When Should You See a Cardiologist?

Published on

30/6/2025

The LivingCare Group

Heart and circulatory diseases cause more than 170,000 deaths a year in the UK¹. To look after your heart health and recognise symptoms of diseases, it’s important to seek specialist care, treatment and advice on preventative methods. From our Sheffield and Leeds locations, LivingCare offers direct access to experienced cardiologists, state-of-the-art technology, and premier testing facilities.

Introduction

A cardiologist specialises in diagnosing, assessing, and treating conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. With an exceptional understanding of heart diseases and their progression, as well as preventive methods, a cardiologist shares informed advice on cardiovascular health.

If you are worried about a heart condition, new symptoms, or family history, you may wonder, “When should I see a cardiologist?” In most cases, your doctor may refer you to a cardiologist if you have symptoms indicating a problem with the cardiovascular system, an inherited condition, or following a hospital admission.

What symptoms should I discuss with a cardiologist?

If you experience the following symptoms, a GP may refer you to a specialist in the area. Symptoms include:

Chest pain
Breathlessness
Swollen ankles
An abnormal ECG, chest X-ray or blood test
An abnormality on a physical exam

If your GP discovers a significant family history of a heart condition, a cardiologist will arrange further tests to assess the condition.

Looking after your heart health

In the UK, there are around 100,000 hospital admissions each year due to heart attack, and 7.6 million people are living with a heart or circulatory disease². Some risk factors for heart disease are controllable. You can reduce the risk of heart problems by stopping smoking, taking regular exercise, and enjoying a healthy diet. Other risk factors are aspects of your biology and genetics, such as inherited conditions and ethnicity.

AGE

As we age, our heart and circulatory system become weaker, increasing the risk of developing heart issues. Cardiovascular Disease is most common in people over 50³, however, it isn’t always an age-related problem.

LIFESTYLE

Lifestyle influences your risk of heart disease. Eating a high salt diet and excessive saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol is linked to heart disease. Drinking too much alcohol, not getting enough exercise, and smoking are also risk factors for heart problems⁴.

HEALTH CONDITIONS

High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity are risk factors for heart disease.

GENETICS

A close family history of heart disease can increase the risk.

BIOLOGY

There’s a higher risk of developing heart disease at a young age if you’re a man. In the UK, there are more than 4 million men and over 3.6 million women living with a heart or circulatory disease⁵. While men generally have a higher risk of developing the disease at a younger age, women have a higher risk after menopause⁶.

ETHNICITY

Research⁷by the British Heart Foundation shows that in the UK, Black Africans, African Caribbeans and South Asians have a higher risk of high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes compared with White Europeans. This gives these ethnic groups an increased risk of developing heart disease.

A LivingCare cardiologist has quick access to diagnostic tests and scans, such as MRI, cardiac exercise tests, blood tests, and ECGs. Using the results from these detailed tests and scans, healthcare professionals can diagnose conditions and diseases and arrange appropriate treatment. Using a combination of the results and the consultation conversation, they’ll give bespoke lifestyle advice for optimal heart health.

Spotting the signs of heart problems

Knowing the signs of cardiovascular problems is essential, as a quick diagnosis will allow you to manage and treat a heart condition before it escalates⁸. You can easily overlook some heart problem symptoms as they don’t always present where you’d think – in the chest. If you are having chest pain that feels like a tight band and if it doesn’t stop after resting for a few minutes, dial 999 for an ambulance⁹.

The signs and symptoms that it is time to book an appointment with a cardiologist include:

A tightness or pain in the throat that feels like a choking sensation
A cramping sensation in your calves when you’re walking
Heart palpitations
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Feeling extremely tired even when rested

Cardiovascular care at LivingCare

We know that worrying about your heart health can cause stress and even exacerbate your symptoms. That’s why we can offer same-day consultations from our Leeds and Sheffield clinics. You’ll be seen by an experienced professional and have access to further investigations within the clinic. Your cardiologist will share the results promptly, offer guidance, and recommend treatments and medications.

Whether our private GPs or your local GP refers you, or you're looking for a second opinion, we can get you seen by an expert without delay.