Heart Care

Comprehensive cardiology services for the diagnosis and treatment of the heart and vascular system.

Some of our services include:

• Complete range of cardiology services offering local cardiologist access and choice
• Specialized cardiac imaging and diagnostic testing
• Lipid, cholesterol and other risk factor management
• Cardiac device clinic (management of pacemaker and defibrillator implants)
• Phase 2 and 3 cardiac rehabilitation after a cardiac event such as heart attack
• Cardiac education & support groups
• Personalized and coordinated care with your primary doctor by a cardiac nurse specialist
• Cardiac level I Emergency Response in partnership with Regions Hospital Heart Center and St. Croix EMS & Rescue

Heart Diagnostics

A precise diagnosis is the first step toward effective treatment. Most diagnostic cardiac testing is available right here at the hospital. These tests are painless, performed with the latest technology, interpreted by experienced specialists and are frequently done on an outpatient basis. Some common tests include:

• Echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart), helps view and understand your heart structure, including heart and valve function and disease. It is also used to test the strength of the heart muscle.
• EKG (electrocardiogram), helps determine heart rhythm and is used as a screening tool for coronary artery disease and abnormal heart rhythms.
• Exercise Treadmill, provides a continuous EKG reading of your heart as you perform increasing levels of exercise. This is used to screen for abnormal rhythms and narrowed arteries of the heart.
• Stress Echocardiogram, uses ultrasound to take pictures of the heart’s response to exercise or simulated exercise. This helps to detect coronary artery narrowing.
• Nuclear Cardiology, is another method of testing for blocked or narrowed arteries. These tests typically involve a small amount of “tracer material” injected into a vein your arm. The tracer goes to your heart and allows the camera to view the actual flow of blood to make sure the heart adequate supply.
• Stress Imaging Test, adds additional test components to treadmill test using either stress echo or nuclear cardiology. Occasionally, a drug that stimulates exercise-like heart response is used instead of actual physical exercise.

Our Heart Rehabilitation offers three progressive phases of monitored exercise and education to help you get back to an active, heart-healthy life.

The program begins during hospitalization or cardiac event and managed by an interdisciplinary team of cardiologists, rehabilitation and fitness specialists, and dietitians.

Heart Education and Support Group

The group meets regularly and recognize the value of bringing people together who share common health concerns. Group meetings alternate between educational topics presented by various health specialists – from sharing insights and celebrations to living and recovering from heart disease and treatments.

Heart Disease Prevention

Hudson Hospital & Clinics has numerous programs and services designed to educate
and promote heart-healthy lifestyles:

• Weight management
• Diet and nutrition programs
• Hypertension reduction and stress management 
• Personalized fitness and exercise programs
• Cardiovascular fitness exercise classes 
• Holistic wellness classes to increase circulation and reduce stress

Advanced Care

In partnership with HealthPartners family of care, you also have coordinated access to advanced treatment via Regions Hospital Heart Center, one of the nation's top 100 hospitals for cardiovascular care according to Thompson Reuters. Some additional services complementing Hudson Hospital & Clinics Heart Care include:

• Cardiovascular surgery (including robotic)
• Interventional/angioplasty
• Electrophysiology cardiac rhythm studies
• Heart rhythm/pacemaker program
• Heart failure program
• Clinical research studies