Information for patients
The pulmonary hypertension service at Hammersmith Hospital, part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, provides diagnosis, treatment, long-term follow-up and advice for patients with pulmonary hypertension. You can read more information below.
General information about the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension is available on the Pulmonary Hypertension Association UK website.
How to get an appointment
To be seen at the pulmonary hypertension service, you need a letter of referral from your GP or hospital consultant. You must be entitled to NHS care and be registered with a GP in the UK.
Your GP or consultant can post or fax us the referral letter with copies of your recent investigations. If appropriate, we will then arrange to see you at Hammersmith Hospital.
We do not accept referrals of private patients or overseas patients not entitled to NHS care.
Your first appointment
Your first appointment is likely to take place at one of our outpatient clinics, which are held every Monday. You will meet the pulmonary hypertension medical and nursing staff, and you may be asked to have some preliminary tests. You will also be able to speak with staff providing psychological and social support.
The pulmonary hypertension outpatient clinic also provides ongoing support and treatment for existing patients.
Assessment and investigation
Once you have had your first appointment, we may ask you to come back and spend between three to five days as an inpatient, for further tests and evaluation of your health needs and treatment options. You should be able to wear your usual day clothes at least some of the time, so you may want to bring these.
Some patients are surprised at the number of tests that we may need to do. However, please be assured that you will only be asked to have tests that are necessary to assess your health needs.
Some of our patients also agree for their results to be used for research. We will only use your results if we receive your written permission.
In some cases we may need to admit you urgently, either for tests or treatment. If you are admitted urgently, your care would take place on one of the main hospital wards, where you would be under the care of the pulmonary hypertension team.
Treatment
The results of your tests will help us work out whether you may benefit from treatment with specialist drugs. We are able to offer treatment that:
• Is supported by scientific evidence
• Is available for routine use on the NHS to treat pulmonary hypertension
• Your local primary care trust agrees to fund indefinitely
If we think you may need an operation, we will discuss this with you.
Follow-up
Your main sources of long-term support will usually be your GP and, if applicable, the hospital consultant who referred you to our service. We may ask you to come back to the hospital for a check-up at regular intervals of either three, six or 12 months, depending on what treatment and care plan we agreed with you. Not all patients will need to come back to the hospital.
If you become unwell at home your GP should be the first person you contact.
Further information
If you would like more information about your treatment please
contact us. For more information about pulmonary hypertension visit the useful links section.
Make a donation
You can make a donation to the pulmonary hypertension service at Hammersmith Hospital through the Hammersmith pulmonary hypertension fund.
