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At the Center for Structural Heart Disease at Henry Ford Hospital, your care is in expert hands. Our team of heart specialists meets with you to decide on the best course of treatment for your individual needs.
Whether your physician refers you or you contact us directly, we review all of your previous health records and test results before your first appointment. Our structural heart cardiologists may recommend further testing to confirm a diagnosis and plan for your treatment. Find out more about the advanced tests and technologies we use for diagnosis.
After your initial evaluation, our structural heart team meets to review your individual case. We then meet with you to discuss your options and help you decide on a treatment plan. As you consider the options for your heart procedure, we encourage you to discuss the details with your loved ones.
Once we have decided on your treatment, we can usually schedule the procedure soon after. We schedule the procedure based on several factors, including:
Heart valve disease and other structural heart problems usually become worse over time. You may notice an increase in your symptoms as you wait for your procedure at Henry Ford. During this time, continue to see your primary care provider or cardiologist to monitor your health in case of any changes.
If you do experience a sudden change in your health or are admitted to the hospital, please contact us (or have your care provider contact us) at (313) 916-1878. We will contact your physician and may request your transfer to Henry Ford Hospital ahead of schedule.
During the evaluation process with our heart team, write down any questions you have about the procedure and your recovery time. You can either bring your questions to an office visit or call the Center for Structural Heart Disease at (313) 916-1878. We help you prepare for your procedure by answering all your questions in advance. As you prepare:
As part of our evaluation process, our structural heart team may recommend that you see other healthcare providers including a:
It’s important to have a plan for someone to help you when you go home after your heart procedure. Start planning as soon as you know that you will be having the procedure. Your hospital stay may be from 2 to 10 days, depending on the procedure you are having, your overall health and your progress after the procedure. We will plan for you to return home as soon as it’s safe for you.
First, make arrangements for someone to take you home after the procedure. Ambulance services will not drive patients from the hospital to their home.
If you live more than one hour outside the Detroit area, you may prefer to stay overnight near the hospital before traveling home. We offer convenient Guest Housing right on our hospital campus for you and your family. Find out more about Guest Housing. Make reservations by calling (313) 916-3299.
The second step is to plan for help when you return home. Most of our patients say that it takes them 1 to 2 months to fully recover. We recommend that you arrange for someone to stay with you for the first week or longer to help as you rebuild your strength.
If you need more time to regain your strength, you may arrange for home healthcare services or transfer to an assisted or skilled nursing facility. Your structural heart team will help you make any necessary arrangements.
Before you come to Henry Ford for your procedure, you can take several steps to help ensure a successful outcome and recovery, including:
Talk with your physician or the structural heart team about the level of activity that is best for you. The goal of physical activity is to maintain your muscle strength, which will help you in your recovery. Our recommendations include:
If you are waiting for a heart procedure, we recommend that you do not drive until after your procedure. Talk with your physician or the structural heart team about whether driving is safe for you.
Healthy eating is important to help promote healing after the procedure. If you are on a low-salt or fluid-restricted diet, continue to follow these instructions.
Continue to take your medications as prescribed to help manage your symptoms. We will tell you if you need to adjust dosages or stop any medications before your procedure.
Good dental care helps you avoid bacterial infections after your procedure. Going forward, you will need to take antibiotics prior to having any dental work done. Our recommendations include:
It’s a good idea to make a plan for the healthcare you prefer if your health worsens. Start the conversation now with your loved ones, about the following:
We do our best to schedule your heart procedure as soon as possible and with as much advance notice as possible. A member of our heart team will call you to schedule your procedure date and provide reporting instructions. This is a good time to discuss any additional health issues or to ask questions.
During the call to schedule your procedure, we will review your health history, including:
In the week before your procedure, you will need to have blood and urine testing to help the team prepare for your procedure. You can have the tests done here at Henry Ford or at your primary care provider.
You may need a right heart catheterization (RHC) to measure the pressures in the heart before the procedure. Based on the results of the RHC, your structural heart team can adjust your medications or fluid status. If you need an RHC:
Read about what to expect at each step of your care journey with the expert team at the Center for Structural Heart Disease:
Download these PDFs to read more about specific structural heart conditions and treatment:
Let us help you schedule an appointment.
Know your heart risk in just 5 minutes! Take our Get Heart Smart quiz today and you will get a personalized heart risk report that could help you live healthier and longer.
Find tips on eating healthy, staying fit and reducing stress to advice on chronic disease management. We have many articles and recipes to help support a healthy heart.
Please call 911 if you have an emergency or urgent medical question.
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For the best experience, existing Henry Ford patients can request and self-schedule appointments through Henry Ford MyChart.
Henry Ford Health is committed to ensuring our Deaf or hard-of-hearing patients and visitors have equal access to all services. We provide the appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including qualified sign language interpreters, TTYs and other assistive listening devices, at no cost. To request assistance, call 313-916-1896 or email [email protected].