Clinical expertise
Dr Rafiq is a consultant cardiologist. She has expertise in several areas including:
- adult congenital heart disease
- high-risk pregnancy and heart disease (lead for the service)
- fontan circulation
- valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease
- echocardiography, including TTE, TOE, stress echocardiography and cardiac MRI
- heart failure and intensive care management of ACHD and PH patients
- exercise physiology
Dr Rafiq is the lead for high-risk pregnancy heart disease at Royal Brompton Hospital and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and has extensive experience in prep pregnancy counselling (preconception) and managing these patients during pregnancy and delivery.
Her other significant interest is in treating fontan patients. She is a core member of the service and reviewed the outcomes and needs which lead to a concrete fontan service. Many of her patients are managed for fontan complications and heart failure. She also has extensive experience managing heart failure patients and works closely with the team at Harefield Hospital.
Locations
Our specialist provides care at these locations:
Biography
Dr Isma Rafiq is a consultant cardiologist in adult congenital heart disease and is the lead for the high-risk pregnancy heart disease service. She is also trained in cardiac MRI.
Dr Isma Rafiq received her MD in Cardiology at the East Anglish University Norwich. Her research took place between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and was focused on “Coarctation of the aorta: Management in a non-surgical centre and evaluation of aortic stiffness and cardiac function.”
Dr Isma Rafiq trained in cardiology at Royal Papworth Hospital, Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Her adult congenital heart disease and pregnancy training was based at prestigious centres in London.
Before joining Royal Brompton Hospital, she worked as a consultant cardiologist at Leeds General Infirmary from 2016-2017. She has also been a visiting consultant at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Currently, she is a visiting consultant at Colchester Hospital where she has set up a new outreach service to provide care near home.
Research
Dr Rafiq’s research focuses on clinical cardiology and analysis of outcomes in cardiology, including congenital heart disease and pregnancy. She has a number of projects she is leading on currently and has presented her work at national and international conferences.
Publications
Dr Rafiq has regularly contributed to several articles in journals such as JACC, the international journal of cardiology and presented her work at national and international conferences. She regularly lectures at conferences.
Teaching
She leads the educational programme for the trainees at Royal Brompton Hospital. She is involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. She has lectured regularly on the training days.