Cardiology

When you need cardiovascular care, you can trust the cardiologists at Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center in Southern Nevada. Our team of board-certified physicians and clinical staff use the latest technology to provide advanced heart and vascular services with a compassionate touch.

If you are interested in learning more about our cardiovascular services, call our Consult-A-Nurse team at (702) 916-5023.

Cardiovascular conditions we treat

Our skilled cardiologists and cardiovascular specialists are experienced in treating a wide range of heart and vascular conditions, including:

• Heart arrhythmia
• Heart attack, chest pain and other emergency heart conditions
• Heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease
• Vascular diseases

Emergency chest pain and heart attack care

Heart attacks are the leading cause of death in the U.S., with over 600,000 dying annually of heart disease. If you or a loved one experiences chest pain, trust that our emergency room can diagnose and treat heart attacks and chest pain, quickly and effectively.

As a Chest Pain Center accredited by The Joint Commission, we are committed to providing our community with acute cardiac medicine. Our emergency cardiac team includes emergency-trained physicians, nurses, cardiologists and technicians who work together to establish a comprehensive management plan for patients with chest pain.

Recognizing heart attack symptoms early

Our cardiac program is committed to promoting and offering Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC). We are dedicated to educating our community about the signs of heart attack, and that these signs and symptoms can occur days or weeks before the actual event. These early symptoms need to be recognized and treated to avoid the damage caused by a full-blown heart attack.

Early symptoms of a heart attack include chest pain, which can be mild and sporadic in its earliest stages. People often ignore these warnings and put themselves at risk for significant damage to the heart muscle or even death.

Heart screenings and diagnostics

Our cardiologists use the advanced technology provided in our newly opened, state-of-the-art biplane suite. With these enhanced capabilities and imaging services, our cardiovascular specialists diagnose and treat a variety of disorders, including diseases of the heart, brain and blood vessels.

We offer a comprehensive range of cardiac diagnostic procedures, including:

• Angiography, both cardiac and peripheral
• Aortic and carotid duplex ultrasounds
• Echocardiography with 2D, 3D and transesophageal echocardiograms
• Electrocardiography (EKG or ECG)
• Electroencephalography
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Stress tests with chemical and treadmill options

Electrophysiology

Pacemaker and device implantations

Our electrophysiologists perform pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) using minimally invasive techniques as outpatient surgeries. Some of the pacemakers and devices we implant include:

• Heart failure system—A small pressure-sensing device that is implanted directly into the pulmonary artery that sends information wirelessly to your doctor.
• Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)—A device that is implanted in patients at risk for sudden cardiac death. The ICD is slightly larger than a pacemaker and monitors the heart for abnormal heartbeats and is can deliver an internal shock, directly into the heart muscle, when it senses that the heart is in either a rhythm called ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.
• Loop recorder—A small device implanted or injected below the skin of the patient's chest, which is no larger than a pack of gum, that can record any arrhythmias for up to three years.
• Pacemaker—A device that regulates the beating of the heart by delivering an electrical impulse through electrodes connected to the heart muscle, allowing patients quick recoveries.

Echocardiography

Echocardiograms give your physician information about how well your heart is working. These ultrasound images offer clear images of the walls, chambers and size of your heart. Our clinical staff is specialty certified to provide the best imaging possible.

Transesophageal echocardiograms

Transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE) are performed when your physician wants a closer look at your heart from inside your esophagus. These ultrasound images can give your physician information about diagnosing and treating diseases, infections, or problems with the walls or chambers of your heart.

Electrocardiography

We offer a 12-lead EKG, which is a recording of your heart's electrical signals. This recording gives your physician information regarding any potential issues with the electrical system of your heart. Sometimes a physician may want to see more than a 12-lead EKG test and may order a Holter monitor or an event monitor for you to wear for a longer period of time.

Stress tests

Stress tests allow your physician to see how your heart responds to exercise. To speed up your heart, this test may involve a treadmill and/or medication. Stress tests may also be performed in conjunction with an echocardiogram.

Minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures

We always use the least invasive method possible to effectively treat our patients with heart and vascular conditions. The advanced technology in our new biplane suite and two state-of-the-art catheterization labs allows our cardiologists to see extremely detailed, real-time images of our patients' anatomies during minimally invasive procedures that require exact positioning. We also offer technology, which features the balloon pump to enhance the support of the heart.

We provide a wide range of minimally invasive and/or interventional procedures, including:

• Abdominal angiogram with runoff
• Angioplasty
• Atherectomy
• Cardiac catheterization
• Fractional flow reserve (FFR) and instantaneous wave-free ratio (IFR)
• Intravascular and coronary ultrasounds
• IVC filter placement
• Pacemaker and device implantations
• Pericardiocentesis
• Stenting (both coronary and peripheral)
• SVT, aflutter, and Afib ablations
• TEE and cardioversion
• Thrombectomy and thrombolytic therapy
• Venograms
• Venous stasis stenting

Cath lab services

Our two cardiac cath labs offer state-of-the-art technology and equipment. We also have a dedicated cardiac nurse navigator who guides you throughout your cardiac care journey.

Cardiac catheterization is an invasive procedure, which allows your physician to evaluate your heart, arteries and how well the heart is pumping. Coronary artery disease can lead to a blockage of the arteries that bring oxygen to your heart. Heart attacks occur when a blockage closes off one of these arteries. Cardiac catheterization, along with angioplasty and stent placement, can minimize the potential for permanent muscle damage when treated quickly.

Angiography

Catheter angiography involves guiding a catheter through an artery or vein in your groin and injecting the dye to find the narrowed area of a blood vessel. Then the narrowed area is either widened with an angioplasty, medication is administered or a stent is implanted to allow the vessel to remain open.

Angioplasty and atherectomy

Angioplasty and atherectomy can be performed at the same time as cardiac catheterization. With an angioplasty, when a blockage in the coronary artery is found to be significant, a balloon catheter is inserted into the area and the blockage is opened. With an atherectomy, a device is inserted that cuts plaque from the wall of the artery.

Fractional flow reserve

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is a technique used when the physician wants more information to see if your blockage is obstructing the flow of oxygen to the heart muscle.

Intravascular ultrasound

IVUS is a technique used when the physician wants more information about a blockage from inside the vessel. An ultrasound probe at the end of a catheter allows the physician to see the inner walls of the coronary artery.

Pericardiocentesis

Pericardiocentesis is performed to analyze fluid around the heart and involves a strict sterile procedure with a needle, which is inserted into the pericardial sac.

Stent placements

Stents are small tubes made of metal that are implanted in the coronary arteries and have been found to help decrease the chance that your blockage will reoccur. Stents are inserted on a balloon catheter and expanded in place to open the blockage in the coronary artery.