Hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention
Contact
- Outpatients appointments
- 020 3313 7367
- Advice for GPs
- 020 3313 7382
Visitor Information
Visiting restrictions are in place. Please call the ward to find out more. Find your hospital ward contact information:
About
The hypertension and cardiac disease prevention clinic at Imperial provides a holistic approach to the assessment and management of hypertension (high blood pressure) and other cardiovascular risk factors. Ut was set up 30 years ago at St Mary’s Hospital and moved to Hammersmith Hospital in 2015.
A team of specialist nurses provide tailored lifestyle advice on diet, exercise and smoking to patients. Consultant-led clinics offer a comprehensive assessment (including screening for secondary causes of hypertension where indicated) and up-to-date, evidence-based treatment strategies based on both lifestyle adjustments and drugs. We offer comprehensive assessment of the causes of hypertension (in the context of overall cardiovascular risk) and careful measurement of blood pressure. We are used to dealing with difficult-to-control hypertension and patients who have difficulty tolerating medications.
We have close ties with related specialities including lipids, renal medicine, endocrinology, radiology (imaging) and all other cardiology sub-specialities. We are a European Society of Hypertension Centre of Excellence and a British and Irish Hypertension Society Hypertension Referral Centre. Staff are past presidents or committee members of the British and Irish Hypertension Society and the International Society of Hypertension.
Conditions we treat
- Hypertension (particularly resistant or difficult to treat hypertension)
- Young patients with hypertension
- Suspected secondary hypertension
- Patients with suspected poor adherence with medication
- Patients with multiple drug intolerances
- Assessment in patients whose blood pressure is hard to measure (for example because of the size or shape of the arm or other factors)
- Patients at high cardiovascular risk due to multiple risk factors
Treatments we offer
- Diet and lifestyle advice to reduce blood pressure and lower cardiovascular risk
- Medications to lower blood pressure and address other cardiovascular risk factors (such as high cholesterol)
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) – open access service to GPs
- Specialist blood pressure measurement expertise for patients with hard to measure blood pressure
- Advice and training for patients on home blood pressure measurement
- Assessment and management of patients with poor adherence with drug therapy
Additional information
Education and training
We offer hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention elective placements – please contact the lead consultant for more information.
Research
The clinic is attached to the Peart-Rose Research Unit (PRRU), a local clinical investigation facility. Research has always been an important part of the hypertension service and academic staff are an integral part of the clinical service.
Clinic staff have been at the forefront of research in hypertension and cardiovascular risk with involvement in guideline-changing trials such as ASCOT and FOURIER.
At any one time, there are a number of on-going clinical trials that the team may discuss with you during your appointment; these may include lifestyle interventions, drugs trials and intervention studies. Please ask if you are interested in taking part in research.
Further online resources
Further information about high blood pressure is available at: