Dr Salahaddin Ubaid

Dr Salahaddin Ubaid is a UK trained consultant interventional Cardiologist working at Cheltenham General and Gloucester Royal hospitals. Additionally, he holds the position of Honorary Clinical Lecturer and Clinical Tutor with the University of Bristol.

Dr Ubaid graduated in 2001. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (FRCP). He also passed the European Exam in Core Cardiology, formerly known Knowledge based assessment, in 2014. He completed his general and interventional cardiology training in the West Midlands and worked across many large tertiary cardiac centers, including University Hospitals Queen Elizabeth, Birmingham, University Hospitals of North Midlands, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire and New Cross Hospital. Following completion of cardiology training, he undertook 12 months interventional cardiology fellowship at University Hospitals Queen Elizabeth, Birmingham where he further consolidated his skills and experience in complex coronary and structural heart interventions, particularly TAVI.

LEFT: European Society of Cardiology Conference London UK.
RIGHT: Presentation at Cardiology Conference Orlando USA

Dr Ubaid was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Interventional Cardiology Training from the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) Paris, France. He is fully accredited by the British Society of Echocardiography in transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography.

Dr Ubaid was the first cardiologist world-wide to conduct novel research comparing the effectiveness of a new antiplatelet drug in patients presenting with heart attack. In February 2020, he was awarded a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Birmingham for his novel research work. He was the runner up for the Young Investigator Award from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) in 2017. Dr Ubaid has numerous publications and has presented in cardiology conferences on a national and international level.

He has substantial experience in the management of patients with a wide range of general heart conditions and specialises in the management of coronary heart disease, sports cardiology, cardiovascular risk assessment, cardiovascular diseases prevention, and cardiac rehabilitation.

Dr Ubaid has special interest in medical education. He currently holds the position of Honorary Clinical Lecturer and Clinical Tutor with the University of Bristol. He was awarded a Certificate of Excellent Cardiology Teaching from the University of Birmingham, whilst working as a cardiology research and educational fellow.

Symptoms Investigated

Common Symptoms include:

  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Palpitations
  • Dizzy spells / lightheadedness
  • Faints / blackouts / collapse
  • Heart murmurs
  • High blood pressure related symptoms
  • Exercise related symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness

Specialised Clinics

Dr Ubaid treats the full array of general and interventional cardiology, including:

  • Coronary artery disease (stable and unstable angina, heart attack)
  • Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)
  • Heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter
  • Heart valve diseases, mainly aortic valve stenosis, mitral valve prolapse and mitral valve regurgitation
  • High blood pressure (Hypertension)
  • High Cholesterol including familial hypercholesteraemia
  • Heart failure
  • Stress induced cardiomyopathy, also known as Broken-heart syndrome or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • Cancer treatment and your heart
  • COVID-19 and your heart
  • Diabetes and your heart (diabetes related cardiac conditions)
  • Endocarditis
  • Older adults and heart disease
  • Myocarditis
  • Pulmonary embolism (clots in the lungs)
  • Pericardial diseases such as pericarditis

Dr Ubaid treats all cardiological symptoms in both professional and amateur athletes, including:

• Identification of cardiovascular diseases and risk stratification in individuals participating in recreational (for leisure) and competitive (for performance and winning) sports
• Assessment, investigations and management of sport related heart symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness
• Exercise recommendations (what to do and what not to do) for exercise and sports in healthy individuals
• Exercise recommendation and prescription for patients with:

Angina
Aging individuals
Atrial fibrillation
Aortopathy
Heart attack
Heart valve disease, aortic and mitral valves
Heart failure
Heart rhythm abnormalities
Cardiomyopathies
Congenital heart disease
Myocarditis and pericarditis
Implantable cardiac devices
Cancer patients
Chronic kidney disease
Pregnancy
Return to sport and exercise following cardiovascular events

• Sports pre-participation cardiovascular screening (competitive and recreational sports) for individuals of all ages, aimed at the detection and management of heart conditions associated with sudden cardiac death (SCD). This includes

• Screening adolescent and young athletes, older than 14 years of age
Screening for members of various sporting disciplines
• Screening for school students and the general population
• Screening athletes with a family history of sudden cardiac death
• Cardiovascular Safety assessment at Sports Arenas
• Training sports organizations staff, schools and other sports institution’s personnel the skills of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of Automatic External Defibrillators (AED)
• Wearable technology and your heart (smart watches and fitness trackers)

Dr Ubaid treats provides his patients with full full cardiac screening service for his patients, including Cardiovascular Risk Factors; Assessment, Prevention, Management, Secondary Prevention and Cardiac Rehabilitation. This includes:

• Cardiovascular risk assessment in healthy individuals (assess risk of developing cardiovascular events)
• Cardiovascular risk assessment in patients undertaking non-cardiac operations
• Cardiovascular disease prevention (Heart and vascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke)
• Cardiovascular rehabilitation (physical and psychological recovery following a cardiac event such as a heart attack)

Dr Ubaid and his team can help you achieve your goals of committing to living a heart-healthy lifestyle following a heart related event, such as a heart attack or angina.

After a heart event such as a heart attack, a cardiac rehabilitation program provides a medically supervised setting to help you recover from your heart attack, learn about your heart disease, and learn strategies to change your lifestyle to prevent further progression of your disease. Starting a cardiac rehabilitation program, and completing as many sessions as possible has been shown to reduce risk of another heart attack or death by as much as 30% in just five years. This makes it one of the most important interventions you can pursue after a heart attack.

It is important to commit to living a heart-healthy lifestyle. Dr Ubaid and his team can help you achieve your goals, but it is up to you to take your medications as prescribed, make changes in your diet, quit smoking, exercise regularly, keep your follow-up appointments.

Procedural Skills acquired during Cardiology Training

  • Coronary Angiography and Coronary Angioplasty (stenting), a procedure used to widen blocked or narrowed coronary arteries
  • Transthoracic Echocardiography (Fully accredited from the British Society of Echocardiography)
  • Transoesophageal Echocardiography (Fully accredited by the British Society of Echocardiography)
  • Coronary Physiology Assessment
  • Shockwave Intravascular Lithotripsy, is a novel device that modifies calcified lesions via calcium fracture to allow for effective stent deployment

Coronary Angiography

Intravascular Ultrasonography (IVUS)

  • Rotational Atherectomy, an instrument used to break accumulated calcium in the coronary arteries for effective stent deployment
  • Laser Coronary Atherectomy, a technique used to remove blockages from coronary arteries
  • Intravascular Ultrasonography (IVUS), provides real time view of the inside of the coronary arteries and allows accurate stents deployment expansion
  • Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), is an imaging modality that uses near-infrared light to provide high-definition images of the coronary arteries
  • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), which involves implanting a new heart aortic valve under local anesthetic to treat aortic valve stenosis
  • Intra-aortic Balloon Bump Insertion, which helps support blood pressure whilst undertaking complex coronary stenting procedures and in patients who present with heart attack associated with significant drop in blood pressure, known as cardiogenic shock
  • Impella Insertion, a mechanical device that support blood pressure whilst undertaking complex coronary stenting procedures and in patients who present with heart attack associated with significant drop in blood pressure, known as cardiogenic shock
  • Arterial Closure/Compression Devices, used to close site of artery puncture following coronary angiography/angioplasty

OCT - The inside of a Coronary Artery After a Heart Attack

Echocardiography

  • Angiographic Assessment of Coronary and Myocardial Blood Flow
  • Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion, a procedure undertaken to minimize risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation who can not tolerate blood thinning medications due to bleeding complications
  • Atrial Septal Defects and Patent Foramen Ovale Closure (ASD/PFO)
  • Platelet Function Assays
  • Pericardiocentesis
  • Ultrasound Guided Puncture of Peripheral Arteries

Dr Ubaid works well with all the staff. His approach to his fellow workers is both patient and respectful. His easy going manner makes him very approachable to ask advice and he accommodates any delays graciously. I personally look forward to working with him.

What I valued as much as his erudition was his people skills, he related to everyone as an individual, his understanding, communications, interactions and personable nature were exceptional. Dr Ubaid was quite simply staggering, he is somebody that has had a significant impact on me, not just for giving me my life back and for his medical genius but for being the person that he is.

In life we all need role models, if I was in training to be a doctor you would certainly fit that role for me. I thank you so much for what you have done to allow me to continue with my fitness regime and wish you well in the life ahead of you.

In Dr Salahaddin Ubaid I had a medical genius who also contributed significantly to aiding me overcome all of the negative worries and emotions I was feeling. The care he provided to me, his attention to detail, his personal knowledge, expertise, experience and skills was outstanding.

His presence radiates a warmth, he instils confidence in all those around him, he sets an example for others to follow and is a role model for others to aspire to be like. He was kind, courteous, professional, understanding, caring and highly approachable and relatable as well as the medical guru we all benefit from and rely on to give us our lives back.

A great team player, all of the nursing staff are very happy to work with Salahaddin as he is polite, efficient, and has a great aura of calmness and competence and appreciates the time to be light-hearted.

Your kindness and good humour were very much appreciated and certainly put me at ease throughout the procedure, which on other ocassions has been quite daunting, your relaxed approach to my problem was very calm and professional.

LEFT: Prof Alain Crebier – French Cardiologist who implanted the world’s first TAVI Valve in 2002.
RIGHT: Dr Gary Roubin – Deployed First Balloon Expandable Coronary Stent USA

Qualifications

Certificate of Excellence in Interventional Cardiology Training

The European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions, (EAPCI) Paris, France 18th of June 2020 (Completions of two-year training programme)

Completion of Training Programme in Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Assessment and Prevention, Sports Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation European Association of Preventive Cardiology, Paris, France June 2022

Doctor of Medicine (MD), University of Birmingham UK 20/02/2020

Certificate of Completion of Training (Interventional Cardiology), General Medical Council 31st August 2019

British Society of Echocardiography Transoesophageal Echocardiography Full Accreditation (TEE) 15th October 2017

British Society of Echocardiography Transthoracic Echocardiography Full Accreditation (TTE) 24th October 2012

Cardiology KBA (Knowledge Based Assessment) EECC, European Society of Cardiology and British Cardiovascular Society. June 2014

FRCP UK March 2007

MBChB 1st July 2000 University of Salahaddin Medical School, Erbil-Iraq

Memberships

  • The European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions
  • The European Association of Sports Cardiology and Exercise
  • The European Association of Preventive Cardiology
  • The European Society of Cardiology
  • The British Cardiovascular Intervention Society
  • The British Society of Echocardiography
  • The Royal College of Physicians London UK
  • Medical Defense Union of Scotland

Personal Interests

Salahaddin enjoys playing table tennis and football, cycling and walking, travelling and photography.