Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been told by doctors at the Royal Brompton Hospital that his cardiac PET scan is suggestive of ischemic amyocardium – where blood supply to heart is deficient – leading to a risk of heart attack and a cause of his ongoing angina.
He visited the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital on Monday for a cardiac PET scan, where he was seen by a team of specialist doctors.
A source in the hospital told Internews on condition of anonymity that Sharif will be handed over results of the scan “after the Christmas break” but it is clear from the scans that the former prime minister is at risk of heart attack and his ongoing angina is a serious concern.
The hospital source said that the former prime minister needs “invasive procedure and a coronary intervention to treat the blockage”.
The hospital source said: “If the intervention is not successful, then he might go for a redo CABG, i.e. repeat heart bypass operation.”
When approached to confirm the report by the Royal Brompton Hospital, Sharif’s personal physician Dr Adnan Khan declined to confirm or deny it.
He confirmed that Sharif’s cardiac PET scan was done on Monday, that the results of the scan are awaited, and would be provided to the family in due course.
Dr Khan had revealed last week that Sharif, who is currently in London for treatment, has been diagnosed with a complicated coronary disease and will undergo further scans.
He tweeted: “Former PM #NawazSharif scheduled for Carotid Artery Scans to establish and evaluate extent of arterial stenosis, disease progression and risk stratification at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital, London. Sharif has previously documented critical stenosis of Carotid Arteries.”
Dr Khan had tweeted a day earlier: “Former PM #NawazSharif undergoing Rubidium Cardiac PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan, performed using radioactive tracer to assess and evaluate myocardial perfusion (blood supply to heart) and viability (heart muscle functioning) at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital, London.”
He tweeted last Thursday: “Former PM Nawaz Sharif underwent comprehensive Cardiovascular evaluation and investigations at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital, London.
“He’s diagnosed of complicated Coronary Artery/Ischemic Heart Disease with significant disease burden. Cardiac Perfusion Scans scheduled.”
Sharif continues to undergo a range of tests for his cardiac and haematology complications, as doctors continue to determine the reasons for his low platelet count and reasons for the instability of platelet count.
The former prime minister arrived in London on November 19 along with his brother Shehbaz after the court granted him permission to travel abroad on medical grounds.
Prior to that he was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court in the Al-Azizia case, also on medical grounds.