the december 2012 issue of style/the villages edition

SERVICING LAKE AND SUMTER COUNTIES

These men know Florida by

Citrus Cardiology has been caring for Central Florida

for over 30 years.

heart

WE KNOW FLORWE KNOW FLORIDA BY HEART

WE KNOW FLORIDA BY HEARTWE KNOW FLORIDA BY HEART

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One of the most difficult decisions you will ever make is choosing a practice to take care of all your car-diovascular needs. Patients of Citrus Cardiology will be the first to tell you they chose wisely.

The practice features board-cer-tified, fellowship-trained cardiolo-gists who provide patients with the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures and treatment. That is vitally important, especially when it comes to caring for the body’s most important organ.

Of course, highly qualified cardi-ologists and cutting-edge technology

are not the only things that make this a superior cardiology practice. Citrus Cardiology offers a personal touch to all its patients, and you will witness this in the office as well as in the hos-pitals it serves.

Patients are not merely a number. The entire staff — including physi-

cians, nurses, and techni-cians—pride themselves in optimizing the healthcare and supporting the medical needs of all patients. They take the necessary time to get to know each patient, thoroughly ex-plain the medical issue a pa-tient is facing, and promptly address all questions and con-cerns patients have. The staff also spends time with patients to discuss payment arrange-ments.

Moreover, Citrus Cardiology combines numerous services under one roof, which saves

patients time and improves the contin-uum of care. In other words, patients do not have to drive to numerous fa-cilities for tests such as echocardiogra-phy, coumadin, or positron emission tomography (PET). How many practic-es out there can boast about having a highly trained, experienced team and

cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment procedures under one roof? This is all for the benefit and convenience of the patient.

Here’s the bottom line: cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in America. Therefore, it would be a wise decision for you to put your cardiovascular health in the hands of board-certified physicians who spe-cialize in the prevention, ear-ly detection, and treatment of all forms of heart disease.

No doubt, the team at Cit-rus Cardiology takes your car-diovascular health to heart. They go above and beyond to ensure their patients experi-ence the quality of life they

demand and deserve.

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We know Florida by heart

HOSPITAL SERVICES

CLINIC SERVICES

Not all patients can tolerate open-heart surgery. That is why physicians at Citrus Cardiology utilize an innova-tive procedure known as transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The procedure can be utilized on patients who are not candidates for open-heart surgery because they are weak or have other diseases, such as aortic stenosis and diabetes, which prohibit it.

During this procedure, a catheter is inserted through a patient’s femoral ar-

tery in the leg. A balloon is then sent through the artery to the chest to open up the aortic valve. Then, a replacement valve is inserted and inflated in place of the diseased valve, pushing it out of the way.

Patients who undergo this procedure require a shorter hospital stay than pa-tients who undergo open-heart surgery. Studies have proven that the long-term survival of TAVI patients is as good as open-heart surgery patients.

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Is TAVI right for you?

‘‘For nearly three years, Erwin Prin-dle suffered from dizziness, lighthead-edness, and fainting spells. He had to give up golf because playing 18 holes became too exhausting.

An ultrasound revealed that he had major blockage in his aortic valve. Be-cause of that — and the fact he was age 87 — Erwin was an ideal candidate to undergo a TAVI procedure. A team of physicians from Citrus Cardiology

and Leesburg Regional Medical Center performed the procedure on January 18, 2012. That was a Tuesday, and on Friday, Prindle went home feeling no pain whatsoever.

“When I came home I dressed my-self and bathed myself,” he says. “I could not believe how well I felt, es-pecially considering how bad of shape I was in.”

He completed a cardiac rehabilita-

tion program and today feels wonder-ful. He walks one mile each day, shops at local grocery stores, and faithfully attends church.

“I cannot say enough about the team at Citrus Cardiology,” he says. “I owe my life to them. They are professional, extremely knowledgeable, and take the time to get to know you as a patient and as a person.

I owe my life...

‘‘

Q: I have a cardiolo-gist up North, so do I need one here, too?

A: If you have certain conditions that may need regular monitoring, you should have a cardiologist nearby, wherever you live. We can work directly with your home phy-sicians to request your medical records, and then submit all test results and records back to them, if desired. All you need to do is stop by our office to sign a release, and schedule an appointment.

Q: I don’t want to wait weeks for an appoint-ment. How quickly can I be seen?

A: We have same-day appoint-ments available. If you feel you need to be seen right away, simply call our office, and we’ll make it

happen. You may not get your first choice of physician, but all of our physicians subscribe to the same highest standards of patient care, and you can be assured you will receive the best service around.

Q: I’m afraid I may need more treat-ment or testing than I can afford. What should I do?

A: We are a full-service cardiology practice and have a billing depart-ment on-site. The most important thing is to NOT sacrifice your care out of fear or embarrassment over an inability to “make full payment at the time services are rendered.”

Q: I may need multiple appointments in your office. Can I do that in the same visit?

A: We have many patients who are unable to arrange their dif-ferent cardiac appointments for the same day. Depending on your particular case, we may be able to schedule your visits to run consecutively, saving you time and gas. When making an appoint-ment, simply let us know the date and time of your other visits, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your busy schedule.

INVERNESS CRYSTAL RIVER

LEESBURG THE VILLAGES

FAQsWhen a heart problem arises, we understand the concerns, questions and fears you face. We have made it an integral part of our mission to provide each patient with clear information and honest compassion, along with the best cardiac care possible. Our group of accomplished physicians and staff of highly-skilled specialists provide care in virtually all aspects of cardiology, working as a team to provide the best cardiac care possible.

INVERNESS308 W. Highland Blvd, Inverness, FL 34452 PHONE 352.726.8353

CRYSTAL RIVER760 SE 5th Terrace,

Crystal River, FL 34429 PHONE 352.795.4165

www.citruscardiology.org

THE VILLAGES910 Old Camp Road

Building 210Lake Sumter Professional Plaza,

The Villages, FL 32162 PHONE 352.751.3356

LEESBURG801 E. Dixie Avenue,

Suite 7, Leesburg, FL 34748 PHONE 352.315.0627

Left to right:M. Rodriguez-Gonzalez, MD, FACCA. Rivero, MDS. Attanti, MD, FACCJ.M. Gonzalez, MD, FACCB. Saluck, DO, FACC, FACOIV. Miryala, MD, FACC B. Govindarajan, MD, FACC