does anyone know if there is anywhere you can walk in and get a ecg done?
Chat Forum
Walk in ecg anywhere?
-
Posted 7 months ago #
-
Why do you want a walk in one ton?
Posted 7 months ago # -
If you've got chest pains any hospital casualty dept would be the place to go, especially when you tell them about your heart problem.
Posted 7 months ago # -
no chest pains or anything like that.
my heart rhythm seems odd and i wanted to check 1st rather that wasting their time.Posted 7 months ago # -
I don't think anyone would think you're wasting their time Tony. Get down the A&E and get it checked
Posted 7 months ago # -
Ton,
If you have an odd rhythm (like if your heart beat is missing, or your pulse doesn't match up with what you think your heart is doing), get yourself down to A&E now. Don't muck about, don't worry about wasting their time, just do it.
If it's AF, then it may need help to get back to normal. I know that from personal experience, so go and do it.
Posted 7 months ago # -
willard, i have been in af for the last 12 months.
had a ablation 2 week ago, which worked, but i fear it may have gone back into af.a trip to the hospital i reckon.............bu55er
Posted 7 months ago # -
Cant hurt to go get it checked out can it. It's not a time to man up. Get thee to A&E.
Posted 7 months ago # -
i wanted to check 1st rather that wasting their time.
I walked straight into a gp appointment last week with chest pain, I knew it wasn't heart but I did want it looking at immediately. Get yourself down to the A&E you tart.Posted 7 months ago # -
Anxiety is only going to add to the mix. As you have noticed something 'not right' then go now before the hordes start to arrive. I would think they'd be happy to check you out with your history.
This is from my clinical pharmacist wife.
Posted 7 months ago # -
a&e, would you really want a monkey manning a walk in ecg machine analysing the ecg for you anyway?
Posted 7 months ago # -
A&E if you fancy a wait.
Or ask your GP for an appointment for the ECG dept at the hospital.
Some GP surgeries have an ECG machine that the practice nurse can use so check with them.
It's pretty common for AF to come back after the first ablation.
Success rate jumps up a lot after second.Posted 7 months ago # -
errr... 2wheels1guy
I don't know any GP surgeries which do not have at least one ECG machine. I haven't heard of anyone being sent up to a hospital by a GP for an ECG for about 20 years.
In this case Ton the key question is whether knowing you are in AF is going to change your management tonight?
If you are breathless, or have chest tightness, or the rate of the pulse you can feel is 140 or greater or just feel ill, phone 999 now.
If those do not apply, and you are not on warfarin, and you are sure the AF started in the last 24-48 hours, and you might be considered for cardioversion (DC Shock) again, you need to go to A&E now.
If you are on Warfarin, and are not breathless/ill/having chest discomfort, and your rate appears to be 120 or less, this can wait till tomorrow.
The warfarin question is because there is a 48 hour window of opportunity from onset of AF for cardioversion without warfarin. After that you need to be on it, and if you are on it there is no hurry.
Usual T&Cs apply... who knows if I am even a Dr.... But given how long you left it the first time... if in doubt, sort it now.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I don't know any GP surgeries which do not have at least one ECG machine. I haven't heard of anyone being sent up to a hospital by a GP for an ECG for about 20 years.
I'm not sure where in the country you are then because I can name at least 8-10 GP surgeries in one area of NW London alone where they don't have an ECG machine and regularly call 999 for ambulances to take patients to A+E for an ECG. there's also a good number of GP surgeries where they do have ECG machines and can't interpret the ECG.
Posted 7 months ago # -
That's proper doctoring, right there.
Excellent advice from Dr Stoaty.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Wisepranker - that's awful....
Posted 7 months ago # -
errr... 2wheels1guy
I don't know any GP surgeries which do not have at least one ECG machine. I haven't heard of anyone being sent up to a hospital by a GP for an ECG for about 20 years
Pretty standard practice here.
Our ECG dept takes multiple GP referrals every day.
We also have a rapid acces clinic.
I don't know what the exact resources of every GP surgery is, but the standard practice is for the GP to get a 999 anbulance to take them to hospital if there is an acute concern, otherwise give them an ECG appointment or ask them to attend A&E.
The main reason for this being maintainence & calibration of the machine & training of staff.But anyway, Ton has lived with this for some time and so knows the deal.
I would recommend A&E if he feels unwell, if not, then ask for an urgent GP appointment who will possibly anti-coagulate, arrange ECG and refer to his cardiologist.Posted 7 months ago # -
I could name a hospital that doesnt have 24hr doctor cover, where the nurses arent allowed to administer anything via a drip and there is no ecg machine.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I'm at work tonight ton, if you bring 9 10 inch pizzas, 2 litres of diet coke, 2 boxes of Cadburys chocolate fingers and 20 B&H I'll do you an ecg.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Oh, and a salad for me...
Posted 7 months ago # -
Hopefully Ton has gone to get it checked out at hospital by now and will report later.
I don't know any GP surgeries which do not have at least one ECG machine. I haven't heard of anyone being sent up to a hospital by a GP for an ECG for about 20 years
Proper LOL - obviously you're not in NE England stoatsbrother.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I'm in a nice place but just north of a deprived downwardly-mobile town with a fair amount of drug abuse and refugees. Ten years ago I was the bloke who put in the bid which got the Sussex Cardiac Collaborative later the local Cardiac network going.. At that stage we surveyed equipment and there were a couple of very small practices who did not have ECGs, so we bought them for them.
It beggars belief that any GP would not have a decent ECG machine these days. The NICE guidelines on angina make it clear you MUST do an ECG immediately when you see a patient with a new presentAion of chest pain.
I am totally embarassed to hear any GP does not have one.
Posted 7 months ago # -
stoatsbrother and everyone else, thanks for the advice.
i emailed the consultant not long after posting this thread.
i did not want to, but the good lady insisted.
he emailed back straight away, and he asked me a few questions.
the outcome was to keep taking my warfarin amd beta blockers, and to go to the doctors in the morning and ask for the duty nurse to do a ecg reading.Posted 7 months ago # -
I would have thought it should be a minimum requirement and standard eqipment in a GP surgery.
Unfortunately It's something I come across fairly regularly, as well as patients sitting in the waiting room (and on one memorable occasion, sitting on a wall outside as the surgery was closing) who are having a suspected MI
Posted 7 months ago # -
Ton result mate.
Woody must be that you are responding too slowly
Posted 7 months ago # -
It beggars belief that any GP would not have a decent ECG machine these days. The NICE guidelines on angina make it clear you MUST do an ECG immediately when you see a patient with a new presentAion of chest pain.
I'm saying nothing.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Woody must be that you are responding too slowly
Yup - I should ask the surgery for some tips as they had managed to call 999, usher the patient outside and emptied the car park, all in the 4 minutes it took to get there
Posted 7 months ago # -
Thats p1sspoor...
Posted 7 months ago # -
I know but there was a bit of traffic otherwise it would have been <3mins
Posted 7 months ago # -
my Gp's fairly handy has his own modern practice but i dont believe he has an ecg ( i owuld have had a go by now believe me)
our local hospital has no facilities for anything that might be considered 999
if you turn up you are reffered to the ambulance service recently during a routine angio gram the patient had a heart attack and the hosptital staff had to call an ambulance for the resus gear.Posted 7 months ago # -
It beggars belief that any GP would not have a decent ECG machine these days. The NICE guidelines on angina make it clear you MUST do an ECG immediately when you see a patient with a new presentAion of chest pain.
But in the eyes of lots of GP's it's far cheaper and easier to call 999 and get the big yellow taxi to come and do your job for you!
Unfortunately It's something I come across fairly regularly, as well as patients sitting in the waiting room (and on one memorable occasion, sitting on a wall outside as the surgery was closing) who are having a suspected MI
Things like that are regular occurrence's down here in London. I've seen countless suspected MI's or CVA's sitting in waiting rooms while the GP has seemingly vanished when they try to find him for a handover. I'd best not mention the one who was attempting CPR on the patient while the patient was virtually trying to fight him off
Posted 7 months ago # -
That is just awful. Totally unacceptable.
Posted 7 months ago # -
Ok for the record - and we are not exceptional locally
8000 patients
4.5 GPs
3 ECGs
1 Defib
5 Spirometers
8 Pulse Oximeters
2 Event monitors
3 CABP Machinesetc etc etc
And we need this stuff to work well and in an upto date fashion.
Did find out the laryngoscope was u/s last week though
Posted 7 months ago # -
Stoats brother - do you actually have a laryngoscope at your practice? Thats a pretty brave GP to be tubing somebody!
I work in Wales and we are usually pretty backward and I too am shocked that there are Gp practices without an ECG machine!
Posted 7 months ago # -
I'm more shocked - excuse the pun - that there exists a GP surgery without an AED and oxygen therapy. Christ I work in a paper machinery factory and we have an AED!
Posted 7 months ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post.
