting
• New exertional breathlessness
• A heart attack is a medical emergency. If you have severe chest pain, Or chest

pain thatspreads to your arm, neck or jaw, or severe difficulty breathing, call for emergency help immediately.

Many people reach interventional cardiology after a general cardiologist finds narrowed arteries or a valve problem on tests such as a CT coronary angiogram or echocardiogram. Risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol raise the chance of coronary artery disease. A general cardiologist or your family doctor can refer you when a catheter procedure may help.

What to expect

Most catheter procedures start with a coronary angiogram, a dye X-ray that maps your heart arteries. You'll usually have a local anaesthetic and stay awake, while a thin tube is passed into an artery in your wrist or groin and guided to your heart. The team explains each step, and you can often go home the same day. Rarely there will be an overnight stay

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At the time of an angiogram it is possible to do further investigation as well to give great information about the arteries. This can take the form of pressure measurements within the arteries or using a special ultrasound to look from inside.

If a narrowing needs treatment, your cardiologist may open the artery with a balloon and a small mesh stent, . Structural problems such as a narrowed aortic valve can be treated with a catheter too, using a procedure known as TAVI. Recovery is usually quicker than open surgery, and your specialist agrees the plan with you first after discussion with the heart team.

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Interventional cardiology at Mediclinic

Our interventional cardiologists work in cardiac catheterisation laboratories in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. At Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai, our Heart and Vascular Centre brings cardiologists, surgeons and imaging specialists together for coronary and structural heart care and cardiac surgery is available the as well

.Mediclinic Parkview and Welcare Hospitals run a catheterisation laboratories that treat heart attacks day and night,