Cardiac Care

The new Cardiovascular Center opened in April 2008, and has six cardiac catheterization laboratories and six interventional radiology suites in over 77,000 square-feet of dedicated space. Designed with patient comfort in mind, the 47 pre and post-procedure rooms have private bathrooms and are equipped with televisions and telephones.

Tampa General Hospital provides advanced, innovative methods for diagnosing and treating patients with heart and vascular disease. Our comprehensive services include:

Diagnostic Procedures

Tampa General provides a range of diagnostic procedures to determine the presence and severity of heart disease and the appropriate treatment options. They include:

Blood Analysis - Blood tests can detect cardiac enzymes and measure cholesterol levels to identify specific cardiac problems.

Cardiac Catheterization or Angiography - This procedure is used to examine the blood vessels or heart chambers. It involves inserting a thin, flexible plastic tube called a catheter into a large blood vessel and advancing it until the catheter's tip is positioned either in the heart or the arteries supplying the heart. There, a dye is injected, and x-rays taken.

Echocardiography - A small device placed on the chest uses sound waves to create images of the heart's structures, movement, and pumping strength.

Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) - A measurement of the heart's electrical activity using electrodes placed on the chest to determine if a heart attack has occurred, the location and extent of heart damage, and cardiac rhythm problems.

Cardiac Electrophysiology Studies (EPS) - EPS studies assess the heart's electrical system and evaluate heart rhythm abnormalities. Similar to a catheterization, wires delivered by a catheter are positioned in specific heart areas, and electrical impulses are recorded.

Exercise Stress Testing - Stress testing is used to determine the heart's response to different levels of exertion. During this test, a patient walks on a treadmill while the heart, blood pressure, and any symptoms are closely monitored. It may be combined with echocardiography to evaluate ultrasound images of the heart at the same time.

Holter or Event Monitoring - A small portable EKG monitor worn by a patient over a period of time provides continuous measurement of the heart's electrical activity.

Muga Scan - A Muga scan measures heart movement and pumping strength. During the test, a small camera tracks the movement of a small amount of tracer solution that has been injected into an arm vein.

Perfusion Stress Testing - Similar to exercise stress testing , a perfusion test involves injection of a small amount of a radioisotope tracer solution. A special camera tracks movement of the tracer solution immediately after exercise. The test is used to reveal areas of decreased blood flow to the heart muscle during exercise and at rest. Certain medications may be administered in place of the treadmill for patients unable to exercise.

Interventional Cardiology

Tampa General offers a full range of cutting edge non-surgical treatment options, including:

Atherectomy - This procedure is conducted to open coronary arteries blocked by plaque. Through cardiac catheterization , a catheter is advanced to an artery's blockage, where it removes the plaque buildup either by a laser beam or a cutting device.

Balloon Angioplasty - Also known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or PTCA, this procedure is used to open blocked coronary arteries. Through cardiac catheterization , an expandable balloon is delivered through a catheter into a narrowed part of the coronary artery. The balloon is then inflated, stretching the artery open and allowing blood to flow through.

Balloon Valvuloplasty - Similar to a balloon angioplasty, this procedure is performed to enlarge the opening of a narrowed heart valve. During balloon valvuloplasty, a catheter is guided into the narrowed valve. Then a tiny balloon is inflated and deflated several times to stretch the valve's opening.

Radiofrequency Ablation - This procedure treats rapid or irregular heartbeats. It involves using mild, painless radiofrequency energy to destroy cells in the heart that are creating the extra impulses causing the irregular rhythms.

Stenting -- Through cardiac catheterization, a wire mesh tube called a stent is permanently placed in a blocked artery to hold it open and allow blood to circulate. Both metal and drug-eluting stents, which secrete drugs that help prevent the blood vessel from reclosing, are available.

Surgical Treatment

Our surgeons have extensive experience in complex cardiac surgeries including:

Minimally Invasive Heart Surgery. This surgery is performed through a small incision, usually about 3 to 4 inches instead of the 6- to 8-inch incision required for traditional surgery. Specialized surgical instruments are frequently used. Minimally invasive surgery can be used in place of traditional surgery for many procedures.

Aortic Aneurysm Repairs - Aneurysms are balloon-like bulges in arteries that carry the danger of rupturing. They can be repaired by inserting a tube-like device called a graft into the weakened blood vessel, allowing blood to flow easily through the vessel and preventing it from rupturing. Click here to view a replay of a live webcast of an endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery - CABG involves attaching a blood vessel taken from another area in the heart, legs, or arms and grafting it to a blocked artery, creating a detour for blood flow around the blockage.

Implantable Defibrillator Insertion - A defibrillator is implanted into the chest wall to maintain a normal heart rhythm. The defibrillator works by sending a mild electric charge to the heart muscle when it detects an abnormally fast rhythm.

Pacemaker Insertion - Leads from a pacemaker are placed in an area of the heart to help regulate the heartbeat when the natural rate is too slow to pump enough blood to the body.

Valve Repair or Replacement - Valves that are leaking or have narrowed can be repaired or replaced by a new mechanical or tissue valve .

Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) - A VAD is a small mechanical device that helps an ailing heart pump blood. VADs can be used short term while a patient waits for a heart transplant or long term for patients not eligible for Transplantation. Click here for more information.

Heart Transplantation -- Tampa General performed the first successful heart transplant in Florida and is now one of 12 centers nationally to have performed more than 500 heart transplants. Additionally, we're the fourth busiest cardiac transplant center in the U.S. Click here for more information.

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Tampa General’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is designed to improve cardiovascular fitness, function, and knowledge for people with heart disease or who have had cardiac surgery or heart transplants.

The program includes three phases: Phase I of the recovery process begins while the patient is in the hospital after a cardiac event. Phase II is a 12-week outpatient program consisting of 36 sessions of progressive monitored exercise. During this phase, patients are also provided educational materials and counseling about heart disease and how to minimize its risks. Phase III is an individualized exercise program designed to last the patient's lifetime.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program is under the direction of a physician and supervised by an interdisciplinary staff trained in the field of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention. Each team member is certified in advanced cardiac life support.