Dr Anaya Rahman

Dr Anaya Rahman is a consultant in interventional cardiology at Allergy Asthma Foundation. The starting point is that most heart disease is managed well without a procedure, and an invasive test is worth doing only when its result will change what happens next. Patients are seen for a first opinion, for a second opinion on a diagnosis already made elsewhere, and for the long-term follow-up of conditions that need regular review.

Background and training

Dr Anaya Rahman completed an MBBS followed by postgraduate specialist training, and has since held posts across teaching-hospital and community settings. That mix matters: it means a plan is built not only around the ideal textbook pathway but around what is practical for the person in front of you — the medicines they can take reliably, the follow-up they can attend, and the goals that matter to them.

Continuing education is part of the job. Dr Anaya Rahman keeps current with national and international guidelines, takes part in the group's clinical audit and case-review meetings, and updates standard treatment protocols as the evidence changes.

Clinical focus

The focus is on the heart's arteries and structure — diagnosing the cause of chest pain and breathlessness accurately, and treating narrowed or blocked arteries with the least intervention that will do the job. The main areas of interest are:

• Coronary angiography and angioplasty with stent placement
• Assessment and treatment of stable angina and after a heart attack
• Structural and valve disease work-up, including 4D echocardiography
• Pacemaker and device assessment
• Preventive cardiology and risk-factor clinics for high-risk families

Conditions seen in clinic

Referrals and self-bookings to Dr Anaya Rahman's clinic most often involve:

• Chest pain, tightness or pressure on exertion
• Breathlessness and reduced exercise tolerance
• Palpitations, blackouts and atrial fibrillation
• Coronary artery disease and recovery after a heart attack
• Heart valve disease and heart failure
• Difficult-to-control high blood pressure
• A strong family history of early heart disease

Approach to care

An angioplasty is offered when the expected benefit clearly outweighs the small procedural risk; otherwise the plan is medicines, structured risk-factor control and close review. Recovery after a cardiac event is supported by a formal rehabilitation programme rather than left to chance.

Shared decision-making is the default. That means explaining what a test can and cannot tell you before it is ordered, laying out the options with their benefits and trade-offs, and agreeing a plan rather than simply issuing one. Where a condition is long-term, the aim is to hand as much of the day-to-day management back to you as is safe, with a clear written plan and a route back in if things change.

Time is built into each appointment for questions, and nothing important is rushed. If English is not your first language, or if a family member usually helps you keep track of appointments and medicines, they are welcome in the consultation. Written instructions are given at the end of every visit so that the plan is not something you have to remember from a busy clinic.

Working with the wider team

Care at Allergy Asthma Foundation is delivered by a team. Dr Anaya Rahman works alongside specialist nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians and pharmacists, and refers to and receives patients from other departments so that a problem crossing more than one speciality is managed jointly rather than in isolation. Results from the on-site laboratory and imaging service are usually available quickly, which keeps the number of separate visits down.

Your record is shared across every AAF centre, so if you are seen at a different branch — while travelling, or because an appointment is sooner there — the doctor you see has your full history, test results and medicine list in front of them. Continuity does not depend on always seeing the same building.

Teaching and quality

Dr Anaya Rahman supervises junior doctors and contributes to the training of nursing and allied-health staff. Every clinic's outcomes feed into the department's audit cycle, and complications and unexpected results are reviewed openly so that practice keeps improving. Standard treatment protocols are updated as national and international guidelines change, so the care you receive reflects current evidence rather than long-standing habit.

What to expect at your consultation

1. A detailed history of your symptoms, risk factors and family history.
2. A physical examination and a resting ECG.
3. An echocardiogram or blood tests during the same visit where useful.
4. A clear explanation of the likely diagnosis and the options, including whether an angiogram is actually needed.
5. A written plan shared with you and, with your consent, your family doctor.

Questions patients ask

Do I need a referral to be seen?

No. You can book a consultation with Dr Anaya Rahman directly. A referral letter and copies of previous tests still help, because they give a head start on the history and avoid repeating investigations.

Will I see the same doctor at each visit?

For a long-term condition, the aim is continuity with one consultant. Occasionally an urgent slot may be with a colleague in the same team; in that case the shared record means the plan carries over without you having to re-explain it.

How soon can I be seen?

Same-week appointments are usually available. If your concern is urgent, our 24-hour helpline will triage it and arrange an earlier slot or direct you to emergency care if that is safer.

Languages and access

Consultations are available in English, Malayalam and Hindi. If you need an interpreter for another language, tell us when booking and we will arrange one. The clinic is step-free and wheelchair accessible, and longer appointments can be booked for anyone who needs more time.

To book a consultation with Dr Anaya Rahman, use the online booking page for the branch where they consult, or request a callback and our coordinators will find a suitable time. Please bring a list of your current medicines and any previous test results or discharge summaries.