Our experts are knowledgeable, experienced and dedicated to treating the whole spectrum of heart and vascular conditions.

Learn more about conditions within these specialty areas:

Or, learn more about a condition by locating it alphabetically.

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z


A

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) — an aneurysm involving the aorta; an AAA occurs in the abdominal aorta, the part of the aorta that passes through the abdomen. Our Aortic Disease Program specialists, including cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons and vascular and interventional radiologists, have extensive experience diagnosing and treating all types of aortic aneurysm.

Advanced heart failure — heart failure is a condition marked by the heart’s inability to pump blood effectively throughout the body. Advanced heart failure patients whose conditions continue to worsen can benefit from the specialized treatment, such as that provided through our Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Program.

Aneurysm — an area of a localized widening (dilation) of a blood vessel. Learn more about abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), aortic aneurysm, peripheral aneurysm, thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA ) and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm and our Aortic Disease Program.

Angina — chest pain due to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. Angina is caused by coronary artery disease (CAD). Treatment may include lifestyle changes, medication, special procedures and cardiac rehabilitation. We perform a specialized procedure called transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMR), aimed at relieving angina when other treatments are not an option.

Aorta — the large vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Aortic aneurysm — an aneurysm that occurs in the aorta.

Aortic disease — diseases of the aorta, including aneurysms, dissections and injuries. Learn about our Aortic Disease Program.

Aortic dissection — a tear in the wall of the aorta. Aortic Disease Program specialists, including cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons and vascular and interventional radiologists, have extensive experience diagnosing and treating all types of aortic dissections.

Aortic stenosis — a narrowing of the aortic valve, making it harder for blood to flow through to the aorta; can make the muscle work harder and eventually thicken. Our Heart Valve Disease Program treats this with medication, valve repair or valve replacement, including minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Aortic valve insufficiency or aortic valve regurgitation — occurs when the aortic valve doesn’t close properly and blood flows back into the left ventricle, making the heart work harder; can lead to enlargement of the left ventricle.

Arrhythmia — an abnormal heart rhythm (either too fast or too slow). Learn more about arrhythmias and our Arrhythmia Program.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) - a genetic, progressive cardiomyopathy condition in which the heart’s right ventricle muscle is replaced by fat and fibrosis, causing irregular heart rhythms. Learn more about ARVD and other cardiomyopathy conditions.

Atherosclerosis — a buildup of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the inner lining of an artery.

Atrial fibrillation (AF or A-fib) — is the most common, abnormal rhythm of the heart in which electrical discharges are irregular and rapid; as a result, the heart beats irregularly and, usually, rapidly. Learn more about atrial fibrillation and our Atrial Fibrillation program.

Atrial flutter — an organized form of arrhythmia marked by overly rapid contractions of the atrium of the heart, usually at a rate of 250-350 contractions per minute (flutter is well organized while fibrillation is not).

Atrial septal defect (ASD) — a congenital heart defect causing a hole in the septum, the wall between the atria, or the upper chambers of the heart. Learn more about treatments for ASD.

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B

Brachiocephalic artery stenosis — involves blockages or narrowing in an artery in the aortic arch, which supplies blood to the right arm, head and neck. The brachiocephalic artery, also called the innominate artery is the first branch from the aortic arch that carries blood away from the heart.

Bradycardia — a slow heart rate, usually less than 60 beats per minute. Learn more about this and other arrhythmia conditions, as well as our Arrhythmia Program.

Brugada syndrome — an inherited cardiomyopathy and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorder. Learn more about Brugada syndrome and other cardiomyopathy conditions.

Bundle branch block — a delay or obstruction in the transmission of the heart’s electrical impulses that impairs the heart’s ability to pump efficiently.

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C

Cardiac arrest — the sudden stopping of the heart's pumping, possibly due to a heart attack, respiratory arrest, electrical shock, extreme cold, blood loss, drug overdose or a severe allergic reaction.

Cardiogenic shock — a life threatening condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body. Cardiogenic shock most often occurs due to severe cardiac event, such as a heart attack, or due to advanced heart disease, including heart failure or cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy — any disease of the heart muscle that inhibits the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively, which may lead to an arrhythmia. Learn more about cardiomyopathies, including genetic cardiomyopathies such as Long Q-T syndrome, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and Brugada syndrome.

Cardiovascular disease — diseases that affect the heart and the blood vessels throughout the body (includes heart disease, coronary artery disease, coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease; also called heart and vascular disease).

Carotid artery disease — a blockage or narrowing of the carotid artery inside the neck caused by hard cholesterol substances (plaques) deposited within a carotid artery; plaque in the carotid arteries can cause a tiny clot to form which can obstruct the flow of blood to the brain.

Conduction disease — recurrent sudden attacks of unconsciousness caused by impaired conduction of the impulse that regulates the heartbeat. Learn more about heart rhythm disorders like conduction disease and our Arrhythmia Program.

Congenital heart disease — a heart problem present from birth. Learn about our Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program.

Congestive heart failure — a buildup of fluid in the lungs and elsewhere decreases the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively throughout the body. Mild forms of heart failure may be reversible. Learn more about expert resources for treating advanced heart failure through our Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Program.

Connective tissue disorder — conditions such as Marfan syndrome that affect the groups of fibers and cells that connect the body’s frame and hold it together, such as tendons, ligaments, cartilage, blood, bone, and the dermis of the skin. Inherited conditions such as Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS) and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome are often associated with heart problems.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) — hard cholesterol substances (plaques) deposited within a coronary (heart) artery; plaque in the coronary arteries can cause a tiny clot to form which can obstruct the flow of blood to the heart muscle. Learn more about expert resources for treating coronary artery disease through our Coronary Artery Disease Program.

Coronary occlusion — Coronary occlusions can be complete or partial blockages of an artery. Occlusions often occur as a result of coronary artery disease, when fatty deposits and calcium build up over time along the inner artery walls and form plaque. As coronary artery disease progress the buildup of plaque causes the arteries to narrow, limiting the amount of oxygen-rich blood that flows to the heart. Partial occlusions can often be treated with stents to open the narrowed arteries. Total coronary occlusions may require more invasive treatment options, including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

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D

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) — a blood clot that develops in a vein deep in the body, most often develops in the lower legs or thighs.

Dyslipidemia/high cholesterol/hyperlipidemia/lipid abnormalities — abnormal levels of fatty substances in the bloodstream, including cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) that increase the risk of heart and vascular disease. Learn more about treating lipid disorders to prevent heart attack, stroke and other serious conditions through our Preventive Cardiology Program.

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E

Edema — a buildup of fluids in the tissues. Heart failure edema is called congestive heart failure (CHF), traditionally treated with diuretics (drugs that increase the excretion of water from the body). If diuretics stop working for patients, whether suffering from heart failure or other conditions that involve swelling in the legs and abdomen) they may benefit from Aquapheresis™, a filtration system that removes fluid in patients.

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H

Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) — a buildup of cholesterol and other fatty substances in the inner lining of an artery.

Heart attack (myocardial infarction) — a complete blockage of blood flow to an area of the heart, causing heart cells to die. Learn more about our exceptional Emergency Care for heart attack patients.

Heart disease — a general term that relates to many heart conditions; coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease.

Heart failure — a condition in which the heart loses its ability to efficiently pump blood throughout the body. Learn more about expert resources for treating advanced heart failure through our Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Program.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) — a genetic disorder, also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu (OWR), characterized by a blood vessel abnormality that causes patients to bleed easily, even spontaneously. Learn more about expert resources for treating HHT through our Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) Program.

High cholesterol/hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia/lipid abnormalities — abnormal levels of fatty substances in the bloodstream, including cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) that increase the risk of heart and vascular disease.

High blood pressure/hypertension — a rise in the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood that lasts over time. High blood pressure can increase your risk for coronary artery disease.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) —a rare, usually genetic form of cardiomyopathy that limits the amount of blood pumped by the heart with each beat. Learn more about our highly specialized Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Program.

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L

Lipid abnormalities/high cholesterol/hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia — abnormal levels of fatty substances in the bloodstream, including cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) that increase the risk of heart and vascular disease.

Long Q-T syndrome — an inherited cardiomyopathy disorder of the heart’s electrical rhythm that involves repeated fainting and a high risk of cardiac arrest. Learn more about Long Q-T syndrome and other cardiomyopathy conditions.

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M

Marfan Syndrome — a genetic condition that affects connective tissue in the body, including the heart and blood vessels. People with Marfan Syndrome are at higher risk for aortic aneurysms.

Mitral stenosis — a narrowing of the heart’s mitral valve, impacting blood to flow into the left ventricle and increasing pressure in the left atrium, which can lead to pulmonary edema, arrhythmia and blood clots.

Mitral valve prolapse (MVP), mitral valve regurgitation — one or both of the heart valve’s leaflets are enlarged or don’t close properly, causing the heart to work harder because a small amount of blood flows back into the atrium.

Myocardial infarction (heart attack) — a complete blockage of blood flow to an area of the heart, causing heart cells to die. Learn more about our exceptional Emergency Care for heart attack patients.

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P

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) — a defect in the wall (septum) between the two upper chambers (atria) of the heart; the defect is an incomplete closure of the atrial septum that results in an opening in the atrial septal wall; a PFO is common in everyone before birth, but seals shut in 75 percent to 80 percent of people. Learn more about treatments for PFO.

Peripheral artery disease or peripheral vascular disease (PAD or PVD) — a disease that causes veins and arteries outside the heart become clogged with fatty deposits (plaque), causing them to narrow and reducing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the muscles. Learn more about PAD.

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R

Right ventricular (RV) dysplasia — see arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD)

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S

Spider veins — a group of veins that appear on the surface of the skin; the veins may look like short, fine lines, “starburst” clusters or a web-like maze. Learn more about our spider vein treatment.

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) — an arrhythmia involving both the ventricles and the atria that causes rapid heart rhythms. Learn more about SVT and our Arrhythmia Program.


T

Tachycardia — a rapid heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute. Learn more about tachycardia and our Arrhythmia Program.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) — an aneurysm in the part of the aorta above the diaphragm. A thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm extends down into the abdomen. We performed the first TEVAR in the region — a minimally invasive, endovascular procedure used to repair a TAA from inside the aorta.

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V

Valve disease (valvular disease) — disease affecting one or more of the four valves of the heart. Learn more about our Heart Valve Disease Program, which provides a dedicated and coordinated approach to diagnosing and treating all types of valve disease.

Varicose veins — enlarged, often twisted veins that develop when valves in the vein become weak and don’t close properly, allowing blood to flow backward or reflux. Learn more about our varicose vein treatment.

Vascular disease — see diseases or conditions that affect the blood vessels outside the heart and brain. Vascular diseases include Peripheral Artery Disease, Aortic Aneurysms and Vein Disease.

Vein disease (venous disease) — any disease of the veins, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), venous stasis disease, venous insufficiency, phlebitis and varicose veins. Learn more about our Venous and Vein Disease Program.

Ventricular fibrillation — disordered electrical activity that causes the ventricles to contract in a rapid, unsynchronized manner; sudden death follows unless immediate medical help is provided.

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) — a fast heart rate that starts in the ventricles.

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W

Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome — an abnormal pathway between the atria and ventricles that causes electrical signals to arrive at the ventricles too soon and to be transmitted back to the atria; rapid heart rates may develop.

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Our Cardiovascular Program continues to receive recognition as one of the top programs nationally. We are honored to provide high-quality, effective care for even the most high-risk patients.

  • In its 2024 Specialty Excellence Awards, Healthgrades recognized Froedtert Hospital as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery, one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care and one of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention, as well as other specialty achievements in various areas.

    For the second year in a row, Froedtert Hospital was identified as one of the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ according to an independent quality analysis based on a balanced scorecard provided by PINC AI™, and reported by Fortune. The hospitals recognized in the top 50 operated at lower cost and had better outcomes, recording significantly higher inpatient survival rates, fewer patients with complications, lower readmission rates and up to nearly $10,000 less in total costs per patient case. According to the study’s analysis, if all hospitals operated at the level of this year’s top performers, there could be 7,600 fewer deaths due to heart disease, 6,700 fewer bypass and angioplasty patients who suffer complications, and more than $1 billion in costs saved for the 2024 study year. Froedtert Hospital was ranked in the category of top teaching hospitals with a cardiovascular residency program. In this cohort of hospitals, Froedtert Hospital was ranked No. 4 in the country. No other hospital in Wisconsin was recognized with this national distinction.

    The Society for Vascular Surgery's Vascular Quality Initiative (SVS VQI) has awarded Froedtert Hospital three out of three stars for its active participation in the Registry Participation Program. The mission of the SVS VQI is to improve patient safety and the quality of vascular care delivery by providing web-based collection, aggregation and analysis of clinical data submitted in registry format for all patients undergoing specific vascular treatments. The VQI operates 14 vascular registries.

    The American Heart Association recognized Froedtert Hospital with its Get With the Guidelines® Heart Failure Gold Plus Award. In addition, the hospital was recognized on the AHA’s Target: Heart Failure(SM) Honor Roll and received the AHA’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll™ award. 

    The American Heart Association also recognized Froedtert Hospital with its Get With the Guidelines® — Coronary Artery Disease Mission: Lifeline STEMI Receiving Silver Plus and Mission: Lifeline NSTEMI Silver awards. These awards demonstrate our commitment to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure timely and proper care for heart attacks.

    The American Heart Association recognized Froedtert Hospital with its Get With the Guidelines® AFib Gold Award.

    ​The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Froedtert Hospital have each received a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. This award recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align practices with AACN’s six Healthy Work Environment Standards. Receiving this national three-year award with gold, silver and bronze designations, marks a significant milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and achieving a healthy work environment.