Cardiology

Ireland’s most comprehensive private Cardiac Care facility.

Beacon Hospital offers a complete Cardiac service like no other private hospital in Ireland.

We offer everything from cardiology testing (inc ECG, Stress Testing, Cardiac MRI and Cardiac CT), diagnostics and minimally invasive procedures to complex open heart surgery. Our team provides 24 hour monitoring, non-invasive cardiology, Cardiac Cath Lab procedures (eg stents, angioplasty, ablation etc), electrophysiology (eg insertion of pacemaker and ICD) and open heart surgeries such as Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) to name but a few. We offer cardiac care for both adults and children. Children are seen in our paediatric outpatient clinic, Beacon for Kids.

Our Rapid Access Cardiology Clinic (RACC) offers urgent appointments for patients with concerns about their heart. Patients can book an appointment for a heart check via GP referral, or self-referral.

Our Congenital Heart Clinic offers continued care for patients suffering from congenital heart conditions who find themselves requiring continuous access to care after they have left the paediatric system.

Our Arrhythmia Clinic offers testing and services for patients with arrhythmias including comprehensive diagnostics, evaluations and personalised treatment plans.

Our team of Consultant Cardiologists, Cardiothoracic Surgeons, Cardiology CNS’s, Cardiac Physiologists and technicians work as a team in providing you unparalleled care in modern and technologically advanced surroundings.

Rapid Access Cardiology Clinic

Please note that our RACC is open from 8am until 8pm, Monday to Friday. The last patient appointment time each day will be 6pm in order to allow sufficient time for examination and all relevant testing to be completed.

Diagnostics

Beacon Hospital is home to Ireland’s most technologically advanced Radiology equipment which allows us to get you a swift and reliable diagnosis when it comes to your heart. Our Cardiologists work closely with our radiographers and cardiac technicians when it comes to diagnosing any potentially dangerous heart conditions. Thorough and high-quality imaging gives us the best chance of identifying any issues early, thus allowing us to develop a treatment plan where required, to get you back on your feet quickly. Some of the various cardiac diagnostics we perform include:
  • Blood Pressure Monitoring

    Blood pressure is the term used to describe the strength with which your blood pushes the sides of your arteries as it is pumped throughout your body. Your Consultant may recommend 24-hour or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This is where you will wear a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours and your blood pressure will be checked every 30 minutes or so. This gives your Consultant a clear picture of how your blood pressure changes over the course of a day. 

  • Cardiac MRI

    Performed by our experts in Cardiac Imaging, Dr Matthew Barrett, Dr Deirdre Waterhouse and Dr Rory O’Hanlon, Cardiac MRI is an increasingly popular tool for cardiovascular diagnostics. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive test which uses a magnetic field and radiofrequency waves to create a picture of your organs, in this case, your heart and blood vessels. This test has the added benefit of no radiation being used meaning the patient has zero exposure to radiation as a result of having a Cardiac MRI.

  • Echocardiogram (ECHO)

    An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart that provides moving pictures and provides information on the structure and function of the heart. An echocardiogram can help diagnose and monitor certain heart conditions by checking the structure of the heart and surrounding blood vessels, analysing how blood flows through them and assessing the pumping chambers of the heart.

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG)

    An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test used to check your heart’s rhythm, and electrical activity. Sensors attached to the skin detect electrical signals each time your heart beats. These are recorded and your Cardiologist will examine these to see if there are any unusual patterns.

    ECGs are often used alongside other tests to help diagnose and monitor a range of heart conditions.

  • Holter Monitoring

    A Holter monitor is a small device which is used to track your heart rhythm. Your Consultant may ask you to wear this for one to two days. During this time, the monitor will record each of your heartbeats.

    A Holter monitor is often used when your Consultant feels that more information than that from other tests such as and ECG is needed. The information collected by the Holter monitor can help your Consultant determine if you have an irregular heartbeat.

  • Stress Test

    A stress test, sometimes called an exercise stress test, allows your Cardiologist to monitor your heart’s activity during a period of physical activity. Exercise increases your heart rate meaning that an exercise stress test can reveal problems with blood flow within your heart that might otherwise be difficult to detect. 

    Your stress test at Beacon Hospital will involve you walking on a treadmill while your blood pressure, heart rhythm and breathing are monitored.

    Your Cardiologist may recommend a stress test if you have signs or symptoms of coronary artery disease or an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia). The test may also guide treatment decisions, measure the effectiveness of treatment, or determine the severity if you have previously been diagnosed with a heart condition.

Results & Next Steps

Results of some diagnostics will be given immediately. Other results will be given to you within a number of days of your test taking place.

Should any follow-up or treatment be required, your consultant will discuss this with you when giving you your results. If medical treatment (medications etc), or a minimally invasive procedure (such as stents or angiogram) is required, your consultant will discuss these with you and have scheduling arrange a suitable date for your procedure.

If a more invasive surgical intervention is clinically indicated, your consultant will discuss options with you and suggest a suitable Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon who can carry out these procedures. Any procedures which may be required can all be carried out in our state-of-the-art Sandyford campus. This ensures that all of your care is under one roof, offering you a seamless transition throughout your cardiac care journey.

Cardiology at Beacon Hospital