Professor Daniel Augustine
Consultant Cardiologist
Bath
PROFESSIONAL
About
Professor Dan Augustine is a consultant cardiologist.
He also practices at the Royal United Hospital Bath and is an Honorary Professor at the University of Bath. He qualified in 2002 from St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London Medical School and completed his cardiology training in the South West of England.
Dan has undertaken a cardiovascular imaging research fellowship at the University of Oxford and gained an MD(Res). He has speciality expertise in cardiac imaging (echocardiography and cardiac MRI), general cardiology and sports cardiology.
Dan has held national roles within the British Society of Echocardiography (BSE). This has included being the lead for a number of national guidelines implemented into NHS trusts. Dan is the president-elect of the BSE and will start his term as president in October 2023.
General Cardiology
Dan is the author and editor of several national and international cardiology textbooks. This, in combination with his role for the BSE, means that he stays up-to-date with contemporary practice, using the latest evidence and guidelines. It allows Dan to give a modern and expert opinion on a wide range of cardiological presentations including:
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Chest pain
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Breathlessness
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Heart murmurs, valve disease
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Heart risk factor management (such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure)
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Heart rhythm symptoms (palpitations, atrial fibrillation)
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Episodes of altered consciousness (blackouts or near blackouts)
Cardiology Subspecialty
Advanced Cardiac Imaging
Dan has expertise in echocardiography (heart ultrasound scans) and cardiac MRI. Dan is the lead for echocardiography at the RUH Bath and under his leadership, the department were awarded national departmental accreditation by the BSE in for all forms of echocardiography in November 2022. Dan is proficient in all aspects of modern echocardiography, including 3D echocardiography.
He has expertise in stress echocardiography and has led on the introduction of the exercise stress echocardiography service in Bath. Dan has been part of the author group author for a number of national echocardiography guidelines which have been implemented into NHS practice since 2018.
Sports Cardiology
Dan is one of the first cardiologists in the UK to have completed a Masters degree in Sports Cardiology (2019), at St George's University, London (via scholarship). Dan provides expert cardiac sports advice, screening and assessment of symptoms to those of all abilities. He has worked with professional-club and international athletes and also helps to advise those with underlying cardiac conditions (e.g. after a heart attack or those with heart failure) to improve their exercise capacity and provide tailored exercise prescriptions.
Dan is one of the Football Association (FA) consensus panel cardiologists. He has worked as sports cardiologist with a number of sports teams / organisations including the FA / professional football teams, Bath Rugby, Bristol Rugby, Somerset Cricket, Great Britain (GB) swimming, England woman’s cricket team, GB bobsleigh, GB skeleton, GB modern Pentathlon and GB athletics.
Dan was one of the authors of the National Guidelines on the screening of sports participants, published in 2018. This was a joint position paper from the British Society of Echocardiography and the charity Cardiac Risk In The Young.
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
Dan is one of a few cardiologists in the UK who is accredited in advacned echocardiography (heart ultrasound scanning) as well as cardiac MRI. He also specializes in diagnostic coronary angiography (passing small tubes into heart arteries to identify narrowings) and pulmonary hypertension catheters (used to directly measure pressures in lung arteries and heart chambers). This in depth practice and undertsanding of non invasvie and invasive testing means that Dan is able to prioritise the safest and most efficient diagnostic pathway for his patients. Here are a selection of diagnostic tests which Dan undertakes:
 Heart Ultrasound Scans (Echo)Dan is proficient in all aspects of advanced heart ultrasound scanning and is the editor of Echocardiography, one of the leading heart ultrasound textbooks. Dan uses a combination of 2D and 3D imaging, tailored to the clinical situation. |  Coronary AngiographyCoronary angiograms are used to help see whether there are any narrowings in heart arteries. A small flexible tube is passed via an artery in the wrist (or top of leg) to the heart arteries and images are taken using an X-ray machine. In addition to coronary angiograms, Dan undertakes right heart catheters to help those with high pressures in their lung arteries as part of the regional pulmonary hypertension service. |  Heart Trace (ECG)Stickers (called electrodes) are placed across the chest wall. The electrodes are attached to the ECG machine to make a recording of the hearts electrical activity |
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 Cardiac MRIDan has full European Level 3 accreditation in cardiac MRI, one of the most advanced forms of cardiac imaging available. MRI scans use magnetic properties of hydrogen particles in water molecules of our body to create images. There is no radiation risk. These scans can be used to identify heart structure and function, to detect abnormalities with heart muscle and to identify areas of reduced blood flow due to heart artery narrowings. |  'Stress' EchocardiographyThis is a specialised heart ultrasound scan used to identify possible narrowings in heart arteries. It is called a stress test as the heart rate is increased during the test in a completely controlled way. Dan is an expert in the main recommended forms of stress echo - using either medication or exercise to increase the heart rates. |  Exercise Treadmill TestingTreadmill testing is valuable in certain clinical scenarios, giving information on exercise capacity, symptoms, heart trace and blood pressure response to exercise. |
ACADEMIC
TEXT BOOKS
Dan has authored and edited national and international cardiology textbooks and the success of these have led to Dan being commissioned by Oxford University Press to author further cardiology textbooks aimed to help European cardiology trainees through cardiology training on their way to becoming future consultants.
RESEARCH
Dan is the cardiology research lead at the RUH Bath. He is an honorary Professor at the University of Bath.
Dan has undertaken a research fellowship at the John Radcliffe hospital & University of Oxford (MD 2014) involving the use of advanced imaging in the detection of clinical and sub clinical cardiovascular disease.
Dan enjoys supervising PhD and MSc students. Research interests: novel markers to improve the detection of cardiovascular disease; echocardiography in the detection of pulmonary hypertension; wearable technology in cardiac rehab; stress echocardiography practice in the UK.
NATIONAL AWARDS
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Highly commended by British Medical Association for textbook 'Echocardiography', British Medical Association book awards 2014.
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Highly commended by British Medical Association for textbook 'MCQs for the cardiology KBA', British Medical Association book awards 2015.
CONSULTATIONS
NHS
Dan undertakes NHS consultations at the Royal United Hospital Bath. He is happy to receive direct referrals from GPs.
Private Consultations
Dan undertakes private consultations at the CircleBath and Spire Bristol Hospitals. Diagnostic tests are performed at the CircleBath, the Royal United Hospital Bath and The Spire Bristol.
Dan is fee assured with all of the major private insurance firms.
How To Book An Appointment
If you have insurance: It is usual to have a referral letter from your GP. Once you have confirmed with your insurance company please contact us.
If you are self-funding: Please contact Dan's team directly for flexible rapid access consultations or diagnostic tests. It is not necessary to have seen your GP beforehand.
CONTACT
PA to Dr Daniel Augustine:
Carolyn Fraser
Sulis Bath Hospital
Foxcote Avenue
Peasedown St John
Bath BA2 8SQ
