What Remote Cardiology Covers — And What Requires In-Person Assessment
Understanding the scope of a remote cardiology consultation ensures you get the right level of care for your specific concern.
What this specialist consultation covers:
- Comprehensive cardiovascular history and risk factor assessment
- Review of existing investigation results — ECG, echocardiogram, Holter monitor, stress test, blood results
- Cardiovascular risk stratification and prevention planning
- Management review for established cardiovascular conditions
- Assessment of symptoms — chest pain history, palpitations, breathlessness, syncope — in the context of your full clinical picture
- Interpretation of investigations ordered by your GP or another specialist
- Second opinion on cardiovascular diagnosis or management plan
- Coordination of further investigations and specialist referrals where indicated
- Medication review and management recommendations at the specialist's professional discretion
- Pre-operative cardiovascular assessment for elective procedures
- Lifestyle and secondary prevention guidance
What requires in-person assessment:
- Cardiac auscultation — heart sounds, murmurs, added sounds
- Assessment of peripheral oedema, jugular venous pressure, and other clinical signs
- In-person ECG recording — though remote review of existing ECGs is fully possible
- Echocardiogram, stress testing, and other cardiac investigations — your cardiologist will coordinate these where needed
- Acute or emergency presentations — always attend A&E
Your cardiologist will advise clearly during the consultation if your presentation requires in-person assessment and will coordinate the appropriate pathway.
Conditions Commonly Assessed and Managed
- Coronary Artery Disease & Chest Pain
- Stable angina — assessment, management, and secondary prevention
- Atypical chest pain — clinical assessment and investigation coordination
- Post-ACS management review — following heart attack or unstable angina
- Risk stratification for patients with chest pain history
- Arrhythmia & Palpitations
- Atrial fibrillation — assessment, rate and rhythm management review, stroke risk stratification
- Supraventricular tachycardia — assessment and management
- Palpitations — clinical assessment and Holter monitor coordination
- Bradycardia and heart block — assessment and management review
- Post-ablation follow-up and review
- Heart Failure
- Stable heart failure management review
- Assessment of breathlessness and functional capacity
- Medication optimisation review
- Monitoring of fluid status and symptom trajectory
- Hypertension
- Complex or resistant hypertension requiring specialist assessment
- Hypertension in the context of other cardiovascular conditions
- Blood pressure management review and medication optimisation
- Assessment of end-organ effects of hypertension
- Valvular Heart Disease
- Aortic stenosis and regurgitation — management review and surveillance planning
- Mitral valve disease — assessment and follow-up
- Post-surgical valve review
- Preventive Cardiology
- Cardiovascular risk assessment — Framingham, SCORE2, and Irish-specific risk tools
- Primary prevention — lipid management, lifestyle intervention, aspirin discussion
- Secondary prevention — post-cardiac event management and optimisation
- Family history of premature cardiovascular disease — risk assessment and screening planning
- Sports cardiology — cardiovascular assessment for athletes and active patients
- Lipid Disorders
- Hypercholesterolaemia — assessment and management
- Familial hypercholesterolaemia — specialist assessment and management
- Lipid management in the context of cardiovascular disease or diabetes
- Other
- Syncope — assessment and investigation coordination
- Peripheral vascular disease — assessment and referral coordination
- Cardiac findings on investigations — incidental ECG or echocardiogram findings requiring specialist interpretation
- Cardiology second opinion — independent review of diagnosis, management plan, or investigation findings
What Your Consultation Includes
Comprehensive Cardiovascular AssessmentYour cardiologist will conduct a detailed clinical review — covering your cardiovascular symptoms, medical history, family history, risk factors, current medications, lifestyle factors, and any existing investigation results. This structured assessment forms the basis of all clinical recommendations.
Review of Existing InvestigationsIf you have existing ECGs, echocardiogram reports, Holter monitor results, stress test reports, or blood results, your cardiologist will review these in full during the consultation — providing specialist interpretation and clinical context.
Risk StratificationYour cardiologist will assess your overall cardiovascular risk profile using validated risk tools and advise on the appropriate prevention and management strategy based on your individual risk level.
Investigation CoordinationWhere further investigations are clinically indicated — including ECG, echocardiogram, Holter monitor, stress test, cardiac MRI, or blood tests — your cardiologist will coordinate these through our Referral & Diagnostic Investigation service, ensuring you access the right investigations efficiently.
Specialist Management PlanBased on your assessment, your cardiologist will provide a comprehensive management plan — including medication review and recommendations at the specialist's professional discretion, lifestyle guidance, secondary prevention strategies, and a clear follow-up pathway.
Second OpinionFor patients seeking an independent specialist perspective on a cardiovascular diagnosis or management plan — including those received from another cardiologist or in another country — your cardiologist will conduct a full review and provide a clear, evidence-based independent assessment.
When to See a Cardiologist vs Your GP
Many cardiovascular concerns are appropriately managed at GP level — and your GP is the right first point of contact for most presentations. A specialist cardiology consultation adds clinical value when:
- Your GP has identified cardiovascular findings that require specialist interpretation or management
- Your cardiovascular condition has not responded adequately to GP-level management
- You have complex, multi-system cardiovascular disease requiring specialist oversight
- You need specialist investigation coordination — echocardiogram, Holter monitor, stress test
- You want an independent second opinion on a cardiovascular diagnosis or management plan
- Your cardiovascular risk profile is complex and requires specialist risk stratification
If you have not yet had a GP assessment of your cardiovascular concern, our Chronic Disease & Family Medicine Consultation is the right starting point. Your GP will assess your condition and advise on whether specialist cardiology input is needed.
Why Patients Choose Us
IMC Specialist Division — CardiologyOur cardiologists are registered on the Specialist Division in Cardiology with the Irish Medical Council — the highest level of cardiovascular specialist qualification in Ireland. You are speaking with a consultant cardiologist, not a GP with a cardiology interest.
Specialist-level investigation reviewExisting ECGs, echocardiogram reports, Holter results, and stress test findings are reviewed by a consultant cardiologist — providing the specialist interpretation that these investigations require.
Same-day and advance appointmentsCardiovascular concerns rarely follow a convenient schedule. Same-day and advance appointments are available seven days a week, including evenings and weekends.
Second opinion expertiseOur cardiologists regularly provide independent second opinions on cardiovascular diagnoses and management plans — including those received from other specialists or in other countries. This service is particularly valuable for Ireland's expat and international community.
Investigation coordination includedWhere further investigations are needed, your cardiologist coordinates these through our Referral & Diagnostic Investigation service — so you leave the consultation with a clear investigation pathway, not just a recommendation to arrange tests yourself.
Multi-lingualConsultations available in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Czech, and Romanian.
