Public Service

Counties Manukau DHB Cardiology

Counties Manukau District Health Board (CMDHB)

Description

What is Cardiology?

Cardiology is the specialty within medicine that looks at the heart and blood vessels. Your heart consists of four chambers, which are responsible for pumping blood to your lungs and then the rest of your body. The study of the heart includes the heart muscle (the myocardium), the valves within the heart between the chambers, the blood vessels that supply blood (and hence oxygen and nutrients) to the heart muscle, and the electrical system of the heart which is what controls the heart rate.

Cardiology Services Provided by Counties Manukau DHB
Cardiology services are provided at Middlemore Hospital and Manukau SuperClinic™.

Referral Expectations

Your GP will send a referral letter to the Department explaining your condition. Your appointment time will be prioritised on your health need and an appointment time will be sent directly to you. The appointment will be in the outpatient clinic.

You may be sent a questionnaire prior to your clinic visit to assist us with making a diagnosis and determining if any tests need to be done prior to you seeing a specialist.

You will be assessed by specialised doctors. Recommendations and options regarding your future treatment plan will be discussed with you.

You need to bring to your appointment:

Any letters or reports from your doctor or another hospital.
Any X-Rays, CT or MRI films and reports.
All medicines you are currently taking including herbal and natural remedies.
Your pharmaceutical entitlement card.

Services provided at Middlemore Hospital include:

Coronary angiography
Coronary angioplasty
CT coronary angiography
Coronary Care Unit and the Step Down Unit
Cardiology Ward (Ward 2)
Echocardiography (transthoracic, transoesophageal and stress)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Exercise testing
Tilt table testing
Holter monitoring
Pacemaker insertion and follow-up clinic
Cardiac rehabilitation
Cardioversion

Outpatient Clinics for patients referred by their GP are held at the Manukau and Botany SuperClinics™ and provide:

Outpatient consulting
Outpatient echocardiography.

Common Conditions / Procedures / Treatments

Angioplasty

Once the angiogram reveals the exact nature of the problem, decisions can be made on the best form of treatment... More
Blood Tests

You are likely to have blood tests done before coming to clinic to check your cholesterol level and looking for evidence of diabetes. These blood tests are done "fasting" which means you have the blood taken in the morning on an empty stomach before breakfast. More
Cardiac Arrhythmias

Your heart rate is controlled by a complex electrical system within the heart muscle which drives it to go faster when you exert yourself and slower when you rest. A number of conditions can affect the heart rate or rhythm. Heart rate simply refers to how fast your heart is... More
Cardiovascular Disease

This refers to narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle... More
Coronary Angiogram

This test is performed by a cardiologist in a sterile operating theatre environment. Most people will need to have routine tests before the procedure... More
Coronary Care Unit and Step Down Unit

The Coronary Care Unit (CCU) is where intensive investigation, monitoring and treatment for cardiac patients occurs... More
Echocardiogram

Echocardiography is also referred to as cardiac ultrasound. This test is performed by a specially trained technician... More
Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An ECG is a recording of your heart's electrical activity... More
Exercise ECG

An ECG done when you are resting may be normal even when you have cardiovascular disease. During an exercise ECG the heart is made to work harder so that if there is any narrowing of the blood vessels resulting in poor blood supply it is more likely to be picked... More
Heart Failure

Heart failure refers to the heart failing to pump efficiently. There are many diseases that cause this including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, viral infections, alcohol, and diseases affecting the valves of the heart. When the heart is inefficient a number of symptoms occur depending on the cause and severity... More
Valve Disease

Your heart consists of four chambers that receive and send blood to the lungs and body. Disorders affecting valves can either cause stenosis (a narrowing) or regurgitation (leakage after the valve has closed). Depending on what valve is involved and how severe the damage is, it may result in symptoms... More

Charges

There are no charges for services to public patients if you are lawfully in New Zealand and meet one of the Eligibility Direction's specified criteria set by the Ministry of Health.

If you do not meet the criteria, you will be required to pay for the full costs of any medical treatment you receive during your stay.

To check whether you meet the specified eligibility criteria, visit the Ministry of Health website www.moh.govt.nz/eligibility

For charges, please phone the Accounts Receivable Office on (09) 276 0060.