Prevention and early detection are critical components to beating heart disease and stroke, both leading causes of death in the United States. Recently, Piedmont Henry Hospital earned another three-year accreditation in two screening capabilities from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC): nuclear cardiology and vascular testing.

  Advanced screenings, such as nuclear cardiology and vascular testing, help to identify various types of heart disease. Nuclear cardiology testing safely takes pictures of the heart, allowing doctors to evaluate how well a patient’s heart pumps blood and to detect silent heart disease. It can even reveal whether there is significant damage from previous heart attacks and what the risk is for another heart attack in the future.

  “Early detection of life-threatening heart disorders and other diseases is made possible through these screening procedures, and it is important that we retain accreditation in this area to give patients the highest quality of care,” said Jagdeep Singh, M.D., vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer at Piedmont Henry.

  Vascular testing is used to determine whether a patient has vascular disease, which may lead to stroke. Vascular disease can affect a patient’s arteries, veins and lymph vessels, and may include blood disorders that affect circulation. Stroke, the leading cause of disability in the U.S., can also be detected in advance through vascular testing.

  IAC accreditation in nuclear cardiology and vascular testing means Piedmont Henry has undergone a thorough review of its operational and technical components by a panel of experts. The IAC grants accreditation only to facilities found to be providing high quality patient care, in compliance with national standards through a comprehensive application process including detailed case study review.

  For more information on heart care at Piedmont Henry Hospital, visit www.piedmonthenry.org.