Incharge Department

DR. ZAHID RASHID
M.B.B.S., Dip.(Card), MD (Card)

Introduction to the department.

The department of Cardiology, Karachi Medical & Dental College and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital is a full fledged unit providing round the clock emergency cover, indoor and outdoor facilities and diagnostic facilities. The department has a CCU cardiac ward and non-invasive diagnostic laboratory.

C.C.U.

The CCU is a 12 bedded unit. It is equipped with ECG monitors, telemetry facilities blood pressure monitors, ECG machines, defibrillators, ventilators, fluoroscopy, temporary cardiac pacemakers and facilities for the management of all cardiac emergencies.

Cardiac Ward

The cardiac ward is a 26 bedded general ward for male and female patients.

Outpatient Clinic

The department has two out patient clinics; one providing service on all weekdays by the Medical Officers; and the other is a Consultant's Clinic on alternate days.

Non-Invasive Diagnostic Lab.

The department has established a non-invasive cardiac diagnostic laboratory, which provides facilities for exercise stress testing and 2-D & M-mode echocardiography. The lab is equipped with a latest treadmill and a fully computerized ECG monitoring and recording system.

The department is very busy and accommodates nearly 800 admission in the cardiac ward every year. The department provides out patient service to over 40,000 patients every year.

Teaching & Research

The department has a busy teaching program. The weekly schedule includes two Professorial ward rounds, daily rounds by other consultants and Senior Registrars, two clinical meetings and other teaching programs for medical students and House Officers. The department is also actively involved in research activities and a number os studies are ongoing including the following.

*Incidence of silent ischemia in diabetic and nondiabetic patients on exercise testing.
*Prevalence of silent ischemia in patients with two or more risk factors.
*Incidence of L.C. clot following acute myocardial infarction.
*Effect of ACE inhibitors on L.V. dysfunction following acute myocardial infarction.

Future Plans

The department is planning to provide further diagnostic facilities for cardiac patients. It includes color Doppler echocardiography, ambulatory ECG (Holter) monitoring and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring facilities. After the completion of noninvasive cardiac facilities a cardiac cathetherization laboratory will be established enabling us to provide coronary angiography and angioplasty facilities.