Heart failure
We provide a specialist heart failure service focused on rapid diagnosis, personalised treatment and ongoing support. Our aim is to ensure your condition is identified quickly and managed using the latest evidence-based therapies.
We aim to help patients understand their condition and the specific cause where possible. We ensure patients are informed and involved in the decisions and preferences of their care. We work closely with GPs, community services and our specialist heart failure nursing team to deliver coordinated care, often closer to home where possible.
Our Heart Failure team is made up of a multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals dedicated to providing expert care for patients with heart failure. The team includes consultant cardiologists, senior resident doctors, specialist heart failure nurses, pharmacists, and allied healthcare professionals who work closely together to support patients throughout their treatment and ongoing care.
What we offer
- Rapid assessment and diagnosis for suspected heart failure.
- Individualised management plans tailored to your condition and needs.
- Optimisation of heart failure medications with careful monitoring.
- Education and support for patients and carers.
- Referral to specialist services including cardiac rehabilitation, psychological support and advanced heart failure therapies.
- Access to advanced cardiac imaging and device therapy where appropriate.
- Links with services that provide mechanical support and/or transplantation.
What we specialise in
Different types of heart failure need different treatments. Our team has expertise in diagnosing and managing heart failure related to:
- cardiomyopathies
- cardiotoxicity (including cancer therapy-related heart disease)
- coronary artery disease
- heart rhythm disorders
- hypertension
- infection-related heart disease
- infiltrative and inherited heart conditions
- kidney disease
- pregnancy-related heart failure
- rheumatological and autoimmune conditions
- valve disease
Research
Research is integral to our heart failure services. We have multiple on-going clinical trials that may be discussed with you during or after your appointment. Please let us know if you like to know more about this during your appointment.
Education
We offer heart failure elective placements – please contact the lead consultant for more information.
Your appointment
Please bring:
- a list of medicines you take
- a list of any drug allergies
- details of any previous diagnoses, tests or treatment already tried for your heart condition
You will be seen by a member of our specialist heart failure team. This may be a consultant, a senior resident doctor or a specialist nurse. Please allow several hours for your appointment, as you may need several tests on the same day.
During your visit, you may have some of the following tests:
- blood pressure, heart rate and weight measurements
- urine sample
- electrocardiogram (ECG) (a test that records your heart’s electrical activity)
- echocardiogram (an ultrasound scan to assess the structure and function of your heart)
- blood tests
You may also be asked to complete a questionnaire about how your heart condition is affecting your quality of life.
As we are a teaching hospital, undergraduate and postgraduate medical students may be present during your consultation. If you would prefer not to have students present, please let us know.
After your appointment
Following your visit, we will send a clinic letter and treatment plan to both you and your GP. Our aim is to diagnose your heart condition promptly and provide a clear plan to help you manage it, working closely with your GP for ongoing care.
Patient information websites
You may find the following websites helpful for further information and support about heart failure and cardiomyopathy.
Heart failure – British Heart Foundation
Heart failure and cardiomyopathy – Cardiomyopathy UK
Locations
Clinic locations
- Heart Failure Clinics, Suite 6, First floor, Golden Jubilee Wing, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS
- Heart Failure Ambulatory Unit (HFAU), Integrated Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) and Discharge Unit, First floor, Golden Jubilee Wing, King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS
Ward locations
Contact details
- Heart Failure Coordinator: 020 3299 4860
- Hospital switchboard: 020 3299 9000
- Outpatient appointments: 020 3299 1919
Conditions we treat
We treat:
- left ventricular dysfunction of any cause
- chemotherapy or drug-induced heart failure
- specific heart muscle diseases such as amyloid, sarcoid and peripartum cardiomyopathy
- inherited cardiomyopathies including hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy.
We also offer the following specialist clinics:
- Heart failure – consultant-led: three per week for patients with a new or suspected diagnosis of heart failure. Follow-up is arranged as appropriate.
- Heart failure – nurse-led: three per week for patients already diagnosed with heart failure, providing close monitoring and follow-up, medication up-titration, assessment of educational needs and self-management strategies. Nurses also conduct telephone clinics to follow up patients at home.
- Inherited cardiomyopathy clinic: run with a cardiac nurse geneticist for patients (and their families) with heart muscle problems such as hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy and inherited heart rhythm problems.
- Elderly care: for elderly patients with heart failure and significant co-morbidities. The clinic has close links with all the elderly care services.
- Cardio-oncology: fast-track access to specialised clinics for cancer patients with cardiac toxicity.
- Pulmonary hypertension: provided by teams from King’s and the Pulmonary Hypertension Unit at the Royal Free Hospital.
Our Heart Failure unit has an active clinical research programme as part of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre. We have a dedicated research team that helps drive excellence and innovation for our patients.
Booking a patient at King’s
GPs should refer via NHS e-referral (e-RS) wherever possible.
Other ways to refer
Routine Referrals
Other healthcare professionals can email routine referrals to [email protected]
Emergency Referrals
To make an urgent referral, use NHS e-Referral and state that the referral is urgent.
For emergency referrals, contact the Heart Failure Administrator:
Tel 020 3299 4860
Email [email protected]
Other Queries
Heart Failure Administrator: tel 020 3299 4860
For advice about emergency referrals or to request a transfer between hospitals, contact the Cardiology SpR on call via King’s main switchboard, tel: 020 3299 9000.
Key Clinical Staff
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Dr George Amin-Youssef | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Dr Daniel Bromage | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Ms Julia deCourcey | Consultant Nurse Specialist |
| Dr Daniel Hammersley | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Mrs Ludcy Lukose | Clinical Nurse Specialist |
| Prof Theresa McDonagh | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Dr Adam Nabeebaccus | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Ms Louise Novall | Clinical Nurse Specialist |
| Dr Darlington Obi Okonko | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Dr Sue Piper | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Dr Daniel Sado | Consultant Cardiologist |
| Ms Hannah Simmons | Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist |
| Dr Rosita Zakeri | Consultant Cardiologist |