Professor Richard Steeds

Professor Rick Steeds is an Consultant Cardiologist specialising in the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of valvular heart disease, as well as the management of cardiomyopathy, including rare and metabolic conditions. He serves as Clinical Lead for the Valve Surveillance clinic, overseeing the care of patients with a range of heart valve diseases affecting both the left heart (aortic and mitral) and right heart (tricuspid and pulmonary).

His clinical practice combines outpatient and inpatient care, utilizing advanced diagnostic techniques such as echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging to manage both simple and complex valve conditions.

As Clinical Cardiology Lead for cardiovascular imaging, he focuses on echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. He is the immediate past President of the British Society of Echocardiography and holds an Honorary Reader position at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Birmingham. Professor Steeds has published over 200 peer-reviewed research articles.

Outside of his professional work, he is an avid tennis player and enjoys participating in various sports, balancing this with the demands of managing a busy family life with three teenage children.

Diseases, Medical Tests, and Treatments:

Professor Steeds specializes in advanced echocardiography techniques, including quantitative valve assessment for diagnosis and prognosis, myocardial deformation imaging, and contrast echocardiography to optimize heart muscle function and assess valve diseases.

He uses contrast echocardiography to investigate strokes of unknown cause and monitor chemotherapy-related cardiac changes. Additionally, he employs transoesophageal echocardiography with 3D imaging to visualize and characterize valve lesions and failures.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging is another key tool in his practice, helping to track changes in heart muscle size and function, as well as investigate tissue characteristics in both inherited and acquired myocardial diseases.

His particular focus is on heart valve disease, including common conditions such as aortic stenosis and mitral regurgitation, as well as rarer forms like tricuspid regurgitation caused by tumors or drug effects. As Clinical Lead for the Valve Surveillance service, he is highly experienced in monitoring changes in valve function and determining the optimal timing for surgery or intervention to minimize risk and improve outcomes.

Professor Steeds is also skilled in the management of cardiomyopathy, ranging from more common forms like dilated cardiomyopathy to rare conditions, including Fabry cardiomyopathy. 

He regularly lectures both nationally and internationally on valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathy, and is involved in ongoing research programs that explore new diagnostic methods and therapies for patients in need of advanced care.