If you happen to need them, these are just some of our services:
Cardiac and Peripheral Vascular Angiography
Doctors use x-ray equipment and small tubular catheters to create accurate pictures of the inside of blood vessels feeding the heart and other parts of the body. Non-invasive angiography can also be performed with CT scanning (computed tomography) and MR imaging (magnetic resonance).
Cardiac CT Imaging
Cardiac CT Imaging is a recent advance in CT (computed tomography) where non-invasive imaging of the heart and its coronary arteries can be performed without the use of catheters. This new technology brings promise of widespread early detection of atherosclerosis, but some insurance companies remain reluctant to provide coverage limiting its use in younger patients.
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is also known as coronary angioplasty or simply angioplasty. This is a therapeutic procedure which uses catheters, balloons and stents to open vessels that have severe cholesterol blockage. The procedure is typically performed by an interventional cardiologist and does not require surgery.
Drug Eluting Stent Placement
A drug eluting stent is a coronary stent used to expand and open a narrowed artery of the heart. The stent is coated with a medication that slowly treats the vessel wall to prevent return of the blockage.
Peripheral Intervention
When a blocked artery is discovered in the body, the procedure to open it and restore blood flow is called peripheral intervention. Many techniques are now used including balloon angioplasty, stenting, laser and atherectomy to open arteries.
Pacemaker/Defibrillator Implantation
Placement of a pacemaker or defibrillator is a surgical procedure to place the small electronic device, which corrects slow or fast heart rhythms, beneath the skin. The procedure requires only sedation and is therefore safer than surgeries which require general anesthesia.
Conditions, Services, and Testing
Heart Partners offers help for a variety of cardiovascular conditions including:
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
Coronary Artery Disease is a condition where cholesterol rich plaque builds up inside the vessels which supply the heart muscle with oxygenated blood. If this flow is obstructed, it can cause blood clots and eventually a heart attack. As the leading cause of death in the U.S., CAD progresses for decades before its symptoms appear.
Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD)
Peripheral Arterial Disease is a condition where plaque build up clogs the arteries supplying the legs and other parts of the body. Reduced blood flow to the legs usually causes symptoms of leg tiredness, aching and sometimes burning pain with walking.
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF)
Congestive Heart Failure is a condition where the heart has lost a percentage of its pumping strength. This causes reduced blood flow to the body’s organs and is a common cause of shortness of breath and swelling of the legs and abdomen. About 400,000 people are diagnosed with CHF each year. It is a very treatable cardiac disorder.
Cardiac Arrhythmias
Cardiac arrhythmias are a malfunction of the heart’s electrical system causing the heart to beat too rapidly or too slowly. Symptoms of cardiac arrhythmia include sudden excessive fatigue, palpitations, weakness or loss of consciousness. Any symptom of cardiac arrhythmia requires immediate medical attention.
Pacemakers/Defibrillators
Pacemakers and defibrillators are electronic devices implanted under the skin to help patients with the most life threatening forms of arrhythmia and congestive heart failure. They correct slow heart rates, severe rapid heart rates and the pumping efficiency of the heart.
Elevated Cholesterol
Elevated cholesterol is a general reference to elevated fats (lipids) in the blood stream, referred to as hyperlipidemia. An elevated cholesterol is one of the risk factors associated with CAD and PAD. Elevated cholesterol is not a disease, but it is a metabolic disorder which requires long term treatment with diet, exercise and medication.