Interventional Cardiology
At Providence Heart Institute of Spokane, we’re continuously investigating new treatments in cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery to improve your experience. That includes interventional cardiology techniques, which are often minimally invasive. These procedures use small tubes called catheters to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel conditions – helping more patients avoid open-heart surgery.
Our Approach to Interventional Cardiology
Our interventional cardiologists make finding and fixing heart issues easier with revolutionary, catheter-based procedures.
Catheters are long, narrow tubes that can be guided through the blood vessels to diagnose and treat certain heart conditions. This approach is minimally invasive, meaning you don’t need a large incision or cut like you would for open-heart surgery. The result is often a highly effective approach that allows for less blood loss, faster recovery and a shorter hospital stay.
Interventional cardiologists work closely with electrophysiologists, surgeons, social workers and other specialists to provide you with complete, personalized care. We also partner with your local doctors, so your experience is seamless – even across locations.
Interventional Cardiology Conditions We Treat
We offer minimally invasive interventional cardiology treatments for many cardiovascular conditions and diseases, including:
- Heart Attack
- Cardiogenic Shock
- Chronic Total Occlusion (CTO)
Meet Our Heart Care Team
At Providence Heart Institute of Spokane, you’ll be cared for by a tightly connected group of specialists who bring deep expertise and a personalized approach to treatment, prevention, and long-term wellness. Our experts work collaboratively to support your health through every stage of care.
Testing & Diagnostics
Our interventional cardiologists use advanced testing and diagnostic tools to diagnose and monitor your heart condition. By taking a closer look at your heart and how it functions, we can make earlier, more accurate diagnoses for better treatment outcomes.
At Providence, we believe that healthy living starts with a healthy heart. When noninvasive heart screening methods, such as electrocardiograms, yield inconclusive results the next best step in treatment is a coronary angiography, or an angiogram for short.
This diagnostic procedure uses contrast dye and X-ray imaging to help your care team see any potential blockages in the heart.
Blood tests give doctors more information about your health, including your risk for common conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Based on your needs, your doctor orders tests that analyze different components in your blood, such as:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good cholesterol”
- Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad cholesterol”
- Total cholesterol
- Triglycerides
During a blood test, the phlebotomist inserts a needle into your vein – usually near the inside elbow. They draw blood, which usually takes about a minute, and send the samples to the lab for analysis. Your doctor discusses the results with you and determines how it might impact your treatment and care.
CT angiography combines a CT scan with an injection of contrast dye to enhance the images. The injection is administered prior to the scan and allows your care team to see blockages or narrowing of the blood vessels to help them make a diagnosis.
Diagnostic procedures, like echocardiograms, allow our doctors to more accurately diagnose and better treat cardiovascular conditions.
Echocardiography uses ultrasound technology to produce detailed images of the heart’s valves and chambers. Through a monitor, your doctor can evaluate how the heart is pumping blood in real time.
An ECG/EKG is a test that uses electrodes to record electrical signals from your heart. The electrical signals detect your heart rate and rhythm and help your doctor accurately evaluate the heart’s function.
An electrophysiology test uses special wires, called temporary electrode catheters, placed in the atrium and/or ventricle along the conduction areas of the heart. An electrophysiology cardiologist conducts a series of tests to identify the areas of the heart that are causing the problems and determine the best course of treatment.
Heart catheterization is a common diagnostic procedure that helps your doctor check how well your heart is working and if you need treatment.
During the procedure, your interventional cardiologist inserts a long, narrow tube called a catheter through a blood vessel in your leg or arm and guides it to the heart. Then, they may take an X-ray, open a narrowed artery or valve or take a tissue sample.
Renal and peripheral vascular angiography are imaging tests that help identify narrowed, ballooned or blocked blood vessels in the arms, legs or kidneys. During this test, a radiologist injects contrast dye into an artery so that the blood vessels show up better on an X-ray image.
Exercise and pharmacologic stress testing are two ways cardiologists look at how the heart pumps under stress. Both can help diagnose heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease, or predict the likelihood of a heart attack or other serious heart problems.
- Exercise stress testing involves wearing electrodes on your chest while you walk or jog on a treadmill or pedal a stationary bike under medical supervision.
- Pharmacologic stress testing is sometimes an option for people who can’t exercise. You receive medication that dilates your heart’s blood vessels to mimic exercise, so your doctor can compare how your heart functions when stressed and at rest.
Interventional Cardiology Treatments
Our interventional cardiologists perform a range of minimally invasive, catheter-based procedures to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel conditions. These procedures are performed by guiding a thin, flexible catheter through a blood vessel—typically in the wrist or groin—to reach the heart, often resulting in smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, and faster recovery than traditional open-heart surgery when appropriate.
During a sudden heart emergency, receiving circulatory support can help your heart pump enough blood to keep up with your body’s oxygen demands. Examples of circulatory support for cardiogenic shock include:
- Heart medications that control symptoms
- Mechanical circulatory support devices, such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) or implantable ventricular assist devices (VADs)
- Other advanced techniques in cardiovascular surgery, including mechanical ventilation and invasive monitoring
Chronic total occlusion (CTO) treatment focuses on blockages in the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. Depending on your symptoms, you may receive:
- Medications
- Percutaneous coronary intervention, a minimally invasive procedure wherein a doctor uses a small tube called a catheter and a balloon to move the blockage and then places a stent to keep the artery open
- Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), which is heart surgery that involves a surgeon rerouting blood flow around the blocked artery
Coronary atherectomy is a minimally invasive procedure that helps remove plaque buildup from a blocked coronary artery without making a large incision. During this procedure, a doctor inserts a long, narrow tube called a catheter into your artery. The catheter has a device attached to it that scrapes away the plaque in the artery, improving blood flow to the heart and reducing heart attack risk.
Coronary stents are small devices that look like metal mesh tubes. During a minimally invasive procedure, a doctor places a stent in a narrowed or blocked artery to keep it open, so blood can easily flow through.
Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or coronary angioplasty, is a procedure that opens blocked arteries in the heart. You may have a scheduled PCI if you have plaque buildup in your arteries, or an emergency PCI after a heart attack.
PCI is minimally invasive, meaning your doctor accesses your artery through a blood vessel instead of making a larger incision. They use a small tube called a catheter and balloon to break up the blockage, sometimes followed by stent placement to keep the artery open.
Heart catheterization is a common diagnostic procedure that helps your doctor check how well your heart is working and if you need treatment.
During the procedure, your interventional cardiologist inserts a long, narrow tube called a catheter through a blood vessel in your leg or arm and guides it to the heart. Then, they may take an X-ray, open a narrowed artery or valve or take a tissue sample.
Patient Resources & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
As a new patient, please bring the following items with you to your first appointment:
- Completed New Patient form and Medical Records Request forms, provided by individual locations
- Your insurance card(s) and photo ID
- All non-narcotic medications in their original containers
- List of your narcotic medications
- Copay or deposit
We also ask that you review and follow any diagnostic study prep instructions from your care team.
Yes, there are different types of echocardiograms, each with its own procedural steps:
- 3-D echocardiogram: Rather than a flat image, this type of echocardiogram provides a 3-D image, showing the heart’s full anatomy, working valves and blood flow. It can be used to diagnose both heart conditions and defects and to plan surgical procedures.
- Stress echocardiogram: This test is the same as a transthoracic echocardiogram, but it’s administered after elevating your heart rate through exercise or medication. It helps doctors evaluate how your heart functions under stress.
- Transesophageal echocardiogram: This exam uses a thin tube, called an endoscope, with a built-in sound wave transducer to help view the heart in greater detail. The endoscope is inserted into your chest via the mouth. Then, the transducer emits ultrasound waves to help produce images. Often, sedatives and numbing agents are provided for your comfort.
- Transthoracic echocardiogram: This noninvasive exam is the most common. It uses an external transducer to emit ultrasound waves through the chest. It requires no preparation and is administered in about 30 minutes.
While uncommon, the risks and possible complications of a cardiac imaging scan, screening or test include:
- Allergic reaction to contrast dye, such as hives, itching or wheezing
- Heart attack, abnormal heartbeat, dizziness or chest pain from a stress test
- These complications are extremely rare
- Infection or bleeding at incision site with cardiac catheterization procedures like angiograms
- Kidney damage from IV contrast dye used in CT scan
- This complication is rare
- Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, an illness that has been linked to MRI IV contrast material
- This complication is extremely rare
- Problems with undetected metal implants or foreign bodies during an MRI
- Radiation exposure from X-rays, only with CAT/CT scans or nuclear studies
- Reaction to sedative or anesthesia, such as headaches, shivering and vomiting
Many insurance plans cover heart screenings, especially if they’re medically necessary or are part of your preventative care. Some imaging scans or tests may require a copay or deductible.
Since coverage and plans can vary, it’s best to confirm with your insurance provider directly before scheduling a visit.