Cardiology

Our cardiologists offer comprehensive evaluation and management of diseases of the heart and circulatory system and work with primary care physicians to ensure coordinated, continuous care.

Our faculty have expertise in every aspect of cardiac care, ranging from standard procedures such as outpatient consultation, echocardiography, and angiography to advanced clinical research into heart failure, preventive cardiology, and radio-frequency ablation.

Special services include physical fitness evaluation, non-invasive and invasive studies, interventional procedures, and radioisotope examinations of the heart.

What is a heart attack?

A heart attack is the result of blocked blood flow to a section of the heart muscle. If the blood flow is not restored quickly, the heart muscle becomes damaged from oxygen deprivation and begins to die.

Heart attack most often occurs as the result of coronary artery disease — a buildup of plaque inside the coronary arteries. Risk factors for coronary artery disease and heart attack include age, family history, smoking, and being overweight or obese.

Symptoms

Chest discomfort or pain characterized by an uncomfortable pressure or squeezing in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. This pain can be mild or strong.
Pain in one or both arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
Shortness of breath with or before chest pain.
Other signs: nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness or fainting, or cold sweats.

Treatment

The WVU Heart Institute has the doctors, technology, and facilities to make a rapid diagnosis and take quick effective action 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We’ve refined our coordination and teamwork to a science.
For a heart attack patient, “door to balloon” is the time from arrival at the hospital until the start of balloon angioplasty. The national goal for “door to balloon” is 90 minutes. The WVU Heart Institute far exceeds that goal.
Balloon angioplasty opens coronary arteries, restores blood flow to the heart muscle, and decreases the patient’s risk of disability or death.