Cardiology

• Coronary artery disease
• Heart disease
• Heart failure
• Heart valve disease
• Hypertension
• Irregular heart rhythm

Heart failure does not mean your heart has stopped working, it just means it no longer works as hard as it should. Our complete heart imaging services aid in the diagnosis of heart failure, including congestive heart failure (CHF), and our cardiovascular surgeons offer advanced options for treating this disease.

Heart failure treatment may involve lifestyle changes, management of medication, intravenous therapies and surgical treatment.

Obtaining an accurate diagnosis is the first step in our continuum of advanced heart care. The right diagnosis sets the foundation for your treatment plan, from prescribed medications to surgery and recovery.

Our facilities include specialty cardiac laboratories to enhance our physicians' abilities. The technology in our procedural labs allows for efficient and effective diagnosis about your condition. This gives our cardiovascular specialists the information they need to develop a treatment plan that's just right for you.

We offer a range of cardiac diagnostic imaging and tests at our facility, including:

• Left and right heart catheterization
• Cardiac stress tests
• Diagnostic 3D echocardiography
• Transesophageal echocardiography
• Electrocardiograms (EKGs)
• Electrophysiology studies
• Nuclear imaging technology

Our interventional cardiologists provide minimally invasive procedures for coronary heart diseases and 24/7 STEMI coverage. Our specialized cardiac catheterization (cath) labs offer a range of diagnostic procedures and treatments, including angioplasty and stenting and is available 24 hours a day for emergency services.

Additionally, IVUS (intravascular ultrasound) technology is used to visualize occlusions in the heart and other coronary arteries.

The benefits of catheter-based interventions also include shorter hospital stays, reduced pain and less visible postoperative scarring.

When you experience chest pain or discomfort, or other symptoms of a heart attack, we offer emergency services 24/7 to promptly diagnose and treat you. We always have teams and technology standing by and dedicated to this type of care. They will work as fast as possible to ensure you are treated right away, saving your heart tissue and possibly even your life.

Don't take heart attack symptoms lightly. If you believe someone is experiencing a heart attack, immediately call 911.

Our hospital is the first in the county to receive full accreditation by the American College of Cardiology as an Accredited Chest Pain Center. This recognition demonstrates our expertise and commitment to providing quality heart attack care.

We also offer advanced technology which allows our emergency room (ER) cardiologists to see your EKG while you are in the ambulance. This saves critical time in diagnosis and expedites treatment for faster medical intervention when every second counts.

Heart attack education

Early heart attack care encourages people to learn the early signs and symptoms of a heart attack. When identified early, when symptoms are mild and in the beginning phases, emergency care can be accessed sooner, leading to better outcomes for people who have heart attacks.

Heart attack symptoms

Heart attacks often have "beginning symptoms" that may occur up to two weeks prior to a major heart event. For many people experiencing these early symptoms, the heart attack itself may be prevented with quick treatment, before significant damage occurs to the heart.

People may or may not experience early signs of a heart attack. Symptoms may also come and go until they become constant or severe. For example, it is common for people to experience mild chest symptoms, like pressure, burning, aching or tightness, before more severe symptoms occur.

Signs of a heart attack include:

• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Chest pressure, squeezing or discomfort
• Fatigue
• Feeling of fullness
• Jaw pain
• Nausea
• Pain that travels down one or both arms
• Shortness of breath

Our board-certified surgeons specializing in heart and vascular surgery are innovators and early adopters of advanced technologies and treatments to give patients improved outcomes and faster recoveries. HCA Florida Northwest Hospital is a leader in all types of cardiac surgery — from traditional, open-heart surgery to valve procedures and advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat various cardiac conditions.

Our cardiovascular program employs a prestigious team of heart and vascular specialists in Broward County, Florida. Because of this commitment to staying on the forefront of medical advances, we are typically among the first facilities in Florida to perform new, better heart treatments and techniques.

In fact, we have been recognized by various institutions and organizations for our dedication to delivering exceptional cardiac care, including:

• Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care^™ (2022-2023)
• Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention^™ (2016-2023)
• Primary Stroke Center certification from The Joint Commission