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Cardiovascular Services

Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch offers an array of cardiac services in East Contra Costa County, including expert diagnosis of heart disease and treatments for heart attacks, congenital cardiac defects, congestive heart failure, valve conditions, heart arrhythmias and circulation problems.

Our experienced cardiologists can recommend the best treatment options for your unique needs, and we treat patients from the cities of Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood, Knightsen, Byron, Discovery Bay, Pittsburg and Bay Point.

STEMI Intervention Program
The most dramatic event in terms of heart disease is a heart attack. A heart attack requires prompt and decisive action in order to preserve the heart and many times save the life of the patient. Sutter Delta is at the forefront of providing this lifesaving care. We are part of a countywide network that provides critical and early notification when someone needs emergency cardiac intervention. A team is on call 24 hours a day every day to make sure our community receives the best heart care possible.

Specialized Testing
Cardiovascular Interventional Laboratory

Specialized Testing

Cardiologists rely on a variety of specialized tests to help determine the best plan of care for their patients. All tests in the noninvasive cardiology lab are performed by certified and licensed technicians specializing in the field of cardiology. Tests include:

Electrocardiogram: An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a graphic display of the electrical activity of the heart. It is one of the most common tests to help a cardiologist diagnose suspected cardiac issues.
Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram is a test used to study the movement of the various parts of the heart in real time using ultrasonic signals to create images of the heart.
Stress Echocardiogram: This is an echocardiogram performed immediately after exercise to evaluate the heart. Images are taken before and after walking on a treadmill, to reveal if parts of the heart may not be receiving enough blood or oxygen.
Dobutamine Echocardiogram: Similar to the stress echocardiogram but for patients who aren’t able to exercise, during this test the medication dobutamine is given by IV to quicken the heart rate.

Cardiovascular Interventional Laboratory

The complexity of the heart’s structure and function often requires a look
inside the vessels providing blood to the heart to determine the nature and extent of heart-related conditions. Sutter Delta’s advanced, multimillion-dollar Cardiovascular Interventional Laboratory performs invasive diagnostic cardiac procedures, inpatient emergent and urgent cardiovascular interventional procedures, and invasive diagnostic and interventional endovascular procedures. These include:

Diagnostic Cardiac Procedures:

Aortograms/Ventriculograms (diagnostic tests involving contrast injections into the blood vessels)
Diagnostic Electrophysiology (analysis of irregular heartbeat)
Right and Left Heart Catheterization
TEE (transesophageal echocardiogram—a test that uses high-frequency sound waves to provide an image of the heart’s valves and chambers)

Cardiac Interventional Procedures:

Cardiac Ablation (a technique used to treat arrhythmias)
Cardiac Resynchronization Device Insertion
Coronary Angioplasty (a procedure to open blocked or narrowed arteries)
Endovascular AAA Repair (a minimally invasive procedure to correct abdominal aortic aneurysm)
Internal Cardiac Defibrillator
Pacemaker Placement and Adjustment
Pericardiocentesis (Removal of fluid from the sac surrounding the heart)
Stent Placement (a procedure to keep the blood vessels open)
Temporary Heart Assist Pump Using an Intra-aortic Balloon Pump

Endovascular (Peripheral Vascular) Procedures:

Balloon Angioplasty (a procedure used to open peripheral arteries)
Cryotherapy (destruction of abnormal tissue)
Embolization (a procedure to stop or prevent hemorrhage)
Intravascular Ultrasound Analysis of Major Arteries
Stenting
Thrombolysis and Thrombectomy (removal of blood clots)