Cardiology

Our hospital is home to a cardiac catheterization (cath lab) where our heart specialists perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

During a catheterization procedure, a catheter (small, thin tube) is threaded through the blood vessels to the heart. The catheter carries small devices to help repair heart abnormalities, such as a blocked blood vessel. Typically, a small incision is made in the groin or the neck to insert the catheter into an artery or vein.

We perform many treatments in our cardiac cath lab, including:

• Alcohol septal ablation for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Balloon angioplasty with stenting
• Endomyocardial biopsy
• Mitral and aortic valvuloplasty
• Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO)
• Percutaneous left ventricular assist device placement
• Right heart catheterization

The cath lab is located on the first floor of the main hospital building. To contact the cath lab, please call (850) 863-7592.

As the Tri-County area's first Accredited Chest Pain Center designated by the American College of Cardiology, our hospital has achieved a higher level of expertise in treating patients who arrive with heart attack symptoms. We have put processes in place that meet certain criteria to reduce the time between symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. By doing so, our goal is to provide the immediate treatment necessary to avoid as much heart damage as possible.

Our hospital is also certified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission. This designation signifies our dedication to evidence-based stroke treatment and positive patient outcomes.

An electrophysiology (EP) study is a series of diagnostic tests to help doctors understand an abnormal heart rhythm. Our EP studies take place in the cardiac cath lab, and patients are under mild sedation.

During and EP study, a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel that leads to the heart. An additional electrode catheter allows electrical signals to be sent to the heart and recorded. Anywhere from three to five electrode catheters may be used in an EP study.

Heart doctors use EP studies to find out:

• How well certain medications are working to treat an arrhythmia
• If a patient is at risk for further heart problems, such as fainting or cardiac arrest
• Where an arrhythmia is coming from
• Which treatment may correct the arrhythmia (such as cardiac ablation, medication, a pacemaker, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or surgery)

We provide comprehensive services for the diagnosis, management, treatment and prevention of vascular diseases and thrombotic disorders. Through interventional radiology, we treat vascular disorders and diseases with minimally invasive procedures.

We provide a variety of cardiovascular surgical options — from minimally invasive interventional cardiology procedures to traditional open-heart surgery.

Some of our cardiac surgical services include:

• Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)
• Repair of congenital heart abnormalities in adults
• Valve repair and replacement

Our hospital offers an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program designed to help patients improve their heart health. The goal of our cardiac rehab program is to help patients regain strength and develop long-term healthy lifestyle habits. Many patients join our program after having a heart attack, cardiovascular surgery or heart disease diagnosis.

Cardiac rehabilitation involves medically supervised exercise. This allows patients to strengthen their muscles and improve their cardiac health in a safe, controlled environment. Monitored exercise helps our patients gain confidence and return to their daily activities.

To be eligible for our cardiac rehab program, patients need a doctor's order or a physician referral. To learn more about our cardiac rehab program, please call (850) 315-7870.

A heart arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm. At our hospital, we perform electrophysiology studies to diagnose heart arrhythmias and offer advanced treatments.

Understanding atrial fibrillation (AFib)

AFib is the most commonly diagnosed abnormal heart rhythm in the U.S. It is an abnormal heart rhythm caused by erratic electrical signals in the heart. Treatments vary depending on the stage of atrial fibrillation. Some treatments for AFib include lifestyle changes, medications and ablation therapy.

Different types of ablation therapy for AFib

Ablation creates lesions, or barriers, on the heart tissue in an effort to stop the erratic electrical signals that cause atrial fibrillation. Types of ablation include:

• Endocardial radiofrequency (RF) ablation — This procedure treats the inside the heart. It is most often used to treat paroxysmal AFib, an earlier stage of Afib.
• Epicardial ablation — This procedure treats the outside the heart
• Hybrid AFib therapy — This treatment combines both types of ablation. It creates lesions inside and outside of the heart. Hybrid AFib therapy is used to treat long-standing, persistent AFib.

The goal of an ablation is to stop the AFib or to make the episodes shorter and less frequent. For a physician referral, please call (850) 864-0213.

Stroke prevention for patients with AFib

Surgeons at our hospital were the first in the Tri-County area to implant the innovative left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) device. The LAAC device can be inserted through a single procedure, and it reduces the risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular AFib.