How Is Your Heart? Ask Dr. Devender Batra
The best plan one can make is to protect his heart while it is healthy. When a problem occurs, then it is time to see a cardiologist. Dr. Devender Batra is one of five doctors at East Ohio Regional Hospital who specialize in treating and correcting Cardiovascular Disease.
Diseases and disorders that are addressed by cardiologists are arrhythmia, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and congenital heart defects. They use an assortment of testing procedures to determine the needs and risks of their patients.
Blood tests may reveal high cholesterol or triglycerides. The first line of defense for these conditions is lifestyle change. That change may include smoking cessation, improved diet and increased exercise. When or if diet and exercise do not help, medications for these conditions may be prescribed. High blood pressure can cause heart disease as well. The same lifestyle changes, plus reducing salt, and reducing stress are recommended. Medication is another step to lower blood pressure as well. A cardiologist such as Dr. Devender Batra will guide you in the steps to improve and preserve your heart health.
Some medical treatments you may receive could include angioplasty, stents, ablation and implanting of a pacemaker. The necessary treatment will be determined by your cardiologist and he may have more than one to suggest. Tests to determine what treatments are needed can be very low tech, such as observation of a suspected stroke patient or blood chemistry tests, and stress tests. One test that will offer considerable information for Dr.Devender Batra and his colleagues is an angiogram.
An angiogram is a minimally invasive process by which pictures of the arteries are revealed to the doctor. The patient is sedated and the entry site of the catheter, either in the arm or the groin, is numbed. A small amount of contrast dye is given intravenously and a camera is inserted and threaded carefully through to reveal any blockages associated with coronary artery disease. Often Dr. Devender Batra can perform and angioplasty or insert a stent in the course of this angiogram. Plaque from inside the artery walls can be removed, and a medical device to hold the artery open can be put in place. Sites that sometimes need to be surgically cleaned out and have a stent can include the carotid artery and the ileac artery. This is a brief procedure that usually takes less than an hour.
For irregular heart beats and signals Dr. Devender Batra may need to perform an ablation. During an ablation the patient is sedated and the point of entry is cleaned and is numbed. A small incision will be made to insert a catheter into the blood vessel. The catheter will carry electrodes to your so that it can be seen what part of the muscle is causing the bad rhythm in the heart. When the source of the irregular rhythm is determined, then energy, either electrical or cold energy, will be sent to destroy that area and leave a tiny scar. This procedure is more complicated and should take about four hours.
These are only two types of procedures that Dr. Devender Batra or his colleagues can perform to improve your heart health and functioning. East Ohio Regional Hospital offers labs, facilities and technicians to safely perform necessary tests and procedures for improving cardiac functioning.
Questions about your heart health to your primary care physician will be referred to a cardiology team when necessary. A healthy heart an a healthy lifestyle are essential to good quality of life. As a patient you can rely on the cardiac team to assist you in achieving good health.
Diseases and disorders that are addressed by cardiologists are arrhythmia, heart failure, coronary artery disease, and congenital heart defects. They use an assortment of testing procedures to determine the needs and risks of their patients.
Blood tests may reveal high cholesterol or triglycerides. The first line of defense for these conditions is lifestyle change. That change may include smoking cessation, improved diet and increased exercise. When or if diet and exercise do not help, medications for these conditions may be prescribed. High blood pressure can cause heart disease as well. The same lifestyle changes, plus reducing salt, and reducing stress are recommended. Medication is another step to lower blood pressure as well. A cardiologist such as Dr. Devender Batra will guide you in the steps to improve and preserve your heart health.
Some medical treatments you may receive could include angioplasty, stents, ablation and implanting of a pacemaker. The necessary treatment will be determined by your cardiologist and he may have more than one to suggest. Tests to determine what treatments are needed can be very low tech, such as observation of a suspected stroke patient or blood chemistry tests, and stress tests. One test that will offer considerable information for Dr.Devender Batra and his colleagues is an angiogram.
An angiogram is a minimally invasive process by which pictures of the arteries are revealed to the doctor. The patient is sedated and the entry site of the catheter, either in the arm or the groin, is numbed. A small amount of contrast dye is given intravenously and a camera is inserted and threaded carefully through to reveal any blockages associated with coronary artery disease. Often Dr. Devender Batra can perform and angioplasty or insert a stent in the course of this angiogram. Plaque from inside the artery walls can be removed, and a medical device to hold the artery open can be put in place. Sites that sometimes need to be surgically cleaned out and have a stent can include the carotid artery and the ileac artery. This is a brief procedure that usually takes less than an hour.
For irregular heart beats and signals Dr. Devender Batra may need to perform an ablation. During an ablation the patient is sedated and the point of entry is cleaned and is numbed. A small incision will be made to insert a catheter into the blood vessel. The catheter will carry electrodes to your so that it can be seen what part of the muscle is causing the bad rhythm in the heart. When the source of the irregular rhythm is determined, then energy, either electrical or cold energy, will be sent to destroy that area and leave a tiny scar. This procedure is more complicated and should take about four hours.
These are only two types of procedures that Dr. Devender Batra or his colleagues can perform to improve your heart health and functioning. East Ohio Regional Hospital offers labs, facilities and technicians to safely perform necessary tests and procedures for improving cardiac functioning.
Questions about your heart health to your primary care physician will be referred to a cardiology team when necessary. A healthy heart an a healthy lifestyle are essential to good quality of life. As a patient you can rely on the cardiac team to assist you in achieving good health.