Cardiac catheterization (angiography): This test, which requires minor sedation, is a method of viewing and assessing the health of your heart. Through a small incision in your leg or arm, your doctor inserts a catheter (a long, thin, flexible tube) into the blood vessel and passes the tube into your heart and surrounding blood vessels. A dye is injected into the tube to allow your doctor to see your heart's pumping action and any valve leaks, blockages, or narrowing of your coronary arteries.

Electrophysiology (EP) study: An EP study is a way to evaluate your heart's conduction system. This is done by watching the heart rate and rhythm for any abnormalities. EP studies reproduce your symptoms or rhythm disturbances under controlled circumstances. This allows your physician to analyze your heart's conduction system further and to decide what is the best way to treat your problem. The care before and after an EP study is similar to that of the cardiac catheterization; both are invasive procedures. Once a catheter is accurately positioned in each area being tested, the procedure will begin. During the procedure, tiny electrodes at the tip of the catheters will record the electrical impulses within your heart. The physician will be pacing your heart at different rates and rhythms making recordings called intracardiac electrograms.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)/ Coronary Angioplasty/ PTCA: Angioplasty is a procedure used to open blocked coronary arteries so that adequate blood supply is restored. A special catheter (a long, flexible tube) with a small balloon at the tip is placed into an artery in your groin or arm. The catheter is then moved to the clogged artery in your heart. The balloon is inflated and deflated several times to push the plaque against the artery wall and open the artery.

Stents: A stent is a small metal coil, slotted tube, or mesh structure that is placed permanently inside a coronary artery to help keep it open following an angioplasty. The stent helps hold the artery open, improves the flow of blood, and relieves symptoms of coronary artery disease.

Atherectomy: Once a blockage in your coronary artery has been diagnosed from a heart catheterization, an atherectomy is a non-surgical procedure that is used in conjunction with an angioplasty in certain patients. Atherectomy is a procedure that uses a catheter and special cutting or grinding tools to remove plaque from artery walls. The plaque is removed and can later be examined and studied.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery (CABG)/open heart surgery: If your physician diagnosis significant coronary artery disease that cannot be treated with medication and /or angioplasty, CABG may be recommended. Bypass surgery is an operation in which surgeons create a bypass (detour) to allow blood to go around blockages in the coronary arteries. A blood vessel from your leg or chest, or an artery from your arm is sewn onto your coronary artery below the blockage. The narrowed/blocked area of the artery is not removed. Bypassing the obstructed area in the coronary artery will improve the blood supply to the heart muscle, therefore, reducing the symptoms caused by the lack of blood supply to the heart. Removal of the leg or chest vessel, or artery from the arm will not affect the circulation in that specific area.

Heart Valve Repair or Replacement/open heart surgery: Surgical treatment for valvular disease is usually postponed until symptoms can no longer be adequately controlled with medications, and before irreversible heart muscle damage has occurred. In some cases, narrowing or leakage may be relieved by surgery that repairs the patient's own valve. In other patients, however, the valve is so badly damaged that it must be replaced. There are several types of replacement valves available including a variety of tissue or mechanical valves. Your surgeon will discuss with you which type is most suitable for you. Depending on the type of valve used, the patient may be required to take blood thinner to prevent blood clots from forming on the new valve.

Septal Heart Defect/Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)/Ventricular Septal Defect(VSD)/open heart surgery: A septal heart defect is an opening in the atrial or ventricular wall that separates the two sides of the heart. The opening allows blood to circulate through the heart in an efficient way, thus causing a tremendous burden on the heart muscle. Most defects exist at birth or result from a heart attack. If your physician determines that this defect is significant, surgery is usually recommended. The surgeon may close the hole by sewing together the edges of the opening or by sewing a patch over the opening.