Pricing & Services

New Patient Consultation

30-45 minutes, full clinical history and appropriate examination.

£250 if self funding.

An ECG will be required, if this has not been done recently and/or is not available for review, it will be performed before the consultation (fees will apply).

Follow-up Consultation

30 minutes.

£170 if self funding.

Telephone & Video Consultations

Provided where appropriate, please enquire and we can discuss if this is suitable.

CT Coronary Angiography

A CT Coronary Angiogram (CTCA) uses an injection of dye (radio-opaque contrast) to visualise the coronary arteries. Two GTN tablets are also given under the tongue to dilate the heart arteries so they can be seen more clearly. The heart rate needs to be slowed to obtain good images and therefore beta-blockers are given into a vein to achieve this. As this test uses X-rays it does involve exposure to radiation, but with the state of the art 320 Slice Toshiba Acquilion scanners Dr Steadman uses this is a very low dose.

CTCA has largely replaced coronary calcium scoring in contemporary practice, but Dr Steadman can perform this test where a full CT coronary angiogram is not possible.

Cardiac MRI

Cardiac MRI uses a powerful magnet to take images of the heart. This involves the patient lying inside the scanner, a reasonably small tunnel, while the images are taken. This does not involve X-rays and therefore the patient is not exposed to any ionising radiation.

This technique offers unparalleled insights into heart muscle function, scarring or fibrosis of the heart and is the gold standard for assessing heart muscle disease.

Optionally, the blood supply to the heart can be assessed at rest and after stress, using a short drug infusion, with excellent accuracy.

Echocardiography

An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to examine the structure and function of the heart.

Ultrasound gel is applied to the chest wall and the heart is imaged from different positions. The examination takes approximately half-an-hour and can help diagnose many cardiac conditions, including:

• previous heart attacks

• heart failure

• heart valve disease

• heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)

Ambulatory ECGs

Heart monitors can be worn for typically between 1 and 7 days to assess for heart rhythm disturbances. This is a common test for patients suffering with palpitations. There are other heart monitors available which Dr Steadman can advise about.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor

The gold standard assessment for high blood pressure.

Stress Echocardiography

A stress echocardiogram involves performing an echocardiogram with the heart at rest and under stress. This is most commonly done before and after an exercise test, but if the patient is not able to exercise an infusion of a drug can be used to recreate the effects.

Sometimes, to improve the pictures from the echocardiogram, an additional infusion of echocardiographic contrast is also used.

This test has largely replaced standard exercise testing due to its superior diagnostic accuracy.

Transoesphageal Echocardography

A transoesophageal echocardiogram is similar to an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (where a camera is used to examine the food pipe and stomach).

This test differs as the endoscope for a transoesophageal echocardiogram is equipped with an ultrasound transducer rather than a camera. The endoscope is passed through the mouth into the food pipe. Here it sits very close to the heart allowing detailed ultrasound images of the heart to be seen.

This test is particularly useful for examining heart valve function in more detail, looking for small heart structures and assessing for blood clots within the heart chambers.

The test is performed using sedation or a general anaesthetic.

DC Cardioversion

This is an electric shock to restore normal heart rhythm, most commonly used for patients in atrial fibrillation.

Dr Steadman has performed many private cardioversions and can provide a prompt service for restoration of normal heart rhythm.