Professor McEwan graduated in 1978 from Glasgow University. Her specialty postgraduate training in Cardiology (diseases of the heart and circulation) was at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School in London (Hammersmith Hospital), now part of Imperial College London. Her clinical interests are broad, encompassing all aspects of the specialty. These include:
- Reducing cardiovascular risk factors (cholesterol and high blood pressure)
- Assessment of chest pain (angina)
- Symptoms of heart failure (shortness of breath, ankle swelling)
- Valvular heart disease (murmurs)
- Palpitations (arrhythmias)
She also sees patients where heart or brain symptoms might be the source of particular conditions (stroke, transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) and dizzy spells and blackouts).
Having been a consultant since 1992, Jean’s interests include the assessment of cardiovascular risks of non-cardiac surgery and the management of peri- and post-operative cardiovascular complications. She enjoys meeting the challenges of difficult diagnoses, reviewing and advising on the care of patients in the Intensive Care Unit, or those who have cardiovascular diseases which are either coincidental with, or a consequence of other diseases and their treatments, such as cancer or leukaemia.
Professor McEwan is valued for her care of the older patient with heart disease, where her empathy and recognition of the need to balance active, evidence-based treatment against complex treatment regimes and quality of life, ensures a personalised approach to all patients.