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Symptoms and Conditions of the Heart and Vascular Systems

Today heart disease is America’s number one killer, but, unlike many diseases, there isn’t a specific age to start screening for heart or vascular disease. Your primary care doctor may refer you to a cardiologist if you have risk factors for cardiovascular disease or you are exhibiting symptoms that suggest that it may already be present.

Nearly half of Americans have at least one risk factor for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity or an unhealthy diet. Risk also increases with age.

While our First Coast Heart & Vascular physicians are your partners in heart health, you are your own best advocate. Become familiar with the risk factors and the symptoms of heart and vascular problems.  Talk to your doctor if you notice changes in your health and don’t hesitate to make an appointment with one of First Coast Heart & Vascular Center’s physicians today. If you experience any of the following symptoms of heart or vascular system disease:

HEART

  • Angina (chest pain).
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Irregular heartbeat.
  • Weakness, slurred speech, dizziness, coldness, numbness or pain in the arms or legs.
  • Pain in the throat, jaw, neck, upper abdomen or back.
  • Note: Men usually have chest pain whereas women often experience extreme fatigue, shortness of breath and/or nausea.
  • Swelling of the legs or abdomen.
  • Heart infection (pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis).

Vascular Disease

Vascular disease deals with the circulatory system outside of your heart. Vascular disease is frequently called a silent threat since the symptoms of vascular disease may be sudden or may not present themselves at all. Talk with your physician if you have any of the risk factors shown below, to find out if you are a candidate for a vascular screening test.

  • Peripheral vascular disease; uncontrolled hypertension, excessive muscle cramping, limb weakness, numbness, cold feet or hands, discoloration of legs ulcers in hands or legs, claudication (pain in the legs when walking), extremity hair loss or muscle wasting, abdominal pain with eating and weight loss or swelling of the legs.
  • TIA (Transischemic Attack or mini-stroke)
  • Stroke
  • Pulmonary Embolism (clots in the lungs)
  • Clots in the legs or arms

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY

People with heart disease may present with symptoms such as an abnormal heartbeat or arrhythmia. Some of the symptoms include:

  • Palpitation or “racing of the heart”
  • Slow heartbeat
  • A “fluttering” feeling in the chest
  • Pain or discomfort in the chest area
  • Lightheadedness (even fainting)
  • Dizziness or shortness of breath
  • Atrial flutter or atrial fibrillation
  • Extra heartbeats or PVC (premature ventricular contractions)
  • Graying of the skin or turning blue
  • SVT (Supraventricular Tachycardia)

We work in harmony with your primary care physician to deliver diagnosis and treatment of all stages of heart and vascular disease. The following are health conditions that may put you at risk for a life-changing occurrence:

  • Aneurysms (abdomen, arms, legs) in both arteries and veins
  • Atrial fibrillation or any heart rhythm problem
  • “Clots” or DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) in extremities (arms, legs) or even in the heart
  • Diabetic issues
  • Heart attack
  • Heart failure
  • Heart valve disease (valve malfunction causing to be either leaky or blocked)
  • High cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia)
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • PAD (Peripheral Artery Disease)
  • Pulmonary Embolism
  • Stroke
  • Swollen legs
  • Shortness of breath, angina or chest pain
  • Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini stroke
  • Varicose veins, spider veins, or leg ulcers due to vein disease.

New address for St. Augustine Office

New address for St. Augustine Office

We are excited to announce that we have moved our St. Augustine office to a larger office space. We are now located at 100 Whetstone Place, Suite 102, St. Augustine, FL 32086. The office building is at the corner of 312 and Sargent Tutten Drive. Our phone and fax numbers are the same. Phone: 904-342-8300  Fax: 904-342-8301.

New Palm Coast Office Address

First Coast Heart and Vascular New Palm Coast OfficeNew Palm Coast Office Address

We are pleased to announce that effective November 1, 2017, our Palm Coast office has moved to bigger quarters. We have moved across the parking lot. Our new office address is 14 Office Park Drive, Suite 1, Palm Coast, FL 32137.  Our phone number is still 386-446-9966.

Welcome Dr. Christopher Edwards

Christopher Edwards, DO, FACC
Dr. Christopher Edwards

Welcome Dr. Christopher Edwards

First Coast Heart & Vascular Center is pleased to announce that Cardiologist, Christopher Edwards, DO, FACC has joined the practice. Prior to joining First Coast Heart, Dr. Edwards practiced in South Florida.

He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Endovascular Medicine. Dr. Edwards has a special interest in peripheral arterial disease and venous disease.

Dr. Edwards will be seeing patients in our Palm Coast and St. Augustine offices.

Dr. Neil Sanghvi Discusses Sudden Cardiac Arrest on CBS

Recently Dr. Neil Sanghvi discussed Sudden Cardiac Arrest on the local CBS station here in Jacksonville, FL. He discussed SCA and new techniques that can help patients live with this condition.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is a sudden and unanticipated pulseless condition attributed to termination of cardiac mechanical activity. It is frequently caused by ventricular fibrillation, an abnormality in the heart’s electrical system. When SCA strikes, the blood stops flowing to the brain, the heart, and the rest of the body, and the person suddenly passes out. In reality, this person is clinically dead and will remain so unless someone helps immediately.

A Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest are not the same thing. A heart attack occurs when part of the heart’s blood supply is decreased or blocked, causing the heart muscle to become injured or die. A heart attack can be described as a “plumbing problem” in the heart. The heart attack victim is awake and may complain about one or more of the signs and symptoms of heart attack. In contrast, the SCA victim is not awake and needs immediate help in order to possibly survive.

A newer option called a subcutaneous defibrillator (S-ICD) offers the same protection but without touching the heart. Instead, it’s implanted just underneath the skin on the left side of the chest next to the rib cage. The device monitor your heart rhythm 24 hours a day.

The S-ICD may be a good option for people who have an active lifestyle. Because it has few or no upper-body and athletic restrictions, choosing the S-ICD means you should be able to continue doing the things you love to do.

Lunch and Learn Event August 15th 2017

Cardiologists Dr. Dinesh Pubbi and Dr. Van Crisco will be speaking at a Lunch and Learn event August 15th 2017 at the WJCT studio in Jacksonville.

CLEAN PIPES AND FUNCTIONAL WIRING: MODERN APPROACHES TO PREVENTING ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND ARRHYTHMIA

What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You. Understanding Your Risk Factors for Heart & Peripheral Artery Diseases. Did you know that after menopause, a woman’s risk of heart increases? 90 percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease and or peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and Arrhythmias. It’s time to learn about the causes of heart disease, PAD, Atrial Fibrillation and ways you can prevent them.

Understanding Your Heart & Peripheral Artery Health Risk Factors… Learn how YOUR SEX and your age can impact your Heart, Peripheral Artery and Rhythm Health.

The focus of this community education is to discuss available therapies to treat heart disease and peripheral artery disease (PAD) for both men and women.

Learn more about:

  • The causes of heart disease in men and women.
  • Increased risk of heart disease based on ethnicity.
  • Available treatments for atrial fibrillation (Afib).
  • Available treatments for PAD.
Lunch and Learn Event August 15th 2017

Dr. Pubbi talks AFib at Memorial Hospital

Dr. Pubbi talks AFib at Memorial Hospital.

Recently Dr. Dinesh Pubbi was invited to give a talk at Memorial Hospital here in Jacksonville about the effects of Atrial Fibrillation. Atrial Fibrillation is the most common type of arrhythmia. Dr. Pubbi discussed treatment options, including the Watchman implant device procedure that he performs at Memorial Hospital, to reduce the risk of stroke.

Dr. Pubbi talks AFib at Memorial Hospital

Dr Dinesh Pubbi is now FHRS

Dr. Dinesh Pubbi is now FHRS

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Dinesh Pubbi has the added distinction of now being a Fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society (FHRS).

 

Dr. Van Crisco first to use new Medtronic Evolut R Valve at Memorial Hospital

 

First Coast Heart & Vascular Center announces that Dr. Van Crisco first to use new Medtronic Evolut R Valve replacement at Memorial Hospital, Jacksonville, FL 12/14/16

 

Jacksonville— 12/14/16Yesterday, First Coast Heart & Vascular Center announced that Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Van Crisco performed the first CoreValve™ Evolut™ R System on an elderly female patient at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, FL.

Dr. Van CriscoWe are very excited to be using this new system to help save lives,” said Dr. Van Crisco, Interventional Cardiologist at First Coast Heart & Vascular Center.

Positive Patient Impact

Many patients have already benefited from the CoreValve™ Evolut™ R System, which was FDA-approved for commercial use in the United States in June 2015 for severe aortic stenosis patients who are at high or extreme risk for surgery. Left untreated, aortic valve stenosis can lead to serious heart problems including heart failure and even death. The procedure is a minimally-invasive treatment option and has demonstrated excellent clinical performance for with lower rates of all-cause mortality and major stroke compared to surgery. Additionally, studies have shown low incidences of procedural complications and superior blood flow performance compared to surgery.

Utilizing systems like the CoreValve™ Evolut™ R System demonstrate First Coast Heart & Vascular Center’s commitment to deliver offer a broad range of innovative medical technology for the interventional and surgical treatment of cardiovascular disease and cardiac arrhythmias. First Coast Heart & Vascular Center is a nationally recognized Center for Excellence and is honored to have the opportunity to serve the needs of cardiac patients.

About First Coast Heart & Vascular Center

First Coast Heart & Vascular Center is considered to be a leader in the field of cardiac medicine in North East Florida with offices in Duval, Clay, St. Johns Flagler counties. The practice specializes in Cardiology, Vascular Medicine and Electrophysiology along with complex testing for the comprehensive treatment and diagnosis of all cardiac ailments with 7 full-time cardiology physicians.

 

 

Dr. Caracciolo at Senior Center

Dr. Caracciolo at Senior CenterDr. Caracciolo at Senior Center

On Oct 14, 2016 Dr. Vincent Caracciolo spoke at the Palm Coast Senior Center in Palm Coast.  He spoke about Heart Disease and Women.

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