About Dr. Dougal McClean

Dr Dougal McCleanDr. Dougal McClean MB ChB (Otago), FRACP, MD (Otago), FCSANZ is an Interventional and General Cardiologist working in private practice at Cardiology Specialists, and also at Christchurch Hospital. Dr. Dougal McClean has been in private practice since January 2004 and specializes in all aspects of clinical cardiology with a special focus on: Chest Pain, Heart Risk Assessment including CT Coronary and CT Calcium Scans, and Complex Coronary Artery Stenting, as well as Heart Flutters and Dizziness, Atrial Fibrillation, Heart murmurs, Shortness of Breath and Heart failure, and High Blood Pressure. Dr McClean continues the practice established by Professor Hamid Ikram who still remains involved at Cardiology Specialists. As a high volume Interventional Cardiologist, Dougal McClean’s special interests include complex coronary artery stenting that previously required open heart surgery, and new interventional devices and techniques to improve patient outcomes. He holds a joint appointment as a Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Otago, Christchurch.

Dr. Dougal McClean has over 14 years experience as a Consultant Cardiologist at Christchurch Hospital in all aspects of clinical cardiology including chest pain, angina, sudden heart attacks, acute and chronic heart rhythm disorders including atrial fibrillation and tachycardia, slow heart rates, syncope and dizziness, different types of heart murmurs, all aspects of weak and thickened heart muscle (Heart Failure), and High Blood Pressure.

Dr. Dougal McClean is an experienced Interventional Cardiologist at Christchurch Hospital and at the Heart Centre, St George’s Hospital. At Christchurch Hospital, Dougal McClean specialises in complex coronary artery stenting (which previously may have needed open heart surgery) including double branch (bifurcation) stenting; completely occluded coronary arteries (chronic total occlusions); high-speed drill for hardened (calcified) narrowings (rotational atherectomy); coronary stenting as an alternative to Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (left main and multi-vessel stenting), and imaging of unstable cholesterol plaque on the inside of the coronary artery (Optical Coherence Tomography). He is a past chairman of the CSANZ NZ interventional working group.

Dr. Dougal McClean is a leading interventional researcher in new stent designs including third generation metallic stents, and fully dissolving stents (bioresorbable scaffolds). He has co-authored over 60 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. McClean teaches training doctors techniques to perform heart stenting and lectures in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. He is also an expert on inflammation within the coronary artery performing local research in acute heart attacks at the site of acute cholesterol plaque rupture.

Clinical Training

Dr Dougal McClean giving a lectureDougal McClean graduated with MB ChB from Otago Medical School in December 1990. He completed his Cardiology training at Christchurch Hospital in 1999 as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Dr. Dougal McClean performed post-graduate research at Christchurch Hospital under supervision of Prof Hamid Ikram studying heart pressure and blood flow effects of combined ACE and NEP inhibition in weak hearts (systolic heart failure) with serial Swan Ganz right heart catheterisation to measure pressure and flow inside the heart, cardiac BNP, echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) for heart size and function, blood volume, venous capacitance, 24 hour blood pressure monitoring, and heart rate variability using 24 hour ambulatory holter monitors. Dr Dougal McClean received his Doctorate of Medicine (MD) from the University of Otago in 2001.

Dougal McClean was awarded a National Heart Foundation Overseas Travelling Fellowship and undertook a two year interventional fellowship at Kings College Hospital, London, U.K. 1999-2001 including research into novel treatments for treatment of scar tissue forming within bare metal stents (restenosis), and effect of nitric oxide on heart pumping (contractility) in high blood pressure patients with stiff hearts and fluid build up (heart failure). Dr. McClean completed his overseas interventional training as the H. Jeremy Swan Interventional Fellow at Cedars Sinai Medical Centre, Los Angeles, U.S.A 2001-2002 with research into novel drug coated stents and dissolving polymers, as well as testing (calibration) of invasive internal heart pressure monitoring devices.

Why Choose Dr Dougal McClean and Cardiology Specialists

Dr Dougal McCleanDr Dougal McClean is a Consultant Cardiologist with over 14 years experience investigating and treating all aspects of clinical cardiology as well as an expert Interventional Cardiologist performing Coronary Angioplasty to implant Heart Stents.

Dr Dougal McClean listens to you and explains the tests, possible diagnosis, and treatment in “easy to understand” simple language. Dr McClean understands heart medication and will work hard to find the right medication that improves your heart condition without causing side effects.

Dr Dougal McClean is supported by a team of talented and caring staff.

Cardiology Specialist DiagnosticsCardiology Specialist Diagnostics has recently upgraded testing equipment with new “state of the art” advanced echo, holter and blood pressure testing equipment. You have the experience and expertise of Dr Dougal McClean for all consultations, and to review and interpret all tests.

“Every thing you need is in one place” with the convenience of Consultation and Heart tests at Cardiology Specialists often performed at same visit (especially for out of town patients). Heart Scans, Stents, Cardioversions, and Heart Surgery are performed on the adjacent St George’s Hospital site.