SVMC cardiology

 

 

STRIVING TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE ONE BEAT AT A TIME

You get one life and you get one heart. The board-certified cardiologists and associated practitioners at SVMC Cardiology are committed to helping you make the most of both.

Our patient-centered approach to care and personalized care plans maximize your quality of life while delivering the treatment you need when you need it.

Creating the appropriate treatment plan for your condition begins with a cardiac consultation. Your consultation is a chance for you to share your health history and current concerns with your cardiologist. All necessary exams and tests are conducted on-site by your cardiac care team. The results are shared and discussed directly with you so that you fully understand your condition, treatment options, associated risks, and potential lifestyle changes.

After a heart episode or surgery, there’s nothing our cardiac team and you want more than for you to just get back on your feet and live the life you want. That’s why we begin your rehabilitation program before you even leave the hospital. Through a combination of education and exercise, your personalized program will help you build strength and reduce your risk factors. Using the full range of cardio equipment in our Cardiac Rehab Center and under the watchful eye of our rehab team, you’ll improve your heart’s strength and capacity and get closer to resuming a full and active lifestyle. For more information about Cardiac Rehabilitation, click here.

In order to understand how well your heart is or isn’t functioning, an echocardiogram may be performed. This non-invasive procedure uses sound waves to produce images of your heart. Both of SVMC’s cardiologists are board certified in echocardiography and able to observe how your heart is pumping and identify any abnormalities in the heart muscle or valves. An echocardiogram allows our team to make the most informed and appropriate recommendations for the next steps in your care.

If a standard echocardiogram does not provide a clear image of your heart, your SVMC care team may recommend a transesophageal echocardiogram or TEE. Performed at the hospital, this procedure involves inserting a flexible tube containing a transducer down your throat and into your esophagus. From this closer vantage point, the transducer then uses sound waves to create more detailed images of your heart and allows for better diagnosis.

Before we treat your heart, we need understand how it’s performing. At SVMC we offer a number of non-invasive stress tests that can quickly and easily reveal a number of things including: how well your heart works during increasing levels of activity; how certain medications are impacting blood flow; the effectiveness of procedures done to improve heart performance; and more.

If you have risk factors for heart disease, calcium scoring may may help you learn more about whether you are actually at risk. The non-invasive test uses high-speed CT imaging technology to measure the hardening of the heart’s arteries, a leading indicator of heart disease and heart attacks. Visit the calcium scoring page for complete details. 

A pacemaker is one of the most effective ways to ensure a heart maintains a steady, healthy beat. The SVMC cardiac team is exceptionally skilled and experienced at both pacemaker implantation and monitoring. Considered a minor surgery, implantation takes place at the hospital with most patients returning to normal activity (and a more steadily beating heart) within a few days. Like all medical equipment, pacemakers need a little TLC every now and then. At SVMC our cardiac team can perform routine monitoring, both remotely and in the office, and reprogramming as needed.

One of the most common cardiac diagnostic tools, an EKG is a painless way to check for problems with the electrical activity of your heart. The EKG translates and records your heart’s electrical activity over a period of time and translates it into waves. Your SVMC care provider can use printouts of the waves to detect any patterns that might point to a specific condition and put together a treatment plan that meets your specific needs.

Should your SVMC cardiac care provider want to monitor your heart over a longer period of time than is practical for a standard EKG, you may be given a Holter or event monitor. Worn outside the body and completely painless, monitors are helpful in detecting abnormalities that only happen occasionally and can help your doctor link any abnormalities to specific activities or events in your day.

Carotid ultrasound
At SVMC our goal is to treat your health issues before they become problems. Using our sophisticated carotid ultrasound test, your cardiac care provider can detect blockages in your neck arteries that could lead to a stroke or indicate problems in other parts or your circulatory system.

Education
Because understanding what causes heart problems is essential to resolving them, we offer a variety of educational resources to patients and their families.  Workshops are offered on an ongoing basis throughout the Dartmouth-Hitchcock network, and condition-specific literature is available in our offices. 

SVMC Cardiac Rehab

SVMC Pulmonology

American Heart Association 

Go Red for Women 

American College of Cardiology 

140 Hospital Drive, Suite 211, Bennington, VT 05201
Phone: (802) 442-0800
Fax: (833) 343-1597

Hours:
Monday – Friday:  8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Directions: 
For directions to SVMC Cardiology, click here. 

Parking:
For appointments at SVMC Cardiology, park in parking area P3 or P5.

    related articles

    Sun Safety Tips on SPF & Applying Sunscreen
    Grace Weatherby
    / Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

    Sun Safety Tips on SPF & Applying Sunscreen

    There is nothing like the first sunny days of spring to inspire us to strip off layers of clothing and turn our faces toward the sun. While temperatures may not even be out of the 50s, it is important to remember that the sun is still producing ultraviolet (UV) rays that can damage your skin. One of your best defenses against damage in the form of sunburn, fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, and skin cancer this spring—and all year long—is sunscreen.

    Because overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays is the most important preventable factor in the development of skin cancer, it is important to choose and use sunscreen wisely. 

    Among your first considerations when choosing a sunscreen should be a product’s SPF level and broad-spectrum qualities. Here is why they matter:

    SPF

    SPF stands for ‘sun protection factor.’ An SPF number tells you the amount of time that a product will protect you from getting a sunburn, specifically from the sun’s UVB rays. For example, if you begin to burn 20 minutes after being in the sun with no sunscreen, using an SPF 30 sunscreen will increase that time to 600 minutes (20 minutes x 30 SPF).

    While sunscreen is available with SPF levels of 15, 30, 50, and 100, it is always a good idea to reapply every two hours, especially if you are active outdoors.

    Broad Spectrum

    Broad spectrum refers to products that protect you from both UVA and UVB rays, both of which can damage skin. UVA rays are associated with skin aging while UVB are associated with skin burning. That said, both UVA and UVB rays can lead to skin cancer. Only products labeled broad-spectrum offer protection from both types of rays.

    Of course, no matter how expensive or high the SPF level of a sunscreen is, it will not work if you do not use it properly.

    As a rule, one ounce of sunscreen applied over the body is enough for most people (for a frame reference, one ounce is about a shot glass-worth’s). For the face, an additional nickel-sized dollop should be applied. Using less than these recommended amounts on your face or body means getting less protection. And because your lips are an important part of your face, invest in an SPF lip balm and reapply whenever you reapply your sunscreen.

    The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends applying sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside (even on cloudy days), then reapplying every two hours and immediately after swimming or sweating. Be aware that no sunscreen is waterproof, only water-resistant. If you are spending time in the water, pay special attention to the clock and reapply as soon as you get out.

    A special note to anyone with small children…

    If you have a child less than six months old, it is best to keep them out of the sun rather than applying sunscreen to their delicate skin. When outside, make sure their clothing covers their tender arms and legs and use a hat to protect their face. Whenever possible, use umbrellas or other sunshades to minimize their exposure and avoid direct sunlight between the hours 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

    One final thought before you head outside is that sunscreen does have an expiration date. Sunscreens are formulated to have a shelf life of up to three years when stored in a cool dry place. The three-year life applies whether they have been opened or not. Sunscreens stored in direct sun or high heat (think of that bottle so conveniently kept in your car) will degrade faster and not offer the level of protection you anticipate. In other words, taking good care of your sunscreen means it will take good care of you.

     

    Lixia Ellis, MD, PhD is dermatologist at SVMC Dermatology.

    Print
    679

    Theme picker

    Theme picker

    MORE NEWS

    Theme picker

    VIEW ALL

    Our Services

    PARTNERSHIP IS POWERFUL MEDICINE

    A commitment to excellence and a patient-centered approach sets Southwestern Vermont Health Care apart.

     Cancer Care
     Orthopedics
     Emergency
     Maternity
     Primary Care
     ExpressCare
     Cardiology
     Rehab & Residential Care
    View All Services

    Theme picker

    Theme picker

    Theme picker

    VIEW ALL