Dr Edgar Tay is an interventional and structural heart cardiologist and the founder of the Asian Heart and Vascular Center. His clinical focus is on transcatheter valve interventions such as TAVI and transcatheter edge-to-edge repair, adult congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension. He was previously Senior Consultant and Director of the Structural Heart Disease Programme at the National University Heart Centre Singapore and completed fellowship training at Royal Brompton Hospital, London and St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver.
Clinical focus
Structural heart / transcatheter valve interventions (TAVI).
Qualifications (as publicly listed)
MBBS, MRCP (UK), M.Med (Int Med), FAMS, FACC.
Where they practise
- Clinic / practice: Asian Heart and Vascular Center (AHVC) — Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Novena
- Hospital affiliation(s): Mount Elizabeth Hospital; Gleneagles Hospital; National University Heart Centre Singapore (former)
Related heart-health guides
Getting to the clinic
The Asian Heart and Vascular Center sits within the Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre on Irrawaddy Road, in the Novena medical cluster. The most direct public route is Novena MRT on the North-South Line (NS20), from which the medical centre is a short, mostly sheltered walk past Square 2 and the surrounding Novena specialist buildings. Several bus routes serve Thomson Road and Irrawaddy Road, so a bus and a short walk is a reasonable alternative if you are coming from outside the city centre.
If you are travelling by car or taxi, taxi and ride-hailing drop-off points are available at the building entrance, which helps if mobility is limited or you are bringing an older relative for a valve assessment. The specialist centre and adjoining hospital have paid visitor carparks, so allow extra time at busy clinic hours. The lift-served, sheltered corridors between the MRT, the malls and the medical centre make the approach manageable in Singapore’s heat.
What structural heart and transcatheter valve work covers
Dr Tay’s focus is structural heart disease and transcatheter valve interventions. Structural heart problems are conditions affecting the valves, walls and chambers of the heart rather than the coronary arteries alone. A large part of this work involves the aortic and mitral valves: valves that have become narrowed (stenosis) or leaky (regurgitation), often causing breathlessness, fatigue, chest tightness or fainting. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation, or TAVI, replaces a diseased aortic valve using a catheter passed through a blood vessel, avoiding open-heart surgery in suitable patients. Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair addresses a leaking mitral valve in a similar minimally invasive way.
This subspecialty also encompasses adult congenital heart disease, where heart differences present from birth are managed into adulthood, and pulmonary hypertension, a condition of raised pressure in the lung arteries that strains the right side of the heart. Because these problems are complex and individual, decisions are usually made by a heart team that weighs the severity of the valve or structural problem against a person’s overall health, age and other conditions.
What to expect at a consultation
A first visit typically begins with a detailed history of your symptoms, such as breathlessness on exertion, palpitations, chest discomfort or episodes of dizziness, and a review of any heart conditions in your family. The doctor will examine your heart and circulation, listening for murmurs that point to valve disease. You may already have an echocardiogram (a heart ultrasound), or one may be arranged, as imaging is central to assessing valve and structural problems. Further tests such as an ECG, blood tests, a CT scan of the heart or right-heart catheterisation may be discussed where a valve intervention is being considered.
The consultation usually ends with a clear explanation of what the findings mean and what the options are, from monitoring and medication to a catheter-based or surgical procedure. You will have the chance to ask questions and understand the likely benefits, risks and recovery for each path.
Preparing for your appointment
To make the visit productive, bring your photo identification and any GP or polyclinic referral letter. Gather previous records that relate to your heart, including earlier echocardiograms, ECGs, CT or angiogram reports, and any discs or images from other hospitals. Prepare an up-to-date list of all your medicines and supplements, including blood thinners and heart medications, with their doses.
- A written list of your symptoms, when they started and what makes them better or worse.
- Any record of fainting episodes, breathlessness or exercise limitation, which is especially relevant for valve disease.
- Details of other conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease or lung disease that may influence treatment choices.
- Questions you want answered about your diagnosis, procedure options and recovery.
After your consultation and follow-up
After the appointment you will usually receive a summary of the findings and the plan, and any further imaging or tests will be arranged. For valve disease that does not yet need intervention, follow-up echocardiograms at intervals are common to track changes over time. If a transcatheter procedure is recommended, you will be guided through the pre-procedure assessment, the hospital stay and the recovery afterwards, with review visits to check how you are healing and responding.
Continuity of care matters in structural heart disease, as conditions can progress slowly and need monitoring for years. You are always entitled to seek a second opinion before a major procedure. Seek urgent help, or go to an emergency department, if you develop severe or sudden breathlessness, chest pain, fainting or collapse.
Booking, referrals and fees
As a private clinic, an appointment can usually be made directly without a referral, though a GP or polyclinic referral letter is still useful for sharing your history and may help if you later seek subsidised care at a public centre. For eligible procedures, MediSave, MediShield Life and Integrated Shield Plans may contribute within set limits, while consultations are generally paid out of pocket. Coverage for valve interventions varies, so confirm the expected costs and what your insurance covers with the clinic before proceeding.
Common questions
What is TAVI and who is it for?
TAVI replaces a narrowed aortic valve using a catheter rather than open surgery. It is often considered for people whose valve disease causes symptoms and who may benefit from a less invasive approach, with suitability decided by a heart team.
Do I always need surgery for a leaking or narrowed valve?
No. Mild or moderate valve disease is frequently monitored with periodic scans and medication, and intervention is considered only when the problem becomes severe or symptomatic.
What symptoms suggest a heart valve problem?
Breathlessness on exertion, unusual fatigue, chest tightness, palpitations and fainting can all point to valve disease, though they have many other causes too.
Can adults with congenital heart conditions be treated here?
Yes. Adult congenital heart disease is part of this clinical focus, and management is tailored to the individual heart anatomy and any associated problems such as pulmonary hypertension.
Sources & verification
See also: Best cardiologists in Singapore (editorial directory) and our shortlist of cardiology clinics.
This is an independent, factual profile compiled from the public sources listed above — not a paid listing, advertisement or endorsement. Details can change; always verify a doctor’s current registration on the Singapore Medical Council public register and confirm specifics directly with the clinic. This page is general information, not medical advice or a recommendation of any individual practitioner. See our editorial policy.
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