Patients who have undergone complex, cardiovascular procedures at the CHOC Heart Institute require specialized care and attention. At CHOC, they get just that in a dedicated, 12-bed Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). In CHOC’s CVICU, children receive attention from pediatric cardiac-trained intensivists, nurse practitioners, critical-care registered nurses, and an interdisciplinary medical team. All rooms are […]
Heart / Cardiology
High Tech, All Heart
“It looks like something out of Star Trek!” That’s what visitors have been saying as they tour the control room of the new CHOC Children’s Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories, which open next month. And yes, our state-of-the-art facilities are quite impressive. In fact, the CHOC Heart Institute is one of the few pediatric facilities in Southern […]
Getting to the Heart of EKGs
Electrocardiography (EKG) measures the heart’s electrical activity to help evaluate its function and identify any problems that might exist. The EKG can help determine the rate and regularity of heartbeats, the size and position of the heart’s chambers, and whether there is any damage present. How Is an EKG Done? There is nothing painful about getting […]
Causes of Chest Pain in Children
February is American Heart Month. Check out these important guidelines to help you determine whether your child’s chest pain could be associated with heart disease. Dr. Pierangelo Renella, a pediatric cardiologist at CHOC Children’s, explains the signs and causes of this common condition, rarely associated with the heart. Q: What causes chest pain in children? […]
CHOC Doctor’s Expertise Gives Boy Improved Heart Health
Thanks to the expertise and skill of one CHOC Children’s cardiologist, a seventh grader with a longstanding heart condition has a renewed chance for health and happiness. Several months after undergoing Melody Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve (TPV) therapy, Alexander Puck of Lake Forest is energetic and active – a marked change over the lethargy and decreased […]
Heart Murmurs in Children
As Heart Month comes to a close, check out these helpful facts about heart murmurs in children from Dr. Nita Doshi, pediatric cardiologist at CHOC Children’s. My pediatrician heard a “heart murmur” in my child. What is a heart murmur? A “heart murmur” is an extra noise or sound which can be heard when listening to the heart […]
Heart Imaging Goes 3-D
And no special 3-D glasses are required. Magnetic resonance (MR) angiography gives our CHOC pediatric cardiac specialists an unprecedented, crystal-clear view into our patients’ hearts and surrounding blood vessels. If a single picture is worth a thousand words, consider the value of a complete 3-D reconstruction of the heart and the major blood vessels that […]
