Cardiology

We offer a range of non-invasive cardiac tests to diagnose heart conditions, including:

• Cardiac calcium scoring
• Coronary computerized tomography angiography (CTA) — an imaging process that takes many highly detailed pictures of your heart's chambers and arteries
• Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) — a recording of your heart's electrical activity
• Echocardiography (echo) — a test using sound waves to produce real-time images of your heart
• Nuclear medicine studies — imaging tests such as arteriograms, arthrograms and venograms that use a special dye and X-rays to see inside your heart, arteries or veins
• Positron emission tomography (PET) and computerized tomography (CT) scans — a test combining a nuclear medicine PET scan and CT imaging to give detailed information about your heart's health

If you'd like to learn a little more about your heart health and see if you may need to see a cardiologist, take our heart risk assessment.

For patients who may be unaware of the quality of their heart health, a cardiac calcium scoring test may be useful in determining the potential risk of a heart attack or other heart conditions. A cardiac calcium scoring test is a non-invasive computed tomography (CT) scan that determines the amount of calcified plaque found in the arteries, which assists heart doctors in evaluating risk.

Although anyone concerned about their risk for heart disease can discuss options for assessing risk, good candidates for cardiac calcium scoring include:

• Men 45 years old and older
• Women 55 years old and older
• Patients overweight by 10 pounds or more
• Patients who smoke
• Patients with a family history of heart disease or stroke
• Patients with diabetes
• Patients with a sedentary lifestyle
• The cardiac calcium screening is priced at $45, which includes the interpretation
• Call (615) 695-7237 to schedule an appointment.

We perform interventional cardiac procedures as a preventive measure to lower your risk of heart disease or to treat a serious condition such as a heart attack. We also offer catheter-based interventional diagnostics, which may be recommended to assess your health or check the progress of treatment.

Our cardiac catheterization (cath) lab

We have a dedicated cardiac catheterization (cath) lab. This enables us to diagnose potentially life-threatening conditions using minimally invasive techniques and begin treatment without having to move the patient.

During heart catheterization, a thin, flexible tube is threaded through your blood vessels and into your heart. Catheterization procedures allow physicians to quickly diagnose and treat diseases, such as heart disease, that affect your heart and blood vessels.

In our state-of-the-art cath lab, our cardiologists may perform catheterization to check for heart issues, such as:

• Heart defects
• Narrow or clogged arteries
• Problems affecting the heart valves and chambers

Some treatments we perform using catheterization include:

• Angioplasty — repairing or unblocking a blood vessel
• Stent placement — placing a metal or plastic tube to help keep an artery open

Because catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure, it can offer benefits such as a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery time and less scarring.

Additional interventional procedures

We offer other minimally invasive interventional surgeries which may be performed in our cath lab or our advanced interventional radiology suite, including:

• Interior vena cava (IVC) filter placement — inserting a small device used to prevent blood clots from moving through your blood into your lungs
• Pacemaker implantation — installing a pacemaker, which is a device used to control abnormal heart rhythms
• Vascular plaque excision (atherectomy) — inserting a device to remove plaque from blocked arteries

Cardiac emergencies — such as chest pain, heart failure, arrhythmias and heart attacks — require quick treatment. Our heart doctors are available 24/7 to diagnose and treat emergency cardiovascular conditions as soon as they arise.

After a heart procedure or a cardiac event, a patient may be moved to our intensive care unit (ICU), also called a critical care unit. Our ICU is staffed by highly qualified and experienced medical professionals and every patient room is wired for telemetry. This advanced technology allows us to monitor our cardiac patients 24/7. Registered nurses, physicians and many other healthcare professionals collaborate to form your diagnosis, treatment and discharge plan.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a vital part of the recovery process for patients who have had heart surgery. Our rehabilitation services can help you with strength and mobility, range of motion and your overall cardiovascular health.

A physical therapist can also recommend exercises and provide wellness advice. This can help reduce your risk of another heart problem and maximize your long-term health as you transition from the hospital to back home.