Offering Personalized Care for Cardiac Conditions

General cardiology services at Skagit Regional Health Heart and Vascular Institute provide patients across Skagit, Island and north Snohomish counties the necessary tools to prevent or treat heart disease. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians make it easy and convenient to get comprehensive and individualized heart care when you need it – close to home. Offering a wide range of the latest in cardiac specialties and services, our providers are here to care for all your heart-health needs.

Complete Care for Heart Conditions

Dr. Hanna with patient At Skagit Regional Health Heart and Vascular Institute, we offer comprehensive care for any cardiovascular conditions. With our expertise and years of experience, our heart team will provide outstanding care in an environment where the patient comes first. Common heart conditions we treat include:

Arrhythmia: An arrhythmia is any disorder of your heart rate or rhythm. It means that your heart beats too quickly, too slowly or with an irregular pattern. Most arrhythmias result from problems in the electrical system of the heart. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type of heart arrhythmia.
High cholesterol and lipid disorders: Cholesterol is a that your body needs to function properly. However, too much LDL, or bad cholesterol, can increase your chance of getting heart disease, having a stroke or other problems. Diet and lifestyle changes and treatment can manage high cholesterol and lower the chances of heart disease.
Hypertension: More commonly known as high blood pressure, hypertension contributes to thousands of deaths in the country each year, mostly related to stroke, heart attack, heart failure kidney disease. Successful treatment of high blood pressure with diet, lifestyle medications can greatly reduce your risk of cardiovascular issues.
Heart failure: Heart failure is a serious condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. Heart failure can affect one or both sides of the but doesn’t mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop working. Our team can help you manage even the most serious heart failure condition.
Peripheral artery disease: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) happens when there is a narrowing of the blood vessels outside of your heart. The cause of PAD is atherosclerosis, which happens when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs. Plaque, a substance made up of fat and cholesterol, can reduce or stop blood flow, usually to the legs.
Coronary artery disease: Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become hardened and narrowed. The buildup of cholesterol, fat calcium, called plaque, builds on the inner walls and this is called atherosclerosis. As less blood flows through the arteries, the heart muscle can't get the blood or oxygen it needs, resulting in symptoms such as chest pain or a heart attack.

Innovative Technology Advances Cardiology Services

General cardiology services encompass the use of electronic and mobile devices to improve a patient’s heart health. Our team has specialized training in the latest technology, novel devices and wearable sensors that allow cardiac patients to live healthier, more active lives. General cardiology services include:

24-hour or 72-hour Holter monitoring: A small device worn over a 24- or 72-hour period that allows continuous electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. The ECG is a diagnostic test that records electrical currents to detect abnormal heart rhythm.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring: This device allows blood pressure (BP) readings to be recorded over a four-hour period, whether the patient is awake or asleep. is a small machine, about the size of a cell phone, that you wear on a belt under your clothes for 24 hours.
Echocardiography (echo) and stress echocardiography: A diagnostic test that uses an ultrasound probe with sound waves to produce images of the heart. The images show the shape, texture movement of the valves and measure the size of the heart and its chambers. The echo also assesses heart function, a very important determinant of survival after a heart attack.
Event monitoring: A device that’s about the size of a pager or mobile device is used to record your heart rate and rhythm. Cardiac event monitors are used when you need long-term monitoring of symptoms that occur less than daily.
Nuclear stress testing: This test uses radioactive dye and an imaging machine to create pictures showing the blood flow to your heart. The test measures blood flow while you are at rest and are exerting yourself, showing areas with poor blood flow or damage within your heart.
Pacemaker: An implantable device that helps control abnormal heart rhythms. It uses electrical pulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate. It can speed up a slow heart rhythm, control heart rhythm and coordinate the chambers of the heart.