Cardiovascular Medicine

(1) Overview

Cardiovascular Medicine is a branch of internal medicine, handling diseases occurring in organs associated with systemic blood circulation (heart, aortas, peripheral arteries, veins, pulmonary arteries). Primary diseases that we diagnose and treat are as follows:

• Ischemic heart disease (such as, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction)
• Valvular disease
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmia
• Aortic disease (such as dissecting aneurysm of aorta)
• Peripheral arterial disease (such as arteriosclerosis obliterans in the lower extremities)
• Venous thrombosis/ Pulmonary thromboembolism

(2) Policy

Aiming for Providing Universally Accessible Medical Services From Day-To-Day Practice to Emergency Medicine

Cardiovascular diseases require urgent emergency actions in many cases. Particularly, in case of acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina pectoris, acute heart failure, severe arrhythmia, dissecting aneurysm of aorta, or pulmonary embolism, adequate initial treatments within few hours after the onset of these diseases will divide the life and death. We, therefore, have a system to accept any patients with cardiovascular diseases 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

In addition, in usual outpatient clinic consultation, we also have a system to reliably detect cardiovascular disease by deploying senior doctors who are accredited as cardiologists by the Japanese Circulation Society for new outpatients on any day.

(3) Our Strengths

Round the Clock Cardiovascular Emergency Medical Care

We have a system to accept any patients with cardiovascular diseases 24 hours a day, 365 days a year including at night and on holidays. We can provide emergency cardiac catheterization for patients with acute myocardial infarction and emergency surgeries under close collaboration with Cardiovascular Surgery. We have 8 beds in CCU (Cardiac Care Unit) and provide intensive treatment and care on a round-the-clock basis.

Providing Highly Accurate Examination and Appropriate Treatment Options

We provide high medical technology to treat various cardiovascular diseases appropriately.

We have equipment and devices such as 320-row CT, myocardial scintigraphy, and drug-eluting stent for diagnosis and treatments for ischemic heart disease (such as, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction). As for cardiac catheterizations and treatments, we provide highly accurate treatment by combined examination with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fractional flow reserve (FFR).

As for catheterization ablation treatment for arrhythmia treatment, we perform cryoablation (frozen) in addition to conventional radiofrequency ablation. As for fatal arrhythmia, we are able to perform pacemaker implantation surgery and implant implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to prevent sudden death.

With regard to refractory heart failure, we can provide cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) by biventricular pacing simultaneous. For heart failure having a risk of fatal arrhythmia as complication, we can perform cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D). As for very severe cardiac hypofunction, it is possible to support cardiac function by installing percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) at a bedside.

Implementing Team Medicine

For life-saving emergency treatment of cardiovascular diseases, many staff members including multiple doctors, nurses, clinical technologists, and clinical engineers are to be involved in treatment for one patient. Close teamwork with all staff members fulfilling their roles is important in any critical situation.

Team medicine with other departments is also important. In many cases, in particular, elderly patient have multiple diseases other than cardiovascular diseases at the same time. For such patients, we provide treatment for these patients on a day-to-day basis while closely communicating with doctors in other departments.

Introducing Team Attending Doctors System

We have team attending doctors system. In this system, our inpatients are seen not by one doctor but by multiple doctors. As we get to know patient’s treatment progress and the family makeup, etc. as a team, we can swiftly respond to sudden change in patient’s conditions. We have a daily conference of with the entire Cardiovascular Medicine Team.

Message for Our Patients

When you are seen by doctors in other hospitals and clinics, please bring a “Patient Referral Document” (referral letter) describing your investigations and treatment to date. You do not need to make an appointment for our department in case of emergency.
We also operate a hot-line, by which clinics can call us directly. The hot line can make possible for us to promptly accept patients who are diagnosed with high urgency conditions by clinics.
If you have symptoms, such as “chest pain”, “palpitation”, “shortness of breath”, or “pain in legs while walking”, which may be cardiovascular disease symptoms, please first see your local clinic.