Cardiology - Services

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Anticoagulation Services

Coumadin (generic name – Warfarin) is an anticoagulant medication. This means that it helps prevent clots from forming in the blood. Blood thinners are used to treat some types of heart disease. It is often prescribed for patients with atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm), pulmonary embolism, and after artificial heart valve surgery or orthopedic procedures. Blood clots can move to other parts of your body and cause serious medical problems, such as a heart attack. Coumadin will not dissolve a blood clot; however, over time, the blood clot may dissolve on its own. Coumadin may also prevent other clots from forming or prevent clots from becoming larger. There are other blood thinners that you may be given in the hospital or even at home for a short amount of time: Heparin or Lovenox. These drugs are administered either by vein (intravenous) or just under the skin into the subcutaneous fat.

In order for your health care provider to determine the correct dose of Coumadin, it will be necessary for you to have your blood tested.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia refers to a large and heterogeneous group of conditions in which there is abnormal electrical activity in the heart. The heartbeat may be too fast or too slow, and may be regular or irregular.

Some arrhythmias are life-threatening medical emergencies that can result in cardiac arrest and sudden death. Others cause symptoms such as an abnormal awareness of the heartbeat (palpitations), and may be merely annoying. Still others may not be associated with any symptoms at all, but predispose patients toward a potentially life-threatening stroke or embolus.

Some arrhythmias are very minor and can be regarded as normal variants. In fact, most people will on occasion feel their heart skip a beat, or give an occasional extra strong beat; neither of these is usually a cause for alarm.

Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a procedure used to diagnose and treat conditions of the heart with the use of a long, thin tube called a catheter. The catheter is inserted into a blood vessel in the arm, groin or neck area and then guided to the heart. At the heart, the catheter can be used to:

Detect any blockages or abnormalities
Take a blood or muscle sample

Measure blood pressure and oxygen levels
Detect congenital heart defects

Cardiac catheterization is usually performed in a hospital but does not require the use of anesthesia. It is a safe procedure with little to no pain and a low risk of complications.

Electrocardiographic (ECG) Stress Testing

An ECG stress test, also known as an exercise tolerance test or cardiac stress test, evaluates the adequacy of the blood flow to the heart as increasing amounts of exercise are performed in a closely monitored setting. Normally, the heart rate and blood pressure increase during exercise, and the electrocardiogram (ECG: a recording of the electrical activity of the heart) should show little change, except for the increase in heart rate. However, in the presence of certain kinds of heart conditions, the stress of exercise can cause abnormal changes in the heart rhythm, blood pressure, or ECG. In this way, the stress test can help the doctor assess for the presence of some types of heart disease.

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