Cardiology
The human heart beats millions of times in a person's life time. The moment the heart stops beating the blood does not reach the heart muscle and other vital organs and within few minutes the brain, followed by death. The Department of Cardiology at Welcare Hospital, Dubai is equipped to deal with all conditions related to this vital organ on both the preventive and the therapeutic aspects of the heart.
The cardiology department is housed in a custom built unit with all the diagnostic equipment under one roof. Based on the clients needs the following investigations are regularly done:
Diagnostic Tests
Electrocardiogram (ECG), recording of the electrical waves from the heart to assess the heart rate, rhythm, heart wall thickness and chamber enlargement as well as for early detection of heart attacks.
Chest X-Ray
To assess heart size and to look for early signs of heart failure.
Holter Monitoring
A small Walkman size device is connected to the chest wall with wires, which records the ECG for 24 hours. This will be analyzed by a special computer. The final report will show us the 24 hour pattern of the heart rhythm at work and at rest. The readings are evaluated by our senior consultants.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring.
A special blood pressure cuff is connected to the patient's arm which records the blood pressure and pulse rate on a cassette recorder.
Treadmill Exercise Test.
The patient is walking on a computerized treadmill at a predetermined speed and gradient. The blood pressure, heart rate and ECG are continuously monitored by the computer during the exercise. This is a sensitive test to detect early signs of heart disease, specially heart attacks or blockage in the coronary arteries. This test is always conducted in the presence of a cardiologist.
Echo Doppler test with colour Doppler blood flow imaging
Using ultrasound the heart is imaged from various angles. Heart chambers, muscles, valves and blood vessels can all be seen on the video screen and measurements made. Colour blood flow imaging is used to detect all normal and abnormal blood flow patterns inside heart chambers and blood vessels and to measure the velocity of blood flow for precise diagnosis of abnormalities.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
We have a state-of-the art intensive care unit with facilities for bed side and central monitoring of ECG, Blood Oxygen, Blood Pressure or Venous Pressure. The unit is staffed by some of the best trained nursing staff and fully trained doctor and is fully equipped for artificial ventilation of patients with respiratory or cardiac failure . We also have facilities for temporary trans venous cardiac pacing and Swan - Ganz catherization.
Inpatient Rooms
Private ward rooms also include facilities for bedside monitoring of ECG and blood oxygen saturation.
Preventive Cardiology
Risk factor profiling is done for all patients attending the department. Early detection and treatment of risk factors for heart attacks is the only method of reducing the incidence of death and disability due to heart attack in the community. Our lipid profile examining facility estimates directly all sub fractions of cholesterol and ApoA1 and ApoB, the carrier proteins for cholesterol. Similarly the serum homocysteine, one of the early correctable risk factors for heart attack and stroke, can be detected.