We provide complete cardiac and vascular risk assessment and management. If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, you may also have heart disease. We screen every patient for early signs in order to educate and intervene when necessary. Because there is a correlation between sleep health and cardiovascular disease, we also screen our patients for sleep-related breathing disorders.
You may click on each of the treatments listed below to learn more.
Office Services
Blood pressure is the measurement of force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. When the pressure in your arteries is above the normal range, you have high blood pressure or hypertension. If not treated, this can lead to stroke, enlarged heart, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, heart attack, or kidney disease.
Lipids are a broad term used to describe fats in the body. Cholesterol is a type of lipid or fat that circulates in the blood. Proper management of cholesterol and triglyceride disorders can reduce the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) happens when your coronary arteries become damaged or diseased, usually due to the buildup of fat and cholesterol that sticks to the inner artery walls. This blocks the heart’s blood supply, which can result in chest pain or heart attack. Treatment includes reducing your risk factors through lifestyle changes, taking medication, and surgery.
Cardiomyopathy is a weakening or disease of the heart muscle. This can be either inherited or caused by heart or kidney disease, alcoholism, or infections. Treatment may include lifestyle changes, medications, or the use of a pacemaker.
Heart failure does not mean your heart has stopped beating—it means a number of conditions may have affected the way your heart works. You may feel short of breath, especially during activity, since your body doesn’t get the blood and oxygen it needs.
While many people with minor valve issues can live a full and healthy life without treatment, other more serious conditions may be treated with medication, medical procedures, or surgery to correct their condition. Symptoms often progress over time, so testing is crucial.
Arrhythmias involve any variation in the normal heartbeat, which could result in symptoms such as palpitations, lightheadedness, fainting, and shortness of breath. Many arrhythmias are minor, though others are life-threatening because they increase other risks, like blood clots and strokes. Treatment may include medicine, electrical shock, surgery, or a pacemaker.
Congenital heart disease is present from birth, though most adults with congenital defects can live long, full lives. Routine checkups are necessary, as well as visiting a cardiologist at least once a year.
Carotid arteries—located on both sides of the neck—supply blood to the brain. They’re susceptible to hardening artery walls, and if narrowed, may cause issues such as stroke. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, medication, and stenting to correct the narrowing of the artery.
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a condition that limits blood flow to arms, legs, kidneys, and other vital organs, which results in organ damage and reduced activity It can be linked to heart attack and stroke, though a number of treatments and lifestyle changes can manage the condition.
An electrocardiogram measures electric signals that control heart rhythm. This test measures how electrical impulses move through the heart muscle as it contracts and relaxes.
An echocardiogram is a type of ultrasound test that uses sound waves as they bounce off different parts of the heart. It gives a two-dimensional picture of the heart to assess heart muscle and valve function as well as measure blood-flow velocities.
The patient exercises on a treadmill while being monitored in order to diagnose coronary artery disease and abnormal heart rhythms as well as to develop an effective treatment plan and safe exercise program.
This test is designed to evaluate blood flow to the heart. A small radioactive tracer is injected into the vein so that a special camera can produce computer images of the heart. The test can take about three to four hours, although the actual exercise part of the test lasts about 10 minutes.
Ultra sound is used to determine if there is narrowing in the carotid arteries. This can result in decreased blood flow to the brain and lead to a stroke.
An ultrasound screening can detect abdominal aortic aneurisms, which helps identify specific conditions or diseases before symptoms occur. Screenings are often recommended for men ages 65–75 who have never smoked, or men over age 60 with a family history.
Noninvasive evaluation of arteries and veins in the legs
This is done by using Doppler devices and laser sensors to determine blood flow through the arteries and veins of the legs.
Patients with pacemakers and/or defibrillators are monitored both from home (remotely via telemonitoring) and on special clinic days in the office. During clinic visits, the pacemaker or defibrillator can be reprogrammed for optimal function.
Patients with CHF are seen more frequently to optimize treatment and prevent the need for hospitalization. This is often done in conjunction with the pacemaker clinic.
Patients with CHF and special types of pacemakers and ICDs have their devices reprogrammed using echocardiogram guidance to optimize the timing of pacemaker impulses and therefore reduce CHF symptoms.
Patients are evaluated through the data from their devices. CPAP machines are adjusted when necessary, and new machines, masks, and other supplies are provided as needed.
Patients taking Coumadin or Warfarin are closely monitored in the office for blood thinning levels, and medication is adjusted as needed.
Patients with pulmonary hypertension are seen monthly to assess effectiveness of their treatment, Medication is prescribed as needed. Sleep apnea results from obstruction of the upper airway, often occurring in people who snore. It is often associated with high blood pressure and heart disease, so diagnosing and treating sleep apnea is crucial in preventing heart complications.
Hospital Services
In cardiac catheterization, a small tube (called a catheter) is inserted through a blood vessel and threaded to your heart, where it is then used for diagnostic tests and treatments. Complications rarely arise in this safe procedure.
Patients with an acute heart attack have better survival rates if the blocked artery causing the heart attack is opened soon after the event. This requires our physicians to be on call 24 hours a day for such emergencies.
Angioplasty widens a narrowed section of the coronary artery. In angioplasty, a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel until it reaches the artery’s blocked portion. A stent—a small, expandable tube—is often permanently inserted into the artery during angioplasty. A small balloon opens the stent, and the cells lining the blood vessel grow through the stent to secure it. This keeps the artery open to improve blood flow, and prevents further complications.
Blocked arteries in the legs can cause pain with walking and result in limited activity. These arteries can be opened with balloons, stents, and rotablators in much the same way that blocked arteries in the heart can be opened.
Carotid artery blockage can result in strokes in much the same way that coronary blockage can result in heart attack. The carotid arteries can frequently be opened with angioplasty and stents instead of surgery.
An electrophysiology study (EP study) tests your heartbeat to identify rhythm problems. One or more catheters are inserted with electrodes at the tips, which collect information about your heart’s electrical activity. This shows both the kind of heart-rhythm problem as well as its location.
A pacemaker is a small battery-powered device that sends electrical impulses to set a regular heartbeat. A pacemaker may be single chamber, dual chamber, or biventricular, depending on your needs. Permanent pacemakers are surgically implanted into the chest, while temporary pacemakers are outside the body and attached by a wire connected through either a vein or the chest wall.
To fix an abnormal heart rate or rhythm, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) may be placed inside the chest. This may be attached after a serious episode of an abnormally fast heart rhythm, or if there is a high risk for this type of episode. An ICD is used to prevent sudden death as it fixes your heart rhythm.
Catheter ablation is a minimally invasive atrial procedure, which both relieves symptoms and improves quality of life. Small areas causing a heart-rhythm problem are identified and destroyed by electrodes at the tips of inserted catheters.
If you’ve had fainting or near-fainting spells, a tilt-table test can evaluate whether or not your fainting is caused by a heart-rhythm problem. This test sees how your body responds when you change body positions. During the test, you lie flat on a table and are tilted up until nearly standing, while your heart rate and blood pressure are monitored.
Cardioversion is used to reset the heart’s rhythm back to its typical pattern, often to stop a fast heart rate and prevent additional heart-rhythm problems. Shock is applied to the chest, and the patient is typically sedated. After the procedure, your heart rate and blood pressure are monitored.
In a transesophageal echocardiogram, a probe is passed down the esophagus rather than used outside the chest. You’ll have a sedative and anesthetic applied to your throat for comfort during the test. This type of test shows clearer pictures, since the sound waves produced by the probe aren’t blocked.
A CT angiogram uses X-rays to provide images of the heart and related blood vessels, showing blockage in the vessels and whether or not any aneurysms are present. During the procedure, you lie on a table that passes through a scanner, and a dye is put into a vein to make your blood vessels easier to see.
