FAQ

The electrodes are just recording devices, they can’t send out any electrical impulses of their own, so you won’t feel a thing. The information they gather is transmitted back to the ECG machine, which will produce a report for the doctor to interpret.

Only upon your request. If your results are abnormal then we would recommend that you contact your GP to discuss the proposed management plan.

Test results can be sent to you electronically and/or posted directly to a specified address. However, in many circumstances we recommend that the doctor go through your results in person or via a scheduled conference call/video link.

4 Armed Health services provide the most efficient way of screening for cardiac, genetic or blood disorders that might endanger you during competitive sport.

We recommend however, that you take your test results to your general practitioner or specialist sports medical practitioner for a full physical examination before competitive participation.

Please contact us if you wish to arrange a consultation with our doctors to discuss this further.

The Doctor overseeing the cardiac tests will review and discuss your results with you onsite or via a scheduled video call, whichever you prefer.

Genetic tests will take approximately 4 to 6 weeks for a detailed analysis to be conducted and a specialist range of detailed reports compiled. You will then be contacted to arrange to go through the results in person or over a video link if you so wish.

Blood test results should be with you within 48 hours

Yes, we take confidentiality extremely seriously and our obligation to hold all information in a secure and safe fashion.  The Common Law Duty of Confidentiality underpins our work at 4 Armed Health. We recognise we have a statutory responsibility to ensure that information obtained from or about patients is maintained securely and treated confidentially. Information will not be communicated to any unauthorised persons without explicit consent of the individual.

There are some cardiac conditions that can disqualify you from certain activities and careers and that may have impact on insurance policies.

This is clearly of particular importance for commercial airline pilots, public vehicle drivers and professional divers.

We recommend that you consider the impact of finding a cardiac abnormality carefully as we cannot accept responsibility for any subsequent financial loss or inconvenience due to the screening process. Please read our terms and conditions for more information.

In the unlikely event of a medical emergency our staff are trained in advanced resuscitation procedures and have the relevant equipment on hand.

If an abnormality is discovered, you will be notified immediately explaining what has been found and a plan regarding any further testing, treatment or referrals. This may involve a consultation with a member of the staff or a referral to a specialist.

4 Armed Health services are a private screening service that is not funded by the government.

Any additional tests that may be required can be performed for a charge or provided by the local hospital service depending on your eligibility.

We accept the following methods of payment: PayPal and all major credit cards.

We recommend wearing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing, so if necessary, we can easily examine you and specifically access your neck and chest area for the investigation. If you are having an exercise test, please bring appropriate footwear such as trainers. You may also wish to bring a change of clothing following your exercise.  Please talk to one of our staff if you would like a chaperone present.

All tests conducted at 4 Armed Health are non-invasive with the exception of taking a blood sample that we would describe as a micro invasive procedure. Blood tests are conducted by a trained professional causing minor, fleeting discomfort.

The cardiac tests are painless and allergic reactions to ECG sticky pads are uncommon. In the event of an allergic reaction, the examination will be terminated immediately. For more information regarding the procedure of each test or scan please see our cardiac services page.

The genetic tests require a simple cheek saliva swab. This can be collected either by the patient or the doctor.  To ensure accurate results we ask, 1 hour prior to taking the sample to not eat, drink, chew gum, smoke or brush your teeth.

This is dependent on the chosen service. We ask all visitors to allow an hour and a half for a consultation and examination.

4-Armed Health offer a range of tests as part of your well-person medical screening. These tests and scans are all designed to detect any signs of ill health or potential disease. We recommend that a client begins with a detailed clinician led consultation to discuss their medical/family history and lifestyle choices. Based on this information a combination of genetic, blood and cardiac investigations may be combined following a detailed consultation with a doctor to exclude or advise on certain medical conditions. The basic and most commonly performed tests are:

• an electrical recording of the heart (ECG)
• an ultrasound investigation of the heart structure and function (Echocardiogram).
• Biochemistry and Haematology blood tests

There are some cardiac conditions that can disqualify you from certain activities and careers and that may have…

The cardiac, genetic and blood tests are performed at our clinic in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.

Some tests can be conducted at home by special appointment.  Genetic tests can be sent to your home if you so wish.  Consultant feedback and test results can be discussed in person or via video call if preferred.