Other Cardiovascular Procedures

This test maps blood flow through the heart while you are at rest and while you are doing physical activity. It can show problems with the structure and function of your heart. And, it helps diagnose heart disease or other problems.

In this non-surgical outpatient procedure, a small, flexible tube containing a probe is inserted into the esophagus to provide live images of the heart. The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes to complete.

This test, which we call an "echo," makes images of your heart. It shows more detail than we see with an x-ray. It lets your doctor see how your heart beats. It can reveal problems within your heart.

A transthoracic echocardiogram (echo) is an imaging test. It helps your doctor assess your heart. Here's how it works.

The ECG is a test that records electrical signals from your heart. The pattern of these signals can tell the healthcare provider if your heart is normal, under stress, or having electrical problems, strain, or damage.

An EPS closely monitors your heart rhythm. EPS can help find out exactly what your rhythm problem is and what can be done to control it. A specially trained doctor (electrophysiologist) does the procedure in an EPS lab.

Doppler ultrasound uses harmless sound waves to evaluate and create pictures of blood flow inside your blood vessels. This test can detect narrow or blocked arteries and veins due to an abnormality pressing on them or blood clots inside.

In this minimally-invasive procedure, a catheter equipped with a balloon and cutting device is used to remove plaque from an obstructed coronary artery. The coronary arteries are the arteries that provide blood to the heart muscles. Directional atherectomy is typically most appropriate for the removal of softer types of plaque.

This is a way we remove plaque that's blocking a coronary artery. The coronary arteries are tiny blood vessels that provide blood to your heart tissue. Clearing a blockage lets your heart get the blood it needs to work properly.

This is a way we remove hardened plaque that's blocking a coronary artery. The coronary arteries are tiny blood vessels that provide blood to your heart tissue. Clearing a blockage lets your heart get the blood it needs to work properly.

In this minimally-invasive procedure, a catheter equipped with a rotating extraction device is used to remove plaque from an obstructed coronary artery. The coronary arteries are the arteries that provide blood to the heart muscles.

This minimally-invasive procedure is used to treat a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a tangle of enlarged vessels that can potentially hemorrhage and cause a devastating stroke. In this procedure, fast-drying glue or a small, soft metal coil is placed inside the AVM to help block the flow of blood and prevent hemorrhage.

Watch this video to learn how to prepare for a catheter ablation treatment for supraventricular tachycardia (SVT).

Catheter ablation can fix a cardiac arrhythmia when medicines used to treat it don't work. The ablation stops abnormal electrical signals in your heart. This lets your normal heart rhythm take over again.

This procedure corrects an abnormal heart rhythm. It uses energy pulses to change the way your heart's electrical signals flow.

Watch this video to learn what catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is and how to prepare for the procedure.

This test sends a long, thin tube called a "catheter" into the right side of your heart. Through this tube, we get a lot of info about how well your heart is working.

An aortic angiogram is a test that takes pictures of the aorta. This is the main blood vessel that carries blood from your heart to the rest of your body. The test can show problems with your aorta, such as a blockage or an aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge in the wall of the aorta).

Watch this video to learn how to care for yourself at home after a catheter ablation.

TAVR is a procedure to replace a diseased aortic valve using minimally invasive methods.

TAVR is done by putting a thin, flexible tube called a catheter through a blood vessel in your groin or sometimes through a small incision between your ribs. The catheter is used to deliver an artificial valve to your heart.

Take care after your TAVR procedure. These guidelines can help.

The IABP is a device that helps your heart pump more blood. You may need it if your heart is unable to pump enough blood for your body.

An implantable loop recorder is a device that records information about how your heart is working.

The IABP is a device that helps your heart pump more blood. You may need it if your heart is unable to pump enough blood for your body.

These procedures are often used in the evaluation and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Mechanical thrombectomy is a procedure used to remove a blood clot in an artery. It's most often used as an emergency treatment for some ischemic strokes.

Watch this video to learn what a coronary angiogram is and how to prepare.

Watch this video to learn how to safely care for yourself after a coronary angiogram.

This is a procedure used to examine your coronary arteries. Those are the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle. This procedure can help your doctor find blockages in these arteries.

Learn what you need to do to prepare for an angiography, and what occurs during the procedure.

Watch this video to learn how to prepare for a Coronary Angioplasty.

Learn the possible risks associated with this procedure.

Watch this video to learn what a cardiac catheterization is and how to prepare for the procedure.

Watch this video to learn how to recover safely after a cardiac catheterization.

This procedure uses a balloon-tipped catheter to open one or more arteries in your heart. After an artery is opened, a mesh stent may be placed to hold it open.

This procedure puts a mesh stent into a narrowed or blocked artery in your heart. The stent widens the artery and holds it open. This improves blood circulation to your heart's tissue.

Watch how arteries in your heart become too narrowed and blocked, and how this procedure can restore blood flow.

Learn how to prepare yourself for your angioplasty, and watch what occurs during the angioplasty and stenting procedures.

Learn the importance of knowing the medications you have been prescribed and how to take them safely.

See how two types of this medical device are used to improve the health of your heart.

Learn what signs and symptoms are normal during your recovery, and which ones require immediate attention.

Learn the possible risks of angioplasty and stenting.

Become familiar with the medications you may receive and the restrictions you will have during your brief stay in the hospital.

Understand how you can avoid complications and safely recover from angioplasty.

A coronary angiogram is a special X-ray test. It's done to find out if your coronary arteries are blocked or narrowed, where and by how much. An angiogram can help your doctor see if you need treatment such as angioplasty or stent, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) or medical therapy. © AHA

Angioplasty opens blocked arteries and restores normal blood flow to your heart muscle. It's not major surgery. It's done by threading a catheter (thin tube) through a small puncture in a leg or arm artery to the heart. The catheter places a tiny balloon at the site of blockage in the artery. When the balloon is inflated, it pushes the plaque flat against the artery wall. This widens the artery and improves blood flow. © AHA

Dr. Clyde Yancy, former American Heart Association president, explains common procedures for heart attack victims.

This nonsurgical procedure widens a narrowed aorta. During the procedure, a balloon is inflated inside the narrowed aorta to expand the blood vessel. Widening the aorta will improve blood flow to the body.

Watch how this possible complication of angioplasty develops, and how to recognize its signs and symptoms.

Angiography is a special type of x-ray that allows your coronary arteries to be viewed and recorded on film. Your doctor can see if the blood vessels to your heart are clogged.

Angioplasty relieves symptoms of coronary artery disease by improving blood flow to your heart. Read on to learn what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.

Atherectomy is a procedure that relieves symptoms of coronary artery disease by improving blood flow to your heart.

A stent is a small metal coil or mesh tube that is placed in a narrowed artery through a catheter (a long, thin tube) to help improve blood flow to your heart. The stent permanently holds the passageway open and helps reduce the rate of restenosis, renarrowing of the artery.

You may have had angina, dizziness, or other symptoms of heart trouble. To help diagnose your problem, your health care provider may advise a cardiac catheterization. This common procedure is sometimes also used to treat a heart problem. Learn what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.

Peripheral angiography is a test that uses X-ray and contrast dye to map the blood vessels (arteries) in your lower body, legs, and arms. This can show where blood flow may be blocked.

Angiography is safe. But any procedure has risks and possible complications. Before you have any procedure, you should understand the possible risks. Here are the common risks for angiography.

Peripheral angioplasty is a procedure that helps open blockages in peripheral arteries. These vessels carry blood to your lower body, legs, and arms.

During your angioplasty, a doctor inserts a thin tube called a catheter into a blood vessel in your groin or wrist. The catheter is pushed through your blood vessel to a blocked area in one of your heart's arteries. The doctor inflates a tiny balloon at the tip of the catheter and stretches the blocked vessel so blood can flow freely. The balloon is then deflated and removed with the catheter. The doctor may also insert a metal mesh tube called a stent in the blocked vessel. The stent helps the vessel stay open.

This is a procedure to look for blocked areas in the blood vessels that send blood to your heart.

After PCI, you will need to take blood thinners to prevent blood clots.

After percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), you will need regular follow-up appointments with your doctor.

After percutaneous coronary intervention, or angioplasty, making lifestyle changes is an important part of your recovery.

After percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), its important to follow your healthcare provider's for exercise.

During the procedure, your doctor will insert a long, thin tube (catheter) into an artery and move it up into your heart. This procedure can be used to diagnose and treat certain heart problems.

Watch this video to learn the different types of pacemakers and how to prepare before the procedure.

A pacemaker is a small device implanted in the chest to regulate the beat of the heart. Pacemakers may be used to treat a variety of heart problems, including irregularities of the heart's rhythm (called arrhythmias) and weakness of the heart muscle.

Disorders in the heart's electrical system can lead to arrhythmias, or an abnormal heart rhythm. Some patients who have been diagnosed with a slow heart rate, known as bradycardia, may require a pacemaker. A pacemaker is a device that is implanted in the chest and can correct a slow heartbeat.

The procedure for implanting a pacemaker is often routine and relatively easy for the patient. The health care team will tell the patient how to prepare for surgery and what to expect during the procedure.

In this procedure, an impulse generator (called a pacemaker) is implanted in the chest to regulate the rhythm of the heart.

Following the pacemaker implant procedure, the patient will stay in the hospital for one or two nights to make sure the wound is healing without complications and the device is working properly. Before discharging the patient, the health care team will provide instructions on how to care for the wound at home.

Most patients with a pacemaker can live a normal, active life. Patients do need to take some precautions such as carrying their medical ID card, which contains information about their device, and telling all of their heath care providers that they have a pacemaker.

If you've recently been given a pacemaker, you may have some concerns. You may worry that it will keep you from activities you enjoy. But it won't. Sure, you'll need to cut back on some things while your pacemaker settles into place. But soon, you'll be as active as anyone else your age.

Pacemaker identification wallet card. Cut this card out and keep in your wallet for use when you are traveling or away from home. © AHA

A pacemaker is a small device that sends electrical impulses to your heart to help control your heartbeat so your body gets blood and oxygen. © AHA

If your heart beats too fast or doesn't beat with a regular pattern, you may need electrical cardioversion. During this hospital procedure, your heart is shocked with electricity. It can help give your heart a normal beat. Cardioversion isn't the same as defibrillation. That's an emergency procedure that uses high-energy shocks. Cardioversion uses low-energy shocks.

Watch this clip to understand how a pacemaker has helped Patsy after her heart attack.

You have a condition called heart failure. To treat your symptoms, you will get a special device to help keep your heart pumping normally.

A pacemaker is a small electronic device that helps your heart's electrical system beat at the right pace. Inserting the pacemaker into your body is called implantation. You stay awake during the procedure.

You can usually do almost everything you did before you got your pacemaker. See your doctor regularly to help ensure that you remain healthy and feeling good. Here are some things to avoid.

A pacemaker helps keep your heart from beating too slowly. This can help you feel better and have more energy. As you recover, follow all of the instructions you are given. This sheet can help.

The body generates electrical impulses that cause the heart to beat. In some people, those electrical impulses don't happen in a normal pattern, which can cause the heart to beat too slowly, too fast or irregularly. A very fast heartbeat can lead to ventricular tachycardia, a potentially life-threatening condition. In patients who are at risk for ventricular tachycardia, doctors often recommend an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or ICD.

Disorders in the heart's electrical system can lead to arrhythmias, or an abnormal heart rhythm. Some arrhythmias can be life threatening and require an electrical shock to return the heart to a normal rhythm. Patients who are at risk for sudden cardiac death may require an implantable cardiac defibrillator or ICD, which can deliver a life-saving shock if the heart starts to beat too fast or in a chaotic pattern.

With this procedure, a small device is placed in your chest. It monitors your heart's rhythm. If it detects that your heart isn't beating normally, it sends electricity to your heart to convert your heart rhythm to a normal one.

This device, which we call an "ICD," is put inside your chest or abdomen. It's used to treat arrhythmia. That's an irregular heart rhythm. An ICD monitors your heart and keeps it beating properly.

Watch this to learn answers to common concerns about getting a heart rhythm device.

The procedure for implanting an ICD is often routine and relatively easy for the patient. The health care team will tell the patient how to prepare for surgery and what to expect during the procedure.

Following the ICD implant procedure, the patient will stay in the hospital for one or two nights to make sure the wound is healing without complications and the device is working properly. Before discharging the patient, the healthcare team will provide instructions on how to care for the wound at home.

Most patients with an ICD can live a normal, active life. Patients do need to be aware of the types of shocks an ICD delivers and what to do if they experience a shock. There are also some precautions patients should take in order to reduce complications.

An ICD is a battery-powered device placed under the skin, just below the collarbone, or in your abdomen (stomach area) beneath your ribs. It reads the electrical signals in your heart to keep track of your heart rate. If the ICD detects an abnormal heart beat, it can deliver an electric pulse or shock to your heart. This helps restore a normal heartbeat. © AHA

An ICD is a device that is placed permanently inside your body. An ICD monitors your heart rhythm (the speed and pattern of your heartbeat). If this rhythm becomes too fast or too slow, the ICD sends out electrical signals that help bring the rhythm back to normal. Read on to learn more.

Most ICDs are well protected from interference with other electrical devices. But there are some devices and signals that can cause problems. Read on to learn more--and avoid these possible problems.

The ICD monitors your heart rhythm. If the rhythm becomes too fast or too slow, the ICD sends out signals to bring the rhythm back to normal.

An ICD is a small device used to treat certain dangerous heart rhythm problems. It has a generator with 1 or more wires (leads) that go into the heart.

Watch this checklist to help understand what you can do to help your recovery from angioplasty at home.

This is a treatment for peripheral artery disease in the legs. It improves blood flow through an artery clogged with plaque.

Watch how femoral bypass surgery restores blood flow in a blocked artery.

Watch what you will need to do to help prepare for femoral artery bypass surgery.

See how you can help recover at home from your femoral artery bypass surgery.

Watch how this procedure clears blockages and restores blood flow in the arteries of your arms and legs.

Watch what you will need to do to prepare for your atherectomy.

See what to expect as you recover from the atherectomy procedure.

A stent is a tiny wire mesh tube that keeps a coronary artery open to increase blood flow to the heart. This reduces the chance of a heart attack. © AHA

This procedure removes plaque that's blocking a carotid artery. That's an artery that sends blood to your brain and your face. You have two of these arteries, one on each side of your neck.

Surgery to bypass a blocked leg artery can ease your symptoms. The bypass is done with a special tube that reroutes blood around a blockage.

You had a procedure known as peripheral angioplasty. Follow these instructions on what to do when you get home.

You had a procedure known as peripheral artery bypass surgery. Follow these instructions on what to do after you get home.

The femoral artery is a large blood vessel in the groin area. Femoral endarterectomy is a procedure to clear a blockage from the femoral artery.

This is a procedure to fix a problem with your heart's mitral valve. That's the valve between the two chambers on the left side of your heart.

This is a procedure to fix a problem with your heart's mitral valve. That's the valve between the two chambers on the left side of your heart.

Heart valves regulate the flow of blood through the heart. If a poorly-functioning valve cannot be repaired, it may be replaced with a mechanical or biological valve. Any of the four heart valves can be damaged, but the mitral and aortic valves are the ones most frequently replaced. This animation will show the replacement of the mitral valve through a small opening in the patient's side.

This is a procedure to fix a problem with your heart's mitral valve. That's the valve between the two chambers on the left side of your heart.

TAVI or TAVR stands for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation or Replacement. During this minimally invasive procedure a new heart valve is inserted without removing the old, diseased valve. The new valve is placed inside the diseased valve. © AHA

This procedure treats aortic valve stenosis. It replaces your damaged aortic valve with a new valve. We'll use a tube called a "catheter" to put in the new valve. That's easier on your body than using surgery to open your chest and heart.

Learn what to expect before, during, and after heart valve surgery.

For the first 6 to 8 weeks after heart valve surgery, you'll gain a little more energy and strength each day. Your healthcare provider will discuss what you can and can't do as you recover. Here's what you can expect.

The heart contains 4 valves. The valves open and close to keep blood moving in the right direction through the heart. With each squeeze, the valves open and close to keep blood moving forward.

Valve disease occurs when a valve doesn't open or close the way it should. If a valve doesn't open all the way, the heart has to push blood through a smaller opening. If the valve doesn't close tightly, some blood will leak backward.

A problem with a heart valve will usually cause the heart to make a noise. Your provider can hear this noise, called a murmur. But you can have a heart murmur and not have valve disease or any other heart problem. Other tests can help confirm the diagnosis of valve disease.

Aortic stenosis means your aortic valve has a problem opening. The left ventricle has to work harder to push the blood through the valve. In some cases, this extra work will make the muscle of the ventricle thicken. This type of stenosis can quickly get worse.

Aortic insufficiency means your aortic valve has problems closing. Blood leaks back through the valve. Extra blood may cause the ventricle to stretch. A stretched ventricle doesn't squeeze as well. In time, the heart won't move blood the way it should.

Mitral valve prolapse is the most common heart valve problem. It's usually not serious. With this problem, the valve bulges slightly back into the atrium when it closes. This may allow a tiny amount of blood to leak.

Mitral insufficiency means your mitral valve has problems closing, letting blood leak back through the valve. Mild cases of mitral insufficiency, when a small amount of blood leaks, rarely lead to problems. But severe cases can cause damage to the ventricle and heart muscle.

Mitral stenosis causes the mitral valve to stiffen and not open right. Learn about what it is, causes, and treatments.

If you are having symptoms, certain medications can ease them. Other medications help prevent problems that may occur due to valve disease. Your doctor can discuss what medications might be right for you. Here are some types of medications that may be prescribed and what they do.

You have been diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis. This means the aortic valve in your heart is stiff and has trouble opening.

Here is how to take care of yourself after surgery to fix or replace a heart valve.

Coronary artery bypass surgery is a type of heart surgery. The surgery is done to bypass a blocked area in a coronary artery.

A mitral valve replacement is a surgery to replace a mitral valve that doesn't work well. It's replaced with a new valve.

Aortic valve regurgitation is when the aortic valve leaks. In many cases, mild to moderate aortic valve regurgitation just needs to be monitored. More severe cases often need surgery. Here's what you need to know about treatment.

Mitral valve regurgitation is when the mitral valve in the heart is leaky. It lets some blood flow back, instead of all pumping into the next chamber.

A mitral valve replacement is a surgery to replace a mitral valve that doesn't work well. It's replaced with a new valve.

A mitral valve replacement is a surgery to replace a mitral valve that doesn't work well. It's replaced with a new valve.

A total artificial heart is a pump implanted in your chest to take over the job of your failing heart. It's a temporary device until you can receive a heart transplant with a donor heart. Read on to learn more.