Key points

  • Cardiologists usually need recent ECGs, echocardiogram reports and any angiography images.
  • Fitness to travel matters especially for heart patients; the treating doctor decides.
  • Recovery after some heart procedures includes a period near the hospital before flying.

This page describes how we coordinate travel for heart care. It is not medical advice, and it does not recommend any treatment. The treating cardiologist or cardiac surgeon decides what care is appropriate.

Records cardiology teams usually ask for

  • Recent consultation notes and the referring doctor’s letter
  • ECGs, ideally the tracings rather than only the interpretation
  • Echocardiogram reports
  • Angiography reports, and the images on disc or download where available
  • Results of stress tests, Holter monitoring or other investigations
  • Blood test results, including recent kidney function
  • A full list of current medicines, including blood thinners

The guide on sending medical records explains how to prepare and share them.

Second opinions

Families often seek a second opinion before major heart surgery or a procedure such as a stent or valve intervention. Specialists can often review records and angiography images before anyone travels. See getting a second opinion.

Travelling with a heart condition

Whether and how a heart patient can travel is a clinical decision for the treating doctor. Some patients travel on a scheduled flight, some with a medical escort, and some need a dedicated air ambulance. Read fitness to fly and our air ambulance and transfers page.

The stay

The length of stay depends on the treatment. After some procedures the hospital stay is short; after open-heart surgery it is longer, and doctors usually want the patient nearby for review before a long journey home. Ask the treating team for an expected timeline when you receive the plan, and see where to stay near the hospital.

Questions to ask the cardiology team

  • What exactly do you propose, and what are the alternatives?
  • How long will the patient be in hospital, and then nearby?
  • When will the patient be able to fly, and with what support?
  • What follow-up will the cardiologist at home need to do?

How we help

We share records with cardiology teams suited to the case, present their responses side by side, and coordinate travel, stay, attendants and follow-up. See treatment in another Indian city or international patient services.