Cardiology at The Medical Center of Aurora

Heart care in Aurora, Colorado

At The Medical Center of Aurora's Center for Lung and Heart Health in East Denver, heart doctors and cardiothoracic surgeons enhance the lives of thousands of patients. Whether your heart disease is congenital or has developed over the course of time, our skilled cardiologists provide you with leading, cutting-edge treatment and preventive care. We also offer ongoing cardiac rehabilitation and support groups to ensure your long-term success at leading a heart-healthy life.

For more information about our cardiology services, please call our Center for Lung and Heart Health at (303) 695-2971.

Specialized heart care

We are the only heart hospital in the Denver metro area to dedicate an entire tower of our hospital building to the care and recovery of our cardiology patients. Here, our specialists are engaged in research to improving heart diagnostics and treatments as well as preventing cardiovascular disease.

Cardiac catheterization lab

As part of our dedication to heart care, we offer 24/7 cardiac catheterization lab services using the most advanced and innovative technology. Here, our extensively trained medical and nursing staff is able to use minimally invasive procedures to diagnose and even treat many heart and vascular conditions.

Heart attack treatment

We provide heart attack treatment 24/7 in our hospital’s emergency room (ER). Here, the emergency medicine team works with specialists from our cardiac program to provide comprehensive care for patients experiencing cardiac emergencies, including heart attacks.

From initial heart attack diagnosis and treatment through recovery and rehabilitation, we are with you every step of the way.

The importance of early heart attack care (EHAC)

Patients may experience symptoms before a heart attack occurs. This is why it’s important to be able to recognize those symptoms promptly. When symptoms are identified early, we can provide treatment before damage is done to the heart muscle.

Heart attack symptoms

Being able to recognize heart attack symptoms promptly could save your life or the life of someone else. Signs and symptoms of a heart attack include:

• Chest pressure, squeezing, aching or burning
• Excessive fatigue or weakness
• Feeling of fullness
• Jaw pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Pain that travels down one or both arms
• Shortness of breath
• Anxiety

Remember, heart attack symptoms may vary between men and women. If someone experiences any of these heart attack warning signs, call 911 immediately.

Heart attack prevention

Education is one of the best ways to prevent a heart attack. By learning the early symptoms as well as the risk factors for heart attack, you can help safeguard your health. Talk with your doctor about any risk factors you might have, so you can take proactive steps to protect your cardiovascular health.

Heart failure clinic

The Medical Center of Aurora offers a prevention and education program for heart failure—the Heart Failure Clinic. It is a collaboration between cardiologists and primary care physicians to co-manage congestive or advanced heart failure. Through this special program for heart failure patients, we work to prevent complications and keep patients healthier and, hopefully, out of the hospital.

Heart conditions we treat

In addition to providing treatment for common heart conditions, our heart surgery team specializes in offering treatments for a number of heart-related health problems. We use many newer, minimally invasive surgical procedures that incorporate the latest technology to treat:

Heart arrhythmia care

Our facility is affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Heart Rhythm Institute, the best cardiac care network in the region. Together, our specialists are dedicated to the treatment of heart arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).

To schedule your heart scan, call our central scheduling department at (720) 460-2578.

Innovative heart treatment options

Our patients have access to a number of cutting-edge, advanced procedures to treat heart diseases and conditions. We are dedicated to reducing recovery times, improving surgical outcomes and minimizing the need for re-admission for our heart patients.

We offer multiple treatment options and surgical procedures, including:

• A mini-pacemaker—allows for fewer major complications than traditional pacemakers
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation—for cardiogenic shock, H1N1 flu, pulmonary trauma and acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC)—using an implant that seals off the section of the heart where blood clots form
• Patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure—device inserted through the vein to the site of the heart wall defect
• Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)—minimally invasive procedure that repairs the aortic valve without removing the old, damaged valve

TAVR

This procedure is a progressive surgical procedure to treat heart valve problems. It is different in that it is catheter-based, so it requires smaller incisions and generally less surgical trauma to the patient. This allows patients to heal faster. It is especially valuable for patients who were previously disqualified from open-heart surgery due to health reasons.

Vascular surgery

Vascular disease can impact the veins and the arteries, which carry oxygen and nutrients to all of the cells in your body. In support of your heart health, our experts diagnose and treat all types of vascular conditions. Led by board-certified vascular surgeons, these vascular care teams provide innovative and holistic surgical approaches to vascular disease.

Cardiac rehabilitation and support

A critical step after cardiac surgery is strengthening your heart and making heart-healthy lifestyle changes. We offer this via inpatient (in hospital) and outpatient (post-discharge from the hospital) cardiac rehabilitation.

Cardiac support group

The Medical Center of Aurora's monthly general cardiac support group is open to all patients living with heart disease. Friends and family members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Patients who attend determine the topics, which are generally educational. We discuss smoking cessation, nutritional information, heart attacks, surgical procedures and other heart-health topics.

The group meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm.

For more information about our cardiac support group, call our outpatient cardiopulmonary rehab department at (303) 338-7446.

Open heart program

Our open heart program is for patients who are treated intensively before and after bypass or valve replacement surgery. In this program, patients receive comprehensive education and assessments in our progressive care unit before surgery and throughout their stay. This leads to fewer days in the hospital and a better recovery overall.

Back to index