Department of Cardiology, Shenzhen Longhua District Central Hospital

The Department of Cardiology is a Key Medical Discipline of Longhua District, Shenzhen. It is certified as a China Standard Chest Pain Center, National Standardized Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, Member Unit of the Standard Atrial Fibrillation Center of China Atrial Fibrillation Center Alliance, and Municipal Center Unit of the Cardiomyopathy Specialty Alliance of the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases of China (one of only two municipal center units in Shenzhen). In 2019, the department introduced the high-level medical team Professor Nie Shaoping's Cardiology Team from Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University. It has now developed into an outstanding team with strong specialized technical strength, a reasonable talent echelon, and full capability to manage patients with acute, complex and critical cardiovascular diseases.

The department consists of three core sections: Outpatient Clinic, Inpatient Ward, and Functional Examination & Rehabilitation Room. Three subspecialties have been established in the inpatient ward: Coronary Artery Disease, Arrhythmia & Structural Heart Disease, and Heart Failure & Cardiac Rehabilitation. The Functional Examination & Rehabilitation Room comprises the Coronary Care Unit (CCU), Treadmill Exercise Test Room, External Counterpulsation Room, Cardiopulmonary Function Testing Room, and Head-up Tilt Test Room. The department has a well-established talent echelon, exquisite clinical skills and extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of difficult and critical cardiovascular diseases and thrombotic diseases, as well as the standardized treatment and long-term management of common and chronic cardiovascular diseases including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure and atrial fibrillation.

At present, the department can routinely perform a full range of cardiovascular interventional procedures, including emergency and complex percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), three-dimensional mapping-guided radiofrequency ablation for arrhythmia, interventional occlusion for congenital heart disease, cardiac pacemaker implantation, implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation, interventional therapy for peripheral arteries and veins, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The shortest recorded door-to-balloon (D2B) time is 15 minutes, reaching the leading level in Shenzhen. Meanwhile, it is the first medical institution in Longhua District to launch integrated treatment and rehabilitation services for cardiovascular diseases, and also the first medical institution in Shenzhen to cooperate with BGI to provide genetic counseling for hereditary cardiovascular diseases.

Discipline Leader & Team Profile

Professor Chang Rong, the discipline leader and department director, is a Doctor of Medicine, Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor, Leading Talent in Medical and Health Care of Longhua District, Shenzhen, and one of the Top 10 Specialists of Longhua District.

The department currently has 3 chief physicians (senior professional title), 1 associate chief physician (associate senior professional title), 2 doctoral degree holders, 1 postdoctoral researcher, 9 master's degree holders, and 1 full-time scientific researcher.

The department has undertaken 7 research projects, published more than 50 papers in domestic and international peer-reviewed journals, compiled 6 academic monographs, and obtained 4 patents. It has won 1 China Science and Technology Progress Award, 1 First Prize of Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award, 1 Third Prize of Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award, and 1 Third Prize of Municipal Science and Technology Progress Award. It is a regional diagnosis and treatment center for difficult and critical cardiovascular diseases, with first-class technology, advanced management, equal emphasis on clinical practice and scientific research, and overall technical level ranking among the top in Shenzhen.

The department has 38 open specialized inpatient beds, and runs general cardiology outpatient clinic, cardiology specialist clinic, atrial fibrillation specialized clinic, and high-level expert team clinic. The annual outpatient volume of the specialty exceeds 21,700 person-times, with an annual inpatient admission of over 2,000 person-times.

Scope of Diagnosis and Treatment

1.Coronary Artery Diseases: including coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, etc.), coronary artery spasm, myocardial bridge, coronary artery fistula to the atrium, ventricle or pulmonary artery, etc. Common clinical manifestations include chest tightness, chest pain, mandibular pain, toothache, shoulder pain, back pain, abdominal pain, dyspnea, etc.

2.Arrhythmic Diseases: including paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, frequent atrial premature contractions, frequent ventricular premature contractions, ventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, atrioventricular block, sick sinus syndrome, etc. Common clinical manifestations include palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, chest tightness, etc.

3.Structural Heart Diseases: including atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, etc. Common clinical manifestations include decreased exercise tolerance, fatigue, lassitude, chest tightness, etc.

4.Heart Failure: including acute left heart failure, acute right heart failure, total heart failure, chronic heart failure, etc. Common clinical manifestations include chest tightness, shortness of breath, dyspnea, fatigue, decreased appetite, abdominal distension, lower extremity edema, dry cough, etc.

5.Peripheral Vascular Diseases: including aortic dissection, abdominal aortic aneurysm, pulmonary embolism, lower extremity venous thrombosis, lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans, hepatic hemangioma, etc.

6.Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases: including dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, restrictive cardiomyopathy, acute myopericarditis, pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade, etc.

7.Hypertension: including essential hypertension, secondary hypertension, hypertensive emergency, hypertensive urgency, etc.