Cardiovascular Center at UPMC Mercy
Cardiac and vascular services at UPMC Mercy have a rich history and a strong reputation in the region for excellence in cardiac and vascular care. UPMC Mercy was designated as a 2007 Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac CareSM by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
From prevention and diagnosis to advanced cardiac and vascular catheterizations, electrophysiology procedures, and coronary artery bypass grafts using minimally invasive techniques, UPMC Mercy is committed to comprehensive, multispecialty care.
In 1996, UPMC Mercy was the first tertiary facility in the region to work with emergency medical services professionals, and let them request the activation of UPMC Mercy’s Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory team with a positive prehospital 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). This lets the patient bypass the Emergency Department and receive lifesaving treatment from our team even faster.
UPMC Mercy has an emergent cardiac catheterization lab with cardiothoracic backup and operating rooms available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Diagnosis and Treatment
UPMC Mercy gives patients access to a range of preventive, diagnostic, interventional, and rehabilitation services. Staffed by specialists and a 24-hour on-call cardiac catheterization team, UPMC Mercy has state-of-the-art technology for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease.
Medical Services
Noninvasive Cardiology
- Electrocardiogram
- Stress treadmill studies
- Nuclear cardiology stress testing (exercise and pharmacological)
- Transthoracic echocardiography
- Stress echocardiography
- Transesophageal echocardiography
- Peripheral, carotid, and deep abdominal vascular studies
- Pacemaker clinic
- Holter monitoring
- Tilt-table studies
Invasive Cardiology
- Cardiac catheterization
- Catheter ablation
- Intracoronary thrombolytic therapy
- Percutaneous coronary and peripheral vascular interventions
- Intravascular ultrasound imaging
- Intra-aortic balloon pump support
- Electrophysiology studies
- Permanent pacemaker implantation
- Internal cardiac defibrillator implantation
Surgical Services
UPMC Mercy’s team of cardiovascular and thoracic surgeons has performed more than 20,000 cardiac surgical procedures since the program started in 1961. Our cardiovascular operating room team of registered nurses, surgical technicians, and perfusionists averages more than 20 years of experience in open-heart surgery.
Cardiac surgical services at UPMC Mercy include:
- Abdominal and thoracic aneurysm repair
- Aortic root replacement
- Atrial ablation
- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
- Off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCABG)
- Peripheral vascular surgeries
- Pneumonectomies, lobectomies, and wedge resections
- Repair of co-arctation of the aorta
- Septal defect repair
- Valve repair and replacement
- Vascular shunts
- Ventricular aneurysm repair
Research
UPMC Mercy participates in research in many areas of cardiac and vascular care, including prevention, technology, non-invasive testing, interventional procedures, and progressive surgical techniques.
Support Group
UPMC Mercy has an Internal Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) support group for people with ICDs. The group meets several times a year at UPMC Mercy. For more information, contact UPMC Physician Referral at 1-800-533-UPMC (8762).
Blue Distinction CenterSM is a registered service mark of Blue Distinction, a nationwide program of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.