The Heart Institute at St. Joseph Hospital has pioneered the way in providing cardiac services to North Coast residents. This means quality cardiac care close to home that includes prevention, education, diagnostic and treatment services, as well as a full cardiac rehabilitation program.
CARDIAC SERVICES
Cardiac Surgery
Cardiac Cath Lab
Cardiac Rehabilitation
For more information about cardiac care at St. Joseph Hospital, please call
1- 888 - HEART19
(888 - 432 -7819) or
(707) 269 - 3770
Other Links:
Emergency Department
Kris Kelly Health Info
Dr. Joachim Postel (far left) of St. Joseph Hospital's Heart Institute is recognized as one of the top cardiac surgeons in California. Click here to learn more about Dr. Postel and his credentials.
Visit Our Heart Disease Information Center for Special Articles:
Informative Videos:
Former Patients Speak On the Quality of Care by Dr. Postel & the Heart Institute Team:
A Commitment to Excellence
The St. Joseph Hospital Heart Institute team was recently recognized with an excellent performance rating for three important indicators from the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction (NRMI). The team received the high ratings in the:
- Time to medication upon arrival at Emergency Room. Score: 100%. Studies show that early treatment with aspirin reduces mortality from Acute Myocardial Infarction (heart attack).
- Time taken to receive angioplasty. Average time: 80 minutes. This is the time from when a patient first comes to the ER and receives diagnosis, has a cardiologist notified, is transported to the Cath Lab, and has angioplasty performed. Providing care in 90 minutes is the national goal for achieving optimal care.
- Patient referral to Cardiac Rehabilitation. Over 73% of cardiac patients at St. Joseph Hospital receive education or referrals for Cardiac Rehab. Other hospitals in the study (over 1,200) reported only a 25% average referral rate.
Surgery Procedures
Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: This is a standard surgical treatment recommended in cases in which a heart's own arteries have become blocked and can no longer supply the muscle of the heart with adequate blood flow. The cardiac surgeon re-routes the flow of blood around a blocked artery, much like a street detour bypasses a closed avenue or overpass by re-routing the flow of traffic around the obstruction. To create the bypass, the surgeon takes a healthy blood vessel from another part of the body and attaches one end above the blockage and the other below the blockage. This bypassed section is not removed.
Valve Repair and Replacement: This procedure, one type of open heart surgery, is performed when natural heart valves fail to function correctly, either due to disease (such as rheumatic fever) or age. Whenever possible, the surgeon will try to repair the malfunctioning valve, but when that is not possible, the entire valve can be replaced with a mechanical valve.
Combination Bypass and Valve Surgery: Some patients might require a combined bypass and valve surgery to repair a faulty valve and bypass blocked arteries at the same time. This is a complex open heart surgery.
Pacemakers
EP Studies & Ablations
Non-invasive Services:
- Spiritual Health Services
- Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
- State-of-the-art drug regimen
- Cardiovascular risk screening
- 30 minute Emergency Room treatment protocols for chest pain
- Electrocardiography (EKG)
- Stress testing and Holter monitoring
- Echocardiography, including transesophageal echo
- Cardiac nuclear medicine testing
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Nutritional counseling
- Exercise
- Meditation and relaxation
Cardiac Cath Lab
The Cardiac Cath Lab has state-of-the-art equipment and is staffed with registered nurses and cardiovascular imaging technologists who have been providing cardiac catheterization services at St. Joseph Hospital since 1991. The staff has advanced training in cardiovascular procedures and all nurses have extensive Intensive Care experience.
Catheterization Laboratory Procedures:
Cardiac Catheterization : Called "cardiac cath" for short, this is the single test that most precisely reveals the state of a patient's coronary arteries. The procedure is performed when the history and physical examination of the patient and non-invasive testing strongly suggests blockage in one or more coronary arteries.
Balloon Angioplasty: This is a non-surgical technique to enlarge a coronary artery that has become narrowed from coronary artery disease (arteriosclerosis). A catheter (plastic tube) with an inflatable balloon at its tip is passed through the narrowed area of the artery. The physician inflates the balloon, which widens the narrowed area and increases the flow of blood. The balloon is then deflated and removed. After removal of the devices, the artery generally remains open.
Stents: These are often inserted during a balloon angioplasty. A stent looks similar to a half-inch piece of drinking straw, but is made of space-age metal. It is one method used to reduce the chances that narrowing of the artery will return.
Peripheral Angiography and Angioplasty: repairing the arteries of the arms and legs with a balloon or stent.
Electrophysiology Studies: This is the science of the "electrical system" or the rhythm of the heart. Frequently, the heart can develop an irregular beat that requires treatments quite different from the methods used for treating arteriosclerosis. Electrophysiology explores the electrical impulses and fibrillation of the heart, and diagnoses and treats potentially lethal fast heart rates before they can lead to cardiac arrest.
Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator: To help maintain a regular heartbeat in patients who are at high risk for rapid arrhythmia, a small defibrillator can be implanted near the heart. It continuously monitors the heart's rhythms and makes significant or minute corrections to bring an irregular beat back to normal.
Pacemakers: These devices are used to help restore normal heart rhythm and rate to those who need the intervention. Pacemakers have become increasingly more sophisticated and can now be programmed in a doctor's office by specially trained staff.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
The Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at St. Joseph Hospital was developed in 1977 and has treated almost 2,000 people since its inception. The program is designed to help restore patients to optimal health and reduce their risk factors for coronary artery disease, thereby helping them return to a productive and satisfying life.
The program helps identify:
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Major Risk Factors
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Elevated cholesterol
- Lack of exercise
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Related Risk Factors
- Stress & tension
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Family history
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Education
Patients and their families are provided educational classes. These sessions help in understanding cardiac disease and how it can best be treated.
Exercise Classes
Our cardiac rehabilitation nurse schedules the exercise sessions. Each class meets three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for six to 12 weeks. Each session is approximately one hour long.