Cardiology care

Cardiologists say the surest path to a healthy heart is prevention: eating sensibly, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and quitting smoking. But for ailing hearts, Kaiser Permanente offers care ranging from powerful diagnostic exams to interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, and endovascular surgery.

Kaiser Permanente offers all the typical diagnostic tests for heart disease, including treadmill testing, echocardiography, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, CT scans, and MRIs. If heart disease is found, treatment might include lifestyle changes, medications, or both. And when needed, our skilled cardiologists can perform a variety of minimally invasive procedures, often averting the need for open heart surgery.

Partners in a leading-edge procedure

Kaiser Permanente cardiologists were among the first in the Northwest to perform catheter ablations for atrial fibrillation (irregular and often rapid heart rate), a procedure today aided by three-dimensional mapping systems. Washington Permanente Medical Group also pioneered an electrophysiological technique for failing heart muscles. And among the approaches to heart catheterization used by cardiologists at Kaiser Permanente to check for blockage is the new transradial technique, which places a catheter at the wrist rather than the leg vessel, promoting less bleeding and quicker recuperation.

At Kaiser Permanente, the message from our cardiologists is clear: Our hearts are in this.

Health information

Our heart disease resource center has articles about prevention, risk factors, symptoms and screenings, and living with heart disease. Classes and videos also are available.