Heart treatments

Your heart works hard every second of every day, pumping oxygen-rich blood around your body. When something doesn't feel right, you want clear answers and care you can trust.

At Spire St Anthony's Hospital, we diagnose and treat a wide range of heart and circulatory conditions, including chest pain, high blood pressure, arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) and coronary heart disease. Tests, diagnosis, treatment and surgery all happen at the same hospital.

We've specialised in cardiac surgery since 1975. With an intensive care unit (Critical Care Level 3) on site, our consultants can carry out complex heart surgery and procedures for most heart conditions

Why choose Spire St Anthony's for your heart care?

• Choose your consultant: pick the heart consultant you'd like to see, supported by a specialist nursing team at every step
• Clear pricing: we'll explain costs before you decide, with no hidden charges
• Fast access: same-day echocardiograms, and appointment times that suit you
• Specialist teams: consultants chosen for their proven expertise in complex cardiac care and their chosen sub-specialty
• Treatment under one roof: tests, procedures, surgery and intensive care on one site

Heart problems can affect anyone, at almost any age. They can be caused by a condition you're born with, by your genes or by your lifestyle.

You might want to see a heart specialist if you've noticed symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain or a lack of energy, or if you're worried about your blood pressure or heart rhythm. For many people, treatment can ease symptoms like these and help them get back to the things they enjoy.

Whether you have private medical insurance or are paying for yourself, our team will help you understand your options and decide what's right for you.

If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call 999 straight away.

Our heart specialists work in 3 areas. Your consultant will explain which tests or treatments are right for you.

Non-invasive cardiology are tests that check how your heart is working without a procedure inside your body.

• ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (a portable monitor that checks your blood pressure as you go about your day)
• ambulatory heart rate monitoring for 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, 1 week or 2 weeks
• echocardiograms (heart ultrasound scans), including 3D, bubble, contrast and both Dobutamine and Exercise stress echocardiograms, and cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) optimisation 
• exercise tolerance testing (checking your heart while you exercise)
• implantable device checks for internal loop recorders, pacemakers, defibrillators and biventricular devices, in clinic or remotely.

Invasive cardiology procedures include procedures where a specialist usually passes a thin, flexible tube (a catheter) through a blood vessel to your heart.

• cardiac catheterisation, including coronary angiograms (X-rays of the heart’s blood vessels), and coronary angioplasty (widening narrowed arteries)
• electrophysiology studies and ablation to diagnose and treat heart rhythm problems, using radiofrequency (RF) ablation, pulsed field ablation (PFA), cryotherapy and 3D mapping
• implantable devices, including internal loop recorders, pacemakers, defibrillators and biventricular devices
• transoesophageal echocardiogram (TOE), a detailed heart scan taken from inside your food pipe (oesophagus)

Cardiothoracic surgery procedures on the heart and the major blood vessels around it

• coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, both on bypass and off-pump (OPCABG) while the heart is still beating
• minimally invasive mitral valve repair
• mitral valve repair and replacement
• myomectomy to treat hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), where the heart muscle has thickened
• surgery for atrial fibrillation (AF), including pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and cryoablation, often alongside removal of the left atrial appendage
• tricuspid valve repair (TVR)

Our hospital has the facilities to support you through tests, procedures and complex heart surgery, including:

• 6-bed intensive care unit (Critical Care Level 3) with the latest monitoring and life support systems
• 6 operating theatres available, including a hybrid theatre (an operating theatre with advanced imaging built in)
• cardiac catheterisation laboratory
• cardiac CT and MRI scanning
• echocardiography, including stress echocardiograms and transoesophageal echocardiograms (TOE)
• heart rhythm monitoring for 24, 48 or 72 hours, or 1 or 2 weeks
• implantable device service - including follow up outpatient clinics
• telemetry, with a central cardiac monitoring station that keeps track of your heart rhythm

What heart conditions can Spire St Anthony's Hospital help with?

We diagnose and treat a wide range of heart and circulatory conditions. These include chest pain, high blood pressure, arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) and heart disease. Our specialist cardiology teams can help you find out what's causing your symptoms, talk through your options and plan the care that's right for you.

If you think you're having a heart attack, call 999 straight away.

Which heart tests and treatments can I have?

We offer a variety of heart tests and treatments, from simple checks to complex surgery including:

Tests and scans

• blood pressure tests
• blood tests for heart disease risk
• cardiac CT and MRI scans
• echocardiograms (heart ultrasound scans), including 3D, bubble and contrast echocardiograms and both dobutamine and exercise stress echocardiograms.
• electrocardiograms (ECG’s)
• exercise electrocardiogram (treadmill tests)
• heart rhythm monitoring, including 24, 48, 72 hour, 1 week or 2 week as well as Zio patch

Treatments and surgery

• ablation (a treatment for irregular heart rhythms)
• cardiac catheterisation
• cardiac electrophysiology
• cardioversion
• coronary angiogram
• coronary angioplasty
• coronary artery bypass surgery
• heart valve replacement
• pacemaker implantation

What's the difference between non-invasive cardiology, invasive cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery?

These are the three areas our heart specialists work in.

• Cardiothoracic surgery means operations on the heart and chest, such as bypass surgery or heart valve repair
• Invasive cardiology means procedures where a specialist usually passes a thin tube (a catheter) through a blood vessel to your heart, to investigate or treat a problem
• Non-invasive cardiology means tests that check how your heart is working without a procedure inside your body, such as an ECG or an echocardiogram

Your consultant will explain which is right for you and what to expect.

How quickly can I have a heart test?

We offer fast access to a wide range of heart tests and treatments. If you need an echocardiogram (a heart ultrasound scan), same-day scans are available, subject to availability and to the scan being suitable for you.

How much do heart treatments cost, and can I use private medical insurance?

You can use private medical insurance or pay for yourself. We provide expert heart care for everyone. A same-day echocardiogram starts from £520. The cost of other tests and treatments depends on what you need, so get in touch and we'll explain the price clearly before you decide.

Can I choose my own heart consultant?

Yes, you can choose your own consultant. They’ll be with you every step of the way, alongside a specialist nursing and physiology team. You can meet our heart consultants on this page, and you can choose a treatment time that suits you.

What care is available if I need heart surgery?

Spire St Anthony's Hospital has specialised in cardiac surgery since 1975. If you need an operation, your consultant and a specialist nursing team will care for you, and the following are all on site:

• 4-bed high dependency unit on the cardiac ward
• 6 operating theatres, including a hybrid theatre (which combines an operating theatre with advanced scanning equipment), available 24 hours a day
• 8-bed intensive care unit (Critical Care Level 3) with the latest monitoring and life support systems
• cardiac catheterisation laboratory
• cardiac MRI and CT scans
• intensivists (specialist intensive care doctors) and other specialists on call

How do I book an appointment or ask a question?

Choose your consultant and book online. If you're not sure where to start, contact us and our team can help you decide on the next step.

Knowing what happens next can make things feel less daunting. Here's how your heart care usually works.

Step 1 Your first appointment

You'll meet your consultant face to face. They'll ask about your symptoms, medical history and lifestyle, and talk you through what happens next.

Step 2 Tests and scans

If you need tests, many can be done here at the hospital, such as an ECG, an echocardiogram, or a cardiac CT or MRI scan. Your consultant will explain your results and what they mean for you.

Step 3 Your treatment plan

Your consultant will explain your options, including the benefits and risks of each, so you can decide what's right for you. If you're paying for yourself, we'll give you a clear price before you go ahead.

Step 4 Recovery and follow-up

Your consultant and our specialist nursing team will support you through your recovery, with follow-up appointments to check how you're getting on.

You don't need insurance to have private heart care with us. Our Private Patient Sales Advisors can talk through your needs, give you an idea of the costs involved and let you know whether you need a GP referral. You can pay for your treatment directly with a fixed-price package, or spread the cost with a medical loan, including interest-free finance.