Heart care in Englewood, Florida

At Englewood Community Hospital, our team of cardiovascular specialists provide complete screening, diagnosis and treatment for patients in Englewood with heart and vascular conditions. The physicians at our hospital have access to advanced imaging technology and perform a range of heart and vascular surgeries for conditions such as heart arrhythmias. The cardiovascular services provided by our specialists are recognized by the American Heart Association for offering quality, evidence-based heart care.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. For other questions about our cardiac services, please call our Consult-A-Nurse® team at (941) 473-3919.

Emergency heart attack treatment

A heart attack is an emergency medical condition, and the best thing you can do is call 911 to receive immediate treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel will begin your treatment upon arrival, which saves critical travel time when immediate care is needed. The EMS personnel in southwest Florida will begin lifesaving care that is continued when you enter the emergency room (ER) at Englewood Community Hospital.

The treatment you receive at the ER will depend on the type and extent of the blockage. Your treatment may include tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a clot-busting medication, or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Heart attack warning signs

Knowing the signs of a heart attack can help save crucial time when you or someone you know is exhibiting symptoms, such as:

  • Chest discomfort and/or pressure
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Pain in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw or stomach
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweating

Sometimes, women may experience additional symptoms that are not as commonly known as signs of a heart attack, which may include:

  • Squeezing going to the neck
  • Shoulder or jaw pain
  • Upper abdominal or middle back discomfort or pressure

Cardiac catheterization laboratory

The cardiac catheterization (cath) lab at our hospital provides lifesaving cardiac and vascular interventions. Our team quickly diagnoses blockages in blood flow and provides swift treatment to prevent as much damage as possible. Diagnostic exams and procedures offered in our cath lab include:

  • Cardiac angiography and intervention—This examination allows our team to visualize any blockages in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. If a blockage is found, we are able to intervene to improve blood flow to the heart.
  • Peripheral angiography and intervention—This examination assesses blood flow and any potential blockages in the extremities, most often the legs. If needed, our team can intervene and open up blocked arteries to improve blood flow.
  • Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)—Also known as a balloon angioplasty, this is a nonsurgical procedure that restores blood flow to blocked arteries. It uses a small balloon, which is inserted through a catheter and advanced to the blockage site, that is inflated to open the artery. Sometimes, a stent may also be inserted to keep the artery open.

Heart screening and imaging

Heart screening and imaging are vital to monitoring the health of your heart. Screening allows you to take preventive measures to decrease your risk of heart disease, and imaging allows your physician to form an accurate diagnosis and individualize your treatment. Screening and imaging services provided at our hospital include:

  • Echocardiogram—This imaging procedure is an ultrasound of the heart that produces images of the valves and chambers and how they are functioning.
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)—This procedure records the electrical signals that your heart produces through electrodes placed on your chest.
  • Link device—This form of monitoring allows a patient to wear a small device for an extended period of time, usually one to two days, while it continuously records the heart's rhythm.
  • Stress testing—This form of screening monitors the heart's rhythm, blood pressure and heart rate under times of stress, such as exercise.
  • Transesophageal echocardiogram—This form of an echocardiogram is performed with the assistance of an ultrasound probe that is inserted into the patients esophagus. Transesophageal echocardiogram provides clearer images, as it doesn't have to pass through additional soft tissues, like bone and skin.

Advanced imaging technology

In addition to our extensive radiology and imaging services, our hospital has an advanced angiography suite that is equipped with a cutting-edge imaging system designed to diagnose and treat diseased blood vessels. The system is used to provide high-quality images and as an assistive device in performing surgeries to restore blood flow, such as angioplasty and stenting. The high tech system offers the following advantages:

  • Automatically follows injected contrast agents, or dyes, throughout the body while producing continuous images
  • Images blood vessels from multiple angles during a single run of contrast agent
  • Removes image obstructions, like bone and other densities, in real time, creating a clearer view of the vessel

Heart and vascular surgery

For many heart conditions, the best treatment option is surgery. The cardiologists, cardiac interventionists, and vascular surgeons at our hospital have extensive experience in performing routine and complex surgeries and procedures, including:

  • Cardiac catheterization—This procedure uses a catheter and special dye to asses the heart's function. Specialized X-ray equipment is used during the procedure to provide a live image on a digital monitor.
  • Cardioversion—This is a procedure that corrects heart arrhythmias by delivering electric shocks to the heart via electrodes placed on the chest.
  • Carotid endarterectomy—This surgery is used to remove plaque buildup in the carotid artery, which restores blood flow in an effort to reduce the risk of cerebrovascular accident (stroke).
  • Embolization—This is the surgical blocking of a blood vessel aimed at preventing blood flow to certain areas.
  • Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) insertion—An ICD is a small device that is connected to the heart muscle and continuously monitors the heart rate and regulates the heartbeat when electrical irregularities occur.
  • Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter—An IVC filter is placed in the inferior vena cava, a vein supplying the heart, that helps prevent blood clots from traveling to your lungs through the blood.
  • Pacemaker insertion—A pacemaker is a small device that is inserted into the chest or abdomen to provide stabilization for the heart in patients with heart arrhythmias. The pacemaker sends a signal to help the heart beat at a normal rhythm when an irregular heartbeat is present.
  • Peripheral vascular surgeries—This is the surgical treatment of arterial conditions and includes procedures like balloon angioplasty and stenting.
  • Vascular access catheterization—This procedure uses a catheter, which is inserted into a blood vessel, to deliver medication directly to the bloodstream or draw blood.