Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Each year, nearly 40,000 Illinoisans lose their lives to cardiovascular disease. But the pioneering providers at the Mercy Heart & Vascular Center are working to reverse those trends, and help you and your loved ones live longer, healthier lives. A longtime leader in cardiovascular medicine, Mercy offers some of the most advanced heart care available. In fact, Thomson Healthcare recently named Mercy one of the nation’s ‘100 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals.’ Only one other Chicago hospital received this prestigious award. At Mercy, we take a comprehensive and progressive approach to heart and vascular care. Our cardiovascular services include non-invasive cardiology, diagnostic and interventional cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac rehabilitation, as well as education and preventive programs. Patients benefit from our multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach, as well as a patient-centered, personalized environment. Sophisticated diagnostic technology and non-invasive screening allows our providers to detect heart disease in early stages, while innovative, minimally invasive treatment solutions spare patients long and painful recoveries.  For leading-edge care in a patient friendly environment, look no further than the Mercy Heart & Vascular Center. Mercy Firsts Recognized locally and nationally for their groundbreaking work in cardiac care, the experts of the Mercy Heart & Vascular Center have pioneered many ‘firsts’, including: • First in Chicago to repair blockages in the carotid (neck) arteries using stents. Mercy has performed more carotid stent procedures than any other program in the state—with unparalleled outcomes. • First in Chicago to perform angioplasty and stenting through an artery in the wrist. • First cardiology team in Chicago to non-surgically embolize uterine fibroid tumors. • First cardiology team to non-surgically repair abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Although traditional surgical repair involves a lengthy hospital stay, most patients are discharged within 23 hours of the minimally invasive procedure. • First in Chicago to treat thoracic aortic aneurysms using a minimally invasive approach. Sophisticated Screenings Early detection is the key to successful treatment of heart disease, and early identification of a person’s risk of heart disease can help prevent the condition from ever developing. That’s why Mercy offers a variety of customized screenings to assess your personal risk for cardiovascular disease. With the hospital’s new state-of-the-art 64-Slice CT scanner, Mercy doctors are able to obtain precise images of the heart, lungs and arteries in just minutes. Other non-invasive screening tests include: • Calcium Scoring • Nuclear Stress Thallium Testing • Carotid Artery Screening • Echocardiograms, performed in our accredited Echo Lab • Venous Testing • Arterial Blood-Flow Testing • Cerebral Vascular Testing, performed in our accredited Vascular Lab Learn more about our customized heart screenings. New Treatment Approaches At Mercy, our commitment to minimally invasive treatment solutions is revolutionizing the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. In recent years our experts have developed endovascular techniques to treat disorders such as coronary artery disease, carotid artery blockage and aneurysm. These procedures are as effective as conventional surgery, but pose greatly reduced risks to patients, along with less scarring and a dramatically shorter recovery time. Minimally invasive interventional procedures available at Mercy include: • Cardiac Catherization • Coronary Artery Stenting • Carotid Stenting • PTCA Stent • Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair • Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair • Percutaneous bypass for blocked arteries in the leg and uterine fibroids • ASD/PFO Closures (repair of holes between the Atrium) • Renal Stenting • Iliac Stenting (for arteries in the lower abdomen) • SFA Stenting (for the femoral artery) • Tibia / Fibia Stenting (for arteries in the lower leg) • Uterine Artery Embolization Education and Prevention Mercy takes a comprehensive approach to heart disease that incorporates prevention, early intervention and disease management. Through treatment and education, we strive to empower our patients and their families to take charge of their health, and make the lifestyle and behavioral changes necessary to avoid serious health complications. Our ongoing programs include prevention and risk management programs focused on lowering hypertension and cholesterol, diabetes management and smoking cessation. Other services and programs include: • Comprehensive Heart Screenings for every age and risk that identify risk factors and early heart disease. • Wellness Wednesdays , which offer free Blood Pressure Screenings to the community. • Wellness Talks that offer information and tools to help you avoid heart disease and complications. Cardiac Rehabilitation Cardiac rehabilitation, or rehab, is a medically supervised program designed to help heart patients improve physical strength and overall well-being. One of the few cardiac rehab programs in Chicago to be certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR), Mercy’s Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program boasts excellent outcomes, skilled and attentive staff and a facility that can’t be beat. You need not be a Mercy patient to complete your cardiac rehab with us. Learn more about our cardiac rehabilitation program. The Mercy Team The Mercy Heart & Vascular Center is staffed by a collaborative, multidisciplinary group of providers joining forces for unparalleled quality outcomes. Our team includes specialists from neurologists and nephrologists, to gynecologists and gastroenterologists—all of who work with the interventional cardiovascular specialists, cardiovascular surgeons, nurses, nurse practitioners and technicians to develop personalized, patient-focused therapies. This unique chemistry helped Mercy develop a program with unparalleled quality outcomes, and attain to leadership position in the field of heart and endovascular care. Experts Teaching Experts The best and brightest come to Mercy to learn the latest minimally invasive techniques pioneered at Mercy. Our nationally recognized preceptorships, taught by Paul Jones, MD, Chief of Cardiovascular Services, provide practicing inverventional cardiologists, vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists with in-depth training and experience in the newest endovascular techniques.