Dependable Cardiovascular Services Are Right Here in Lakewood Ranch

If you or a loved one has a personal or family history of cardiovascular disease or coronary artery disease, has suffered a heart attack, or has a heart failure diagnosis, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is ready to help. Board-certified physicians and specially trained technologists, nurses and support staff collaborate to assist patients and help them recover. This team approach offers cardiac patients and their families the care they deserve.

Find a cardiologist

If you need a referral to a physician at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, call our free physician referral service at 800-454-8215 or search for a doctor online.

Quality standards/nationally recognized heart care

At Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, we have built a reputation for delivering quality heart care.

Early heart disease identification

If you are at risk for heart disease, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center has a screening test that can help detect the amount of calcium deposits, or plaque, in coronary arteries.

Learn more about early heart disease identification →

Services

We offer a wide range of services to diagnose, treat, and help you recover from cardiovascular conditions.

Cardiac catheterization

Catheter-based interventional procedures are performed in LWRMC’s fully-digital catheterization laboratories. Cardiac catheterization uses radiological equipment to both diagnose and treat some forms of heart disease. Interventional cardiologists at LWRMC specialize in transradial cardiac catheterization, in which they can access a patient’s heart through a catheter in the wrist instead of the femoral artery in the thigh.

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center's cardiac catheterization lab team consists of board-certified cardiologists, radiology technologists and registered nurses. Staff members continually update their skills through continuing medical education and certification programs.

Cardiac cath lab

Diagnosing heart disease

One of the best ways to reduce the chance of heart damage is to discover the problem early. Today's advanced diagnostic capabilities allow cardiologists to use many noninvasive diagnostic tests.

Learn more about diagnosing heart disease →

Noninvasive treatment

  • Thrombolytic therapy uses medications to dissolve arterial clots and let blood flow normally. The earlier the clot-dissolving drugs are used, the better chance cardiologists have of avoiding serious, irreversible heart damage.
  • Supplemental oxygen can be provided to the cardiac muscle during a heart attack to help the heart work easier. Medications that improve blood flow to the heart can be given after a heart attack to lower the body's demand for oxygen and treat or prevent irregular heart rhythms. Rest is another important aspect of treatment after a heart attack, especially resting the heart muscle. You can reduce strain on the heart by resting quietly in bed, and the Heart Center monitors a patient to ensure that the heart is not overtaxed.

Invasive treatment

  • Coronary angioplasty uses a balloon-tipped catheter that is inserted in the arteries of the heart and then inflated, compressing plaque build-up against the artery wall and letting blood flow normally. Atherectomy is the insertion and inflation of a balloon-tipped catheter. However, an atherectomy differs from a coronary angioplasty in that it removes plaque to allow proper blood flow, decreasing the risk of future blockage.
  • Coronary stents are small metal "cage-like" structures that act as "scaffolding" when inserted, holding a narrowed artery open so that blood can pass through freely. Coronary artery bypass surgery is a more complex procedure, which improves blood flow in blocked heart arteries, and valve surgery, which replaces, or repairs damaged or scarred heart valves.

Coronary artery disease – early detection

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is advancing the diagnosis of CAD with the HeartFlow® Analysis. This non-invasive heart test provides a personalized 3D model of your coronary arteries that shows how each blockage impacts blood flow to your heart. Once only available through an invasive procedure, this detailed information helps your doctor determine the next step in your treatment plan.

Learn more about HeartFlow Analysis →

CT heart score

If you are at risk for heart disease, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center has a screening test that can help detect the amount of calcium deposits, or plaque, in coronary arteries. A computed tomography (CT) Heart Score is a noninvasive test that can identify heart disease in its early stages.

Learn more about CT heart score →

Questions to ask your doctor

Getting answers to these questions will give you vital information about your heart health and what you can do to improve it. You may want to bring this list to your doctor's office.

  1. What is my risk for heart disease?
  2. What is my blood pressure? What does it mean for me, and what do I need to do about it?
  3. What are my cholesterol numbers? (These include total cholesterol, LDL or "bad" cholesterol, HDL or "good" cholesterol, and triglycerides.) What do they mean for me, and what do I need to do about them?
  4. What are my body mass index and waist measurement? Do they indicate that I need to lose weight for my health?
  5. What is my blood sugar level, and does it mean I'm at risk for diabetes?
  6. What other screening tests for heart disease do I need? How often should I return for checkups for my heart health?
  7. What can you do to help me quit smoking?
  8. How much physical activity do I need to help protect my heart?
  9. What is a heart-healthy eating plan for me? Should I see a registered dietitian or qualified nutritionist to learn more about healthy eating?
  10. How can I tell if I'm having a heart attack?