Cardiac Catheterization & Electrophysiology Lab

The Cardiac Catheterization Lab or “Cath Lab” is a specialized area in Frederick Health Hospital providing minimally invasive tests and advanced cardiac procedures to screen for, diagnose, and treat cardiovascular disease.

What is Cardiac Catheterization

A doctor guides a thin, flexible tube (catheter) through the blood vessels in your wrist or groin to your heart and injects contrast dye to help find blockages, valve disease, and heart failure.

This technology provides the care team with information to help diagnose and treat blockages and other problems in the arteries, often without patients needing surgery.

Common Procedures Performed

• Angioplasty: A minimally invasive procedure to open clogged heart arteries and restore blood flow.
• Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndrome like heart attacks or STEMI, the most severe type of heart attack.
• Stabilizing patients who require open-heart surgery, coordinating timely transfer to other centers of care, and continuing their follow-up care within Frederick County.
• Aortogram/ Angiogram: Minimally invasive procedure using contrast dye & X-rays to detect blockage or narrowing in the main artery or peripheral arteries.
• Implantation and replacement of pacemakers, ICDs (Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators), Biventricular Pacemakers (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) and Loop Recorders to monitor heart rhythm.

A Leader in Heart Care

Frederick Health is nationally recognized from the American Heart Association for implementing specific quality care improvements for prompt, quick, reliable treatment for heart attacks categorized as STEMI or NSTEMI, the most serious of heart attacks.

The Cath-Lab Team

The team at the Cardiac Catheterization & Electrophysiology Lab includes a dedicated group of nurses, technicians, and cardiovascular physicians. We work in close partnership with interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists from John Hopkins, MedStar, and Maryland Cardiac Care. Together, we deliver coordinated, high quality treatment and care to our patients.

Recovery Bays

After your procedure, recover on our dedicated heart floor with specially trained nurses for around-the-clock care. Our modern and open spaces includes private bays equipped with state-of-the-art monitoring, lounge chairs, seating for guests, natural light, and TVs.