Interventional Cardiology

What is interventional cardiology?

The interventional cardiology team at Pinnacle Healthcare System diagnoses and treats blood vessels and heart conditions using catheters (small tubes). Your provider inserts a catheter through blood vessels, rather than making incisions, to repair tissues and optimize heart and blood vessel function.

Why is interventional cardiology used?

Interventional cardiology can treat:

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. It develops when the pressure inside blood vessels is too high, and your heart works harder than it should. 

Chest pain

Chest pain is an indicator of a heart problem requiring prompt treatment. It’s a potential symptom of heart disease, heart attack, and other heart or blood vessel conditions. 

Coronary artery disease (CAD)

CAD is a narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart. It results from plaque buildup in artery walls.

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)

PVD causes narrowed arteries and reduced blood flow to your arms or legs due to plaque buildup in arteries (atherosclerosis). 

Additional conditions interventional cardiologists help treat include:

• Atherosclerosis
• Heart valve diseases
• Carotid artery disease
• Heart attack
• Coronary artery fistula
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Chronic venous disease
• Blood clots
• Aortic valve stenosis
• Aneurysm
• Ventricular septal defect
• Atrial septal defect

Interventional cardiology uses catheters to complete minimally invasive procedures of the blood vessels or heart, while cardiothoracic surgeons perform open surgeries and other procedures requiring incisions. 

Am I a candidate for interventional cardiology?

To determine which heart or blood vessel condition you have and how to best treat it, your interventional cardiologist discusses your symptoms and medical history, checks your vital signs, completes a physical exam, and orders diagnostic tests. You might need a CT scan, echocardiogram, heart MRI, chest X-rays, lab testing, or other diagnostic procedures. 

Which interventional cardiology procedures are available?

Depending on your diagnosis and its severity, the Pinnacle Healthcare System team may recommend the following:

• Heart valve replacement or repair
• Cardiac catheterization
• Angioplasty
• Angiogram
• Coronary atherectomy (plaque removal)
• Stent placement
• Fractional flow reserve (FFR) measurement
• Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)
• Left atrial appendage closure
• Atrial septal defect closure
• Patent foramen ovale closure
• Alcohol septal ablation 
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
• Thrombolysis
• Renal denervation to reduce blood pressure

An angioplasty with a stent placement is the most common procedure interventional cardiologists perform. They use a catheter to find arterial blockages, widen affected arteries using a balloon-like device, and keep pathways open using a mesh-like device (stent) to restore blood flow.

Take advantage of superior interventional cardiology at Pinnacle Healthcare System by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.