Interventional Cardiology
Interventional Cardiology is a subspecialty of cardiology in which catheter-based diagnostic tests and treatment are provided for coronary artery disease, valvular disease, structural heart disease, peripheral vascular disease and various other diseases. Interventional cardiologists are specially trained cardiologists who use tiny catheters which are inserted into the arm, leg or neck and are then threaded through arteries or veins to the heart or other regions in the body.
At UCSF, our interventional cardiologists perform diagnostic tests such as coronary angiograms (also called cardiac catheterizations), in which contrast or dye is placed in the coronary arteries and peripheral arteries to identify blockages in the vessels. They also perform other procedures that assist with diagnosing complex disease processes. In addition to the traditional access site in the femoral artery in the groin, UCSF interventional cardiologists are very experienced in using the radial artery approach in the wrist. This approach makes the procedures safer, is less likely to result in bleeding complications, and allows patients to walk immediately after their procedure rather than needing to remain lying down for up to eight hours.
Clinic
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Faculty
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Research
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Conditions treated by the Interventional Cardiology Program include:
| ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) | Aortic Stenosis | Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) |
| Heart Failure | Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy | Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) |
| PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale) | Valvular Disease |