Heart Disease Treatment

Heart Disease Treatment

Heart Disease Treatment has always been an area of specialized interest and scientific advancement. While the ultimate goal is to eradicate the root of the problem, a secondary goal has also emerged. Numerous cardiologists are working on new techniques to make Heart Disease Treatment less-invasive. There has been select success in Interventional Cardiology using Radial Artery Access.

What is Radial Artery Access?
Interventional cardiologists preform catheterization of the heart and brain to prevent life-threatening medical complications. The procedure is minimally invasive and uses your arteries to access your vital organs.

When Doctors use Radial Artery Access (may also be referred to as Trans-radial) it means that-in some cases-they can use your wrist to treat your heart. The cardiologist threads a small catheter through your arm into your chest until it reaches your heart.

Which patients can have Radial Artery Access?
To be a radial artery entrance candidate you need to have excellent circulation in your hands. There are two arteries that control the blood supply to your hand; the radial and ulnar arteries. In rare cases, using the radial artery as an entry point will cause a blockage to form post-procedure, but if the ulnar artery is strong enough it can take over supplying blood to the entire hand.

There is a simple test to determine if you are a good candidate for this form of Heart Disease Treatment. It is called the Allen Test.

What is the Allen Test?

Before choosing a catheter insertion site a cardiologist will test the circulation in your arteries. To test the hand, the doctor will press a finger and thumb on either side of your wrist; right above the main arteries.

They will ask you to open and close your wrist until the pressurized areas turn white. Then the doctor will discontinue applying the arterial pressure. If normal coloring returns to your hand in 8 seconds or less; you have sufficient circulation to support Radial Artery Access.

Dr. Seldon, a Heart Doctor and Cardiologist in New York City, offers same day appointments and all testing is done on site. Call us at (212) 367-8000.