Inherited Heart Diseases

This unit treats heart diseases involving the myocardium, where the heart muscle becomes weakened, enlarged, or has another structural issue. Often, this prevents the heart from pumping blood effectively or functioning correctly. As inherited heart diseases are relatively rare, they require specialised management, which goes beyond the expertise of a general clinical cardiologist. It is necessary to have specific treatments and access to appropriate technology.

We offer an outpatient clinic connected to a day hospital and conventional inpatient care, supported by Imaging, Haemodynamics, Electrophysiology and Arrhythmia Units. 

This Unit within the Cardiology Department also has a teaching and research focus. It is connected to the Genetics Unit, clinical research, and basic research units. The team includes two cardiologists, three internists, and two nurses, one of whom works full-time and the other part-time.

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The primary care objectives of the Unit are: 

• Providing excellent care to index patients and family members affected by hereditary and/or genetic heart diseases. 
• Developing a medical protocol for the treatment of these conditions. 
• Standardising care practices. 
• Optimising healthcare resources and, as a result, reducing impact. 
• Providing appropriate technology to patients who require it. 
• Conducting genetic studies for patients (index group) and their family members. 
• Providing genetic counselling to families and individuals, offering predictions on the likelihood of passing the disease to their descendants. 
• Acting as a consultancy for case reviews with other doctors, both within this institution and externally, including those in primary care. 
• Creating flexible and simple referral or consultation pathways for cases where patients need to be referred to another specialist. 
• Reducing barriers that often limit, in many cases, direct contact between patients and healthcare staff, as well as between professionals or even between institutions.