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The Pulmonary
Hypertension Unit currently provides a once weekly clinic
for patient reviews and new referrals.
The afternoon clinic operates from 12M/D to 14.00.
 Where
we are
The easiest way to find us is by arriving at the Main entrance
of the Mater Hospital on Eccles Street. You then follows the
Link corridor all around to the lifts on the right hand side.
Take the lift to the 1st floor and turn right past the Gastrointestinal
Unit (GI) then take the 1st turn on the right.
Congratulations,
you have now reached the Pulmonary Hypertension Unit!
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The
Pulmonary Hypertension Team
Our team consists of the following Healthcare Professionals:
- Consultant
Respiratory Physician - Dr. Sean Gaine
- Pulmonary
Hypertension Nurse Specialist - Sr. Sinead Doherty
- Consultant
Cardiologist - Dr. Kevin Walsh
- Physiotherapist
- Ms.Rosaleen Anglim
- Chief
Pharmacist - Kieran Meegan
- Pulmonary
Vascular Scientist - Prof. Paul McLoughlin
- Secretary
- Brenda Dolan
- Pulmonary
Function - Tom Kelly, John Stevenson, Anne-Marie O'Connell
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Patient
Referral Pathway
There are various ways that a patient diagnosed with Pulmonary
Hypertension can be referred to the Unit.
Referrals from Consultants in other Hospitals or from G.P.s
should always be in writing to:
Dr.Sean
Gaine
Consultant Respiratory Physician
Mater Hospital,
Eccles Street, Dublin 7
Email -sgaine@o2.ie
Office no. 01 8034259
or
Sr.Sinead Doherty
Pulmonary Hypertension Unit
Mater Hospital
Eccles Street
Dublin 7
Email-
materpph@yahoo.ie
or sdoherty@mater.ie
Office no. 01 8032852: pager no.3247
Fax no.8032852
- Requests
are prioritised and the Nurse Specialist informs the Patient
in writing of the appointment date and time.
- Appointments
or consults are arranged for Inpatients by the relevant
team
- Patients
seen in Respiratory outpatients who need appointments are
organised by the secretary
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Your First consultation - what to expect
Referral to the Pulmonary Hypertension Unit should normally
be made after an ECG, CXR, Spirometry and a demonstration
of Pulmonary Hypertension by Echo but before cardiac catheterisation.
On the
clinic visit the patient will be reviewed by the physician.
A full history and examination will take place. PFT, Six-miute
walk will be carried out if not already performed. The patient
will have a consultation with the nurrse specialist regarding
future investigations and appointments. This will also be
an opportunity for patients and family members to voice any
queries pertaining to the desease and available treatments
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What happens next? -Follow on Treatment
Following
your first visit as a new referral objectives and priorities
for investigation will be ascertained. If further investigations
are necessary before confirmation of the disease can be made,
an appointment date for admission will be discussed and confirmed
in writing. During this admission period any out standing
procedures will be performed.
Treatment
initiation may require a period in hospital to allow monitoring
for drug tolerance and suitability.
Clinic
follows up
Patients are generally seen for follow up examination in the
clinic1month after initiation and then every 3-6 months depending
on response to treatment. they are called or advised to call
every 2-4 weeks to report any symptoms /side effects or sooner
if any problems arise. The amount of contact depends on the
stability of the patient and overall comfort level. During
follow up telephone surveillance, new or worsening symptoms
should prompt a visit to the clinic for evaluation.
Many centres
repeat haemodynamic assessment after 1 year of therapy. Right
-heart catheterisation is the gold standard for assessment
of pulmonary haemodynamics. The expectation at 1 year should
be improvement in pulmonary haemodynamics but not normalization
of them. Echocardiography evaluation after approximately 3-6
months of treatment can provide useful interim estimation
of pulmonary haemodynamics.
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