Heart Failure
Causes of heart failure include coronary artery disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity, which may contribute to weakening or stiffening the heart.
Consultative Cardiology Program
First and second opinions on diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions
The Consultative Cardiology Program at Lankenau Heart Institute in the suburbs of Philadelphia is a vital line of defense for patients who are experiencing symptoms of a heart or vascular condition. Our multidisciplinary team of cardiac specialists, including physicians, nurses and dietitians, work together to secure a prompt diagnosis, identify appropriate treatment options, and facilitate long-term, follow-up care.
Distinguishing features of the program include:
- Cardiac risk assessment – If you have a medical and family history that increases your likelihood of developing a heart or vascular condition, a cardiac risk assessment can evaluate your 10-year risk of developing heart disease based on your age, gender, cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure. Other factors taken into consideration include weight, activity level and smoking. For this assessment, you will complete a physical exam, questionnaire and a panel of blood tests.
- Preventative medicine – Our cardiology team works with people who are at risk of developing heart disease to create personalized plans that reduce their risk while improving short- and long-term health. These plans often include diet and exercise modification, smoking cessation, medication and, in some cases, intervention or surgery.
- Diagnostic evaluation – Lankenau Heart Institute’s cardiologists draw upon the full range of diagnostic tools, including HeartFlow Analysis, cardiac stress test, tilt table testing, angiogram, and cardiac catheterization, when evaluating patients with potential heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart attack and diseases of the blood vessels in the legs (peripheral artery disease).
- Medical management – In some cases, a heart condition can be effectively managed with medication. We have access to the latest research and clinical trials and can provide you with options not available at many other hospitals.
- Intervention – Using a catheter-based approach (a thin, flexible tube), our interventional cardiologists go through the wrist (radial artery) or the leg (femoral artery) to open blocked blood vessels and place tiny stents within the vessel to keep it open. This approach decreases overall trauma to the body by eliminating the need for open surgery and gets you back to normal activities more quickly.
- Preoperative evaluation – Prior to surgery, the cardiology team evaluates and, if necessary, takes measures to prepare higher risk patients for surgery. This process helps to improve your prognosis, reduce the length of hospital stay and minimize the chances of a postponed or cancelled surgery.
Cardiovascular clinical trials at Main Line Health
Main Line Health uses clinical trials to help prevent, diagnose and treat the full range of heart and vascular conditions. Learn more about the cardiovascular clinical trials currently being offered by our renowned cardiologists and heart and vascular surgeons.
Vascular Surgery
Our surgeons perform hundreds of procedures to open blocked arteries and restore healthy blood flow with traditional open surgery as well as minimally invasive and endovascular interventions.
Consultative Cardiology Program
Our multidisciplinary team of cardiac specialists, including physicians, nurses and dietitians, work together to secure a prompt diagnosis, identify appropriate treatment options, and facilitate long-term, follow-up care.
Heart and Vascular Care
The cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons at Main Line Health work together to improve the detection and prevention of heart disease with the latest treatment options.
Aortic Wellness Center
Complex aortic disease treatment at Lankenau Heart Institute begins with the experience of an exceptional team of aortic wellness specialists, state-of-the-art diagnostic technology, and a comprehensive array of medical and minimally invasive surgical treatment options.
Cardiothoracic Surgery
At the core of our cardiac surgery program are internationally renowned cardiac surgeons and specialists who are leaders in this field. Our expertise spans the full spectrum of cardiac surgery and includes groundbreaking applications of minimally invasive and robotic-assisted techniques.
Philadelphia Goes Red for Women
Through Go Red for Women, Main Line Health and the American Heart Association (AHA) are committed to unlocking new strategies—grounded in science—that provide women with the resources and tools they need to live a heart healthy lifestyle at every age.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Of patients who have completed cardiac rehabilitation program at a Main Line Health facility, 95 percent show improvement in functional ability and 100 percent of patients report overall improvement in their quality of life.