Cardiac Medical Services

Get to the Heart of the Matter With Cardiac Care

When it comes to your heart, you can never be too careful. Lakeside Heart & Vascular Center will be here for you during every step of your cardiac health journey. We offer comprehensive support with evaluation, testing, procedures, and management in a compassionate and comfortable setting.

We have experienced cardiologists ready to serve you at multiple locations in Lake Havasu City, AZ and beyond. As a local, family-owned practice, we are committed to the quality of our care. You can also visit one of our other locations for other specialties as well!

Keep reading to learn more about our cardiac care. If you're ready to make an appointment and get to the heart of the matter, call us today. We're ready to meet your needs!

Our Cardiac Treatments

• Routine cardiac evaluation and management
• Advanced interventional cardiac procedures
• Pacemaker insertion and monitoring
• Nuclear stress testing and cardiac PET scans
• EECP therapy
• Cardiac ultrasounds
• Vascular evaluation, testing and treatment
• ICD placement and monitoring
• Coumadin testing and therapy
• Heart failure clinic
• Hospital care
  

Learn About Peripheral Vascular Disease

One of the most common issues we see at Lakeside Heart & Vascular Center is peripheral vascular disease or peripheral artery disease. This common problem affects the circulatory system by narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow to your limbs. PAD typically affects the legs and causes leg pain.

This pain often occurs while walking, and it can manifest as painful cramping in the hip, thigh, or calf. Other physical activities like climbing stairs can also trigger symptoms. You may also experience coldness or numbness in the leg or foot, sores on your toes, feet, or legs that don't heal, color changes in the legs, and a weakened pulse in the legs or feet.

If you notice any of these symptoms, get them checked out as soon as possible. Screening for PAD is also common for anyone over the age of 70. If you are over 50 with a history of diabetes or smoking, you should also be screened. Anyone under 50 with diabetes and other risk factors should also talk to their doctor.

The most common risk factors include smoking, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history, heart disease, and stroke. Smoking and diabetes are the most significant risk factors. PAD is diagnosed with a physical exam and several tests. This includes an ankle-brachial index, ultrasound, and angiography to view the blood in your veins.

If you are diagnosed with PAD, there is reason for hope. To treat PAD, we often treat the related factors such as hypertension and diabetes. There are medications such as aspirin and Plavix that can help. If the damage is severe, we may use a balloon or stint to open blockages in your arteries.

Learn About Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is another common issue we see at Lakeside Heart & Vascular Center. This is an irregular and typically rapid heart rate that can compromise your blood flow. The heart's upper chambers beat chaotically and fall out of rhythm with the bottom chambers. This can cause palpitations, shortness of breath, and weakness, which can lead to stroke or heart failure in the worst cases.

During an episode of atrial fibrillation, your heartbeat may feel uncomfortable or irregular like your heart is flopping in your chest. This can lead to decreased blood pressure, weakness, lightheadedness, confusion, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

Atrial fibrillation is caused by abnormalities or damage to the heart's structure. Such damage can be caused by high blood pressure, heart attacks, abnormal heart valves, or congenital heart defects. Atrial fibrillation may also be caused by an overactive thyroid, metabolic imbalances, emphysema, lung diseases, heart surgery, viral infections, stress due to pneumonia, surgery, sleep apnea, and other illnesses.

In some cases, your heart can also be provoked by chemical stimulants. This can include prescription medications, caffeine, and tobacco. There are also cases where we never know the cause.

If you are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, we'll work with you at Lakeside Heart & Vascular Center to find the right treatment. We'll consider how long you've had the condition and how bothersome your symptoms are. Most treatments focus on resetting your heart's rhythm and preventing blood clots. As your heart beats irregularly, you are at a higher risk of stroke. This risk is increased if you have other conditions as well.

Many medications are available to treat your heart's rhythm. We can also look at blood-thinning medications to reduce your risk of stroke. Anti-coagulants can help a lot. To talk about your options or to find out if you have atrial fibrillation, call Lakeside Heart & Vascular Center today.