Cardiology in Milton Keynes

Millions of people in the UK are affected by heart and circulatory diseases.

Your heart beats millions of times every year. With every beat, blood is pumped around your body, providing oxygen and essential nutrients to it.

The health of your heart is vitally important.

A problem with your heart or blood vessels (known collectively as the circulatory system or the cardiovascular system) can have a significant impact on your ability to enjoy life. Long-term or untreated heart issues can have a big impact on physical, mental and emotional health.

If you are worried about a problem with your heart, you’ll want to get an accurate diagnosis and the best care and treatment possible without unnecessary delay.

Since The Saxon Clinic first opened more than 30 years ago, we’ve been heavily involved in helping and treating private patients in and around Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Leighton Buzzard and Woburn who are suffering with cardiovascular problems.

The symptoms below can all be signs that some part of your cardiovascular system isn’t working as well as it should. If you are experiencing any of them, you may want to see a doctor to get things properly looked at:

• Chest pains: usually sharp or stabbing, often getting worse when breathing in or lying down,
• Palpitations: a fluttering, pounding or irregular heartbeat,
• Breathlessness,
• Heart rate becoming slower or faster than normal,
• Feeling more tired or weaker, even at rest,
• Swollen ankles or legs,
• Dizzy spells or passing out.

Any of these symptoms can be frightening to experience. Of course, if you do have any of them it doesn’t mean that you definitely have a problem with your heart or blood vessels. You may choose to have them checked out by a doctor if they are particularly noticeable, intense, prolonged or causing you concern.

If you have a sharp, crushing pain in and around your chest, possibly with pain down your left arm, you should always seek urgent medical help.

Here at The Saxon Clinic, our cardiology service can provide expert assessment and diagnosis for you. Should treatment be necessary, your doctor will be able to arrange that for you simply and quickly.

Cardiac relates to the heart. Investigation and treatment of diseases of the heart and/or blood vessels is known as cardiology. A doctor who specialises in this field of medicine is known as a cardiologist. 

Your heart is a muscle. When it is healthy and working properly, blood is continually moved through your blood vessels. Should something stop the heart from working normally, or the blood vessels become narrowed or blocked, medical treatment may be needed.

Common problems of the cardiovascular system include:

• Angina and heart attacks,
• Heart rhythm problems,
• Valve disease,
• Heart failure,
• High cholesterol,
• Hypertension,

With any medical problem, an accurate diagnosis is crucial. Once a diagnosis has been made, treatment options can be discussed, planned and started. 

When you first meet with your doctor here at The Saxon Clinic, they’ll talk with you about your symptoms. They’ll want to know things like:

• How long you’ve had the problem,
• If you have chest pain type, the type of pain it is (for example, is it dull or sharp, localised or spread throughout the chest, constant or intermittent?),
• Whether it’s been getting worse over time.

There are a range of diagnostic tests and technologies that can be helpful when investigating cardiovascular problems. Unlike a problem with a specific body part, the knee for example, the cardiovascular system is spread throughout your body and affects every part of it. Narrowing things down to a specific cause can sometimes be quite an involved process.

On-site at The Saxon Clinic, we can provide blood tests and an electrocardiogram (ECG), to measure your heart's electrical activity. These can often show up any underlying heart conditions.

Should further tests be needed, these will be arranged for you off-site. They may include:

• Echocardiography: a specialised ultrasound scan of the heart,
• Heart rhythm monitoring,
• Exercise stress tests: to see how well your heart functions at different levels
• CT coronary angiogram: uses X-rays and computer technology to produce imaging of the blood vessels supplying your heart

Your doctor will be able to arrange any additional tests you may need.

For more than 30 years, we’ve been helping support and treat people with cardiovascular problems. People choose to come from us for a number of reasons, including:

• Rapid access: When you’re struggling with a heart problem, you’ll want to get it diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. With quick access to heart experts, we’ll be able to assess, diagnose and treat you without undue delay.
• Peace of mind: Over 97% of the people we’ve treated in the last year would recommend us to their friends and family. Heart problems can be a real source of worry, but your doctor will talk through any questions or concerns you may have at any stage to help reassure you and put your mind at rest.
• Flexible appointments: We appreciate that life can often be very busy. We’re open until 9pm for consultations so that you can schedule time with your doctor at a time that’s most convenient for you.
• Treatment tailored just for you: With cardiovascular health, there is no ‘one size fits all’ treatment option. Any treatment or rehabilitation programme needed will be structured in order to give you the best results and to successfully manage the cause(s) of your condition. With follow-up reviews, you’ll know that your cardiovascular health will always be in good hands.
• Multidisciplinary team: From experienced heart surgeons, physiotherapists and nurses through to occupational therapists and radiographers, our team of healthcare professionals will work together to ensure you’ll benefit from the best possible care and support at all times.
• Free parking: Just register your car at Reception when you arrive with us, and you won’t need to pay for parking during your visit.

If you’re feeling anxious or concerned about a problem with your heart, it’s important to know that good help is available.

Effective treatments are available for a wide range of heart problems, so why not get in touch today to book a consultation with us?

Your doctor will investigate the cause of your problem and then talk with you about any suitable treatment options available. If surgery is needed, such as an implant of a pacemaker they’ll be able to arrange that for you without delay.

If you’re looking for private cardiology treatment in and around Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Leighton Buzzard and Woburn, contact us today for help.

Book an appointment online today.