The Cardiac Cath Lab at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart is one of the newest and most advanced cardiac labs in the Southeast United States. Our Cardiac Cath Lab physicians perform dozens of life-saving procedures every day for numerous conditions, in addition to a pair of electrophysiology labs, where patients are treated for electrical problems with their heart that cause atrial fibrillation and other abnormal heart beat issues.

The Cardiac Cath Lab at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart offers:

• Five state-of-the-art cath labs complete with cutting-edge technology provided by GE Medical Systems.
• Two electrophysiology labs to diagnose and treat irregular heartbeats.
• An adjacent Noninvasive Cardiology Lab where experts utilize stress tests, electrocardiography and echocardiography to diagnose life-threatening heart conditions.

The Shimberg Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Center at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute offers medically supervised exercise programs that enable patients to safely regain and maintain cardiovascular fitness after a cardiac event. Patients who have been diagnosed with heart disease are also encouraged to join the program to help prevent an emergency cardiovascular issue.

We use top monitoring and fitness equipment to support our team, who specializes in education, exercise, and nutrition training. Patients use a cardiac monitor so they can safely stress their hearts while exercising. This safety assurance is unique to our program and cannot be found at ordinary fitness centers.

The Cardiovascular Rehab program includes:

• Aerobic exercise training
• A variety of equipment including treadmills; step machines; rowing; and stationary cycles
• A complete circuit of upper body strength training equipment
• Free weight-exercises
• Health and fitness educational sessions
• An initial evaluation and individualized treatment plan

For more information contact us at (813) 615-7306.

Since our first open-heart surgery in June 1989, thousands of open-heart, thoracic and vascular surgeries have been performed by our skilled and caring surgeons, nurses and technicians. Today, Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute’s four state-of-the-art operating suites combine the latest cutting-edge GE Health Systems technology with the expertise of five cardiovascular surgeons.

Our Cardiovascular Surgery Program offers:

• Minimally invasive procedures for heart valve repair
• Open-heart surgeries for bypass and valve replacements
• Treatment for peripheral artery disease
• Thoracic procedures for lung biopsy

After surgery, patients stay the Cardiovascular Surgery Unit. This is one of the most modern and dynamic of its kind in the Southeast United States, featuring large rooms complete with state-of-the-art GE Medical Systems technology to help care for patients recovering from open-heart surgery and other invasive heart procedures.

The unit features nine large, private recovery rooms with nursing stations just feet away for the most hands-on care 24/7, along with three Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) rooms for one-on-one care immediately following open-heart surgery and thoracic and vascular procedures.

When chest-pain symptoms occur, every second can make a difference in saving a life. That’s why our Chest Pain Emergency Room was designed to quickly evaluate patients who are suffering from chest pain or other symptoms of a heart attack. Our sophisticated facility is staffed 24 hours a day with physicians and nurses who are trained and experienced in cardiovascular emergencies.

Our Emergency Department has been accredited by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. We were the first in Tampa Bay to be awarded this distinction.

The Chest Pain Center’s protocol-driven and systematic approach to patient management allows physicians to reduce time of treatment during the critical early stages of a heart attack, when treatments are most effective, and to better monitor patients when it is not clear whether they are having a coronary event. Such observation helps ensure that a patient is neither sent home too early nor needlessly admitted.

In case of emergency, always call 9-1-1 immediately.

Have you ever felt your heart flutter, race or beat irregularly? The Heart Rhythm Center at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute offers state-of-the-art techniques and is completely dedicated to the treatment of atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) and other heart arrhythmias, which includes regaining a normal heart rhythm, controlling the heart rate and preventing blood clots and strokes.

If a patient meets criteria for non-surgical and/or surgical interventions, we will expedite a consultation for them with an Electrophysiologist or surgeon who performs these services.

Interventional cardiology is a specialty branch of cardiology that deals specifically with the catheter-based treatment of structural heart diseases. Over time, plaque can develop and layer in the coronary arteries, cutting off blood supply to the heart muscle. In those cases, a board-certified cardiologist intervenes, using a thin wire that is threaded from a leg artery into the heart where the blockage can be opened to restore blood flow.

Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute performs more than 5,000 interventional cardiology procedures each year. Our program was one of the first to utilize the Impella device, a catheter-based pump that eases workload of the heart. Our on-call interventional cardiology team is ready to treat chest pain emergency patients around the clock.

The Valve Center at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute offers an integrated, comprehensive approach to evaluation and treatment for patients with valvular heart disease.

Our team of physicians and technologists offers state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services and cardiac catheterization services, as well as surgical and non-surgical treatment options.

Our Valve Center clinic offers complete patient case review by a team of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons who review all clinical information and offer a consensus recommendation for treatment options.

For information about referral into the Valve Center, call us at 813-55-HEART (813-554-3278).

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
The Pepin Heart Institute's is one of a select group of hospitals treating patients with the recently approved Edwards Sapien aortic valve. This is the first aortic valve available for selected patients with aortic stenosis that does not require open heart surgery.

Aortic stenosis is a condition in which this valve is restricted in its ability to open completely, which limits blood flow out of the heart. This may cause a variety of problems, including shortness of breath, fainting, chest pain or tightness, fatigue, lightheadedness and other symptoms. 

TAVR is approved for patients who are not surgical candidates for aortic valve replacement.