Cardiology
Cardiology is the medical treatment of diseases of the heart and parts of the circulatory system. Cardiologists are the doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating these conditions.
Cardiac care in Arlington, Texas
Medical City Arlington provides a full-service cardiovascular program for our patients.
Our hospital has some of the most technologically advanced equipment to treat your heart health needs. We were also the first hospital in Tarrant County to become an Accredited Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI and Resuscitation from the ACC Accreditation Services (formerly known as the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care).
How healthy is your heart?
Understanding your heart health is a valuable preventive care tool. Take our assessment to determine your risk of heart disease and next steps to take.
Understanding your heart health is a valuable preventive care tool. Take our assessment to determine your risk of heart disease and next steps to take.
Cardiovascular services we offer
We provide a variety of services for patients in Arlington, Texas, including:
- Angioplasty
- Coronary artery bypass grafting
- Cardiac catheterization (diagnostic and interventional)
- Coronary and peripheral stenting
- Echocardiogram/transesophageal echo diagnostic testing
- Stress testing
- Pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) insertion
- Carotid artery stenting
- Therapeutic hypothermia treatment
- Electrophysiology studies
- Neuro diagnostic/interventional services
Heart screening and imaging
At Medical City Arlington, we offer calcium-score screening heart scans, a test used to determine the amount of calcium deposits found in plaque in the arteries.
Using a computed tomography (CT) scan, a technician can determine how much plaque is in the heart's arteries before symptoms develop, which helps your doctor evaluate your risk for future cardiovascular events.
You may be at increased risk if you have the following traits:
- Family history of cardiovascular disease
- Current or past smoker
- High cholesterol level
- High blood pressure
- Overweight
It's important to consult your doctor to determine how likely you are to get heart disease and whether calcium-score screening is appropriate for you. (This procedure is not recommended if you are pregnant.)
Interventional cardiology
When you schedule your appointment for a heart scan, ask what special instructions you should follow. You may be asked to avoid caffeine and smoking before the test.
Interventional cardiology involves the catheter-based treatment of heart disease. Most interventional cardiology procedures are minimally invasive, with most incisions only approximately a quarter inch or less in length. Using specialized studies for the heart, including cardiac catheterization or coronary angiograms, specialists are able to:
- Locate narrowing or blockages in the coronary arteries
- Gauge blood flow and blood pressure in the chambers of the heart
- Determine how well the heart valves function
- Check for abnormalities in the way the wall of the heart moves
Cardiovascular surgical procedures we perform
Depending on your condition, heart surgery may be a treatment option. Surgeons at Medical City Arlington perform traditional and minimally invasive surgical procedures for patients.
Robotic mitral valve repair
Robotic mitral valve repair is an alternative to conventional open heart surgery—the traditional way to treat mitral valve disease. Using this method, your surgeon is able to operate with unparalleled precision and control through a few small incisions.
This surgical technique can help your cardiovascular surgeon repair your valve and help you avoid mitral valve replacement, in which your natural valve tissues are cut away and replaced with an artificial valve. This is important because a repair can provide you with many significant advantages compared with mitral valve replacement, including a reduced risk of surgical complications and a better long-term life expectancy rate.
Mitral valve repair provides most patients the following benefits over open surgery:
- Less risk of infection
- Less blood loss and need for blood transfusions
- Shorter hospital stay
- Significantly less pain and scarring
- Faster recovery
- Quicker return to normal activities
This surgery may not be appropriate for every individual. Always ask your doctor about all treatment options, as well as their risks and benefits.
Cardiac rehabilitation
We offer patients access to comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation services after a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or heart surgery. With a supervised exercise program, nutritional counseling and additional resources, we help patients get and stay heart-healthy.
Early heart attack care
Learn the early warning signs of a heart attack and what to do if it worsens. Medical City Arlington, a Level II Trauma Center, helps educate the community through the use of Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC). Active bystanders can help save lives.
Heart healthy resources
Videos about our cardiology services
Good nutrition can help keep your heart healthy