Posts Tagged ‘prepare’

Cardiac Catheterization: How should I prepare for the procedure?

Acoronary catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure to access the coronary circulation and blood filled chambers of the heart using a catheter. It is performed for both diagnostic and interventional (treatment) purposes. Related Links: Stephen O’Connor, MD www.alegent.com Alegent Health Heart & Vascular Specialists www.alegent.com Cardiology Blog www.alegent.com Alegent Health Podcast #27 Heart Palpitations www.alegent.com Alegent Health Clinic www.alegent.com

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI): How should I prepare?

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), commonly known as coronary angioplasty or simply angioplasty, is one therapeutic procedure used to treat the stenotic (narrowed) coronary arteries of the heart found in coronary heart disease. These stenotic segments are due to the build up of cholesterol-laden plaques that form due to atherosclerosis. PCI is usually performed by an interventional cardiologist. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), which bypasses stenotic arteries by grafting vessels from elsewhere in the body, is an alternative treatment. Most studies have found that CABG is better than PCI for reducing death and myocardial infarction. However, PCI does improve quality of life. Related Links: Himanshu Agarwal, MD www.alegent.com Alegent Health Heart & Vascular Specialists www.alegent.com Cardiology Blog www.alegent.com Alegent Health Podcast #27 Heart Palpitations www.alegent.com Alegent Health Clinic www.alegent.com

Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: How to prepare for the procedure

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and involves the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart. Its name comes from the fibrillating (ie, quivering) of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a coordinated contraction. It can often be identified by taking a pulse and observing that the heartbeats don’t occur at regular intervals. However, a stronger indicator of AF is the absence of P waves on an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), which are normally present when there is a coordinated atrial contraction at the beginning of each heart beat.[2] Risk increases with age, with 8% of people over 80 having AF. Atrial fibrillation ablation is procedure used to treat the abnormal heart rhythm. During this procedure, a thin wire (catheter) is positioned inside your heart near the pulmonary veins. Radio energy applied to the tip of this catheter is used to cauterize (ablate) the heart tissue around each pulmonary vein. This electrically “disconnects” the PV from the left atrium. As a result, the abnormal electrical signals from the PV can no longer reach the rest of the heart and trigger AF. Related Links: Kent Gleed, MD www.alegent.com Alegent Health Heart & Vascular Specialists www.alegent.com Cardiology Blog www.alegent.com Alegent Health Podcast #27 Heart Palpitations www.alegent.com Alegent Health Clinic www.alegent.com

Pacemaker Implantation: How should I prepare?

Pacemaker insertion is done on both hospitalized and ambulatory patients. As an outpatient having this done electively you will first visit with the cardiologist in the office to go over the procedure and discuss the risks and alternatives. Since you will be asked to sign document of consent be sure to ask any question and raise any concern you may have. You will need to have basic blood work done and this can be drawn in the office. Unless instructed otherwise you should be fasting on the morning of the procedure. In general we want you to take your usual morning medications with the exception of any we’ve told you not to take (please talk to our nurses or schedulers if you have any questions about this). We do this procedure in the hospital at Midlands, Bergan, Mercy, Immanuel and Lakeside and you’ll receive specific instructions on where to show up and what time to be there. Related Links: Kent Gleed, MD www.alegent.com Alegent Health Heart & Vascular Specialists www.alegent.com Cardiology Blog www.alegent.com Alegent Health Podcast #27 Heart Palpitations www.alegent.com Alegent Health Clinic www.alegent.com