Patients in need of diagnostic cardiac catheterization procedures can now be treated at Mercy Health – St. Joseph Warren Hospital, in a newly opened, state-of-the-art catheterization lab.
Since opening its doors to the community 100 years ago, Mercy Health – St. Joseph Warren Hospital has been well-positioned to provide high quality, compassionate care to our community now and in the future. With the introduction of a new cardiac cath lab, St. Joe’s has already successfully performed many cardiac catheterizations and pacemaker procedures, keeping area residents in need of heart care close to home.
“Mercy Health – St. Joseph has a century-long legacy of providing the highest quality of care to those we serve, and we continue to expand on that legacy with growth in our clinical services,” said Charlotte Gardiner, president, Mercy Health – St. Joseph Warren Hospital. “I am grateful to the team of physicians, technicians and leaders who worked tirelessly to ensure that area residents have these services close to home. The medical team at the hospital is comprised of skilled specialists with extensive experience in providing cardiac care.”
A cardiac catheterization lab, also known as a cath lab, is a specialized area used for minimally invasive tests and advanced cardiac procedures. During a cardiac catheterization, a catheter, or a long, thin, flexible tube, is inserted in a blood vessel and threaded to your heart, allowing specialists to perform various tests and treatments.
“Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in Americans,” said Dr. Jill Uberti, emergency medicine physician. “Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive study used to best identify blockage. Having the ability to diagnose this type of heart disease is wonderful for our community.”
Cardiac catheterization is ordered for patients exhibiting signs of heart disease including chest pain, shortness of breath, and/or pressure or pain in the shoulders, arms, jaw, neck or back.
Other reasons a cardiac catheterization may be ordered include:
· Evaluate chest pain on a patient recovering from a recent heart attack
· Evaluate heart attack that caused major tissue damage
· Evaluate abnormal electrocardiogram results that indicate heart disease
· To look for problems with heart valves
· To view the shape of your heart and the heart chambers inside it to identify heart defects prior to heart surgery
· To measure oxygen and blood flow in the heart as well as evaluate how artificial heart valves are functioning.
Heart disease causes nearly 700,000 deaths nationwide a year*. However, healthy lifestyle choices can help in heart disease prevention and progress toward healing.
Types of heart disease:
· Heart Attack: This occurs due to sudden cessation of blood supply to part of heart from a blocked artery. If this artery is not opened quickly, the muscle supplied starts to die.
· Cardiac arrest: This occurs when heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops working. This requires immediate CPR to sustain life.
· Coronary heart disease: This is the most common type of heart disease, which is caused by plaque formation inside the heart arteries to narrow them over time. This plaque is formed by deposition of cholesterol, which ultimately impedes blood flow. When this happens, oxygen delivery to the heart muscle is reduced. This type of heart disease can be lessened by healthy lifestyle habits.
· Heart failure: This occurs due to inability of heart to pump enough blood and oxygen to other body organs. There are two types of heart failure – the one due to weak heart muscle (systolic) and other from a stiff heart muscle (diastolic).
· Arrhythmias: This means the heart is beating in an abnormal way, either too fast, too slow or irregularly. Atrial fibrillation is the most common treated arrhythmia which occurs due to uncoordinated beating of upper and lower chambers of the heart.
· Congenital heart disease: Congenital heart issues can be due to faulty performance in the valve, or other issues like holes or defects that don’t allow the heart to work properly.
Symptoms of Heart Disease:
Early signs of heart disease are varied depending on the type of disease. Coronary artery disease often leads to chest pain, shortness of breath, and extreme weakness but could have no symptoms before a heart attack. The symptoms in women can be different from men and are often atypical like shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back pain.
With heart failure, early signs can be vague, such as fatigue or swelling in the legs. Valve issues might be found through other testing and discovered during routine screenings. The best way to keep tabs on your heart health is to schedule regular check-ups with your primary care provider and a cardiologist.
Mercy Health offers some tips on how to help prevent heart disease:
· Avoid any types of smoking
· Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol
· Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all
· Eat a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins
· Get plenty of exercise, aiming for 30 minutes to one hour, five times a week
· Learn to reduce stress and care for your mental health
· Maintain a healthy weight
· Stay hydrated by drinking enough water each day, which also helps with weight maintenance
· Have regular check ups with primary care physician and cardiologist
*Heart data is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Since opening its doors to the community 100 years ago, Mercy Health – St. Joseph Warren Hospital has been well-positioned to provide high quality, compassionate care to our community now and in the future. With the introduction of a new cardiac cath lab, St. Joe’s has already successfully performed many cardiac catheterizations and pacemaker procedures, keeping area residents in need of heart care close to home.
“Mercy Health – St. Joseph has a century-long legacy of providing the highest quality of care to those we serve, and we continue to expand on that legacy with growth in our clinical services,” said Charlotte Gardiner, president, Mercy Health – St. Joseph Warren Hospital. “I am grateful to the team of physicians, technicians and leaders who worked tirelessly to ensure that area residents have these services close to home. The medical team at the hospital is comprised of skilled specialists with extensive experience in providing cardiac care.”
A cardiac catheterization lab, also known as a cath lab, is a specialized area used for minimally invasive tests and advanced cardiac procedures. During a cardiac catheterization, a catheter, or a long, thin, flexible tube, is inserted in a blood vessel and threaded to your heart, allowing specialists to perform various tests and treatments.
“Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in Americans,” said Dr. Jill Uberti, emergency medicine physician. “Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive study used to best identify blockage. Having the ability to diagnose this type of heart disease is wonderful for our community.”
Cardiac catheterization is ordered for patients exhibiting signs of heart disease including chest pain, shortness of breath, and/or pressure or pain in the shoulders, arms, jaw, neck or back.
Other reasons a cardiac catheterization may be ordered include:
· Evaluate chest pain on a patient recovering from a recent heart attack
· Evaluate heart attack that caused major tissue damage
· Evaluate abnormal electrocardiogram results that indicate heart disease
· To look for problems with heart valves
· To view the shape of your heart and the heart chambers inside it to identify heart defects prior to heart surgery
· To measure oxygen and blood flow in the heart as well as evaluate how artificial heart valves are functioning.
Heart disease causes nearly 700,000 deaths nationwide a year*. However, healthy lifestyle choices can help in heart disease prevention and progress toward healing.
Types of heart disease:
· Heart Attack: This occurs due to sudden cessation of blood supply to part of heart from a blocked artery. If this artery is not opened quickly, the muscle supplied starts to die.
· Cardiac arrest: This occurs when heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops working. This requires immediate CPR to sustain life.
· Coronary heart disease: This is the most common type of heart disease, which is caused by plaque formation inside the heart arteries to narrow them over time. This plaque is formed by deposition of cholesterol, which ultimately impedes blood flow. When this happens, oxygen delivery to the heart muscle is reduced. This type of heart disease can be lessened by healthy lifestyle habits.
· Heart failure: This occurs due to inability of heart to pump enough blood and oxygen to other body organs. There are two types of heart failure – the one due to weak heart muscle (systolic) and other from a stiff heart muscle (diastolic).
· Arrhythmias: This means the heart is beating in an abnormal way, either too fast, too slow or irregularly. Atrial fibrillation is the most common treated arrhythmia which occurs due to uncoordinated beating of upper and lower chambers of the heart.
· Congenital heart disease: Congenital heart issues can be due to faulty performance in the valve, or other issues like holes or defects that don’t allow the heart to work properly.
Symptoms of Heart Disease:
Early signs of heart disease are varied depending on the type of disease. Coronary artery disease often leads to chest pain, shortness of breath, and extreme weakness but could have no symptoms before a heart attack. The symptoms in women can be different from men and are often atypical like shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back pain.
With heart failure, early signs can be vague, such as fatigue or swelling in the legs. Valve issues might be found through other testing and discovered during routine screenings. The best way to keep tabs on your heart health is to schedule regular check-ups with your primary care provider and a cardiologist.
Mercy Health offers some tips on how to help prevent heart disease:
· Avoid any types of smoking
· Monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol
· Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all
· Eat a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and lean proteins
· Get plenty of exercise, aiming for 30 minutes to one hour, five times a week
· Learn to reduce stress and care for your mental health
· Maintain a healthy weight
· Stay hydrated by drinking enough water each day, which also helps with weight maintenance
· Have regular check ups with primary care physician and cardiologist
*Heart data is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention