The North Estonia Medical Centre’s Cardiology Centre is an interdisciplinary centre engaged in preventing, diagnosing and treating heart disease. It is the leading centre in northern Estonia in the field of treating cardiovascular disease. We provide medical testing and treatment to patients both at our polyclinics and hospital departments. We use the most up-to-date methods for diagnosing and treating heart disease, with one of the most modern operating facilities in the Baltic Sea countries.
Our cardiologists are renowned in Estonia as specialists in their field; they have gained experience working at major European centres and they participate in many international research studies. The centre co-operates closely with Tallinn University of Technology, the University of Tartu and many of the world's important research centres. The North Estonia Medical Centre is an accredited European Hypertension Excellence Centre, attesting to our hospital's high level of competence in diagnosing and treating hypertension.
We are active in the treatment of myocardial infarction (heart attacks); as Estonia's largest centre for the treatment of heart attacks, we treat one-third of all heart attack patients in Estonia. Twenty-four hours a day and 365 days a year, we eliminate narrowing and blockages of coronary arteries, by performing coronary angioplasty and inserting stents (wire mesh tube), to treat thoracic pain and myocardial infarction.
Treatment of irregular heartbeat
We eliminate extra electrical pathways that cause irregular heartbeats and multifocal atrial tachycardia foci with the most up-to-date treatment methods. We implant modern cardiac stimulators, including devices for heart failure and life-threatening rhythm dysfunctions. A large number of our patients suffer from hypertension. We are also a leading centre for patients suffering from heart failure. Our centre performed the first implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in Estonia.
Preventing heart disease
Heart disease can be effectively prevented. Our hospital includes a cardiovascular health centre, where physicians measure blood pressure indicators, blood cholesterol level, blood sugar level, perform electrocardiography, and determine a patient's risk of cardiovascular disease. If necessary, additional tests are performed (cardiac stress test, ultrasound test, overnight monitoring of blood pressure and heart activity). We offer lifestyle counselling and where needed, therapy.
The most common cardiac studies and tests are:
- Electrocardiography (ECG) is used to detect a previous or on-going myocardial infarction, anaemia, arrhythmia, changes to cardiac muscle caused by blood pressure (such as thickening of the cardiac muscle).
- A cardiac stress test continuously records an electrocardiogram and blood pressure under conditions of physical stress with a treadmill or stationary bicycle. This test is used to determine the condition of coronary arteries, the risk of myocardial infarction, the existence or severity of hypertension, the existence of arrhythmia, the body's capacity to cope with stress, and to check the effectiveness of treatment. The results of a stress test can be used to determine a patient's optimal physical stress level, including in the aftermath of a heart attack or some other cardiovascular disease.
- A Holter monitor is an ECG device that continuously records an electrocardiogram over the course of 24 hours (or 48 hours). This test is used to detect arrhythmia, and to record its frequency and nature, as well as to detect disruptions in electrical pathways and blockages in the heart (including determining the cause of symptoms such as loss of consciousness), and to designate or adjust treatment.
- Blood pressure monitoring records blood pressure measurements overnight, in the course of a period of 24 hours. This test can be used to detect hidden (beginning stage) hypertension, to determine the severity of hypertension, to determine treatment and to check its effectiveness.
- Echocardiography is a cardiac ultrasound test that can be used to determine the anatomical structure and functionality of the heart and the large blood vessels; to determine the direction and speed of blood circulation; to determine the working capacity of the left ventricle; to detect infarction loci; to confirm the existence of thrombosis in heart chambers and blood vessels; to evaluate the anatomical structure and functionality of heart valves (diagnosis of valvular dysfunction); and to diagnose congenital heart disorders.
Cardiologists at the North Estonia Medical Centre work in close co-operation with our cardiac surgeons, who perform all of the most up-to-date heart surgery methods. At the international level, our centre's strengths include the low mortality rate of surgeries, high percentage of arteries used as shunt stock, and experience with beating heart surgery.
The most common cardiac surgery operations are:
- Aortocoronary shunting: We perform a high number of arterial shunts and beating heart surgeries.
- Heart valve pathology: The replacement of damaged heart valves requires open heart surgery, in which case the heart is stopped and the chambers are opened. The patient's vital functions are maintained through artificial blood circulation. Usually a damaged valve must be replaced with an artificial valve. We use two types of prostheses.
- Combined heart pathologies: Problems concerning narrowing arteries and heart valve damage are solved in one stage.
- Surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation: If atrial fibrillation exists in addition to artery narrowing or valvular pathology that requires operation, the surgeon may treat it in the same stage by using the ablation procedure.
- Treatment of internal heart defects in the septum of the heart chamber (congenital) and in the ventricular wall (complication of myocardial infarction).
Our cardiovascular centre is the safest and most up-to-date choice for patients.