SCAI

Our Mission

Did you know Cardiovascular Disease is the #1 cause of death in the U.S.? Members of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) are the world's foremost authorities in treating cardiovascular disease. SCAI supports the fight against cardiovascular disease by advancing patient care in invasive and interventional cardiovascular medicine through patient/physician education including its comprehensive patient education website, http://www.seconds-count.org.

Activity

  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What is a heart hospital?

    A heart hospital is a hospital that specializes in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The hospital may perform cardiovascular procedures exclusively or also provide emergency care and other services to patients.
    Heart hospitals can treat cardiovascular disease anywhere along the spectrum of...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    Is a stress test risky or uncomfortable?

    The risk of something serious happening during a stress test - a heart attack, for example - is very small (about one in 5,000). The risk of major complications is generally dependent on the seriousness of your heart to start.  Stress testing laboratories take several precautions to make sure you...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What are the symptoms of total anomalous pulmonary venous return?

    Symptoms of total anomalous pulmonary venous return include
    • Bluish discoloration of the skin called cyanosis
    • Poor feeding
    • Breathing difficulty
    • Fatigue
    Severe abnormalities in the connections between the heart and the lungs may result in life-threatening oxygen deficiency (cyanosis) very...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What is total anomalous pulmonary venous return?

    Total anomalous pulmonary venous return is a very serious congenital heart defect that requires surgery for the baby to survive. Children with total anomalous pulmonary venous return have abnormal connections between the four lung veins and the heart. As a result, blood is not circulated properly...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What is the long-term outlook for a child born with pulmonary atresia (PA)?

    Although new innovations have improved survival rates for children born with pulmonary atresia, continuing problems and even death still can be high with all types of pulmonary atresia. Because of the wide variety of types of pulmonary atresia, the long term outlook can vary widely as well. This...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    Can surgery improve pulmonary stenosis?

    Yes, surgery can improve blood flow from the right side of the heart (the right ventricle) through the pulmonary valve and into the arteries of the lungs. During the operation, the surgeon opens the flaps (leaflets) of the valve or removes tissues that are interfering with the valve’s proper func...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What are the surgical treatments for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLH)?

    To treat hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a series of three-staged surgeries are performed over the child’s first 2 to 3 years of life with the goal of re-establishing adequate blood flow from the heart to the body. The first surgery is called the Norwood procedure. The surgeon reconstructs a major vessel,...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What can happen if hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLH) is not treated?

    If hypoplastic left heart syndrome is not recognized and treated immediately after birth, the baby will become severely ill due to insufficient blood supply. Without rapid medical intervention, he or she will become progressively weaker and death may occur in a matter of days or weeks. Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    How can Ebstein's malformation (or Ebstein's anomaly) be treated?

    When Ebstein’s malformation (also known as Ebstein’s anomaly) causes significant narrowing or obstruction of the tricuspid valve or when the valve allows blood to leak backward (regurgitation), surgery may be necessary. The goal is to reposition the tricuspid valve and relieve any obstruction so...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What is Ebstein's malformation (or Ebstein's anomaly)?

    Ebstein’s malformation (also known as Ebstein’s anomaly) occurs when one of the heart’s four valves, the tricuspid valve, develops abnormally. A heart valve is a control structure that ensures one-way flow of blood between the chambers of the heart. The tricuspid valve is the gateway between the...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What are the consequences of a ventricular septal defect (VSD)?

    If a large ventricular septal defect (VSD) is untreated, extra blood flow goes from the left side of the heart back to the lungs. Because this blood already carries oxygen from the lungs, passing through the lungs again does not add more oxygen and results in inefficient flow through the heart. The...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What medications are used to treat patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)?

    The abnormal circulation pattern that develops in patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) can be treated in the neonatal (near-birth) period with indomethacin or ibuprofen. Given as an intravenous (IV) solution into the vein, these medications typically do not work well beyond the neonatal period.
    In infants...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What is high blood pressure?

    Many studies have been performed to determine how blood pressure corresponds to risk for medical problems, such as heart attack or stroke. Your healthcare provider will measure the pressure in your arm to determine if your blood pressure is high - at a level that could increase your risk for having...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What is left ventricular hypertrophy?

    Hypertrophy is a medical term that means “too much growth because of increased size of cells.” In this case, it refers to excessive thickening of the wall of the lower left chamber of the heart (the left ventricle). As blood travels through the heart, the left ventricle is the last stop before circulating...Read More
  • SCAI
    SCAI answered:

    What are the symptoms of aortic valve stenosis?

    For patients who have mild or moderate aortic stenosis, there may be no symptoms. In severe aortic stenosis, symptoms may include:

    - Fatigue (tired feeling) or lethargy (not very active)
    - Shortness of breath or trouble breathing (including very fast breathing) with activity
    - Fainting
    - Chest...Read More