PATIENT EDUCATION

Heart Procedures

Patient Education from Capital Cardiology Associates

Heart Procedures

If you have a heart problem, your doctor may want you to have a procedure or surgery done, or a device implanted. Below is an overview of some of these.

You should always discuss a procedure with your doctor, so you know exactly what’s involved during and after. It’s a good idea to have someone with you, to help you ask questions and remember information.

Click on the image below to see the procedures and services performed by the cardiologists at Capital Cardiology Associates.

AAA Endovascular Repair
This procedure is designed to strengthen a weakened, bulging aorta (a large artery in the abdomen). The physician will place one or more fabric-covered hollow mesh tubes, into the aorta to support the aorta’s walls.
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Atherectomy
Atherectomy is a procedure used to open up narrowed coronary arteries to increase blood flow. It might be done if an artery has hard plaque with a lot of calcium. Atherectomy may make it easier for your doctor to place a stent in the artery.
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Balloon Angioplasty
This nonsurgical procedure widens a narrowed aorta. During the procedure, a balloon is inflated inside the narrowed aorta to expand the blood vessel.
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Barostim
If you suffer from the symptoms of heart failure and the drugs that you have been prescribed are not enough to make you feel better, Barostim may be a new therapeutic option for you. This procedure is performed by a board-certified cardiologist from Capital Cardiology Associates.
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Cardiac Catheterization
This procedure help patients with heart issues, severe burns, organ failure or other serious problems.
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Cardioversion

If your heart beats too fast or doesn’t beat with a regular pattern, you may need electrical cardioversion. Cardioversion uses low-energy shocks to help give your heart a normal beat.

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Carotid Endarterectomy
This surgical procedure is performed to remove plaque from the carotid arteries that supply oxygen to the brain. Severe plaque in the carotid arteries can cause a major stroke.
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Catheter Ablation
Catheter ablation is an invasive procedure used to remove a faulty electrical pathway from the hearts of those who are prone to developing cardiac arrhythmias.
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Cholesterol Screening (Blood Work)
Capital Cardiology Associates has an onsite blood lab. When you get your blood work done at CCA, the results are immediately sent to your physician. Your doctor may order a cholesterol screening.
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Coronary Artery Stenting
During this procedure, a coronary stent (a tube) is placed in the coronary arteries that supply the heart, to keep the arteries open in the treatment of coronary heart disease.
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Chronic Total Occlusions
During this procedure, a cardiologist enters the patient’s arteries through a vessel near the groin or wrist using catheters (small tubes), wires, and other minimally invasive techniques to approach the CTO blockage.
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CT Scanning
Capital Cardiology Associates uses the GE CardioGraphe, a state-of-the-art multi-row detector CT scanner, to acquire high-resolution three-dimensional images of the moving heart and great vessels.
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Defibrillator Implantation
In this procedure, a small device called an electrical impulse generator is implanted in the chest to monitor and regulate the rhythm of the heart.
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Electrocardiography (ECG, EKG)
This is a test of your heart. It lets your doctor see how well your heart is working. A doctor can use this test to find out if you have a heart problem or to monitor a heart problem your doctor already knows you have.
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Exercise Stress Test (Cardiac Stress Test)
This is a test that shows how your heart works when you’re active. It can show problems with your heart. Your doctor may schedule this test if you have signs of coronary artery disease, or if you have an irregular heart rhythm. A cardiac stress test can also show how well a certain treatment is working.
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Holter Monitor
The Holter monitoring is a testing method in which the patient wears a portable ECG recorder over an extended period of time while performing normal daily activities – walking, driving, gardening, even sleeping.
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Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Therapy
This page will lead you step-by-step through some information on ICDs that may be helpful. We also hope this will make talking with your doctor easier.
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LifeVest
The LifeVest® wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is designed to protect patients at risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), when a patient’s condition is changing and permanent SCD risk has not been established. 
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Nuclear Stress Testing
This diagnostic procedure creates images of blood flow through the heart while the heart is at rest and while the heart is beating quickly from physical exertion.
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Pacemaker
A pacemaker is a small device implanted in the chest to regulate the beat of the heart.
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PET Scan
Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET) exams help to evaluate heart health by measuring the blood flow brought by the coronary arteries to the heart muscle.
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Pulmonary Artery Catheterization (PAC)
You may need a pulmonary artery catheter to see how well your heart and lungs are working. It is often used for people in intensive care.
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Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
An effective option to improve quality of life in patients who otherwise have limited choices for repair of their aortic valve due to aortic stenosis AS.
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Transesophageal Echocardiogram (TEE)
In this non-surgical outpatient procedure, a small, flexible tube containing a probe is inserted into the esophagus to provide live images of the heart.
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Traditional Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery
During this procedure, the surgeon bypasses a severely blocked artery in the heart with a healthy blood vessel. This restores vital blood flow to the heart muscle.
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The WATCHMAN
The WATCHMAN is a one-time procedure with people with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) not caused by a heart valve problem who need an alternative to long-term blood thinners. This procedure is performed by a board-certified cardiologist from Capital Cardiology Associates.
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