Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD). This is a device that is placed in your body to help control your heart’s rhythm – the speed and pattern of your heart rate.
Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Treadmill Test
This test takes approximately 4 1/2 hours. A Myocardial Perfusion Imaging Treadmill test uses a radioactive substance (not a dye) to produce pictures of the heart muscle. The radioactive substance gives off a small amount of radiation which can be seen with a special camera. The amount of radiation exposure during this test is very small and poses no health … Read More
Cardiac Event Monitoring
A Holter monitor is a device that is worn for 24 to 48 hours and records a patient’s heart rate and rhythm. The patient should keep a diary of their activities and symptoms during this period. You will be asked not to remove the monitor or shower during this 24 to 48 hour period. It will take approximately 30 minutes … Read More
Echocardiography
Echocardiography uses ultrasound waves to produce an image of the heart’s structure and function, to measure the blood pressure inside the heart, and to measure the direction and speed of blood flow. Standard echocardiography produces a twodimensional image of a cross section, or slice, of the heart, its chambers and valves, and the large blood vessels of the heart. Doppler … Read More
Duplex Ultrasonography
Ultrasound is a painless, noninvasive, radiationfree diagnostic test that uses highfrequency sound waves to create images of body tissues. Duplex ultrasound also allows physicians to measure the velocity of blood flow and to see the structure of the blood vessels through which the blood is flowing. Physicians use duplex ultrasound to diagnose and examine diseases that affect the blood vessels, … Read More
CT Coronary Angiogram
The only way to directly look at the coronary arteries was via a cardiac catheterization and coronary angiogram This procedure uses intravenous dye which contains iodine and CT scanning to image the coronary arteries. While the use of catheters is not necessary (thus the term “noninvasive” test applies to this procedure), there are still some risks involved. In people allergic … Read More
Coumadin Clinic
Your physician may prescribe various medications to reduce the blood’s tendency to form clots. Once Coumadin is prescribed, it will be very important to regularly check the medication’s effect on your blood’s clotting tendency.
Coronary Angioplasty and Stenting
Balloon angioplasty of the coronary artery, or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), is a non-surgical procedure that relieves narrowing and obstruction of the arteries to the muscle of the heart (coronary arteries). PTCA, is now referred to as percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, as this term includes the use of balloons, stents, and atherectomy devices.
Cholesterol Management
Have you been diagnosed with high cholesterol? Is lowering your cholesterol a goal? When too much cholesterol is present, plaque (a thick, hard deposit) may form in the body’s arteries narrowing the space for blood to flow to the heart. Over time, this buildup causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) which can lead to heart disease.
Radial Artery Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization (cath) typically involves inserting a small tube or sheath into a major artery (most commonly the femoral artery in the groin) and snaking a small catheter to the heart. Contrast dye is injected through the catheter generating motion picture images of blood flow through the heart (coronary) arteries and chambers. Angioplasty and stenting, commonly referred to as “PCI,” can then be performed as necessary through the catheter. For procedures performed via femoral access, patients are usually prescribed 2‐8 hours of complete bed‐rest after the procedure along with various manual or mechanical compression techniques or artificial closure devices (“plugs”) to promote healing of the area and reduce bleeding. Commonly patients experience pain and discomfort at the femoral access site for several days or weeks after the procedure even in the absence of complications. Major complications of this approach include severe bleeding requiring transfusion or even surgery to repair the femoral artery. An alternative access site for cardiac cath is the radial artery that runs on the right side of the wrist. Numerous clinical trials and studies have demonstrated excellent outcomes and increased patient comfort of cardiac cath and PCI via the radial artery. These studies have also demonstrated a reduction in major complications including a 70% reduction in bleeding. Further there is no need for complete bed rest, manual compression, or artificial closure devices after the procedure. Patients are often able to be discharged from the hospital and return to completely normal activities much sooner than with femoral catheterization. Drs. Patel and Slota are the first in the region to offer radial artery cardiac cath and PCI in any patient with intact arterial circulation to the wrist and hand. This is in contrast to many institutions where it is only offered to carefully selected patients. If you have any questions regarding cardiac cath and the radial approach please do not hesitate to contact us. Below are some relevant links to the radial approach for cardiac cath, a detailed video of the procedure and photographs of one of our patients undergoing the procedure.
- Page 2 of 2
- 1
- 2