More people in Louisville and Southern Indiana choose Norton Heart & Vascular Institute for their cardiovascular care than any other health system. Our specialists use a full range of heart tests, such as echocardiogram, stress testing, Holter monitoring, nuclear cardiology imaging, electrocardiogram (EKG) and noninvasive 3D modeling of the heart to make a precise diagnosis of your heart condition.

The board-certified and fellowship-trained cardiologists and advanced cardiac imaging specialists at Norton Heart & Vascular Institute have the skill and sophisticated tools to diagnose and understand your heart disease and customize a treatment plan for you.

Norton Heart & Vascular Institute provides a full range of cardiovascular testing at all four of our adult-service hospitals in Louisville and our two Norton Cardiovascular Diagnostic Center locations. Staffed by a team of trained heart and vascular diagnostic specialists, our offices are committed to providing prompt, quality services that are convenient.

Expertise in Cardiovascular Diagnostics Close to Home

Your physician may order a variety of diagnostic tests and use the results to diagnose and monitor your heart condition.

• Cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA): This type of medical test combines a CT scan with injection of a special dye to produce pictures of blood vessels and tissues in your heart. The dye is injected through an intravenous (IV) line started in your arm or hand.
• Computed tomography-fractional flow reserve (CT-FFR): Using imagery collected during a CTA scan, this advanced, noninvasive imaging technology creates a 3D model of your coronary arteries to help identify the significance of any potential blockages.
• Echocardiogram: A noninvasive ultrasound of the heart, it provides a visual image of the functioning of your heart and valves.
• Stress echocardiogram: This combines ultrasound of the heart with a stress test using a treadmill or medication.
• Electrocardiogram (EKG): This quick test measures your heartbeat and heart rate by recording electrical activity through patches applied to the chest, arms and legs.
• Holter monitoring: A 24- or 48-hour continuous EKG that is recorded by a belt- or shoulder-mounted monitoring unit and electrodes applied to the chest.
• Exercise stress testing: Used to evaluate exercise tolerance, it may include an EKG with the exercise, usually performed on a treadmill.
• Vascular ultrasound: A noninvasive ultrasound, it’s used to examine the circulation in the blood vessels of the body to determine if the arteries have narrowed due to vascular disease.
• Single photon emission CT (SPECT) exercise and pharmacologic stress myocardial perfusion imaging and cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) imaging: This testing uses special cameras and radioactive tracers to image blood flow in the heart.

About Norton Heart & Vascular Institute

Norton Heart & Vascular Institute offers advanced care at all of our adult-service hospitals to save hearts and lives.

Awards and Accreditations

• All of Norton Healthcare’s adult-service hospitals in Louisville have received Chest Pain Center accreditation from the American College of Cardiology (ACC).
• Norton Audubon Hospital has been named a HeartCare Center National Distinction of Excellence year after year by the American College of Cardiology. This is the only hospital in Louisville to be recognized for this distinction.
• Norton Audubon Hospital, Norton Brownsboro Hospital and Norton Hospital all are recognized as having ACC Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI accreditation.
• Norton Audubon Hospital earned ventricular assist device (VAD) accreditation from DNV and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Leading the Region in Advanced Care

• First in Louisville to implant a dual-chamber leadless pacemaker
• First in Louisville to use PASCAL and MitraClip to replace and repair heart valves
• First health care system in Louisville to offer CathWorks FFRangio System in a minimally invasive procedure used to treat clogged arteries and advance heart disease
• Highest survival rate in the nation for  extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) interventions treating heart failure
• Among the highest survival rates in the nation for treatment of cardiogenic shock in heart failure
• Over 100 transcarotid artery revascularization (TCAR) procedures performed for heart disease patients
• System with the most facilities across the city of Louisville with the ability treat a life-threatening heart attack
• More than 100 board-certified physicians and advanced practice providers with specialized heart and vascular training and experience at nearly 30 locations in Louisville and Southern Indiana

Comprehensive Heart Care for the Whole Person

Norton Heart & Vascular Institute offers patient resources to support you and your family, including free classes for people of all ages who want to improve cardiovascular health or are living with a heart condition.

• Cardiac rehabilitation: Our cardiac rehabilitation providers are leaders in developing and applying innovative techniques that can help you recover and resume your life.
• Connecting Hearts for Support group: The group provides education and support to individuals who have had a heart attack, are living with a heart condition or are at risk for cardiovascular disease.
• Heart health screenings: Prevention is the best way to manage heart disease, and screenings are available to detect early signs of cardiac and vascular disease and identify risk factors.