What is the aim of the clinic?

• Explain your heart condition
• Explain and review your heart medication
• Review your health and symptoms related to your heart condition
• Check your blood pressure, pulse and other readings
• Give healthy living advice that could improve your heart condition
• Review your medication regime and alter or introduce medication to improve your heart condition (this may take several appointments).

How many appointments will I need?

• This will vary according to the type of heart condition you have
• If you are seeing us because of a heart attack or heart surgery you will usually require one or two appointments
• If you are seeing us after an angioplasty or stent and wish to join a cardiac rehabilitation class you will usually require one appointment
• If you are seeing us because of a diagnosis of heart failure, we may need to alter your heart medication often. This might mean seeing us for a few weeks or months.

What if I am housebound?

We are able to visit people who are housebound but not everyone is eligible for this. The cardiac nurse can discuss this with you when they first contact you.

Our aim

The cardiac service offers high quality patient care, respecting individual wishes, beliefs and needs. This involves working closely with your hospital, GP and other services, as well as your family or carers. We help you maintain and improve your quality of life.

How can we help?

We are here to help you with your recovery following your recent heart attack or cardiac surgery. We understand this may be an anxious time for you and we want to support you in the best possible way.

We can:

• advise the safest way to resume physical activity
• discuss medication
• offer reassurance, advice and support to help you make positive lifestyle changes, such as giving up smoking, changing your diet or becoming more active
• provide expert individualised advice regarding modifying your risk factors for heart disease
• refer you to the Cardiac Activity Programme where appropriate.

Where do we see patients?

We offer appointments via telephone, video or face to face. Face to face appointments are offered in local health centres. We are able to visit people who are housebound but not everyone is eligible for this. The cardiac nurse can discuss this with you when they first contact you.

Aim of the service

The cardiac service offers high quality patient care, respecting individual wishes, beliefs and needs. This involves working closely with your hospital, GP and other services, as well as your family or carers. We help you maintain and improve your quality of life.

What is the heart failure nursing service?

We are a team of specialist nurses with broad nursing experience and specialised cardiac skills. We care for people who have already been diagnosed with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)

The team will:

• work closely with you, your GP and your hospital consultant to try and improve your symptoms and quality of life
• plan your care with you to meet your individual needs
• offer support and individualised advice for you and your family
• discuss and review your medication and adjust if necessary
• monitor your condition and blood tests as needed
• refer you to other services where appropriate
• we will transfer your care back to your GP once your condition is stable
• refer you to the Cardiac Activity Programme where appropriate.

What is heart failure?

Heart failure is a condition where the heart is unable to pump strongly enough to meet the body’s demands for blood and
oxygen.

The main causes of heart failure are:

• damage to the muscle caused by a heart attack
• high blood pressure
• heart valve disease.

The main symptoms of heart failure are:

• shortness of breath
• fluid retention, this could be swelling of the feet, ankles, legs and stomach
• tiredness.

Where are patients seen?

The service runs from local health centres across Leeds. These are:

• Armley Moor Health Centre
• Bramley Clinic
• Chapeltown Health Centre
• East Leeds Health Centre
• Halton Health Centre.
• Holt Park Health Centre
• Hunslet Health Centre
• Kippax Health Centre
• Kirkstall Health Centre
• Meanwood Health Centre
• Middleton Health Centre
• Morley Health Centre
• Park Side Health Centre
• Pudsey Health Centre
• Rothwell Health Centre
• Seacroft Clinic
• Wetherby Health Centre
• Wharfedale General Hospital, Cardiac Clinic
• Yeadon Health Centre

Please note, we are able to visit people who are housebound but not everyone is eligible for this. The cardiac nurse can discuss this with you when they first contact you.

What is GTN?

Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN) is used to relieve angina, which is chest pain, pressure, or tightness caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle. This happens when the arteries supplying the heart become narrowed or go into spasm, meaning the heart doesn’t get enough oxygen.

GTN comes as a tablet or spray that you use under or on your tongue for quick relief. It can be taken when chest pain starts or just before doing something that might trigger it, like climbing stairs or exercising.

GTN works by relaxing and widening your blood vessels. This makes it easier for your heart to pump blood and helps improve blood flow to your heart muscle, easing the pain fast.

How to use GTN spray

10 minute rule

If you experience chest pain (angina), chest ache or chest discomfort:

• Stop what you are doing, sit down and rest.
• If pain persists, use 1 spray under your tongue and wait 5 minutes.
• If pain is still present, use another spray and wait 5 minutes.
• If pain is still present, Ring 999 and unlock door.

If your pain gets severe at any stage, or if you feel unwell (for example, dizzy, short of breath, sweaty), call 999 immediately.

Tips for using GTN

• GTN should be sprayed under or on your tongue.
• Sit down before using, as you may feel lightheaded.
• Carry your GTN all times and don’t hesitate to use it.
• Keep several GTN bottles, for example, at work, at home, in your bag.
• Your healthcare team may advise 2 sprays per dose.
• If the spray was not use for long time, spray it in the air a few times before using it (Check expiry date).

The above tips for using GTN are adopted with permission from the ‘GTN Card Project’ by Dr Rani Khatib and the Cardiac Rehab team at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Your heart, your recovery is an information guide that helps you understand and manage your heart health. Inside, you can find information about:

• coronary heart disease and heart attacks
• your recovery journey
• heart medications
• physical activity and exercise
• risk factors for heart disease and how to reduce them.

You can access the full information guide on your heart, your recovery care record.

Alongside personalised support from the cardiac team, this booklet provides you with knowledge to guide your health decisions and support your journey back to a full and active lifestyle.

Your journey through heart surgery provides you with information that will guide you through heart surgery and help you with your recovery. You will also find information on:

• heart and post operative medications
• diet and weight
• physical activity and exercise
• returning to normal activities.

You can access the full information guide on your journey through heart surgery.

Alongside personalised support from the cardiac team, this booklet provides you with knowledge to guide your health decisions and support your journey back to a full and active lifestyle.

Heart failure is a condition where the heart is unable to pump strongly enough to meet the body’s demands for blood and oxygen. Our team at Leeds Community Cardiac Service supports and cares for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, other names for this can include left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) and congestive cardiac failure (CCF).

The most common symptoms in heart failure are breathlessness, tiredness, ankle and leg swelling, a bloated tummy, a persistent cough (especially at night) and needing extra pillows to sleep more upright.

The national campaign known as B.E.A.T has helped to raise awareness of these symptoms and what to do if you experience them. You can read more on the B.E.A.T Heart Failure UK website.

B.E.A.T stands for:

• B: Breathlessness
• E: Exhaustion
• A: Ankle swelling
• T: Time to speak to your G.P. surgery

Our colleagues at the Pumping Marvellous Foundation have created a series of helpful guides to support your understanding of heart failure and its treatment options. You can explore these resources on the Pumping Marvellous Heart Failure guide.

These guides are approved by the Leeds Community Cardiac service and are used alongside the one-to-one support offered via our team.

You can also find more information about heart failure on the NHS website.

If you prefer to watch a video, we recommend this short video from the British Heart Foundation: Understanding heart failure (YouTube).

If you are concerned that you may be experiencing any of the symptoms described on our website, please make an appointment with your GP to discuss them further. Leeds Community Cardiac Services only see patients who have a confirmed diagnosis of heart failure (LVSD).

Otley and North Leeds Cardiac Support Group

For more information about this support group,

• Wharfedale Cardiac Club website
• Email: wghcardiacclub@gmail.com
• Phone: 07818 024059  or 07487 565070
• By post: Wharfedale Cardiac Club, 410 Otley Road, Leeds LS16 8AD (Please do not post items to us at the Wharfedale Hospital).

Pulsations

Pulsations supports cardiac patients and their relations through a phase 4 support group. They are a very friendly patient lead support group.

• Address: Garden Village Welfare Hall, Pendas Way, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS15 8LE
• Phone: 07791 909054

Leeds Directory

Leeds Directory is a website that helps you find services that can support you to live well in Leeds.

You can look up things like:

• care and support services
• activities and events near you

You can also find about:

• equipment and gadgets to help with everyday jobs like cooking or getting dressed.
• different places to live like supported housing and care homes.
• staying healthy and active.

You can visit their website, Leeds Directory, to find out more information and search for support near you.

Leeds Neighbourhood Networks

Leeds Neighbourhood Networks are community based, locally led organisations that support older people to live independently and participate within their own communities.

There are 34 Neighbourhood Networks which together serve the whole Leeds City Council area. They aim to meet local needs and provide services, activities and opportunities that older people want, including:

• information and advice
• advocacy
• activities to improve health and wellbeing
• social opportunities and social activities.

Visit their website, Neighbourhood Networks: Leeds Older People’s Forum, to find out more information.