Echo referral

Please include in the clinical details all the data which would be sent for a routine referral to the cardiology clinic and up to date haematology and biochemistry results , ECG and (usually) CXR should be recorded/available.

Referrals are done via SCI Gateway...DGRI...Cardiology...Open Access Echo

Appropriate patients for referral would include those with :-

• Murmurs thought to be innocent, but needing this confirmed.
• Minimal elevations of NT pro BNP.
• Unexplained dyspnoea despite normal CXR, bloods, ECG.
• Unexplained peripheral oedema in the absence of varicose veins.
• ECGs suggesting borderline left ventricular hypertrophy but normal BP.

This list is not exclusive, and other reasons will be considered on their own merits, as each referral will be read by a consultant cardiologist before being passed on for study.

Each echo report will be scrutinised by a consultant cardiologist with a summary comment on the findings before the result is released to the referring colleague.

If the referral is thought inappropriate for Open Access Echo the referral will be returned with reasons for this conclusion.

If important pathology is found at echo, the original referral will be used and the patient redirected for formal cardiology OP assessment.

This is not a service for patients requiring urgent echocardiographic study who should be urgently referred for a formal cardiology opinion.