Latest news with #DrBrianWang
BBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Jersey heart risk patients to get automatic referrals
Patients who may be at risk of heart failure will be able to access potentially life-saving treatment sooner.A new alert system introduced in Jersey will automatically alert heart care specialists if a patient's blood test reveals higher levels of a specific protein known as BNP."When either a doctor in the hospital or a GP tests for BNP and it's high or meets a certain threshold we automatically get informed of that," explained Dr Brian Wang, a clinical fellow in cardiology. Jersey plasterer Gualberto Jardim said he felt "very lucky" after his heart condition was caught early thanks to the new system. Patients found to have a high BNP level will be invited for an Echocardiogram – a cardiac ultrasound – and a review of their the new scheme they will be seen within 48 hours if they are in the community, or 24 hours, if they are an Wang said it was "amazing to see first hand how patients are already benefitting by being treated more quickly if elevated levels of BNP are detected in their blood".Mr Jardim said he had been able to return to work since his rapid diagnosis and treatment."I had very dangerous heart failure but because I was prescribed some specific heart medication my dangerous condition improved rapidly to almost normal health," he new scheme has been feeding into a national project that will shape how heart failure is treated worldwide in the future. What is heart failure? "It can be quite a scary term but heart failure doesn't mean that your heart is stopping," Dr Wang explained."It just means that the heart is either stiffer or not contracting as well so you can think of it like the engine in your car is not working as well as it should. "It means that it's not doing as well as it could to get oxygen and blood to the rest of the body and that's what typically brings on the symptoms that people experience with heart failure. "Heart failure presents in quite a few different ways, but a really easy way to remember the things to watch out for is the three Fs:Fluid in the legsFatigueFighting for breath"These are the common presenting symptoms that people have. If people are concerned about experiencing these symptoms it's really important that they do seek medical attention, the GP will often be the best person to initially contact."
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Jersey residents urged to get heart health checked
Cardiologists from Jersey hospital are encouraging islanders to get their heart health comes after Health and Care Jersey offered free and accessible heart screenings to people on Tuesday and were about 160 visitors to two screening sites located in St Helier and the hospital entrance, said the conditions affect about one in three people in Jersey, with heart attacks the most common single cause of death in the island, said the Government of Jersey. The team's tests were non-invasive and checked for high blood pressure and heart rate. Unhealthy heart The team's tests were non-invasive and checked for high blood pressure and heart Brian Wang, cardiology clinical fellow, said anyone concerned about their heart health should speak to their said blood pressure could change throughout the day but continually high numbers should be reported."If your blood pressure is high or if you have a high heart rate, these are some of the things that can potentially point towards an unhealthy heart," he said."Individuals can very easily buy a blood pressure monitor from any good pharmacy or chemist on the high street and get it checked at home themselves." The key signs of heart failure include fighting for breath, feeling fatigued and fluid retention (swollen legs).Risk factors for heart failure include a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking, excess alcohol consumption, poorly controlled blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.
