Hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention
Contact
- Outpatients appointments
- 020 3313 7367
- Advice for GPs
- 020 3313 7382
Visitor Information
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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
Clinics
Inherited cardiac conditions clinic
Address
Peart-Rose Clinic
Ground floor
Area C
Hammersmith Hospital
London W12 0HS
Hours
09.00 to 16.00 Mondays
09.00 to 13.00 Thursdays
Paediatric inherited cardiac conditions
Address
Department of paediatrics
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY
Hours
The first Wednesday of the month 09.00 to 13.00
Contact
Dr Amanda Varnava
Secretary: 020 3312 3780
Siân Jones, clinical nurse specialist
Phone: 07768 980 832
Email: imperial.icc@nhs.net
Meet the team
Consultants
Dr Neil Chapman, clinical lead (consultant physician, honorary senior lecturer, lead)
Professor Neil Poulter
Professor Kosh Ray
Professor Peter Sever
Nurses
Naomi Stetson, hypertension clinical nurse specialist
Farah Ghafoor, hypertension, cardiology and cardiovascular disease prevention nurse
Patient information
Before your appointment
The date and time of your appointment will be sent to you via a letter in the post. If there is any doubt that the letter will not arrive in good time you will be contacted by phone.
You are welcome to bring a family member, friend, guardian or carer with you to the appointment. If English is not your first language or you may need help with translation, then please do bring a relative or friend who is able understand English well in order to retain information and help organise your visit.
You are welcome to ask for a chaperone and we will endeavour to provide one for you.
Please follow the specific instructions in your appointment letter.
For hypertension clinic appointments you are advised to wear a loose-fitting top to enable accurate blood pressure measurement.
For ambulatory blood pressure monitor (ABPM) appointments please wear a loose fitting top and bring a belt.
For an initial clinic visit you may be asked to fast overnight beforehand; if this is not specified then you are able to eat and drink as normal. If you are diabetic, please call the clinic for advice. You may want to bring a snack if you are going to be at the clinic for a while. There is drinking water available.
It is very important to bring all your medications to your appointment. Please remember to check your appointment letter for anything specific you may have been asked to bring with you. In addition, it would be helpful if you could bring the following:
- Full address and telephone number(s)
- Appointment card and appointment letter
- GP’s name and address
- A list of questions you may want to ask their consultant
During your appointment
Upon arrival please visit the main clinic reception. We will make every effort to ensure you are seen on time but sometimes a delay is unavoidable. Our team will ensure you are kept up to date about any delays.
The majority of patients can expect to be at the clinic for less than an hour. However, new appointments may take longer and you may need additional tests (such as blood tests or an ECG) on the same day so we would advise that you allow longer.
You will initially be seen by a specialist nurse who will measure your blood pressure and discuss lifestyle. You will then see a consultant or one of their team at your appointment. They will discuss the results of any tests you may have had as well as their findings and recommendations. You may be referred for further tests, or your condition will be further managed in the community. The doctor will discuss next steps with you.
Please note that we are a teaching hospital, so medical students or other healthcare professionals may be present for some appointments. If you do not wish to have them in the room please let the nurse or doctor know and the students will be asked to step outside.
After your appointment
Following your appointment, the doctor will make a diagnosis and will send recommendations and advice to your GP in a letter. You will receive a copy of this letter.
There are toilet facilities including a disabled toilet in the clinic, close to the waiting area. A water fountain is available. A shop and coffee shop are available a short distance away in the main hospital entrance hall.
Videos courtesy of the British Heart Foundation
The videos below, produced by the British Heart Foundation, can help you learn more about blood pressure and hypertension.
Understanding blood pressure
Check your pressure
Refer to this service
GP and secondary care referrals
Please use NHS e-Referrals to refer a patient to our hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention service.
When referring patients to us, please include a standard referral letter along with any relevant results:
- Blood and/or urine tests
- Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring results
- ECG +/- echocardiography
- Imaging (e.g. CXR, ultrasound of the renal tract, CT or MRI imaging)
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:
- NHS.UK: High blood pressure
- British Heart Foundation: Blood pressure
- British and Irish Hypertension Society (BIHS): Leaflets and resources
- Blood Pressure UK