Angina/myocardial ischaemia/chest pain

Cardiology

Useful Management Information

  • No useful management information

Minimum Referral Criteria

Category 1
  • New recurrent cardiac chest pain without concerning features*
  • Prolonged severe, worsening pattern of angina without concerning features* in patients with established coronary heart disease
  • New left bundle branch block

Concerning features:

  • Chest pain that is:
    • Severe or ongoing
    • Lasting ten minutes or more
    • New at rest or with minimal activity
    • Associated with severe dyspnoea
    • Associated with syncope/pre-syncope
    • Associated with any of the following signs:
      • Respiratory rate >30 breaths per minute
      • Tachycardia >120
      • Systolic BP <90mmHg
      • Heart/failure/suspected pulmonary oedema
      • ST elevation or depression
    • Complete heart block
Category 2
  • Chronic suspected cardiac chest pain without concerning features (see category 1)
Category 3
  • No category 3 criteria

If your patient doesn't meet the minimum referral criteria

  • If the patient does not meet the criteria for referral but the referring practitioner believes the patient requires specialist review, a clinical override may be requested:
    • Please explain why (e.g. warning signs or symptoms, clinical modifiers, uncertain about diagnosis, etc.)
  • Please note that your referral may not be accepted or may be redirected to another service.

Essential Referral Information

  • Details of relevant signs and symptoms
  • Details of all treatments offered and efficacy
  • Past medical history and comorbidities
  • Patient’s functional status
  • Family history of cardiac disease or sudden cardiac death
  • FBC
  • ELFTs
  • Fasting lipids
  • HbA1c (if diabetic)
  • ECG

If a specific test result is unable to be obtained due to access, financial, religious, cultural or consent reasons a Clinical Override may be requested. This reason must be clearly articulated in the body of the referral.

Additional Referral Information

  • Investigations relevant to significant comorbidities
  • Cardiovascular risk assessment score
  • Other investigations (if available) including CXR, cardiac imaging, stress test, stress echo or myocardial perfusion scan
  • History of smoking, alcohol intake and drug use (including recreational drugs)

Published 12 May 2021

Send Referrals To

Smart Referrals

Coming Soon

Internal Referrals

Cardiology (E-Blueslips)

Fax

5687 4497

Post

Booking and Referral Centre
Gold Coast University Hospital
1 Hospital Boulevard
Southport QLD 4215

Enquiries

1300 559 083

Service Availability

Facilities

Gold Coast University Hospital
Robina Hospital

If you would like to send a named referral, please address it to the specialist listed above, who will allocate a suitably qualified specialist to see the patient. Alternatively, you can view a full list of our specialists.

Gold Coast Health - For Clinicians
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