When an online cardiologist can help, and when to call 998

Start here: is this an emergency?

Call 998 now for chest pain that feels tight, squeezing or heavy, pain spreading to your arm, neck or jaw, severe difficulty breathing, palpitations with chest pain or shortness of breath, or feeling faint. Do not drive yourself to hospital.

WHO notes that underlying disease of the blood vessels often causes no symptoms, and a heart attack or stroke may be the first sign. It also notes that women are more likely than men to have shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain. Take these seriously even if you have no chest pain.

What a cardiologist looks after

Cardiologists treat conditions of the heart and circulation. People see them for:

• High blood pressure that is hard to control.
• Palpitations. These are usually harmless, but worth checking if they keep coming back, last more than a few minutes, or you have a heart condition or a family history of one.
• Diagnosed angina, heart failure or a rhythm problem.
• Check-ups after a heart attack or a heart procedure.
• High cholesterol, diabetes or a strong family history, when they want to understand their risk.

Where a video appointment earns its place

A cardiologist can do useful work by video when the tests already exist. They can go through your ECG or echo report, talk through results, review your home readings and medicines, or offer a view on a plan you have been given. The DHA telehealth standard also recognises pre and post-operative assessments and follow-up among the things a physician may consider suitable for telehealth.

New symptoms are another matter. Diagnosing them normally means listening to your heart, an ECG and often a scan or a treadmill test. A cardiologist will often tell you to arrange these first. If a test is abnormal, the plan may change, so do not change your heart medicines without talking to your doctor.

What to send and write down

1. ECG traces, echo and stress test reports, and any discharge letters. Upload them to your health record before the call if you can.
2. A home blood pressure log. A note of the date, the time and the reading is more useful than one number.
3. A diary of palpitations: when, how long, what you were doing, and whether you felt faint.
4. All your medicines and doses as written on the box.
5. Your family’s history of heart disease and stroke.

Booking a cardiologist on medicAI

Cardiology is one of the specialties in the medicAI doctor list. The cardiologist works for an independent clinic or hospital licensed by DHA or DoH, which is responsible for their care. medicAI provides the app. If you need blood tests such as a lipid profile, see lab tests at home.