Central Maine Healthcare

Where You are the Center

Services

Maternity Care

Our hospital teams of well-trained providers, nurses, and support staff are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. From the moment you tour our birth center, you’ll feel the warm support that we cultivate for our clients. When you birth with us, you’ll get your own all-in-one birthing room that’s big enough for you and your partner.

We stay up-to-date on the latest technology while also prioritizing our commitment to person-centered care. Our teams will make sure that you and your baby receive the best care, which means we’ll be there to listen, support, and help you through this exciting time.

The Best Care for Our Community Families

Cozy birthing rooms: Our birth suites are all-in-one, meaning that you can settle into your birthing room without needing to be disrupted after your baby is born. We focus on comfort and convenience, so you can focus on giving birth and recovering. There’s plenty of room for your support person, and they’re welcome to stay overnight with you.

Caring support: Our nurses are trained and skilled in everything you’ll need throughout labor, birth, and postpartum, and they deliver that care with compassion. We have lactation consultant nurses available to help you get the best start with breastfeeding your new little one.

Pain management options: We have anesthesiologists available for pain relief, as well as alternative therapies to help you cope. Our birthing center has labor tubs available for relaxation, and you can request other alternate therapies and pain relief options to get through your birth experience smoothly.

Extra help for your little one: We are ready for anything that might happen during your birth, including the unlikely event that your baby might need a little extra help. Located at our hospital in Lewiston, Central Maine Medical Center, our providers and nurses are ready to receive your precious baby to care for him or her. We are available around the clock and provide care for premature babies (35 or more weeks of gestation) and those with special needs.

HUGS ® security system: Your safety and security are an important concern to us, so we use the HUGS ® system of infant security. Newborns have an electronic tag attached to one foot, which allows them to be monitored 24/7. Our birthing center is a locked unit, with secure systems of checking in and out, and we also require our team members to wear photo ID badges.

Quality and complete postpartum care: After your baby is born, we will work with you to establish breastfeeding and ensure that you have the community resources that you need to be a successful new parent. After you leave the hospital, you’ll still have easy access to our team for any questions you might have about your recovery or the health of your new little bundle of joy.

Our Birthing Center at Central Maine Medical Center

At Central Maine Healthcare, you’ll receive the best care in our birthing unit whether this is your first baby or are adding another child to your family. Our birthing rooms are designed to enhance privacy and comfort. We include amenities such as labor tubs located close to your room, which help ease you through labor and television to help pass the time. We encourage your partner, coach or another family member to stay overnight.

We offer a variety of special comforts to help with labor, breastfeeding support, and the best in postpartum care. You can rest easy knowing that we offer 24-hour cesarean services for those rare emergencies and a Level 2 neonatal intensive care unit. Our hospital also includes the newest in technology to ensure that your family is safe and cozy throughout their stay.

Need an OB/GYN? Find a caring provider anytime online.

To schedule a tour of our birth center, call 207-795-2528.

Making sure your baby is sleeping in a safe environment is the first step in ensuring a happy and healthy first year for your little one. During your stay, we will encourage you to follow the ABC’s of sleep so you and your baby can rest safe and sound:

A for Alone – We recommend sharing a room with your newborn, not your bed. Babies should always sleep alone in their safe sleep space.

B for Back – A baby should always sleep on their back at night and during nap time on a firm, flat mattress with a fitted sheet in a crib or bassinet.

C for Clean, Clear Crib – Babies should sleep in a crib or bassinet clear of additional items – no blankets, toys, pillows, bumpers, or other items.

D for Danger – Be aware & know the dangers beyond the crib. Secondhand smoke exposure, as well as parental drug or alcohol use, increases the risk of SIDS and other health issues for your baby.

Learn more at safesleepforme.org

Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program

Central Maine Healthcare wants everyone in our communities to be healthy and have access to quality health services. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program (MBCHP) to ensure that you have access to our care, no matter your life circumstances. We’re here for you and want you to feel supported through all your lifespan phases.

What is the MBCHP?

Every woman should get a breast exam once they get to the age of 40. Some people just can’t afford to pay for the exam, or their insurance doesn’t cover it fully. That’s why the Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program (MBCHP) was created. This service is free for women ages 40 and older if they meet certain qualifying conditions.

These conditions include:

  • You have no insurance
  • Your insurance does not cover mammograms or pap smear tests
  • You have a high insurance deductible
  • You meet set income limits

What the Service Includes

If you qualify for a free exam that is covered by the MBCHP, there are certain restrictions on what is included in the free service.

The MBCHP pays for:

  • Mammograms (breast x-ray)
  • Breast Exams
  • Pap Tests
  • Pelvic Exams
  • Limited Diagnostic or Follow-up Services

For more information call: 1-800-350-5180 and press 1. Or call the Bennett Breast Care Center at 207-795-2100 or 1-888-240-6100 to talk with a member of our team.

To learn more about the Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program (MBCHP), click here.

Gynecology

We use the latest technologies to bring you high-quality diagnostics and minimally invasive surgeries. Then we combine that with the expert and compassionate care from our providers and nurses for a friendly, supportive healthcare experience. Whether you just need a well-woman checkup or you’re struggling with something more serious like urinary incontinence, we’re here to help. No matter your age or health issue, we’ve got a team ready to assist.

Conditions We Treat

Gynecologic conditions can be a frustrating experience for anyone, which is why we at Central Maine Healthcare work hard to get you feeling healthy again quickly. Our gynecology specialists offer treatments for several issues, and we prioritize using less invasive treatments whenever possible. If necessary for full recovery, we offer surgical treatments that are based on the newest research evidence paired with the latest technology. We always offer techniques that are the most minimally invasive, which offer benefits such as less pain, fewer complications, and a quicker recovery time. We want to get you back on the road to health as quickly as possible with the highest level of satisfaction.

Endometriosis

At Central Maine Healthcare, we understand how frustrating it is to deal with the effects of endometriosis. Our caring gynecologists want to help you get back on the road to feeling healthy and pain-free once again. That’s why we offer the latest in diagnostic and surgical technology, as well as prioritize treatments that are minimally invasive. It’s our goal to do everything we can to ensure your endometriosis is significantly lessened so you can get back to living well.

Fibroids

The diagnosis of fibroids can feel like a scary experience, which is why Central Maine Healthcare is committed to ensuring you’re supported throughout the entire process. Whether your provider discovered a fibroid during a routine pelvic exam or you’ve got many of the symptoms, we’ll help to get the right diagnosis and work with you to design the best treatment. We offer excellent care combined with the latest technology, ensuring that you’ll get the best results possible. Our gynecologists are highly skilled, compassionate caregivers that will guide you through the process and help you get back to healthy, pain-free living.

Infertility

When you long to start a family, one of the hardest things to experience is infertility. CMH provides sensitive, compassionate care for those couples who are struggling to conceive. Whether you need help with conception or to ensure that the pregnancy goes to full term, our specialist providers are there to offer support and exceptional skills. We’ve got the best in fertility technology and have the most supportive care providers on our team. Our goal is to help you bring home a new bundle of joy, whether it’s your first or your fourth.

Menopause

Menopause is a natural part of aging for women and at CMH we want to support you through this process as best we can. While most women will naturally go through menopause at the biologically right time and without many issues, there are challenges that can pop up for some women. It can be helpful to have a provider who can help you get the diagnostic testing and treatments needed so you can always feel your best, no matter your age.

Osteoporosis

Just because you’re aging doesn’t mean that your quality of life should decline. At Central Maine Healthcare, we want to help you stay active and healthy throughout your lifespan no matter your age. Osteoporosis is a condition that some people experience when they are 65 or older, and we offer a full range of treatments to help keep you strong.

Pelvic Pain

At CMH, our patients’ comfort and quality of life is our top priority. If you’re dealing with pelvic discomfort or pain, we’re here to help you find the cause and get the treatment that you need. Our board-certified providers use the latest medical technology and the most up-to-date research to assist women, so they can get back to a pain-free lifestyle.

Stress Urinary Incontinence

Another struggle that some patients have is stress urinary incontinence. We offer a supportive environment and the most effective methods of handling this kind of incontinence. We would love to meet with you to discuss your symptoms and discuss treatment options. Feel free to reach out to us if we can help you answer questions and give support.

Urinary Incontinence

At Central Maine Healthcare, we offer compassionate and skillful care for those suffering from bladder issues and urinary incontinence. This condition can be embarrassing and confusing, and we’re here to help guide you through diagnosis and treatment so you can get back to a carefree lifestyle. Our team of friendly providers and nurses are here to assist you with your every need.

Gynecologic Surgery

Sometimes when you have severe gynecological issues, it’s best to have a specific surgery to speed up your healing. CMH offers the latest procedures and an array of options for every gynecological issue. Our providers and nurses are ready to help you make the best choices for your body and life, and gently help you heal. Many of our procedures are available as a day-surgery option.

Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

CMH knows that one of the best ways to solve incontinence and prolapse is through pelvic floor rehabilitation. Our treatment team includes board-certified physical therapists who work to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. You’ll be back to independence in no time!

Urogynecology

When you have issues with your pelvic floor, you’ll have the option to schedule a visit with one of our friendly urogynecologists. These specialized providers focus on both gynecology and urology, which means they understand the female reproductive system and how it relates to issues such as incontinence and prolapse. We offer the best treatment options for our patients, so you can get the specialized care that you deserve.

Vein Disorders

Although you may think of varicose veins only as a cosmetic problem—and sometimes, that’s all they are—they can sometimes lead to serious issues such as leg pain, leg swelling and the development of serious blood clots.

At the CMHVI, we offer a full range of vein treatments for people whose vein disorders are a health risk. Most insurance plans cover varicose vein treatment if self-help management has failed to alleviate symptoms.

Varicose Veins Can Be More than a Visual Concern

Your arteries carry blood from your heart to the rest of the body and your veins deliver blood back to the heart. In healthy veins, valves help prevent blood from flowing backwards. In patients with a condition known as venous insufficiency, the valves are damaged and no longer work properly. Venous insufficiency causes leg veins to enlarge, twist and appear blue or purple, a condition called varicose veins.

Varicose veins are not necessarily a serious health risk, but they can be painful and cause leg ulcers that are resistant to healing. In addition to swelling, they can raise your risk for serious blood clots known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Get a Non-invasive Diagnosis

CMHVI’s Vascular Lab uses non-invasive ultrasound to diagnose conditions and abnormalities of the circulatory system, including vein disorders. The Vascular Lab is accredited by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, which accredits vascular laboratories. Our sonographers are nationally certified. Some of the diagnostic testing we use for vein disorders includes:

  • Arterial Duplex Ultrasound: This test is used to evaluate issues involving arteries and/or veins of the arms and/or legs. It is a painless, non-invasive procedure that uses sound waves to measure blood flow and measure blood vessel size. 
  • Venous Ultrasound Imaging: This test uses sound waves to capture real-time images of the flow of blood through veins in the arms and legs. It is used to evaluate varicose veins and to search for DVT blood clots, especially in leg veins. These clots can cause a dangerous condition called pulmonary embolism if they move to the lungs. However, if a blood clot in the leg is detected early enough, proper treatment can prevent it from passing to the lung.

Receive Treatments Specific to Your Disorder

Our vascular and endovascular surgeons can treat varicose veins and other vascular conditions using some of the following procedures:

  • Microphlebectomy: A diseased vein is removed through a series of very small incisions. Recovery is fast, but the procedure doesn’t fix the underlying problem of leaky valves.
  • Sclerotherapy: Using a small needle, a provider injects spider veins and small varicose veins with a solution that seals the veins. The treated veins fade after a few weeks, but the same veins may require more than one treatment. This treatment may not be covered by your health insurance.
  • Stripping and Ligation: Along section of vein is tied off, usually at the groin, then removed along the length of the thigh. This conventional treatment for varicose veins has been largely replaced by minimally invasive venous ablation.
  • Venous Ablation: The provider inserts a catheter into the enlarged vein and uses ultrasound imaging to guide the catheter to the saphenous vein, a major blood vessel in the thigh. The catheter emits radiofrequency energy that closes the vein. This sealing of the saphenous vein typically causes decompression of downstream varicose veins resulting in symptomatic relief and improved appearance. Blood is naturally rerouted into healthy veins and is carried back to the heart more efficiently. This procedure causes less post-operative pain and bruising than vein stripping and promotes faster recovery.

Valve Disease

Structural heart disease is any type of abnormality of the heart’s muscle, valves, arteries or other supporting structures. The most common type of structural heart disease is aortic stenosis, which affects about 1.5 million Americans.

In the past, open heart surgery offered the only option for repairing structural heart conditions. But now, minimally invasive surgery offers you or your loved one a far less complex way to correct some structural heart and valve problems. Our heart providers have expertise in all types of heart valve surgeries, including minimally invasive aortic valve and mitral valve surgery. We offer valve repair as well as both aortic valve replacement (AVR) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)] a revolutionary, minimally invasive alternative to open heart surgery.

What is Structural Heart and Valve Disease?

Aortic stenosis is a condition that affects the aorta, which is the main artery through which blood flows from the heart to the rest of your body. The aortic valve must open fully to allow blood to flow and then close to prevent blood from flowing back into the heart. When your aortic valve doesn’t function properly, blood flow from the heart is decreased and the heart must work harder to pump blood, which can cause thickening of the heart as well as chest pain. Over time, blood can back up into your lungs.

Although aortic stenosis can develop before birth (congenital aortic stenosis), it is more likely to occur later in life, because of a buildup of calcium deposits on the aortic valve. Aortic stenosis afflicts about 2 percent of people over age 65. It’s important to diagnose and replace faulty heart valves, because if you have severe aortic stenosis and don’t have the valve replaced, the chance of dying in two to three years increases by roughly 50 percent.

Another common type of structural heart disease is mitral valve stenosis. The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle of the heart and controls blood to flow from the left atrium into the left ventricle. Problems with this valve can make it harder for your heart to pump blood properly.

Recognize Valve Disorder Symptoms

Valve disorders can cause the following symptoms:

  • Chest pain or discomfort that may worsen with activity
  • A feeling of pressure or squeezing in the chest that can extend into the arm, jaw or neck
  • Cough, sometimes bloody
  • Trouble breathing during activity
  • Fatigue
  • Heart palpitations
  • Fainting
  • Weakness, lightheadedness or dizziness, particularly with activity
  • Swelling of the feet or legs

How Do You Determine Structural Heart Disease?

To diagnose structural heart disease, your cardiologist starts by giving you a physical exam and talking with you about your symptoms and health history. You may also receive one or more of the following diagnostic tests:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG): This test uses small sensors (electrodes) attached to your chest and arms to record electrical signals as they travel through your heart. 
  • Echocardiogram: In this noninvasive test, sound waves are used to produce a video image of your heart in motion. 
  • Chest X-ray: This test can show whether your heart is enlarged and whether you have enlarged blood vessels or calcium buildup in your heart. 
  • Cardiac stress test (also known as a treadmill test or exercise EKG or ECG): This test measures how your heart performs in response to exercise or stress by monitoring blood flow and oxygen levels as your heart beats faster and works harder.
  • Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) scan. This test uses a series of X-rays to look at the size and condition of your heart and heart valves.
  • Catheterization and angiogram: During this test, a cardiologist guides a catheter (a thin plastic tube) through an artery in the arm or leg into coronary arteries. Dye is injected through the catheter, to make images that can be captured in an X-ray. This test allows your providers to look at your heart and heart valves. 
  • Cardiac MRI: This test uses magnets and radio waves to create images of your heart as it beats. It can give your providers a better idea of whether your heart or valves are damaged. 

Treatment and Specialties


CMHVI heart and vascular experts offer a full spectrum of services and programs. We offer comprehensive cardiovascular care, from medical management of heart and vascular conditions and lifestyle guidance to diagnostic testing. We also perform procedures such as heart catheterizations, angioplasty or implanting a pacemaker as part of your personalized treatment plan. If necessary, our cardiac and vascular surgeons will provide advanced surgical treatment of your condition.

Our expert team of providers, nurses, technicians and therapists works together to improve heart and vascular health. From early prevention to advanced care and rehabilitation, you’ll find innovative technology and procedures, and a team who is there for you where and when you need us.

Peripheral Artery Disease

Just as the arteries in your heart can become narrowed and blocked by atherosclerosis, so too can the arteries that bring blood to your legs, stomach, head and arms. When these arteries in the outer regions of the body become blocked, the resulting condition is known as peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD can cause severe pain; without intervention, PAD can cause gangrene that can require amputation.

Luckily, treatment can help. If you have PAD, you can trust the board-certified vascular and endovascular surgeons at CMHVI to provide you with the care you need.

PAD: Learn When It’s More than Leg Pain

PAD is caused by a build-up of plaque in the arteries (most often, of the legs) that restricts blood flow. If you have PAD, you may suffer muscle pain while walking, a condition known as claudication. In severe cases, PAD can cause severe foot pain or gangrene.

Symptoms of PAD may include:

  • Leg pain while exercising that does not go away when you stop moving
  • Foot or toe wounds that do not heal or that heal slowly
  • Coldness in your lower leg or foot 
  • Reduced growth of toenails or leg hair
  • Erectile dysfunction, particularly in men with diabetes

Get a Thorough Diagnosis with a Range of Diagnostic Tests

Our vascular specialists have a range of diagnostic tests they can use to determine whether you have PAD. They include:

  • Ankle Brachial Indexes:  This test measures blood pressure in your arms and legs for comparative analysis. The ratio of the two measurements can indicate if there is a blood flow problem in the legs.
  • Segmental Pressures Test: Like ankle-brachial index testing, this uses two or three additional blood pressure cuffs placed just below the knee, just above the knee and at the upper thigh. Significant drops between body segments may suggest blockages or narrowing in the arteries. 
  • Arterial Duplex Ultrasound:  This painless, non-invasive procedure uses sound waves to gather information and evaluate issues involving the arteries and/or veins of the arms and/or legs. 
  • Computed Tomographic Angiography (CT): This non-invasive test creates images of the arteries in your legs, abdomen or pelvis.  
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA): This non-invasive test is like a CT but creates images without the use of X-Rays. 
  • Peripheral angiogram: This is a test that uses dye X-rays to determine whether arteries that bring blood to your legs are narrowed or blocked.

What Are Your Options for Treatment?

Depending on how serious it is, your PAD may be treated in the following ways:

  • Diet modification: Many people with PAD have unhealthy cholesterol levels. Your provider may suggest eating a diet low in saturated fat and trans fats to help lower your cholesterol levels. If you’re overweight, your provider may recommend weight loss. 
  • Exercise: Regular activity can be a very effective treatment for PAD and its symptoms. Your provider may recommend that you participate in our Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program. Cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program to help heart failure patients recover by following an individualized plan that provides evaluation and instruction on physical activity, nutrition, stress management and other health-related areas as needed. Other activities that may benefit you include walking outdoors, treadmill walking and leg exercises designed specifically for people with PAD. 
  • Smoking Cessation: If you smoke, your provider can help you find a program to help you quit. Smoking makes PAD worse. 
  • Managing diabetes: Because diabetes raises the risk of PAD, taking steps to keep your blood sugar under control can help manage PAD. 
  • Medication: Various medications can help people with PAD. For example, your provider may prescribe medication for cholesterol, blood pressure or to prevent the formation of blood clots.  
  • Balloon angioplasty with a stent: A stent is a tiny mesh tube that our providers implant in an artery to prevent plaque from blocking the blood vessel. After clearing a blockage in an artery with a balloon angioplasty, your provider uses a catheter to place the stent in the newly opened artery. The stent helps hold the artery open and reduces the chance that plaque will block the artery again. 
  • Bypass surgery: This procedure uses an implanted blood vessel from elsewhere in your body to create a new path for blood flow around a blocked artery. 

Diagnosis: Cardiovascular Services

Cardiac Stress Test

A cardiac stress test measures how the heart performs in response to exercise or stress. The test monitors blood flow and oxygen levels as the heart beats faster and works harder. Stress tests are often performed to help determine the cause of chest pain or shortness-of-breath. A stress test can help diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD – narrowing of the heart’s blood vessels), which can cause chest pain and increases a patient’s risk for a heart attack. The test can also reveal irregular heart rhythms and determine if medical treatments have been effective.

Prior to the Treadmill Test, (also known as as an exercise stress test or an exercise ECG) patients are given an electrocardiograph (EKG or ECG) and an echocardiogram. The EKG measures heart rate, while the echocardiogram gives images of the heart’s structures. It assesses heart and valve health and blood flow. Both tests are painless and the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac electrical system are monitored.

For the exercise test, electrodes are placed on the chest, arms and legs. A blood pressure cuff is worn on the arm and an oxygen monitor is placed on the finger. The patient exercises by walking on a treadmill or pedaling a bicycle until they develop symptoms or feels tired. The patient is given an EKG and echocardiogram afterward.

Metabolic stress testing – This test measures the performance of the heart and lungs while under physical stress. It is similar to an exercise stress test but includes an analysis of the patient’s respiratory system.

Pharmacological (medication-induced) stress echocardiogram – A stress echocardiogram integrates ultrasound imaging and exercise stress testing to measure how the heart functions while the patient walks on a treadmill or rides a stationary bicycle. Medication is be used to stimulate exercise for patients who are unable to exercise safely.

Nuclear stress test — Your provider may order a Nuclear Stress Test to assess the blood flow to your heart. This is done by taking two sets of pictures of your heart; one set of pictures shows the blood flow to your heart at rest, and the other set of pictures shows the blood flow to your heart at stress. Each set of pictures requires an intravenous injection of a radioactive material, which will not make you feel any different in any way. Your test may be scheduled with one set of pictures on different days, or it may be a one-day test. The stress test may be done on a treadmill, with medications, or a combination of both. For the pictures, you must lay very still on a table while a camera passes over your chest for about 15 minutes. While Nuclear Stress Testing is extremely safe, a provider will be at your side during stress testing.

Echocardiogram

A conventional or Transthoracic Echocardiogram (TTE) can be done in a resting state or during exercise (stress echo), the ultrasound source is outside the body, on top of the chest. A technician obtains views of the heart by moving a small instrument called a transducer to different locations on the chest or abdominal wall. A transducer, which resembles a microphone, sends sound waves into the chest and picks up echoes bouncing off the heart. A standard echo usually provides highly detailed images of the heart walls and chambers which can be analyzed by a cardiologist. There are no side effects from a TTE or recovery time needed.

Holter Monitor Applications and Interpretation

One tool that providers use to diagnose arrhythmia (an abnormal heart rhythm) is the Holter monitor. The Holter monitor, worn for one or two days, is a small appliance that can be attached to a belt or a shoulder strap. Several electrodes placed on the chest connect to the monitor. The monitor records heart rhythms. Patients may also be asked to keep a record of cardiac symptoms experienced while wearing the monitor. Symptoms include chest pain, heart flutters, faintness or dizziness. It is also helpful for the patient to record when he/she takes medications, exercises or experiences emotional events. The Holter monitor will not interfere with most activities, other than bathing or water-based activities, as it must remain dry.

Transesophageal Echocardiogram

Echocardiograms use sound waves bounced off the structures of the heart to generate images of the heart in motion. In some cases, most often when patients have serious lung disease, or are immobile or overweight, ultrasound images of the heart are not clear. In these cases, cardiologists may request a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)

Unlike the standard echocardiogram, in which the transducer is placed over the chest wall, in TEE the transducer is passed into the esophagus (the swallowing tube) and sometimes into the stomach. The esophagus, in particular, provides an ideal viewing of the heart, aorta and other great vessels and produces high-quality images of these structures.

TEE examinations are useful in helping providers diagnose and evaluate patients with embolisms (clots), valvular heart disease, bacterial infections, lesions, aortic abnormalities and injuries, and congenital heart disease. TEE is also used to evaluate critically ill patients and potential heart surgery candidates. A TEE carries more risk than the standard echocardiogram procedure (which is essentially risk-free) but is still very safe and under the right circumstances can be extremely useful.

Contact Information

CMHVI Diagnostic Testing Center 
60 High Street, Y1
Lewiston, Maine 04240
(207) 795-8200

Services:

  • Cardiac Catheterization Lab
  • Cardiac Diagnostic
  • Cardiac MRI
  • Cardiopulmonary Rehab
  • Electrophysiology (EP) Lab
  • Vascular Lab
  • Vein Center
  • Wound Center – 795-8260

_________________________________

Lipid Clinic 
60 High Street, ground floor
Central Maine Heart Associates
(207) 753-3900

_________________________________

Single-Stay Unit (SSU) 
60 High Street, Y3
Lewiston, Maine 04240
(207) 753-3907

Read more about Diagnostic Tests

Arrhythmia/Atrial Fibrillation

A healthy heart beats smoothly, with a steady rhythm. If your heart beats too quickly, too slowly or irregularly, you may be experiencing arrhythmia. In that case, it’s important to be diagnosed and treated to reduce your chances of more serious problems such as stroke. In fact, your risk of stroke is about five times higher if you have atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common form of arrhythmia.

Trust the board-certified cardiologists at CMHVI to provide you with the arrhythmia care you need. Our cardiac electrophysiology heart specialist will use the resources available in our Electrophysiology Lab to diagnose and treat any condition affecting your heart’s electrical system. We offer a range of treatments that can help you feel better and help prevent the health problems that can result from this condition.

When Your Beat is Off: About Arrhythmia

Arrhythmias affect millions of Americans, including about nine percent of people over the age of 65. They are related to the complex system in your heart that manages your heartbeat. Certain cells in your heart create electrical signals that cause your heart to beat and pump blood. When you have AFib or other type of arrhythmia, the electrical impulses that control your heartbeats occur unevenly, rather than at a steady, measured pace. People with AFib sometimes describe it as making their heart feel as if it’s quivering like a bowl of gelatin.

In addition to AFib, there are several kinds of arrhythmias, including:

  • Bradycardia (slow heart rate)
  • Tachycardia (very fast heart rate)
  • Conduction disorders (abnormal heartbeat)
  • Premature contraction (early heartbeat)

It’s important to diagnose and treat AFib and other heart rhythm disorders as early as possible, because they can interfere with normal blood flow. Over time, this can damage your lungs, brain and other organs. They may even lead to stroke or heart failure.

Know the Symptoms of Arrhythmia

If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may have AFib or some other heart rhythm abnormality.

  • A fast, slow or irregular heartbeat
  • A feeling that your heart is skipping beats
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness
  • Chest pain
  • Shortness of breath 
  • Sweating 
  • Getting tired more easily when you exercise
  • Fainting
  • Chronic fatigue

How Will You Be Diagnosed?

When you visit our state-of-the-art Electrophysiology Lab, our cardiac electrophysiology heart specialists will take your medical history and perform a physical exam. They’ll also perform one or more of the following diagnostic tests to learn more about your heartbeat.

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG): This test uses small sensors (electrodes) attached to your chest and arms to record electrical signals as they travel through your heart. 
  • Echocardiogram: In this noninvasive test, sound waves are used to produce a video image of your heart in motion.
  • Holter monitor: This portable ECG device is carried in your pocket or worn on a belt or shoulder strap. It records your heart’s rhythms for 24 hours or longer, giving your provider a prolonged look at any problems.
  • Transtelephonic monitor: For infrequent arrhythmias or arrhythmias that come and go, this monitor attaches to your arms, wrists or fingers for a month or two. It records and stores information about your heart’s electrical system, which can be transmitted to your provider. 
  • Treadmill testing: Also known as a stress test or exercise test, a treadmill test can check for arrhythmias that occur with activity. 
  • Blood tests: These help your provider rule out thyroid problems or other substances in your blood that may lead to AFib.
  • Chest X-ray: These images help your provider see the condition of your lungs and heart and may help diagnose conditions other than AFib that may explain your signs and symptoms.

Understand Your Treatment Options

If our tests show that you have AFib or another form of arrhythmia, you and your provider discuss the best approach to managing your symptoms and reducing your risk of complications. Your provider may recommend one or more of the following treatments for arrhythmia:

  • Medication: Drugs used to treat arrhythmias include anti-arrhythmia drugs, drugs that control heart rate and blood thinners.
  • Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD): An ICD is a tiny device implanted through a small incision under the collarbone during a minimally invasive surgery. The system includes a palm-sized device with electrical leads that connects to your heart to restore a normal rhythm. Recovery is quick, though some patients may stay overnight. 
  • Cardioversion: Cardioversion is a medical procedure for treating an abnormally fast or irregular heartbeat. Most commonly used for AFib, atrial flutter or ventricular tachycardia, cardioversion sends an electrical impulse to your heart muscle, restoring normal heart rhythm. Cardioversion is usually performed as a scheduled treatment and may be repeated if the arrhythmia returns. 
  • Radiofrequency Ablation: During an ablation procedure, small areas of your heart muscle are purposely destroyed to create scars (called lesions) that improve your heart’s function by correcting a faulty electrical process. 
  • Catheter Ablation: This procedure uses intense cold or high-frequency electrical energy to disrupt an abnormal heart rhythm. Ablation is performed surgically or with a thin, flexible tube (catheter) that is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin or neck and guided into the heart. Your provider uses the catheter for the ablation, which is done either with intense cold (cryo-ablation) or with high-frequency energy (radio-frequency ablation). Some patients require a pacemaker after an ablation is performed. 
  • This procedure can be done with cryo-ablation, radio-frequency ablation, microwave ablation, ultrasound energy or laser energy. There are two types of surgical ablation, minimally invasive via small chest incisions or during open-heart surgery. 

Heart Failure

Your heart has a big job: To pump enough blood to every part of your body. A healthy heart has no trouble doing this, but in people with heart failure, which is also known as congestive heart failure, the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. The name “heart failure” is a little misleading. If you have heart failure your heart is still working; it simply isn’t working as well as it should.

Our cardiac specialists can provide you with the full range of care you need for heart failure. Our team of cardiologists, specially trained nurses and other care providers work closely with you to create a fully personalized treatment plan to treat your condition.

Although there is no cure for heart failure, medications, treatments and smart lifestyle choices can help you feel more comfortable and live a longer, more active life.

Give Your Heart a Break: Learn about Heart Failure

If you are one of the 5.7 million Americans living with heart failure, you understand that how hard your heart works. And if you suffer with diabetes, lung disease, coronary artery disease , arrhythmia, high blood pressure and other heart conditions, the impact is even greater.

If your heart weakens, it can cause fluid buildup in the lungs and other parts of the body. This fluid buildup can contribute to the most common signs and symptoms of heart failure, which include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Trouble breathing
  • Fatigue 
  • Swelling in the ankles, feet, legs or abdomen
  • Swelling in the veins of the neck

What to Expect During Diagnosis

There is no single test used to diagnose heart failure. In addition to giving you a physical exam and talking with you about your medical history, your provider may administer one or more of the following diagnostic tests:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG):  This test uses small sensors (electrodes) attached to your chest and arms to record electrical signals as they travel through your heart. 
  • Echocardiogram: In this noninvasive test, sound waves are used to produce a video image of your heart in motion. 
  • Cardiac stress test (also known as a treadmill test or exercise EKG or ECG): This test measures how your heart performs in response to exercise or stress by monitoring blood flow and oxygen levels as your heart beats faster and works harder.
  • Holter monitor:  Worn for one or two days, the Holter monitor is a small appliance that can be attached to a belt or a shoulder strap. Several electrodes placed on the chest connect to the monitor, which records heart rhythms. 
  • Chest X-ray: This test can show whether your heart is enlarged and whether you have fluid in your lungs. 
  • BNP blood test:This test measures the amount of a hormone in your blood known as BNP, which increases in people with heart failure.
  • Doppler ultrasound: This is a test that uses sound waves to learn more about how your blood is flowing through your heart and to your lungs. 
  • Nuclear heart scan: During this test, you receive an injection of a safe radioactive substance known as a tracer. Using special scanners, your provider can see images of your heart and learn more about how well blood is flowing through your heart. 
  • Catheterization and angiogram: During this test, a cardiologist guides a catheter (a thin plastic tube) through an artery in the arm or leg into coronary arteries. Dye is injected through the catheter, to make images that can be captured in an X-ray. This test can measure blood pressure and blood oxygen levels and detects blockages that may have to be repaired.
  • Cardiac MRI: This test uses magnets and radio waves to create images of your heart as it beats. It can show damage whether heart failure has caused damage to your heart. 

Work with a Specialist to Find the Right Treatment

Your treatment options for heart failure depend on the type and severity of heart failure you have and how early heart failure is diagnosed. Treatment strategies include:

  • Diagnosing and treating the causes of heart failure: For example, if your heart failure is caused by coronary artery disease, arrhythmia or high blood pressure, you’ll receive treatment or medication for those conditions. 
  • Improving symptoms: Treating symptoms such as excessive swelling can help you feel better. For example, medications can help lower your blood volume and make it easier for your heart to move blood throughout your body and diuretics can reduce fluid buildup in your lungs and swelling in your legs, ankles and feet. 
  • Making healthy lifestyle changes: Quitting smoking, improving your diet, being more active and losing weight may help relieve symptoms of heart failure and improve your outcome. 
  • Pacemaker:This small device, which is implanted near your heart, sends signals to your heart to help it beat at the correct pace. 
  • Implantable cardioverter defibrillator: This device, which is implanted near your heart, produces electrical pulses that can correct irregular heart rhythm and reduce the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. 
  • Mechanical heart pump: This device, which is surgically implanted in your chest, helps your heart pump blood. 
  • Heart transplant: This surgery, which is reserved for end-stage heart failure as a life-saving intervention, replaces your heart with a healthy heart from a deceased donor. 

Improve Quality of Life with Cardiac Rehabilitation

If you have heart failure or any other heart conditions, CMHVI offers cardiac rehabilitation as part of its Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Program. Our cardiac rehabilitation is a medically supervised program that helps heart patients recover with an individualized plan that provides evaluation and instruction on physical activity, nutrition, stress management and other health-related areas as needed. Cardiac rehabilitation can make a significant difference in the lives of heart patients.

  • Coronary artery disease
  • Angina
  • Coronary artery angioplasty or stents
  • Open heart surgery such as coronary bypass or valve surgery
  • Heart failure
  • Heart transplantation

We also invite you to join Mended Hearts™, a patient-run support group affiliated with the American Heart Association that offers support and encouragement through its visiting program, monthly meetings and educational forums. To learn more, call 207-795-8230.