Heart Center

Overview

When it's your heart, it’s only natural to seek out a hospital where cardiac care has a history of success.

The more experience a hospital has, the better its success rate is likely to be. You will find that experience at the Fairview Hospital Heart Center, which is accredited as a Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI from the American College of Cardiology.

Collaboration between our team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, nurses and technologists forms the foundation of our program. Working together on thousands of cases, these dedicated and experienced specialists have developed the kind of teamwork, communication and trust results in exceptional judgment and outstanding outcomes, even for the most complicated cardiac cases.

Fairview Hospital's history of coronary care dates back more than 40 years to when we opened one of the nation’s first dedicated Coronary Care Units. Today our experienced multidisciplinary team and state-of-the-art technology sets the Fairview Heart Center apart.

The Heart Center provides comprehensive diagnostic, medical and surgical heart services, including:

• Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, offering many diagnostic and interventional services
• Electrophysiology (EP) Laboratory, diagnosing and treating electrical dysfunction
• Progressive Coronary Care Unit, overlooking the Cleveland Metroparks
• Pediatric Cardiology, evaluating cardiac conditions of infants and children, referred by their physician
• Pediatric echocardiograms and heart ultrasounds are also available.

Cardiac Diagnostic Center

The Heart Center’s major diagnostic services are centralized in the Rini Cardiac Diagnostic Center, where more than 33,000 diagnostic procedures are performed each year.

These procedures help our cardiologists detect conditions that might require additional testing, medical treatment or surgical intervention.

The procedures performed use advanced electronic equipment that allows physicians to assess the cardiovascular system’s structure and function, including:

• Cardiac Catheterization
• Cardiac Event Monitoring
• Electrocardiograms (EKG’s)
• Echocardiogram/Stress Ultrasound
• Holter Monitoring
• Stress Testing

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Proper diet and exercise are the first steps in preventing the recurrence of heart problems.

Our Cardiac Rehabilitation program helps you maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle. Specially trained professionals work as a team to help patients identify their individual risk factors and modify their lifestyles.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation department is certified through the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), which assures that patients are receiving the highest quality care and staff receives timely access to updates regarding medical advancements, professional development, legislation and reimbursement.

Inpatient Program
The Inpatient program occurs during your stay in the hospital. The Cardiac Rehabilitation team identifies your needs and prepares you with the education and exercise plans necessary for your return home.

Early Outpatient Program
Your physician must approve your participation in the Early Outpatient program. The staff, with help from your physician, develops an education and exercise program customized to your needs. Throughout the program, the staff communicates your progress to your physician.

During the one-hour sessions, a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team monitors your heart rate and blood pressure while guiding you through the exercise routine. Stationary bikes and treadmills are commonly used for exercise. The staff also provides support and information to assist you in living a healthy lifestyle.

Maintenance Program
You must have your physician’s permission to participate in the exercise-based maintenance program. The program is designed to teach you how to exercise safely and make it a part of your lifestyle. You will exercise on various types of equipment under the supervision of our staff, without a heart monitor.

This program provides you with an opportunity to meet others like yourself and with an incentive to maintain a healthier heart.

Community Wellness Program
The Heart Center’s outreach efforts feature free community forums, screenings and special events. In addition, our Wellness Center offers educational programs that focus on prevention of heart disease through a healthier lifestyle, such as:

• Smoking cessation
• Stress management
• Heart-healthy eating
• Visit Fairview Wellness Center to learn more about our Wellness Programs or call the Wellness Center at 440.356.0670 for more information.
• Visit our online calendar of events to learn about other programs.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease
These are common risk factors for heart disease that you can discuss with your doctor.

• Family history
• Smoking
• Overweight
• Lack of exercise
• High stress levels
• High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Diabetes

Warning Signs of Heart Attack
The most critical factor in the treatment of an impending heart attack is to get help immediately. Heed these warning signs:

• Pressure, tightness, squeezing, or pain in the chest, arm, shoulder, neck or jaw
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Abnormal sweating
• Nausea or vomiting
• A burning sensation in the chest/stomach

People who suspect they might be having a heart attack should seek help immediately.

Call 9-1-1, or have someone drive you to the nearest Emergency Department.

Chest Pain Center

Immediate medical evaluation and treatment is critical to addressing an impending heart attack. The Chest Pain Center at Fairview Hospital, located in the emergency department, has physicians on-site 24/7 who are trained to recognize warning signs and conduct the appropriate tests to determine the origin of the pain. This process is completed within minutes of the patient walking through the emergency department’s doors.

The emergency department physicians work closely with cardiologists at Fairview’s Heart Center to ensure that safe, timely care is delivered to all cardiac patients.

Fairview Hospital also provides Continuing Medical Education and direction to eight suburban fire departments, working with the City of Cleveland’s Emergency Medical Services and Fire Department, to help ensure patients receive appropriate treatment en route to the hospital.

Congestive Heart Failure Clinic

Our Congestive Heart Failure Program is an outpatient medical program, staffed by experienced cardiology nurses. We believe in educating our cardiac patients about their conditions and empowering them to prevent further health problems.

Please note that a doctor's order is required for program participation.

Services provided:

• Patient and family education
• Physical assessment
• Symptom management
• Heart monitoring
• Fluid monitoring
• Monitoring during medication changes
• IV medication administration
• Follow-up assessments

Patient Education:

• Review of disease
• Signs and symptoms
• Medications
• Diet and fluid restriction
• Activity
• When to call the CHF clinic/physician/9-1-1
• Follow-up care

If you have questions about the Congestive Heart Failure Clinic, please call 216.476.7932

Electrophysiology

An electrophysiology study (EP study) is a detailed evaluation of the electrical activity in your heart. We use cardiac catheters and computers to create electrocardiogram (EKG) tracings and electrical measurements from inside your heart.

Kemper Coronary Care Center

When a person is diagnosed with cardiac-related chest pain, he or she may be admitted to our Kemper Coronary Care Center (KCCC) so that his or her cardiac status can be evaluated.

Featuring private rooms and advanced monitoring equipment, Kemper is a 14-bed intensive care unit, exclusively used for around-the-clock monitoring of patients suffering from chest pains, heart attacks or life-threatening irregular heart rhythms.

Open Heart Surgery

Sometimes open heart surgery may be the best alternative for cardiac patients who are not candidates for continuing medical therapy or a non-surgical procedure. While open heart surgery is considered to be a serious operation, it is a highly successful surgery that enables patients to live longer and lead more active lives.

The American College of Surgeons recommends that a heart program treat a minimum of 150 cases per year. The Heart Center has far exceeded these recommendations.

For more information on Cleveland Clinic Open Heart Surgery Program at Fairview Hospital, call 216.476.7310.

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
The most common heart surgery is coronary artery bypass surgery, which uses a vein or artery from the body to bypass or reroute blood supply around blockages in the heart arteries. Narrowing of the heart arteries can lead to a heart attack, and bypass surgery improves the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart muscle. 

Valve Repair or Replacement
The four valves of the heart (tricuspid, pulmonic, mitral and aortic) ensure that blood flows forward as the heart muscle contracts and relaxes. For cardiac patients with a heart valve that does not function properly, valve repair or replacement surgery may be recommended. Repairing or replacing the faulty heart valve restores normal function to the valve as well as to the function of the heart muscle. 

Cleveland Clinic Open Heart Services
The Heart Center at Fairview Hospital has long been recognized as a leader in evaluation and treatment of heart conditions. The addition of Cleveland Clinic’s Heart Surgery Program has further strengthened patient access to world-class cardiac care. In this program, Cleveland Clinic heart surgeons work with community cardiologists to assure that Fairview’s heart patients benefit from the latest procedures and treatments.

The Heart Center partnership with Cleveland Clinic's Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery allows for standardization in the patient protocols, strict clinical oversight, and quality management for which The Cleveland Clinic Foundation is renowned.

The program at Fairview Hospital offers highly sophisticated procedures, such as:

• Valve Surgery
• Transmyocardial Revascularization
• Beating Heart Surgery
• Bloodless Surgery

Endoscopic Vein Harvest
Endoscopic Vein Harvest allows a portion of vein from the inside of the leg to be removed through a small incision. Utilization of this technique reduces the length of the incision by several inches. A video camera is inserted into the small incision and is used to help view the vein and guide in the removal of the needed length.

Benefits include:

• Decreased pain
• Fewer wound healing problems
• Minimal scarring
• Quicker recovery time

Maze Heart Surgery
Maze heart surgery is a complex intervention to treat a type of irregular heart rhythm. The procedure is used in an effort to cure atrial fibrillation (AF) by interrupting the electrical patterns that are responsible for this irregular heart rhythm. The major benefit is that the Maze procedure restores synchrony to heart and preserves organized heart contraction.

Women's Preventative Heart Clinic

With one out of three women dying from heart disease, the Heart Center believes there is a vital need to promote heart health to women.

Each woman who comes to our Women’s Preventative Heart Clinic receives personalized care from our team of cardiac nurses, who will help her understand her risk factors for heart disease.

After reviewing your medical history, the cardiac nurse will conduct a thorough physical and screening including:

• Complete lipid profile and blood sugar
• Blood pressure and heart rate
• EKG
• Body Mass Index (BMI)
• Stress Assessment

The screening cost is $35. At the end of your visit, you will receive a personalized cardiac health plan and a referral to the appropriate providers you may need.

To schedule your heart assessment, call 216.476.7932. Free parking is available.

Resources

Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) and Hands-only CPR community education.

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Heart Attacks (Myocardial Infarction)
• Heart Attack Fact Sheet from the American College of Cardiology Foundation