by Hannah Farrel
Our expert witnesses in cardiology specialise in the medical care of individuals with structural and functional heart problems. They are experts in using echocardiography and ECG’s to assess heart function, using the results to diagnose conditions such as cardiomyopathy, heart failure, congenital heart disease, valvular heart disease, arrhythmias, and bundle branch blocks. Our cardiology experts have experience in managing heart conditions both medically (beta blockers, statins) and with implantable devices (pacemaker).
With a strong understanding of appropriate standards of care and NICE Guidelines, in addition to a thorough knowledge of treatment pathways, our expert witnesses in cardiology can advise on causation, breach of duty, current condition, and prognosis in individuals with a wide range of cardiological conditions.
See below for a brief overview on cardiology. Alternatively, contact an expert witness in cardiology to see how they can help.
What is Cardiology?
Anatomy & Physiology
The heart is one of the major organs in the body and is responsible for pumping oxygenated blood to the other organs and tissues of the body. When things go wrong, individuals develop symptoms of breathlessness, chest pain, palpitations, dizziness, and syncope.
The top chambers of the heart (right and left atrium) are where blood first enters the heart. The heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the pulmonary vein, and it retrieves deoxygenated blood from the rest of the body via the superior vena cava (SVC). From the atria, the blood enters the right and left ventricles in preparation to be pumped out of the heart again.
Electrical impulses cause the cardiac muscle to contract in a coordinated manner, pumping blood out of the ventricles and away from the heart. Oxygenated blood leaves the heart via the aorta, whereas deoxygenated blood leaves the heart via the pulmonary artery.
Cardiac Rhythm
The heart’s electrical activity can be demonstrated via an electrocardiograph (ECG). Abnormalities in the electrical activity of the heart, i.e., cardiac arrhythmias and bundle branch blocks, are demonstrated on ECG. Common cardiac arrhythmias include atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial flutter, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), ventricular tachycardia, and long QT syndrome. These can be treated with antiarrhythmic medications, catheter ablation, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD), or with pacemakers. Cardiac arrhythmias can leave individuals susceptible to developing blood clots in their heart, which can travel elsewhere in the body (embolise). These individuals require anticoagulation to prevent venous thromboembolism in the form of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and stroke.
Heart Failure
For a variety of reasons, individuals can develop heart failure, whereby their heart has become too weak or hardened to sufficiently pump blood around the body. This results in fluid accumulation in the lower limbs and feet (pedal oedema), in addition to fluid accumulation in the lungs (pulmonary oedema). These patients are treated with diuretics to remove excess fluid from the body, and cardiac intervention to try and improve the hearts contractility.