At Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC), highly qualified experts use our specialized cardiac catheterization and digital angiography lab to find and treat heart and vascular problems. Our team of cardiologists, in partnership with Butler Health System, nurses, and technicians will work together to ensure that you feel safe and comfortable.
Whether you need a high-quality angiogram or emergency care for a heart attack, we are here for you.
Talk to your physician about having your diagnostic testing done at IRMC.
The Heart Team
At IRMC, in partnership with Butler Health System Cardiology, our team of expertly-trained cardiac specialists and advanced care providers combine their expertise to provide you the most efficient and compassionate care close to home. Rest assured, our Heart Team works closely with local primary care physicians to ensure the highest level of care to our community.
Our cath lab is home to highly skilled specialists who deliver great results for our patients.
Our team is led by board-certified interventional cardiologists (heart doctors who specialize in catheter-based treatments). Many of our doctors have been performing cath lab treatments for more than 20 years.
They're supported by highly trained registered nurses and radiology technicians. Our nurses have specialized cath lab training, and all of our staff members are ACLS (advanced cardiovascular life support) certified.
Each member of the team is committed to our patients and proud of the work they do in helping our community overcome heart disease.
Click here to hear from Heart Team experts Dr. Richard Begg and Dr. LaToya Linton-Frazier.
What is a cardiac cath lab?
A cardiac catheterization (or cath) lab is a highly specialized facility. Cath lab experts use flexible tubes (catheters) and cameras to perform tests and treatments.
Our cardiac catheterization and digital angiography lab was built in 2016 and features the latest technology, including high-resolution digital equipment that lets our specialists see inside the heart and blood vessels with clarity.
Our cath lab team can quickly and competently diagnose and treat a variety of cardiovascular conditions, such as blocked arteries, and investigate heart disease symptoms, such as chest pain or an irregular heartbeat.
Procedures and tests our team can perform include:
- Angiograms and other diagnostic heart tests. The tests check for conditions such as blocked heart arteries or problems with the heart's valves.
- Peripheral angiography tests. These tests help diagnose and treat circulation problems in the legs or arms.
- Balloon angioplasty and stenting to open blocked arteries that supply the heart, legs, arms or kidneys. We are accredited to perform this procedure (known as percutaneous coronary intervention) by both the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Corazon.
- Pacemaker and cardioverter defibrillator implants in people with heart-rhythm disorders.
We have the expertise to take care of many heart problems. Should you need a more extensive procedure, such as bypass surgery, we can quickly help coordinate that care at an appropriate facility for you.
We treat heart attacks
During a heart attack, minutes matter. That's why it's good to know you are close to a facility that can diagnose and treat you quickly. Our rapid treatment times consistently exceed national standards for opening blocked arteries, a main treatment for heart attacks.
To achieve this excellence, we work closely with Emergency Medicine Services providers in the community and in our emergency department.
What to expect when you have cardiac catheterization
Before your procedure, we will explain what you need to do to prepare. For example, you may need to avoid taking certain medicines temporarily. And you will need to avoid food or drink for a period of time.
On the day of your procedure, we'll meet you in the cath lab, which is located on the fourth floor of the hospital, near the surgical suites. An IV line will be started. And you'll be given medicines to help you relax.
If you will be having a diagnostic procedure, you will likely go home the same day. If you need a more complex treatment, like a stent placement, you may stay overnight and then go home the next morning.