Ascension Borgess Heart Institute

When you choose Ascension Borgess Heart Institute - Richland in Richland, Michigan, for your heart and vascular care, you get an entire team trained to deliver the latest in therapeutics and surgery to help prevent, diagnose, manage, and treat heart and vascular diseases. Starting with your first consultation, your doctor listens to understand you and your health concerns. Then, we work with you to create a heart care plan that’s right for you.

Specialty care for heart and vascular conditions

Our highly experienced cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and care teams specialize in delivering advanced care for managing and treating damage to the heart, coronary arteries and other heart and vascular conditions, including:

• Atrial fibrillation (AFib) and heart rhythm disorders
• Congenital heart disorders 
• Congestive heart failure
• Coronary artery disease
• Heart attack and stroke 
• Heart disease in women
• High blood pressure and cholesterol 
• Peripheral artery disease
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Structural heart and valve problems
• Vascular disorders, such as aortic aneurysm

Advanced treatment options for your heart 

Heart and vascular specialists at Ascension Borgess Heart Institute - Richlandare part of a national heart care team of specialists sharing best practices, research and the latest in cardiovascular therapeutics and treatments -- bringing the best of heart care to you, including:

• Angioplasty and stent placement
• Cardiac artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery
• Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
• Heart failure management
• Heart transplant surgery and ventricular assist device (VAD)
• Medication management
• Structural heart cardiothoracic surgery
• Valve repair or replacement, TAVR and MitraClip™ surgery
• Vascular surgery, and treatment for aortic aneurysm and blood clots

Heart attack and stroke care and prevention

If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, irregular heartbeat or other risk factors for heart disease, your doctor works with you to prevent heart attack and stroke. Some heart attacks begin suddenly, while others start with mild discomfort. Watch for these symptoms of heart attack in both men and women:

• Chest discomfort, pressure, or pain
• Difficulty breathing independent of activity
• Lightheadedness or loss of consciousness
• New weakness or fatigue
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Sudden arm (particularly left arm), jaw, neck, back pain

Go to the ER right away if you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one. ERs at Ascension sites of care are open 24/7 and care for life-threatening emergencies like heart attack and stroke. And if you need more care, you’ll be connected to an experienced heart care team.

If you are experiencing chest pain, especially in combination with jaw or arm pain, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting or difficulty breathing, you might be having a heart attack. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

Supporting your heart care recovery

Whenever possible, your heart surgeon or interventional cardiologist uses minimally invasive techniques and image-guided technology to deliver advanced treatments and procedures to help shorten your recovery. Sometimes your doctor may recommend an overnight stay in the hospital after surgery for additional monitoring and care. You are connected to the care you need through recovery:

• Cardiac rehabilitation 
• Heart nutrition counseling 
• Heart failure education programs and senior wellness
• Medication anticoagulation management
• Transitional care, bridging next steps once home

Cardiovascular research and clinical trials

Many of the doctors at Ascension Borgess are also principal investigators in national and regional heart and vascular clinical trials. Our doctors are committed to being leaders in cardiovascular research, working to help improve how we diagnose and treat heart and vascular diseases. Your doctor may recommend a clinical trial as part of your care. And you can talk to your cardiologist if you are interested in participating in clinical trials.