Digital Catheterization Laboratories
Cardiac catheterization involves inserting a slender tube (or catheter) into a blood vessel in the groin or arm and then guiding it into the coronary arteries or chambers of the heart. Doctors can then measure blood pressure inside the heart, determine the oxygen level in the blood or gauge the pumping ability of the heart muscle.

Catheters are also used to inject contrast dye into the coronary arteries. X-rays are then taken to monitor the dye as it flows through the arteries. This allows the cardiologist to see the coronary arteries to determine if the arteries narrow or are blocked by buildup of plaque which can restrict blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart.

The lab features digital catheterization technology that produces images of the heart designed to help doctors make better decisions about treating heart disease. A dedicated cath lab team includes a number of specially trained technicians and nurses who assist physicians with a variety of treatment procedures.

Procedures performed in the cath lab include the following:
• Permanent pacemaker placement
• Diagnostic cardiac catheterization (angiogram and venogram)
• Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)
• Coronary stenting
• Rotoblator
• Directional coronary atherectomy (DCA)
• Cardioversion
• Internal automatic cardiac defibrillator
• Alcohol septal ablation
• Percutaneous peripheral angiography and revascularization

Stress Testing
The Diagnostic Cardiology Laboratory conducts an exercise stress test to measure the heart’s general condition. During the test, the electrical activity of the heart is measured while the patient walks on a treadmill or pedals a stationary bicycle. This measures the heart's reaction to the body's increased demand for oxygen.

There are several types of stress tests performed at Houston Northwest Medical Center. Some tests use a mildly radioactive dye that allows physicians to see where the heart is not getting enough blood supply while the patient is exercising; others use medications to simulate exercise if the patient is unable to use the treadmill.

Echocardiogram
Another test performed at Houston Northwest Medical Center is an echocardiogram, a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart. The picture is much more detailed than X-ray images and involves no radiation exposure. This noninvasive test is used to evaluate the valves and chambers of the heart. Echocardiograms help doctors assess heart murmurs, check the heart’s pumping function and treat patients who have had heart attacks.

Coronary Stenting
The Heart Center uses a device called a stent, a wire mesh tube, to help keep an artery open after an angioplasty. The stent stays permanently in the artery. Among the stents used at Houston Northwest Medical Center include an advanced drug-eluting stent designed to reduce or eliminate scar tissue that can sometimes form within an artery causing that artery to renarrow.

Carotid Artery Stenting
Carotid artery stenting is a procedure in which a stent is inserted to expand the inside of the carotid artery and increase blood flow in areas blocked by plaque. Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) can cause the buildup of plaque. Enough plaque can build up to reduce blood flow through the arteries, or cause blood clots or pieces of the plaque to break away and block the arteries in the brain beyond the plaque.

About Arteries
Arteries are muscular blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. Branches of the aorta, the largest artery, include the carotid arteries, which supply blood to the head and neck. Carotid arteries are located on each side of the neck and extend from the aorta in the chest to the base of the skull. There are two carotid arteries on each side, the external and the internal. The external supplies blood to the face and scalp. The internal carotid artery supplies blood to the brain.

When plaque builds up and reduces blood flow in the carotid arteries, it is called carotid artery disease, which can lead to an ischemic stroke. An ischemic stroke is a stroke that occurs due to lack of blood flow to cells in the brain. Another problem that plaque can cause is an arterial embolism. This occurs when a small piece of plaque or a blood clot breaks away from the site where it formed and blocks another artery downstream. If a clot blocks a tiny artery in the brain, it may cause a transient ischemic attack, also known as a mini-stroke.

Pacemakers
Patients at the Heart Center with congestive heart failure can also benefit from new implanted pacemaker technology that helps the pumping chamber of the heart work more efficiently. A pacemaker can help reduce or stop the symptoms of abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias), such as dizziness, confusion, fainting or fatigue.

Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation