More than 70% of people die from non-communicable and chronic diseases. They are not spread from person to person and tend to progress slowly. Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death in the world. They affect the heart and blood vessels and are the direct cause of almost every third premature death. For example, 6.6% of people die annually in France as a result of myocardial infarction, in England this figure is 9%.

Meanwhile, in Israel, the rate of premature death from myocardial infarction is only 4.2%. This is all thanks to the fact that the state generously funds all medical areas of the cardiology profile. This helped equip departments with modern equipment, introduce innovative diagnostic and treatment methods into practice, and train cardiologists in all the intricacies of treating patients with both common and very rare cardiac diseases.

Tel Aviv Medical Center has a modern and highly efficient cardiology department, where thousands of patients receive all the necessary care every year. The department has all the necessary diagnostic techniques and the specialists who carry them out; our specialists also master all modern treatment techniques and procedures, including innovative ones.

Anatomical model of the heart on the doctor's table, blurry

Departments

A large Cardiology Department can be divided into several departments that deal with a specific cardiac problem:

General cardiology – deals with conservative treatment of cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, heart failure, arterial hypertension, etc.). This is a very important area, since a well-designed treatment program can significantly prolong patient’s life, ensure its excellent quality and prevent the need for invasive treatment methods (stenting, bypass surgery, heart valve replacement, etc.).
Interventional cardiology – specialists in this area perform minimally invasive but effective percutaneous interventions: diagnostic coronary angiography, balloon angioplasty or coronary arteries stenting, catheter replacement of aortic, mitral valve, and their plastic surgery.
Cardiac surgery – cardiac surgeons perform all necessary heart surgeries, including transplantation.
Pediatric cardiology – cardiologists in this area treat diseases and congenital defects of cardiovascular system in children.
Arrhythmology – deals with the study, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias (atrial fibrillation, extrasystolic arrhythmia, etc.).
Department of diagnostics in cardiology – here there are all the necessary methods for diagnosing cardiovascular diseases – ECG, Holter monitoring ECG, echocardioscopy (heart ultrasound), blood pressure monitoring, cardiac MRI, myocardial scintigraphy, electrophysiological study of heart, stress tests (treadmill, bicycle ergometry, step test, etc.).
Cardiac intensive care unit – an intensive care unit for patients with acute cardiovascular pathology (myocardial infarction, for example).
Department for heart failure treatment – specialists in this profile treat chronic heart failure, preventing its progression and transition to terminal stage.
Rehabilitation department – patients undergo complex rehabilitation here after severe cardiovascular diseases and their complications, after heart surgery and after organ transplantation. Regardless of what pathology patient suffers from, specialists from Cardiology Department of Tel Aviv Medical Center are always ready to find an individual approach to each person and provide effective medical care.

What diseases does Cardiology Department treat?

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Diagnostic methods in cardiology

High-quality, accurate and modern diagnostics are the key to successful treatment of any disease, including cardiovascular diseases. At TAMC we use only modern, certified expert-class diagnostic equipment. Our patients have access to all types of diagnostics of cardiac diseases, including innovative ones:

blood pressure measurement, daily blood pressure monitoring;
determination of spectrum of blood lipids and the nature of disorders;
electrocardiography (ECG) is a non-invasive test that shows heart electrical activity. This method is easy to use, safe and painless, does not require preparation, and involves placing electrodes on the chest, arms and legs, which detect electrical signals generated by heart. Resulting ECG can help to diagnose arrhythmia, ischemia, and other cardiac abnormalities.
echocardioscopy (EchoCS) is a non-invasive imaging test that uses ultrasound waves to create images of heart (cardiac ultrasound). It can provide information about the size, shape and function of heart, as well as movement of heart valves and walls. Echocardiograms can be performed with a probe on chest or through the esophagus (via esophageal echocardioscopy) to obtain clearer images.
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – makes it possible to diagnose not only structural changes in heart, but also various myocardial diseases;
functional tests – step test, treadmill, bicycle ergometry, medicinal stress tests, etc.;
holter ECG monitoring – recording an electrocardiogram for a day or more, which makes it possible to identify arrhythmias, ischemias and other disorders, even hidden ones;
electrophysiological studies and programmed cardiac stimulation – allows arrhythmologists to determine the type of arrhythmia and find its source, which can then be effectively removed using catheter ablation and save a person from problem;
coronary angiography is a medical imaging method that allows us to contrast the coronary arteries, study their structure and diagnose corresponding disorders, an invasive method, performed by percutaneous intervention;
myocardial scintigraphy with Tl or Tc isotopes – allows us to diagnose diseases of heart muscle; this is a radioisotope scan with which one can study myocardium function.

Important!

Intravascular ultrasound examination of coronary arteries provides important additional information in 20% of cases, and sometimes plays a decisive role in determining further patient management tactics, despite the relatively high cost of examination.

In addition to standard diagnostic techniques, TAMC Cardiology Department also uses high-tech ones. For example, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a medical imaging method using a special intravascular catheter with a miniature ultrasound sensor at distal end. This method allows to visualize blood vessels from inside using ultrasound technology. Most often, IVUS visualizes coronary arteries.

Accurate quantitative assessment and detailed qualitative analysis of coronary arteries condition, carried out using intravascular ultrasound, make it possible to assess the degree of atherosclerotic lesions and select the most optimal treatment method. This method helps in difficult diagnostic situations when, according to coronary angiography data, it is impossible to answer all questions regarding the structure of coronary bed.

MSCT angiography (“virtual angiography”) is a modern and non-invasive method for assessing all functions of the heart and large vessels. An ideal choice for patients who are allergic to contrast agents used for coronary angiography, as well as for those people who need to minimize radiation exposure during a standard procedure. The technique helps to visualize in detail not only coronary arteries, but also, for example, the pulmonary artery, as well as such a severe and difficult to diagnose condition as PE (pulmonary embolism).

Modern treatment methods in cardiology

Modern and progressive methods of treating patients with cardiovascular diseases, in addition to widespread use of medications, include introduction of minimally invasive catheter and surgical treatment methods. At Tel Aviv Medical Center, specialists practice almost all such interventions to provide care to a patient with cardiac pathology according to international standards and at highest level. Modern procedure for catheter ablation of arrhythmia source using an intracardiac system with 3D navigation NAVx and CARTO has shown significantly better effectiveness than standard technique, which is carried out in two-dimensional imaging mode. The NAVx and CARTO system makes it possible to create a three-dimensional model of heart chamber and more accurately apply the ablation application. This is associated with a higher efficiency of procedure and a significantly lower risk of complications.

Our patients have access to the world’s smallest pacemaker, Micra. This is a capsule measuring 2.4 cm, which is one tenth size of a standard such device. The mini pacemaker is implanted through minimally invasive catheter percutaneous access through femoral artery and does not require opening the chest cavity. Micra device even allows a patient to undergo an MRI; it also has a remote data transfer function, for example, patient can send operation data of the pacemaker to his doctor at any time. The battery life of Micra system is more than 12 years. Device has passed all clinical trials and is being actively introduced into practice of Israeli cardiology.

Optimizer Smart System device allows us to prevent the progression of chronic heart failure severe stages and delay the need for a heart transplant as much as possible. Unlike a pacemaker, this device does not control the rhythm, but the force of cardiac output. Device operates using CCM (cardiac contractility modulation) technology. It is implanted under skin on anterior chest wall and has 3 electrodes that are fixed in heart cavity. During heart contractions, impulse strengthens the work of heart muscle and increases cardiac output.

The device has passed all clinical tests and is approved for practical use.

Catheter closure of ventricular and atrial septal defects. In many cardiology hospitals around the world, surgeries for this problem are performed by opening the chest cavity and using an open heart. At TAMC, we help patients with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and interatrial septum defects through minimally invasive percutaneous catheter intervention without a single chest incision. The patch (a biocompatible material in the form of an umbrella that is installed at site of defect) is delivered into heart cavity using a catheter inserted into a peripheral vessel. At the site of defect, patch is opened and installed, and catheter is removed. The entire procedure takes 2-3 hours, and patient is sent home the same day.

This is only a small part of modern and innovative procedures that cardiologists successfully practice at TAMC. If you have been diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease and want to receive high-quality, modern and effective care, contact our specialists.