Hospital-Based Services

This is a thorough evaluation with a cardiologist starting with a complete history and physical examination to determine your risk for cardiovascular disease in the present and for the future. Time will be taken to review any pertinent records available and possibly do further diagnostic testing to evaluate for the presence of cardiac conditions.

Venous ultrasounds:

This is a noninvasive ultrasound that can be done on upper and lower extremities to determine the presence of blood clots and venous insufficiency.

Arterial ultrasounds:

This is a noninvasive test that can be done on the carotid arteries in the neck, the abdominal aorta, or the lower and upper extremities to evaluate for blockages caused by plaque in the arteries.

A very small device, about the size of a paper clip, is inserted under the skin on the left side of the chest.  It automatically records abnormal heart rhythms, which are then transmitted wirelessly to your cardiologist.  The patient can also “trigger” a transmission when certain symptoms such as dizziness and palpitations are experienced. The battery lasts 3 years, giving the physician ample opportunity to capture any abnormal heart rhythm.

A TEE is an invasive outpatient procedure where an ultrasound probe similar to that used for a standard echo is placed on the end of an endoscope and inserted through the mouth down into the esophagus. This test is utilized to obtain more specific and direct imaging of the heart chambers, valves and structure. Moderate sedation anesthesia is used for this procedure. We do TEEs in our office and at the hospital when indicated.

Pacemakers are small, computerized, highly sophisticated devices inserted under the skin in the chest wall.  They are connected to the heart through electrical cables called leads, which are inserted usually in a vein under the clavicle.

Pacemakers use low-energy electrical impulses to regulate the heart beats, typically preventing the heart from beating too slowly.

Defibrillators are similar to pacemakers, but besides using low-energy impulses, they can also deliver high-energy impulses to treat potentially life-threatening fast heart rhythms.

Also known as an Echo, this is a noninvasive test that utilizes ultrasound waves to obtain images of the heart. This test is used to view the heart chambers, valves and surrounding structures.

Stress tests are utilized to gather information about how the heart responds to stress. They are generally done to detect the presence of coronary disease or monitor known cardiac conditions. Most stress tests involve exercise on a treadmill with EKG monitoring. There are multiple ways to perform stress tests and your cardiologist will determine which is the best test for you.  The types of tests include exercise treadmill stress tests which monitor for EKG changes during exercise, stress echo tests which use EKG and echo imaging to evaluate for blocked arteries, and nuclear stress tests which uses a radioisotope to assess blood flow to the heart muscle. For patients who are unable to exercise we utilize nuclear perfusion imagine combined with medication to stress the heart. In all stress tests the patient will be continually monitored for EKG changes, blood pressure and symptoms.

Angioplasty is a procedure used to open up a clogged or partially clogged artery.  A small tube is inserted through an artery in the groin or wrist  to reach the blocked vessel.  A balloon is then temporarily inflated at the site of obstruction to widen it. Angioplasty is often combined with the permanent placement of a small wire mesh tube called a stent to help prop the artery open and decrease its chance of narrowing again.  These procedures are meant to restore blood flow to the affected tissues, such as heart, legs, brain, kidneys, and improve symptoms and function.