About Dr Thakkar

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Dr Jay Thakkar is a general and interventional cardiologist. He is a staff specialist at Westmead Public Hospital and a visiting cardiologist at Norwest Private and Westmead Private Hospitals. 

Dr Thakkar graduated from Baroda Medical College (The Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, India). He worked and trained at University affiliated hospitals in India, Australia and Canada prior to settling in Western Sydney.  Dr Thakkar completed Royal Australasian College training in cardiology through Royal Darwin and Westmead Public Hospitals. Passionate about his work, he undertook a fellowship in Interventional cardiology at The University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, Canada. 

Dr Thakkar has a special interest in patients with coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, heart failure and arrhythmias.  

He has expertise in

• Coronary angiography, balloon angioplasty and coronary stents.  
• Rotational atherectomy (a procedure to drill calcium deposits in stiff blockages).
• Coronary artery imaging using OCT (infrared light) and IVUS (ultrasound). 

He offers in-clinic consultations, exercise stress testing, stress echocardiography, echocardiography and holter monitor services. Coronary angiography and cardiac procedures can be organised at either private or public hospital under Dr Thakkar's care.  

1. Quartet Investigators group. Initial Treatment with a single pill containing quadruple combination of quarter doses of blood pressure medicines versus standard dose monotherapy in patients with hypertension (QUARTED): a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled trial. The Lancet. Volume 398, Issue 10305. P 1043-1052, Sept 18, 2021. 
2. Kozor RChandrasekhar J, Thakkar J, et al. Characteristics of spontaneous coronary artery dissection on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Cardiovasc Diagn Thera. 2020. June: 10(3): 636-638. 
3. Klimis H, Thakkar J, Chow CK. Breaking barriers: Mobile Health Interventions for Cardiovascular disease. Can J Cardiology. 2018 Jul:34(7):905-913. 
4. Thakkar J, VAsdeki D, Tzikas A, Meier B, Saw J. Incidence, Prevention, and Management of Periprocedural Complications of Left Atrial  Appendage Occlusion. Interv Cardiol Clin. 2018. April;7(2):243-252. 
5. Chow CK, Thakkar J et al. Quarter-dose quadruple combination therapy for initial treatment of hypertension: placebo-controlled, crossover, randomised trial and systematic review. Lancet. 2017 Mar 11;389(10073):1035-1042.
6. Thakkar J et al. Mobile telephone text messaging for medication adherence in chronic disease. A Meta-analysis. JAMA-Intern Med. 2016; 176 (3):340-349.
7. Thakkar J et al. Patterns, predictors and effects of texting intervention on physical activity in CHD - insights from the TEXT ME randomized clinical trial. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2016 Nov;23(17):1894-1902.
8. Thakkar J et al. Inaccurate risk perceptions contribute to treatment gaps in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Intern Med J.2016 Mar; 46(3):339-46.
9. Thakkar J et al. Design Considerations in Development of a Mobile Health Intervention Program: The TEXT ME and TEXTMEDS Experience. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2016 Nov 15;4(4):e127.
10. Thakkar J et al. Development of macaronic Hindi-English 'Hinglish' text message content for a coronary heart disease secondary prevention programme. BMJ - Heart Asia. 2016 Sep 30;8(2):32-38.
11. Redfern J, Santo K, Coorey G, Thakkar J et al. Factors Influencing Engagement, Perceived Usefulness and Behavioral Mechanisms Associated with a Text Message Support Program. PLoS One. 2016 Oct 14;11(10).
12. Santo K, Kirkendall S, Laba TL, Thakkar J et al. Interventions to improve medication adherence in coronary artery disease patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Eur Jou Prev Cardio. Jul. 2016. 2015.
13. Chow CK, Redfern J, Hillis GS, Thakkar J et al. Effect of lifestyle focussed text messaging on risk factor modification in patients with coronary heart disease. A randomised clinical trial. JAMA. 2015, Sept 22-29, 314 (12):1255-63.
14. Thomas SP, Thakkar J et al. CSANZ Position statement on sedation for cardiovascular procedures (2014). Heart Lung Circulation. 2015. June 10. S1443-9506.
15. Thakkar J, Chow C. Adherence to secondary prevention therapies in ACS. Med J Aust. 2014 Nov 17; 201(10):S106-9.
16. Thakkar J et al. Right Ventricular dysfunction predisposes to inducible ventricular tachycardia at electrophysiology studies in patients with acute STEMI and reduced LV ejection fraction. Circ Arrhy and Electrophysiol. 2014 Oct;7(5):898-905.
17. Thomas S, Thakkar J, Ross D, Kovoor P. Sedation for electrophysiological procedures. Pacing clin Electrophysiol. Jun;37(6):781-90.
18. Paterson H, Thakkar J, Byth K, Dennis AR. Saphenous vein to internal mammary artery end to end composite grafts for coronary artery bypass. Late follow up. Heart Lung Circ. 2014 Sept;24(2):200-5