Treatments

From diagnosis to treatment to long-term management, our cardiovascular experts provide the complete scope of cardiovascular care.

• Cardiovascular rehabilitation — Our cardiovascular rehabilitation program focuses on providing education, prevention, rehabilitation and disease management options. A team of cardiac specialists works with patients one-on-one to enhance physical health and overall quality of life. If you have experienced a recent heart attack, angioplasty, bypass surgery, stable angina, heart failure, heart transplant, heart valve disease or vascular disease, cardiovascular rehabilitation may be a good option for you.
• Cardiac intensive care — Specialists in our Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CICU) provide patient-centered care for those undergoing important medical and surgical treatments. Together, they offer advanced options including hypothermia for sudden cardiac death, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), implantation of heart-assistance devices and catheter-delivered therapy designed to dissolve blood clots that have developed in the lungs.
• Cardiac catheterization/intervention — Using tiny tubes called catheters, our cardiologists can access and view the inside of your heart. Catheterization is also a valuable tool to perform critical procedures, such as clearing a blocked artery through stenting. This minimally invasive option offers a valuable alternative to open-heart procedures, so you can enjoy less pain and a faster recovery.
• Clinical trials — The UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute Cardiology Clinical Research Center offers patients the opportunity to participate in studies designed to advance the field of cardiovascular medicine. 
• Cardiovascular & thoracic surgery — Our surgeons are trained to provide the most effective operations to manage heart conditions. Key surgeries include coronary bypass, arrhythmia surgery known as the MAZE operation and robotic surgery for minimally invasive procedures. We are also experts in the implementation of cardiac-assist devices and heart transplant.
• Ventricular assist devices (VAD) — If you are living with weakened chambers in your heart, VAD can help. This option is used as a bridge, helping deliver blood to the body and lungs while you wait for a heart transplantation.
• Transplantation — Cardiovascular experts have performed hundreds of heart transplants at the UK Transplant Center since its founding in 1991. This type of surgery offers hope for those living with end-stage heart disease.
• Lipid management — By managing your cholesterol levels, you can significantly reduce your risk for coronary heart disease and stroke. We offer cholesterol screening tests to identify high cholesterol, which may lead to atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. We also provide lipid therapy to lower cholesterol levels.
• Vascular surgery — Our Vascular and Endovascular Surgery team is trained to provide the complete spectrum of treatment options to manage vascular disease. Conditions we treat include abdominal and thoracic aneurysms, carotid disease, lower extremity arterial insufficiency and renal artery disease.

The UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute has received an array of recognitions and accreditations highlighting our commitment to excellence. These recognitions include a high-performance ranking from U.S. News & World Report, which recognized our expertise in Aortic Valve Surgery, Heart Bypass Surgery and Heart Failure management. Our physicians have also been included on the Best Doctors in America list. Additionally, we received the 2018 Get With The Guidelines®-Resuscitation Gold Award for our implementation of procedures for those who experience cardiac arrest while in the hospital, as well as The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval™ for our VAD program.