Cardiovascular services are provided for the Dallas VA, Fort Worth, Temple, Bonham and the Community Based Outpatient Clinic service centers.  Our services provided in Cardiology are based on the latest clinical medical advances in technology and are world class in treating cardiac disease of our veterans.  We specialize in training the future cardiologists, internal medical residents and medical students, in care of acute coronary diseases in patients.   We are a referral based service for acute coronary care for ICU’s, Emergency Services, telemetry monitoring of inpatient admissions and outpatient clinic services. Research is a valuable part of cardiology with various studies offered under the direction of our cardiology clinical physicians and nursing staff.

The diagnostic testing procedural services offered to our veteran patients are:

• Cardiac Catheterization diagnostic angiography: mapping the heart arteries for purposes of illuminating placque blockages.

  • Coronary Balloon Angioplasty:  removing or correcting placque/blockage with possible augmentation of stenting the artery to allow blood flow to the heart.
  • Rotational Atherectomy
  • Pericardiocentesis
  • Valvuloplasty
  • closure of patent foramen ovale
  • alcohol ablation for hypertorphic cardiomyopathy
  • Intra-aortic balloon pump placement
  • temporary pacemaker
  • peripheral vascular disease diagnostic procedures

   

• Heart Rhythm services provided through Electrophysiology/Pacing:

The EP and Pacing Service helps patients with abnormalities of heart rhythm. When the heart beats too slowly, we use a pacemaker to help it beat at a normal rate. For patients with troubling palpitations, we are in many cases able to cure these symptoms by performing a procedure known as catheter ablation which involves placing wires in the heart from the groin. These procedures are very safe and can offer patients permanent cure from such disorders.

We also use a variety of medications to help control certain rhythm disorders.

Some cardiac patients are at risk for sudden cardiac death. We can help to prevent such episodes by implanting Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICD). These machines which are similar to but larger than pacemakers have the ability to prevent death in these situations.

For patients with certain forms of heart failure, we perform a procedure known as a biventricular pacemaker or ICD. In selected cases, this therapy offers significant relief for patients with heart failure.

We investigate patients with certain types of blackouts looking for conditions in which we can help with one of the procedures listed above. There are many investigations we perform for this including tilt tests, Holter monitors and sometimes implant recorders which monitor the heart rate at all times.

We follow up all our own patients here in a dedicated pacemaker/ICD clinic.

• Echocardiography and Exercise Treadmill Services:  

  • Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE):  This is an ultrasound study of the heart.  A small probe is placed on the chest wall and abdomen and images are obtained for review by a cardiologist.

  • Transesophageal   Echocardiogram (TEE):  A TEE is also an ultrasound examination of the heart, but is performed by passing a long scope through your mouth into the esophagus  (swallowing tube).

  • Exercise Tolerance Test (also known as an Exercise Treadmill Study):  An exercise study is performed by the patient walking on a treadmill with monitoring of their heart rate and rhythm and blood pressure. This study can help determine the likelihood of whether a blocked artery in the heart may be causing your symptoms and if you would benefit from further evaluation.

  • Exercise Echocardiogram: The exercise echocardiogram provides information on how the different areas of the heart work after exercising.

  • Dobutamine Echocardiogram:  This study is a type of stress test, which is usually performed in those patients who have difficulty walking on the treadmill.  Through an intravenous line in your arm the medicine dobutamine will be given. This study can help determine the likelihood of whether a blocked artery in the heart may be causing your symptoms and if you would benefit from further evaluation.

• Cardiac Rehabilitation:  Post catheterization and post bypass surgery rehabilitation services are available to patients that are routinely referred to improve and increase their quality of life after these procedures.
   
• Heart Transplant Clinic services are available post one year transplantation for our veterans according to our Cardiology Service Agreement.
   
• Holter Monitoring:  24 hour monitoring of the heart to detect electrical heart rhythm problems.
   
• Congestive Heart Failure Clinic:  Is provided to assist patients requiring close clinical outpatient monitoring of diagnosed heart failure to improve their quality of life after increased hospital admissions.