Your heart serves as the powerhouse for your overall health, thus needing frequent care to ensure it remains in tip-top condition. Blackrock Health’s Rapid Cardiac Care Service primarily deals with patients experiencing chest discomfort, irregular heartbeats, and heart failure. Recent studies by the healthcare group have revealed that 77% of the respondents reported symptoms akin to the aforementioned heart problems. However, a staggering near-20% of individuals in the same group neglected to respond to these symptoms.
Ignoring symptoms of heart trouble isn’t advisable, although immediate access to a group of heart disease specialists isn’t always a certainty. In the broader population, tools and applications in frequent use are surprisingly yet to be standard in healthcare contexts. However, Blackrock Health’s consultant-led Rapid Cardiac Care service fills this void, providing patients with a thorough cardiovascular examination, including either reassurance or a personalised treatment plan, as necessary.
According to Dr Daniel O’Hare, a consultant cardiologist at Blackrock Health, several signs and symptoms could denote a heart issue. Chest discomfort, often felt in the centre of the chest, or possibly the arms, neck, or top of the stomach is the primary indication. More likely to be due to heart trouble is pain lasting over 15 minutes or recurring pain within an hour. He explains that distinguishing this specific kind of pain from other types can be challenging, hence the advice to investigate any novel chest discomfort. He further emphasises that any chest pain should be taken seriously, particularly in patients with known heart disease risks such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking history or a family history of heart ailments.
Irregular heartbeats or atrial fibrillation, the most prevalent rhythm complication, could signal a heart abnormality and raise your stroke risk. Dr O’Hare stresses that timely detection and treatment of this condition propels better health outcomes.
Experiencing any unusual or new instances of breathlessness during activity or rest can often be an indicator of heart problems. This could potentially be due to insufficient blood supply to the cardiac muscles or heart failure,” explains O’Hare.
Patients may approach the rapid cardiac care service in two ways, either through a referral from their general practitioner or by self-referral. If a GP identifies a need for specialised cardiac attention during an assessment, they might refer the patient. Alternatively, patients may directly contact the rapid cardiac care unit to speak with a clinical specialist nurse to determine if the service suits their situation, or they simply present themselves at the service where they will be triaged.
As said by Ann Copeland, one of the specialist nurses at Blackrock Health, the objective of the Rapid Cardiac Care Service is to find any potential heart-related source of a patient’s symptoms. When patients arrive, they are normally seen within a quarter of an hour, during which their vitals are measured, and an electrocardiogram (ECG) is carried out to monitor the heart rhythm and check for immediate issues like a heart attack.
If the ECG doesn’t bring up any pressing issues, they will run blood tests to check cholesterol levels and cardiac enzymes. The latter can possibly hint at an existing problem. There will also be a detailed clinical assessment and a family medical history intake, adds Copeland.
The best-suited tests are performed based on the top symptoms presented by the patient. For instance, they might be given an extended cardiac rhythm monitor, often referred to as a Holter monitor, if they have heart palpitations. On the other hand, additional investigations such as an angiogram may be needed in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory if tests suggest issues with blood circulation in the coronary arteries.
“These tests can all be managed on-site and completed in a single day,” notes O’Hare. He continues, “Once patients arrive, their needs are addressed straight away. The cardiology consultant is always on hand, ready to help within minutes if a patient is in urgent need.” The role of specialist cardiac nurses is to triage patients at each phase, he further clarifies.
Consultants interpret the findings of a variety of investigations, which might either bring relief or suggest the need for more in-depth testing. “Our patient plan is highly personalised, tailored to suit the results we encounter in real-time,” explains O’Hare.
Approximately 20% of those who avail the rapid cardiac care service end up being admitted to the hospital, sometimes even for a crucial procedure, Copeland reveals.
“There might be a requirement for an angiogram which can indicate the need for stents, or pacemakers may urgently be placed on the very same day. We also undertake cardioversions, a procedure to ‘reset’ the patient’s heart,” he adds.
Some patients may be discharged, but they’ll need to come back for continuing treatment like ongoing heart failure management.
Engaging in active communication with anxious patients is of utmost importance, notes Copeland. “We clearly lay forth what each process involves and what we’re attempting to ascertain, followed by a thorough explanation of the future treatment protocol.”
O’Hare passionately assures people with any unusual cardiac symptoms that seeking medical help is not an “overreaction”.
“Heart diseases causing the blood flow to the heart to decrease, known as ischemic heart diseases, are Europe’s leading cause of death and fall under the umbrella of cardiovascular diseases,” he warns. “Prevention and prompt response to early warnings can lower the morbidity and mortality rates related to heart diseases. We treat chest discomfort and similar symptoms with extreme seriousness. So, if you have concerns, always get it checked out, as consulting with a healthcare professional could ease your worries.”