Marian Regional Medical Center's Sue J. Sword Heart Center brings advanced technology together with a team of heart care professionals who specialize in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of heart conditions to deliver quality care for our community.
Marian Regional Medical Center has been recognized as a 2023 Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™ recipient by Healthgrades, the leading marketplace connecting doctors and patients. Healthgrades Specialty Excellence Awards recognize the top 10% of hospitals across the country in 17 specialty care areas. This achievement reflects Marian's outstanding clinical outcomes and distinguishes Marian Regional as one of the nation’s leading hospitals for coronary intervention.
Blue Cross of California has named Marian Regional Medical Center a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care. This designation is awarded to programs that show expertise in delivering improved patient safety and better health outcomes.
When a heart attack happens, seconds matter. Marian Regional Medical Center has been designated as a STEMI Receiving Center by the Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services Agency. This certifies that our cardiac team is ready around the clock to diagnose and treat ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) heart attacks, the most serious kind of heart attack. A STEMI heart attack is caused by sudden, total blockage of a coronary artery and it can be deadly. The chance for damage to the heart muscle increases with every minute treatment is delayed.
STEMI designation means Marian Regional Medical Center:
The Watchman Device, an alternative to long-term blood thinners to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF or AFib), is available at the Sue J. Sword Heart Center at Marian Regional Medical Center.
MicraTM, the world's smallest pacemaker, is available for some patients with bradycardia, a slow or irregular heart rhythm. Unlike most pacemakers that are placed in a patient's chest with lead running to the heart, Micra is implanted directly into the heart via a vein in the leg. The procedure doesn't require a chest incision and does not create a scar or bump under the skin.
Because Micra is completely self-contained within the heart, the potential complications that can arise from a chest incision and from wire running from a conventional pacemaker into the heart are eliminated.
The Sue J. Sword Heart Center at Marian Regional Medical Center is home to an interventional hybrid suite, which brings the high-definition imaging capabilities of a cardiac catheterization lab together with the advanced surgical equipment of a cardiac operating room in one space. This allows advanced diagnostic imaging and surgical procedures to be performed simultaneously. And, if the situation arises, a minimally invasive procedure can quickly be converted into a traditional surgical procedure without having to move the patient, saving precious time.
By merging these capabilities into one room, surgical procedures that used to require two or more hospital visits can now be performed during a single use of anesthesia, reducing the physical and emotional stress placed on patients and their families.
Marian has a state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization lab within the Sue J. Sword Heart Center. The catheterization lab enables Marian’s Sue J. Sword Heart Center to meet the cardiac care needs of our growing community well into the future.
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement or TAVR, is a minimally invasive procedure to replace the aortic valve in patients with severe aortic stenosis, or thickening of the valve. The procedure does not require open-heart surgery. It may be an option for those who are at risk of complications of major surgery.
Electrophysiology, or EP, is the science of diagnosing and treating electrical activities of the heart, or heart rhythm disorders. Doctors specializing in EP treat irregular heartbeats that are the result of abnormal electrical impulses causing the heart to beat too quickly, too slowly, or irregularly.
We have the most advanced heart rhythm management equipment and technology at our fingertips, allowing us to diagnose and care for issues like atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart arrhythmia, to perform needed angiograms and treat congestive heart failure.
Watch our HealthBreak segment on electrophysiology.
Heart disease comes in many forms and can affect people of any age, gender, or ethnicity. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The more you can learn about your heart health, the better. Knowledge is truly powerful medicine that helps you understand your risks and take action to lessen your potential for problems. It can lead to early detection, and most importantly, to early treatment and better outcomes.
Take this quick assessment to:
To connect with a Dignity Health heart specialist use our online directory or call (855) 401-1475.
