Our services

Novant Health Cardiology – Mount Airy offers remarkable care to adults suffering from both acute heart conditions and chronic heart ailments including heart failure, as well as painful or unsightly varicose and spider veins. Our providers will work to understand your concerns and develop a treatment plan unique to your current condition and future goals. They are committed to improving or maintaining your heart and vein health.

Before treatment can begin, you need an accurate assessment of your current health. In our clinic, your providers will have access to powerful diagnostic tools including:

• Electrocardiogram (EKG; a test using electrodes to measure the electrical signals that control the rhythm of the heart)
• Holter and arrhythmia event monitoring (tests using portable devices to monitor heart function during daily activities through electrodes stuck onto the chest)
• Exercise treadmill testing (a test to look for blockages or signs of heart disease while a patient exercises on a treadmill)
• Nuclear stress imaging (monitoring of heart rhythm functions before, during and after exercise; an isotope is injected into the bloodstream and special cameras are used to track the isotope as it circulates)
• Cardiac echocardiogram (a painless exam which uses sound waves to evaluate the structure and function of the heart)
• Stress echocardiogram (a test which uses sound waves to examine the heart before, after and sometimes during physical activity)
• Transesophageal echocardiogram (a test using sound waves to evaluate heart function through the esophagus) (available at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center)
• Lipid/cholesterol assessment (a test to measure cholesterol and lipids in the blood to detect a disorder or see if a medication is working)
• Ankle brachial index (a test to measure blood pressure at the ankle and the arm)
• Pulse volume recording (PVR; a test to study blood flow in the arms and legs, and to look for signs of arterial disease)
• Segmental limb pressure (a test using blood pressure waves to study blood circulation in arm and leg arteries)
• Carotid ultrasounds (a test using sound waves to examine blood flow in the carotid arteries, which can detect problems in the blood supply to the brain)
• Abdominal aorta ultrasound (a test to examine the abdominal aorta and associated blood vessels)
• Peripheral venous upper/lower extremities (a test to examine blood flow to the arms and legs)
• Visceral vascular studies (including renal artery duplex and mesenteric artery duplex studies; tests to examine blood flow to organs such as the kidneys or digestive system)
• Aneurysm evaluation (the use of ultrasounds to examine weaknesses in artery walls)

Preventive interventions can help you avoid future heart or vein troubles. Our providers complete interventions including:

• Cardiac catheterization (a procedure involving the insertion of a thin tube into an artery in an arm or leg; this can be used to detect or address blockages)
• Balloon angioplasty/ percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PCTA) (a procedure in which a balloon tool is used to push artery-clogging plaque against artery walls to make more room for blood flow)

Should you need a cardiac surgery procedure, you can receive care from a team of providers you know and trust. Cardiac surgery procedures are performed at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center. Our providers regularly complete:

• Pacemaker placement
• Internal cardiac defibrillator (ICD) placement
• Patent foramen ovale (PFO) repair
• Atrial septal defect (ASD) repair

Varicose veins affect more than 25 percent of women and 15 percent of men. Those veins can be unsightly and painful. Our clinic offers varicose vein treatment options including:

• Endovenous laser therapy (a procedure involving the use of a precise laser to shrink a vein)
• Sclerotherapy (used to treat spider veins by preventing blood from entering them)

Other services offered by our clinic include:

• Pacemaker and ICD clinics (to check on the function of those devices)
• Management of care for congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms
• Advanced cholesterol and lipid management
• Coordination with the heart failure program at Novant Health Forsyth Heart and Wellness
• Rehabilitation services after a cardiac episode (including exercise, psycho-social and nutritional assessments)