Dr Ramesh De Silva
Consultant Cardiologist
Qualifications
• MB ChB University of Leeds, Leeds. 1995 • MD University of Hull, Hull. 2008 • FRCP Royal College of Physicians, London. 2014Year Qualified
1995GMC Number
4194011Main NHS Base
Bedfordshire Hospital NHS TrustMember Of
- • British Cardiovascular Intervention Society
- • Royal College of Physicians
- • General Medical Council
- • British Medical Association
Scope of Practice
- • Chest Pain
- • Breathlessness
- • Palpitations
- • Dizziness
- • High blood pressure
- • Collapsing
- • Fainting
- • Coronary angiography
- • Insertion of coronary stents (PCI – percutaneous coronary intervention)
Areas of Expertise
- • Coronary artery disease
- • High Blood Pressure – Hypertension
- • Arrhythmia – irregular heart rhythm – palpitations
- • Heart failure
- • Cardiomyopathies
- • Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease
- • Hypercholesterolaemia – High Cholesterol
- • Fainting – Syncope
- • Breathlessness
- • Dizziness
- • Valve disease
- • Angiogram – cardiac catheterisation
- • Coronary angioplasty – percutaneous coronary intervention – Stent
- • Cardiology
- • Postural Tachycardia Syndrome – PoTS
Training & Background
Dr Ramesh de Silva graduated in 1995 from the University of Leeds. Following training in general medicine and cardiology in Yorkshire, he commenced a period of research in cardiac imaging and heart failure and was awarded a Doctorate of Medicine. His speciality training in Cardiology was at Papworth hospital, Cambridge, the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre and Glenfield Hospital, Leicester.
Further training in coronary intervention and coronary CT angiography was obtained at the Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, USA. He was appointed as a Consultant Cardiologist with a speciality interest in Interventional Cardiology at Bedford Hospital in 2010. He has contributed to the development of a successful service delivering angioplasty and stenting and is involved with expanding the service further following the merger of Bedford hospital with Luton & Dunstable hospital. Until 2018, he was also part of the team at Papworth hospital who treated patients presenting as emergencies with symptoms suggestive of an acute heart attack.
He has an ongoing interest in Interventional Cardiology research and has published a number of articles in peer reviewed journals and presented abstracts at various national and international cardiology conferences. Percutaneous coronary interventional procedures performed by Dr de Silva include coronary angioplasty with stenting, assessment of narrowing’s in the coronary arteries with intra-coronary imaging such as intra-vascular ultra-sound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the use of pressure wires to assess coronary physiology.
Dr de Silva was born in Sri Lanka and his primary and secondary education was between both Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Being exposed to two contrasting educational and cultural systems has given him a unique insight with regards to the expectations of patients. He has a daughter and a son. Outside of work, his main interest is in music, being able to play several different instruments and composing, recording and producing music as a member of an amateur band.