Cardiology is a branch of medicine that focuses on the heart. As your most important muscle, the heart delivers blood to every part of your body. When the heart pumps, it pushes blood into blood vessels — veins, arteries and capillaries. This blood helps your organs function.

Cardiovascular disease develops when that blood flow is interrupted. That’s when you need to see a cardiologist.

Conditions treated by cardiologists include:

• Arrhythmias. A healthy heart stays in rhythm. An arrhythmia causes your heart to either beat faster or slower than normal or beat erratically.

• Coronary artery disease. When cholesterol builds up on artery walls, it becomes difficult for blood to flow throughout your body. This can lead to a heart attack, which is characterized by symptoms such as shortness of breath, weakness and more.

• Heart failure. This occurs when the heart can’t send enough oxygen-rich blood to your body’s organs. Symptoms include weight gain, tiredness and breathing difficulty.

• Hypertension. Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension occurs when blood presses too hard against the walls of your arteries. Over time untreated hypertension can cause dangerous complications including heart failure, heart attack, stroke and vision loss.

• Peripheral artery disease. Blocked vessels leading to your extremities (arms and legs) can cause pain. Peripheral artery disease can also result in cold feet and slowed wound healing.

• Structural issues. Some disorders of the heart, such as structural issues, are genetic. Structural issues may affect arteries, heart valves, the heart wall and other parts of the heart.

Ochsner offers cardiology services to serve residents of Louisiana, Mississippi and beyond.

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center
1214 Coolidge Street
Lafayette, LA 70503

337-289-8429

No matter which cardiovascular disease you are facing, the Ochsner cardiology team can provide the treatment you need. To properly diagnose your condition, our team relies on cardiac electrophysiology, computed tomography (CT) scans, stress tests and more.

Depending on your condition, our specialists will develop a treatment plan tailored to meet your unique needs. Treatment options include:

• Cardiac ablation. This procedure involves scarring areas of the heart with extreme heat or cold to address arrhythmia.

• Coronary artery bypass. During this procedure, your doctor uses healthy blood vessels from other areas of your body to bypass blocked arteries and increase blood flow.

• Medication. Different medicines prevent blood clots, improve blood flow, lower blood pressure or cholesterol, reduce stress on the heart, prevent future heart attacks, and reduce chest pain.

• Pacemaker implantation. During this procedure, a cardiologist implants a small device into your heart to stabilize its rhythm.

• TAVR. Short for transcatheter aortic valve replacement, TAVR is a procedure in which a new heart valve is placed over the existing one to better control blood flow into and out of your heart.

Following heart surgery, cardiac catheterization or a cardiac event, you will likely need cardiac rehabilitation. Rehabilitation helps you get back on your feet and back to life. Your team will determine whether you need inpatient or outpatient cardiac rehab or both.

Ochsner cardiology partners with the Cardiovascular Institute of the South for your cardiovascular care.

Experts who may be part of your heart care team include:

• Advanced practice providers (nurse practitioners and physician associates)

• Cardiac imaging technicians

• Cardiac sonographers

• Cardiologists

• Cardiothoracic surgeons

• Dietitians

• Exercise physiologists

• Nurses

• Occupational therapists

• Physical therapists

• Social workers

• Vascular stenographers

Cardiology has come a long way through the years. Along with our cardiologists from Cardiovascular Institute of the South, we’re helping take it to the next level.

By participating in clinical trials, we connect you to innovative therapies not available at most centers across the country. It’s just one more way we keep up with the pulse of cardiology care.

Talk with your cardiology team about clinical trials that may help you.

Cardiologists either provide invasive, noninvasive or interventional care.

• Invasive cardiologists treat cardiovascular disease with minimally invasive or traditional, open surgery.

• Interventional cardiologists use thin, flexible tubes (catheters) to open clogged arteries with balloons and stents (small, wire-mesh tubes) and perform other procedures.

• Noninvasive cardiologists use imaging examination to detect heart disease and treat it with medication and lifestyle changes.

A first cardiology visit typically involves a physical exam, questions about medical history and some basic blood tests. It’s a good idea to bring questions, a notepad and a loved one to help remember everything your cardiologist says.