Cardio Services

At St. Mary’s Medical Center, we provide cardio services in West Palm Beach that can help you navigate your heart journey. We’re here for you and are ready to help you connect with the doctors and health professionals who can provide the high-quality, safe care you deserve.

What Causes Cardiovascular Disease?

The exact cause of cardiovascular disease remains uncertain. However, there are many risk factors, and the more risk factors, the higher the risk of having cardiovascular diseases. Some risk factors are out of your control and others you can control through changes in diet and lifestyle. Risk factors include:

• High blood pressure
• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Inactivity
• Obesity
• Family history of cardiovascular diseases
• Excessive alcohol intake
• Age

If you experience symptoms of heart disease such as shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pains, changes in heart rhythm, high blood pressure or you have risk factors for heart disease, your physician may refer you to a cardiologist. Our experienced cardiologists at West Palm Beach are dedicated to providing each patient cardio services to assess, diagnose and treat patients who are at risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular Testing

Our cardiologists at St. Mary’s Medical Center will review the patient’s medical history, conduct a physical examination and may request cardiovascular testing to properly diagnose and assess the heart condition, such as:

• 4-Hour Holter monitors – A heart rate monitor that allows your cardiologist to see the heart’s activities for longer periods of time.


• 30-Day event recorders – a device where you can tap to record your heart activity whenever you have symptoms.


• Cardiac catheterization – uses a small tube to take pictures of the heart and see if the heart is functioning well. Catheter-based procedures treat cardiovascular diseases such as congenital, valvular and coronary artery diseases.


• Carotid ultrasound – Provides a detailed ultrasound of the carotid arteries.


• Computerized tomography (CT) scan – Uses X-ray to get a detailed image of the heart.


• Echocardiogram – Uses ultrasound to get pictures of the structure of heart chambers and surrounding areas.


• Electroencephalogram (EEG) – uses small flat metal discs called electrodes to track and record brain wave patterns.


• Electrocardiogram (ECG) – records the electrical activity of the heart.


• Heart magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – Imaging test that produces a detailed image of the heart and blood vessels.


• Stress tests – Cardiac stress test or heart stress test, is a type of cardiovascular testing involving your cardiologist observing the heart’s activities while you undergo a strenuous activity. These tests show if the blood supply in the arteries reduces during strenuous activities. These tests for heart disease also help cardiologists recommend which physical activities are appropriate for patients.
  • Exercise stress test – also called a treadmill test, the patient walks on a treadmill while connected to an EKG machine. 
  • Nuclear stress test – also called the thallium stress test, is similar to the exercise test except a dye is inserted in the arm through an intravenous (IV) line. This test produces images of your heart using a special camera.
  • Stress echocardiogram – same as an exercise stress test, except a healthcare professional holds a transducer against your chest. This wand-like device provides moving pictures of the heart using sound waves.
• Tilt table test – a test where you are secured to a table. The table is slowly raised and lowered while a cardiologist monitors your heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen level.


• Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) – when a standard echocardiogram does not provide enough detail, a TEE is requested by the cardiologist. This type of cardiovascular testing uses sound waves to get detailed pictures of the heart and arteries.


• Other tests for heart disease:
  • Arterial vascular study lower extremity
  • Nuclear cardiology

Cardiovascular Treatments

Heart disease treatments include changes in diet and/or lifestyle or medications. If those are not successful, surgery may be an option. Our experienced cardiologists across West Palm Beach will try every possible treatment option before surgery. Our team of specialists at St. Mary’s Medical Center is dedicated to providing you safe and customized care depending on the type and severity of the heart disease. Some of the procedures our cardiologists perform include, but are not limited to:

• Angioplasty – a procedure where a narrowed or blocked artery is stretched open


• Artificial heart valve surgery – a procedure that repairs the nonworking heart valve due to valvular heart disease


• Atherectomy – similar to angioplasty, this procedure removes plaque build-up in arteries.


• Bypass surgery – used to treat coronary heart disease, bypass surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that improves blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart by redirecting blood around narrowed or clogged parts of the major arteries.


• Stent procedure – a stent is a tiny tube that cardiologists use to keep the blocked or narrowed arteries open. This procedure usually involves an incision in the groin or arm and from there, the cardiologist finds the blocked or narrowed artery and installs the stent.

Endovascular Surgery & Limb Preservation

The experienced team of physicians and surgeons at St. Mary’s Medical Center offer minimally invasive vascular interventional procedures, including specialized procedures that are designed to spare tissue, repair damage and help maintain and restore function in limbs that would otherwise have to be amputated.

Pediatric Cardiology at Palm Beach Children's Hospital

If your child has a heart defect, our pediatric cardiologist will fully explain the diagnosis and all the possible implications. A plan of treatment may be designed for additional care.

Fetal Heart Defect

No expectant mother wants to hear that her unborn baby may have a heart defect. But determining an unborn baby’s health before birth can be essential for a healthy life. The Fetal Diagnostic Center allows us to perform a fetal echocardiogram to determine the health of your baby’s heart. If complications arise, we will provide support through our Fetal Cardiology Program.