Cardiology

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Each year, more than 10,000 people lose their lives to cardiovascular disease. But the health care professionals at La Paz Regional Hospital and River Health Cardiology are working to reverse those trends, and help you and your loved ones live longer, healthier lives.

The cardiology program at La Paz Regional saves lives through a combination of skill and leading edge technology. A wide range of inpatient and outpatient cardiac diagnostic services are provided including pediatric and adult cardiac catheterization, echocardiography, nuclear stress testing, EKG, and 24-hour monitoring services. River Health Cardiology opened in 2021 offering full time outpatient cardiology services to complement our inpatient services.

River Health Cardiology Clinic

River Health Clinic offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient medical services. Our cardiology practice takes pride in being able to offer you the most advanced treatments available, with the widest range of procedures possible. Our cardiology doctors are dedicated to using their knowledge, skill and experience to improve the quality of your health, because we believe that technology is best when it can help you enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

Cardiology staff includes:

Our practice embraces a multi-faceted approach to heart care. The group features subspecialists who provide a comprehensive listof services:
Coronary intervention/Cath lab
Peripheral intervention
Structural heart disease
2-D and 3-D echocardiography
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)
Stress echocardiography
Nuclear cardiology
Acute and chronic heart failure
Cardiac CT
Cardiac MRI
Women's cardiovascular health
Adult congenital heart disease
Preventive cardiology
Hypertension
Cholesterol and lipids
Tobacco Cessation Therapy

Arrhythmia - Hypertension - Palpitations - Echocardiogram - Stress Testing
Cholesterol Management - Holter & Event Monitoring - Nuclear Medicine

Our cardiology programs include:

Invasive and Interventional Cardiology

Coronary Artery Disease or CAD is the leading cause of death worldwide in both men and women. Our specialists have over 25 years of combined experience in the diagnosis and management of patients with CAD. We specialize in all aspects of catheter-based therapies, including angioplasties, stents and atherectomies. Our cardiologists participate in primary angioplasty programs where a patient is taken to the cardiac catheterization laboratory emergently during a heart attack.

Peripheral Arterial Disease

Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) is one of several terms used to describe partial or complete blockage in one or more arteries outside of the heart. It is estimated that more than 8 million Americans have some form of PAD. It is being increasingly recognized as a major risk factor for the presence of concomitant CAD that can be fatal if unrecognized. PAD might manifest as a stroke if it involves the carotid or cerebral arteries or as leg pains if present in the lower extremities.

Adult Structural Heart Disease

Cardiologists diagnose and treat adult congenital and acquired anomalies of the heart. By offering consultative and diagnostic services to patients and their families, we can provide a comprehensive and definitive treatment plan. We offer services at River Heath to evaluate the patients and coordinate their testing, risk assessment and therapy. We have the latest diagnostic tools, including echocardiography, CT scan and cardiac MRI, to diagnose the conditions and the expertise to treat them with catheter-based or surgical therapies.

Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant

River Health Cardiology offers clinical care and support to patients with advanced heart failure and those patients with heart failure who are candidates for heart transplantation. Our team provides a multifaceted approach that includes not only the latest innovative treatments for heart failure, but also innovative clinical applications of basic science, homodynamic, genetic and clinical research pertaining to cardiomyopathy, heart failure and cardiac transplantation.

Cardiovascular Risk Assessment and Reduction

Do you have any of the following: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history of heart disease, diabetes, tobacco use, obesity, or physical inactivity? If you want to decrease your risk of developing heart disease, then let us give you the keys to a healthy heart. All of our providers have expertise in preventive cardiology by managing hypertension, complex cholesterol problems, and complicated coronary artery disease.

Adult Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center

Adult hypertrophic cardiomyopathies (HCM) often affects individuals and families with variable levels of severity. HCM occurs when the heart muscle cells thicken, which leads to thickening of the walls of the heart. Unlike the thickening of the heart that occurs with chronically elevated blood pressure, HCM is a condition that the patient (and often the patient's family) is genetically predisposed to developing. HCM is rare (affecting 0.2% of the population) and is often undetectable early in life, when symptoms are absent. However, HCM can manifest early in life and may present as one of the most common causes of sudden cardiac death in the young. It remains the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

Adult Hypertensive Disease

Hypertension is a major health problem, especially because it has no symptoms. Many people have hypertension without knowing it. In the United States, about 50 million people age 6 and older have high blood pressure. Hypertension is more common in men than women and in people over the age of 65. More than half of all Americans over the age of 65 have hypertension. Our clinical team works with patients and their families to determine blood pressure goals and to develop an individualized treatment plan. Actual combinations of medications and lifestyle changes will vary from one person to the next. Treatment to lower blood pressure may include changes in diet, getting regular exercise, and taking antihypertensive medications.