Cardiology

As a certified chest pain center accredited by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care, we have a dedicated team of specialists ready to rapidly treat heart attacks as soon as patients enter our doors. We have served the Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia communities for more than 20 years.

Our experienced team of specialists diagnoses and treats many types of heart ailments, ranging from common chest pain to heart attacks, and partner with patients to manage chronic conditions such as hypertension, congestive heart failure and heart disease.

Leaders in cardiovascular care

Our electrophysiologists were the first in the Chattanooga area to:

• Implant a magnetic resonance imaging-compatible implantable cardiac defibrillator
• Perform the convergent procedure to treat atrial fibrillation (AFib) that persists after ablation procedures
• Use the left atrial appendage closure implant to reduce stroke risk in AFib patients

Sudden chest pain and shortness of breath are two of the most common reasons to seek emergency care. Chest pain (angina) is often difficult to interpret, as many people cannot tell the difference between heartburn or a heart attack. Sudden, unexpected chest pain can be a potentially life-threatening symptom or a warning sign of another condition. Our teams of specialists work to treat heart attacks and chest pain as soon as you enter our emergency departments.

Symptoms of a heart attack

Paying attention to signs and symptoms can save a life. Call 911 if you experience any of the following:

• Chest pain with burning, pressure or tightness
• Cold sweat
• Dizziness
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea
• Pain in the jaw or upper arm area
• Paleness
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Unexplained anxiety
• Vomiting
• Weakness or fatigue

Cardiac-related chest pain

Chest pain can occur when the heart is not getting enough blood. You could feel aching, tightening, pressure or squeezing pain. Chest pain can also radiate to your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back.

There are several different reasons you may have heart-related chest pain:

• Atrial fibrillation (AFib)
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart valve problems
• High blood pressure
• Stable angina
• Tachycardia
• Unstable angina
• Variant angina

Chest pain can also produce different symptoms in women, such as pressure in the lower chest, upper abdomen and back. It can also cause extreme fatigue that can last several hours, weeks or days.

Non-cardiac chest pain

Chest pain can also be a symptom of a non-heart-related issue, such as a collapsed lung or gallbladder problem. Other symptoms include:

• A bitter or sour taste in your mouth
• Difficulty swallowing
• Pain that changes when you move positions
• Sharp burning below your ribs or breast bone

If you have non-heart-related chest pain, don't ignore the symptoms — speak with a medical provider as soon as possible.

Some lung problems that can result in chest pain include:

• Asthma
• Inflammation
• Pneumonia (infection)
• Pulmonary embolism (blood clot)
• Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure)

Approximately one female in the United States dies of heart disease each minute, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). The condition causes plaque to accumulate along the inside walls of your arteries, potentially blocking the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Heart disease is responsible for more female deaths than all forms of cancer combined.

To help protect yourself against heart disease, know the symptoms and create a prevention plan to reduce your risk.

Know the symptoms

The common symptoms of heart disease are pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest. However, such signs may not appear as severely in women, if at all. While the classic symptom of heart disease is a crushing pain in the chest, women may experience a sharp, burning pain that often occurs in the abdomen, back, jaw, neck or throat. In some cases, there may be no sign of heart disease at all until a woman has a heart attack, stroke or other cardiac event.

Know your risk

Smoking, high blood pressure and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are key risk factors for heart disease, and nearly half of all Americans have at least one of these. But you may be at increased risk of heart disease if you:

• Are overweight or obese
• Consume excessive amounts of alcohol
• Do not exercise regularly
• Have diabetes
• Maintain an unhealthy diet

Create a prevention plan

About 80 percent of cardiac and stroke incidents can be prevented, according to the AHA. A good first step toward heart disease prevention is scheduling an annual physical with a primary care provider. Your doctor should run routine lab tests to identify diabetes, high blood pressure, or cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Now that you know your numbers, take control of your health by taking steps to reduce your risk of heart disease.

1. Step 1: Stop smoking. If you don't smoke, great! Don't start.
2. Step 2: Commit to exercising. The AHA recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity and two days of engaging in moderate-to-high-intensity muscle-strengthening exercise per week.
3. Step 3: Refine your diet. Instead of processed foods full of salt, sugar and trans fat, fill your pantry with whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Increasing the amount of lean meat, such as fish, you consume can also help reduce your risk.

Smoking, high blood pressure and high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol are key risk factors for heart disease. Heart disease causes plaque to accumulate inside the arteries to block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart. You can protect yourself by understanding your symptoms and letting us help you create a prevention plan.

You may also be at increased risk of heart disease if you:

• Are overweight or obese
• Consume excessive amounts of alcohol
• Do not exercise regularly
• Have diabetes
• Maintain an unhealthy diet

Heart disease treatment options

We offer innovative treatments and services to treat your heart condition, including:

• 3D imaging technology
• AFib ablation with radio frequency or cryotherapy
• Cardiac catheterization
• Coronary artery by pass grafting (CABG)
• Heart and vascular surgery
• Holter monitoring
• Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)
• Minimally invasive procedures
• Multiple-gated acquisition (MUGA) scan
• Radionuclide angiography (RNA)
• Surgical maze
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
• Valve replacement and repair

Our teams are trained to diagnose and treat almost every kind of heart disease. We offer the latest technology and advanced diagnostic tests to treat almost any kind of heart disease and monitor blood flow. Procedures are often performed through small incisions made to remove issues, such as blood clots or plaque from the heart.

Our vascular specialists provide potentially lifesaving treatment to patients when they need it the most. The processes we have in place ensure patients who exhibit signs of stroke are promptly assessed, diagnosed and treated. Vascular specialists may include surgeons and vein specialists. We diagnose and treat blood vessel diseases and provide care for strokes, aneurysms and peripheral artery disease.

Care Assure is our commitment to provide excellent follow-up care. To ensure that we provide proper treatment, our program continues after your hospital visits to help you manage your disease. Clinically trained nurse navigators are available for support, answering questions and facilitating follow-up appointments.

By taking a broad view of patient care, Care Assure helps to improve disease management during the transition from the hospital back into the community.