Cardiology

Halifax Health teams up with Mended Hearts to bring cardiovascular peer-to-peer support to our healthcare system.

Learning that there is a problem with your heart can be a frightening experience. If your condition requires surgery or another procedure, that can add another layer of stress. Why me? What happens now? Will I be able to go back to my routine, or will I have to make changes?

If you’re a caregiver for someone who’s just been through a heart event, you’re probably asking yourself questions too. How can I help my loved one adjust to his or her new life? What do I need to do to help take care of my loved one?

That’s where Mended Hearts can help. Mended Hearts is the nation’s oldest peer-to-peer support group for heart patients and caregivers. Mended Hearts’ physician-endorsed, peer-to-peer support network assists patients and caregivers from diagnoses through the journey of recovery with social, emotional, and practical support. Today, there are 300 chapters and 24,000 members in 48 states.

The Heart & Vascular Surgery Center at Halifax Health offers complete diagnostic resources including four state-of-the-art cardiac procedure rooms where diagnostic cardiac catheterizations (cardiac caths) are performed.

Cardiac catheterization is a procedure that involves the insertion of a catheter (long, thin tube) into a blood vessel, usually in the groin. Under x-ray guidance, the catheter is then advanced into the heart. When in place, x-ray contrast dye can be injected through the catheter allowing moving x-ray images to be taken of the heart valves, coronary arteries and chambers of the heart. The images taken during this procedure can help determine if there are blockages or signs of coronary artery disease.

During the heart catheterization procedure, the physician will be able to determine the extent of heart disease and what other treatments such as angioplasty, insertion of a stent, or heart surgery might be needed.

Since 2015, Halifax Health has collaborated with University of Florida Health (UF Health) to bring advanced cardiovascular surgery to Volusia, Flagler and Brevard Counties. Board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiothoracic surgeons from UF Health lead the program and are located at the main campus of Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, Florida.

UF Health surgeons perform a variety of procedures including coronary artery bypass graft (CABG or open heart surgery), stents, valve replacement and repair, intervention for congestive heart failure and thoracic aortic surgery to repair aneurysms and perform aortic dissections. Post-surgery patients are cared for in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and later in the step-down cardiac unit. Open heart surgery patients are generally encouraged to participate in Halifax Health Medical Center’s comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program.

Halifax Health – Center for Cardiology offers complete diagnostic resources including four cardiac procedure rooms including four cardiac procedure rooms where diagnostic cardiac catheterizations (cardiac caths) are performed in addition to the following non-invasive diagnostics.

• Computerized Electrocardiograms (EKG) – A simple test that records the electrical activity of the heart muscle from 12 different positions.
• Echocardiography – A painless test that uses sound waves to create images of your heart.
• Transesophageal Echocardiograms (TEE) – This test allows the cardiologist to view the internal structures of the heart and the heart’s major vessels by inserting a probe (a thin flexible tube with a special tip) down the throat.
• Nuclear Stress Tests – A nuclear stress test lets doctors see pictures of your heart while you are resting and shortly after you have exercised.
• Electrophysiology Studies – These use electrical signals to help doctors find out what kind of arrhythmia you have and what can be done to prevent or control it.

• Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
• Heart Valve Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Facility Features

• Five cardiac catheterization rooms; one with biplane digital imaging
• An inpatient unit featuring 25 monitored beds
• A dedicated consultation room where physicians can meet with families
• A large, comfortable, family waiting area
• A dedicated cardiology education area

Cardiac & Vascular Procedures

• Cardiac catheterizations and intervention procedures such as placement of drug-coated stents
• Peripheral vascular angiography and interventions
• Echocardiography
• Tilt table testing
• Electrophysiology including 3-D heart mapping and ablation
• Cardioversions
• Pacemakers
• Defibrillators
• Loop Recorders
• PFO Closures

Surgery

• Three new dedicated surgical suites
• A six-bed Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit
• A 12-bed Cardiovascular Progressive Care Unit
• Cardiac Rehabilitation Program for post-surgical care
  • Heart-health patients receive a customized plan featuring exercise, nutrition and appropriate therapies located on campus at our Wellness Center

The second you arrive at our Chest Pain Center, our team of dedicated heart specialists – including at least one of five dedicated cardiologists available 24 hours a day, seven days a week – will perform an immediate assessment of your needs. They have the expertise to identify cardiac problems and to take the best, most appropriate action right there in real time.

If your conditions are a product of stress and/or anxiety, you will be informed immediately of the cause and the nature of your discomfort, which in turn will usually help you relax and begin to feel better without treatment. If your condition is being caused by a gastro-intestinal event you will be given the appropriate care as quickly as possible.

If your condition is being caused by any kind of cardiovascular issue, you will be given state-of-the-art tests immediately to determine and expedite the best course of action, as timely treatment may be critical.

Rest assured that if necessary, you can and will receive the best cardiac care without delay. Our dedicated team of cardiac specialists can and will treat anything from Acute Coronary Syndrome to Acute Myocardial Infarction (commonly known as a heart attack) with a full range of timely solutions.