A Road Map to Cardiac Specialty Care

A ROAD MAP TO CARDIAC SPECIALTY CARE SYMPTOMS OF A HEART PROBLEM SHORTNESS OF BREATH CHEST DISCOMFORT WEAKNESS DIZZINESS NAUSEA DIAGNOSTIC OPTIONS FOR HEART TROUBLE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (EKG) ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY ULTRASOUND CHEST X-RAY BLOOD TEST HEART TISSUE BIOPSY NUCLEAR STRESS TEST ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY (EP) Can diagnose arrhythmia, including atrial fibrillation (AFib) TREATMENT ROAD MAP FOR HEART HEALTH 1 MEDICATION Doctor will likely prescribe medication as the initial treatment step Many medications available, including anti-coagulants, diuretics, and more Often used after a cardiac event or to address coronary artery disease CORONARY/PERIPHERAL STENTING Stent = small mesh tube Stent placed in artery to hold it open Treats blocked arteries and aneurysms 000 ANGIOPLASTY Balloon inflated in artery to push aside plaque buildup Balloon removed, allowing blood to flow more freely Treats blocked arteries by widening the blood vessel 000 4 CARDIAC IMPLANTS Includes pacemakers and implantable defibrillators Treats bradycardia, atrial fibrillation, and heart block 5 CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY TREATS SEVERAL CONDITIONS Congenital heart defects Mitral/aortic Ischemic heart valve disease disease Aortic aneurysm PROCEDURE DEPENDS ON CONDITION INFOGRAPHIC PROVIDED BY: MERCY Hospital MERCY HOSPITAL wwW.MERCYHOSPITALBLOG.COM Sources: http://mercymia mi.com/our-services/heart-center.dot http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/winter09/articles/wintero9pg25-27.html http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/coranary-heart-disease/overview.html http://www.livescience.com/34733-heart-disease-high-cholesterol-heart-surgery.html http://www.memorialcare.org/services/glossary/p/peripheral-angioplasty-stenting http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/disorders/cad/cadsymptoms.aspx http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/pace/whoneeds.html http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-symptomshttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ health/health-topics/topics/hdw/diagnosis.html http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/Prevention TreatmentofHeartAttack /Cardiac-Medications UCM 303937.Article.jsp https://www.atrialfibrillation.com/patients-family/doctor/electrophysiology HHE