Heart Center
Trinity Heart Center in Quad Cities
UnityPoint Health – Trinity puts leading heart disease services within reach. We deliver a level of care that's not widely available in the Quad Cities region. You have access to leading therapies and experienced, fellowship-trained cardiac specialists right in your community.
Because of our commitment to cardiac care excellence, our outcomes meet or exceed national standards. You receive the therapies that are right for you, with meticulous attention to your needs at every step. These efforts help more people continue living full, vibrant lives.
Cardiac Care at Trinity: Why Choose Us?
At Trinity Heart Center, you have access to comprehensive care and personalized attention. Our convenient services in Bettendorf, Moline, Muscatine and Rock Island spare you the stress and hassle of traveling great distances. We offer close-to-home options that you might expect to find only in a major metropolitan area.
Highlights of our program include:
- Expertise: Our cardiac care team includes specialists in arrhythmias, atrial fibrillation (Afib), coronary artery disease, heart valve issues and more. Most doctors have fellowship training and decades of experience. The team also includes an on-site open-heart surgeon who offers a medical specialty not widely available in the region.
- Personalized therapies: We build lasting relationships with the people we care for. Specialists take time to get to know you as an individual and learn about your heart health goals. This information enables us to tailor therapies to meet your needs and make adjustments if your needs change.
- Whole-person approach: Specialists work together to manage the small details of your treatment, so you can focus on what's important to you. Chaplains and social workers are available to address spiritual and practical challenges related to your care. For heart failure, case managers coordinate your tests and treatments.
- Specialized care environment: Trinity Heart Center offers fresh, modern facilities. Procedure rooms have state-of-the-art equipment. Before and after procedures, cardiac nurses care for you in a spacious private room. Waiting areas offer a comfortable space for your loved ones during procedures.
Heart Health Newsletter
Keep up to date with information and educational opportunities to keep your heart healthy.
Heart Testing
At UnityPoint Health – Trinity, exceptional heart care often starts with one or more cardiac tests. We offer more of the options you need, so you receive a comprehensive assessment without leaving the community. And our team's experience means you can count on us for accurate results.
Heart Imaging Studies
Cardiac Catheterization
Doctors insert a thin, flexible tube (catheter) through a small incision in your groin or wrist. They then guide the catheter through a blood vessel to access the heart. Instruments at the catheter's tip show us your heart in detail. You may receive light sedation (medication), so you are awake but comfortable, or medication to put you to sleep during your procedure. We also use cardiac catheterization to deliver certain treatments.
Sophisticated instruments at the catheter tip enable us to deliver a broad range of services that include:
- Preventive therapies: We detect early signs of heart disease and often treat them in the same procedure, lowering your heart attack risk.
- Emergency care: If you are having a heart attack, we quickly pinpoint the source and deliver lifesaving care that restores blood flow.
Coronary angiogram
Doctors inject a liquid dye through the catheter and capture images as the dye travels through your heart. This test evaluates artery narrowing, measures your heart's structures and assesses its pumping ability.
Catheterization Procedures
We provide surgical options for people who have an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia), when medications are not successful in controlling it. Procedures we offer include:
- Ablation: Catheters deliver freezing-cold gas to disrupt abnormal areas in the heart's electrical system and eliminate rhythm problems.
- Cardiac pacing: We temporarily place wires in the heart to establish a normal rhythm. The wires connect to a device that uses an electrical current to get rid of the arrhythmia. After the procedure is complete, we remove the wires.
- WATCHMAN™ device: This implantable device is for a specific type of arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation (AFib), that does not respond to medications. It helps maintain a normal rhythm and lowers the risk of complications, like stroke by:
- Closing off the left atrial appendage so blood can't pool there.
- Preventing existing blood clots from traveling through the bloodstream.
During the WATCHMAN procedure, here's that to expect:
1. You receive medication (general anesthesia) that puts you to sleep and temporarily blocks sensations, like pain.
2. Surgeons make a small incision in your upper leg and insert a long, narrow tube (catheter).
3. We use real-time imaging to guide the WATCHMAN device through the catheter and into the left atrial appendage.
4. After securing the device, we remove the catheter and close the incision.
5. You recover in our cardiac treatment unit overnight and go home the next day.
If you have coronary artery disease (narrowing in the heart's blood vessels), angioplasty can restore blood flow.
Coronary angioplasty procedures we offer include:
- Atherectomy: A tiny device carefully cuts away buildups of fatty substances (plaque) responsible for the blockage.
- Balloon angioplasty: We inflate a small balloon at the catheter tip to push blockages against the artery walls, clearing the way for improved blood flow.
- Atherectomy: Interventional cardiologists remove plaques using focused beams of high-energy light.
Interventional cardiologists use diagnostic catheterization to learn more about your heart structures and function. This information helps us diagnose problems and recommend the right treatments for you.
We evaluate:
- Heart muscle strength and pumping action
- Blood vessels near the heart and whether there are blockages
- Pressure and oxygen levels within sections (chambers) of the heart
- Valves and whether they are fully opening and closing
TAVR may offer a solution if you have aortic valve stenosis. Your aortic valve moves blood from the heart out to the body. In a healthy aortic valve, small tissue flaps (leaflets) snap open and shut to move blood forward. With aortic valve stenosis, stiffened (thickened) leaflets limit how much blood can pass through.
A TAVR procedure restores healthy blood flow by replacing a diseased aortic valve with an artificial one. Doctors deliver the replacement valve using minimally invasive techniques instead of open surgery, for care that's gentler on your body.
You receive a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether you might benefit from TAVR. The team also considers whether you are healthy enough to undergo minimally invasive surgery.
If TAVR is right for you, here's what to expect:
- You receive medication (general anesthesia or light sedation) that puts you to sleep and temporarily blocks sensations, like pain.
- Surgeons make a small incision in your upper leg or chest and insert a long, narrow tube (catheter).
- The replacement valve is at the catheter tip. We use special imaging technology to guide it into place.
- The new valve pushes the diseased leaflets out of the way and starts working immediately.
- We remove the catheter and close the incision.
- You recover in our cardiac treatment unit overnight and go home in a few days. Some patients go home the day after the procedure.If aortic valve stenosis keeps your heart valve from working as it should, you might be a candidate for TAVR. Instead of open surgery, this innovative treatment uses catheter-based techniques to install a replacement valve that works as it should.
Arrhythmia Testing
You may receive medication from an anesthesiologist to put you to sleep. Or you may receive light sedation medications so you are slightly awake but comfortable during the procedure.
These wearable devices are similar to Holter monitors. They can be useful in detecting arrhythmias that occur infrequently.
- Event recorder: When you feel symptoms, you press a button, and the device records heart activity. The device transmits this information to your care team. If we detect a life-threatening problem, we contact you and coordinate emergency care.
- Loop recorder: The device automatically records heart activity for as long as a few years.
Traditional ICDs have leads (wires) that go into your heart. Surgeons implant the SubQ ICD under the skin, leaving your blood vessels and heart untouched.
Advanced Heart Imaging Scans (Nuclear Studies)
These tests use safe levels of a radioactive substance to capture cell activity that doctors can't detect using other methods. A nuclear imaging study makes it possible to assess tissue damage from a heart attack or measure how well your heart pumps blood. We offer a range of options, including positron emission tomography (PET) and myocardial perfusion scans.
Other Cardiac Tests
Open-Heart Surgery
Since 1999, UnityPoint Health – Trinity has helped people access advanced heart disease treatments where they're most comfortable, close to home. Our open-heart surgery program has earned national recognition for consistently delivering safe, effective care. You receive services from an experienced surgical team that cares about you as an individual.
Why Choose Us?
Cardiac surgeons at Trinity Heart Center belong to Cardiac Surgery Associates (CSA), a group committed to cardiovascular surgery excellence. One surgeon is a full-time staff member at the heart center, enabling more people to benefit from seamless care. Receiving an evaluation, surgery and follow-up care from the same doctor makes it easier for you to focus on healing.
Additional highlights of our program include:
- National recognition: For the 2018–2019 reporting period, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons rated our program two out of three stars, placing us in the top 8% of programs nationwide. The rating reflects our ability to consistently help people achieve excellent results with low complication rates.
- Personalized care: Cardiac surgeons work with other heart team specialists when necessary to develop customized treatment plans. We use a broad range of tests, including advanced imaging studies, to meticulously plan your heart surgery. These efforts lead to efficient care tailored to your needs.
- Coordination: Heart surgeons and cardiologists combine their expertise to safely treat complex heart valve disease cases. We may use a hybrid minimally invasive surgical approach (catheterization) to implant a replacement valve. If catheterization doesn't go as planned, a surgeon can step in right away to help.
- Cardiac treatment unit: Before and after surgery, you receive care in a unit dedicated to heart patients. You stay in a spacious, private room that feels like home. Specially trained cardiac nurses monitor you and keep you comfortable. And your loved ones can wait in a spacious, comfortable waiting area while you are in surgery.
Open-Heart Surgeries We Offer
We perform some procedures using open-heart surgery. These offerings include:
- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG): Surgeons transplant blood vessels from another part of the body into the heart. The new vessels create an alternate route (bypass) around clogged arteries.
- Valve repair or replacement: We repair damaged heart valves by loosening stiff tissue. If the valve can no longer do its job, we replace it with a valve made of donor tissue.
How Can Cardiac Rehabilitation Help Me?
At UnityPoint Health – Trinity, our commitment to your long-term heart health includes a nationally recognized cardiac rehabilitation program. Completing this program offers results similar to medicine in reducing your risk of future heart problems.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a physician-ordered program that assists you in adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle. You may need cardiac rehabilitation if you are recovering from a heart-related hospitalization or procedure. Find out more about the cardiovascular diseases we treat.
At Trinity, our comprehensive approach can help you:
- Learn how to exercise to make your heart stronger
- Make a habit of preparing and eating healthy foods
- Manage stress in your daily life
- Gain a healthy mindset
First Pritikin ICR Program in the Quad Cities
Trinity is the first Pritikin Certified™ Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation (ICR) program in the Quad Cities and among two in Illinois. Since 1975, the Pritikin ICR method has helped people recover from serious heart issues and lower their risk of complications. Pritikin ICR combines research with a personalized approach, so you maintain heart-healthy habits for life.
People completing our program are better able to manage their long-term heart health. You are less likely to need daily heart medications or additional procedures. Many insurance plans cover Pritikin ICR, making it easier to access gold-standard cardiac rehabilitation services.
Standard Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at Trinity
If you are not eligible for Pritikin ICR, you benefit from our standard cardiac rehabilitation program, which includes:
- Medically supervised exercise program tailored to your needs
- Information and support for living a heart-healthy lifestyle
- Careful attention from our team, giving you the best chances of meeting your goals
Healthy for Life
After you complete cardiac rehab, Healthy for Life gives you opportunities to maintain your fitness and achieve new goals. Insurance does not cover this program, meaning you pay for it out of pocket.
This medically guided program includes access to:
- Exercise specialists for personalized tips and information about safe physical activities
- Fitness center at Augustana College
Cooking with Heart Classes
UnityPoint Health - Trinity offers three different series to help Quad Citizens transition to healthier eating. Each series focuses around a Mediterranean and plant-focused eating pattern. All of the series feature step-by-step instructions for several delicious recipes, teach you how to tailor recipes to your own taste preferences and give you valuable tips on how to get meals on the table in 15 minutes or less.
Eating is meant to be enjoyable. To stick to healthy eating, it must be delicious and fun. Class participants are amazed are how much they enjoy the course and how they go away with so many doable and tasty ideas for health Looking for more heart health resources?
Cooking with Heart classes are offered in-person at our state-of-the-art Cardiac Nutrition Center at Trinity Rock Island or virtually from the comfort and convenience of home. Choose your preference when you register.
Learn About Our Classes
Four-part cooking series held on Thursday evenings from 5:30-7 p.m.
Cooking with Heart Foundational Series is intended for anyone who wants to transition to plant focused eating for health. You will get innovative ways to easily incorporate plant focused dishes without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. You also learn foundational skills for creating dishes from whole foods. We cover key concepts like nutrient density, mindful eating, hunger, knife skills and adapting your new eating style to social events with friends and family. Class topics include:
- Show Your Heart Some Love
- Redesign Your Kitchen for Health-Centric Eating
- What's the Big Deal About Eating Plants?
- Mastering Mindful Eating
There is no cost to attend this course. UnityPoint Health thanks Trinity Health Foundation's support. UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center offers this gift of health to our community to support heart healthy habits.
Four-part cooking series held on Wednesdays 6-7 p.m.
Learn easy recipes and cooking tips for anyone touched by diabetes. Classes share recipes that manage blood sugars. Boost your confidence in the kitchen preparing meals that will ramp up your health and help you feel better too. Have fun mastering flavor-filled, healthy dishes that are quick to get on the table. Class topics include:
- Clearing Up Carbohydrate
- Healthy Snacks on the Go
- Mind Eating Tricks
- Taking it All to Heart
Cost: FREE thanks to support from the Quad Cities Diabetes Association, Trinity Health Foundation and Genesis Health System.
Four-part cooking series held on Tuesdays at Noon.
Learn easy recipes and cooking tips for anyone touched by cancer - survivors, caregivers and loved ones. The dishes prepared emphasize how nutrition can help reduce the risk of cancer or cancer recurrence through inclusion of foods in their most powerful form (raw, cooked and in combination with other foods.) Class topics include:
- Myth-busting and truths (sugar, alkaline, green tea, turmeric)
- Treasures in Eating the Rainbow
- Eating Made Uncomplicated: Fun and Easy Meal Planning
- Boost the Power of Food on Your Plate
There is no cost to attend this course. UnityPoint Health thanks Trinity Health Foundation and Gilda's Club of the Quad Cities for their support. UnityPoint Health - Trinity Heart Center offers this gift of health to our community to support heart healthy habits.
Heart to Heart Community Education Series
The Heart to Heart community education series offered by UnityPoint Health – Trinity has been developed with your heart health in mind. The series offers information about heart disease prevention and treatment as well as ways to live more heart healthy.
Watch Past Classes
Watch our past classes below or watch from our YouTube playlist.
Trinity Heart Center Milestones
Winter 2023
Trinity Heart Center celebrates the 250th person to receive a successful WATCHMAN™ device. WATCHMAN reduces the risk of blood clots, stroke and reliance on blood thinners for those with an irregular heartbeat. Trinity was the first healthcare provider in the region to offer WATCHMAN beginning in 2020. The Heart Center is also marking the 500th Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) patient to successfully receive this life-changing procedure in the Quad Cities.
July 2022
UnityPoint Health – Trinity Rock Island and Bettendorf have received the American College of Cardiology's National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) Chest Pain ? MI Registry Performance Achievement Award. Trinity is the only hospital in the region to earn the designation.
- Trinity Bettendorf is one of only 240 hospitals nationwide to receive the Platinum Performance Achievement Award.
- Trinity Rock Island is one of only 85 hospitals nationwide to receive the Silver Performance Achievement Award.
Winter 2022
Trinity Heart Center celebrates the 100th person to receive a successful WATCHMAN™ device. WATCHMAN reduces the risk of blood clots, stroke and reliance on blood thinners for those with an irregular heartbeat. Trinity is the first - and only - healthcare provider in the region to offer WATCHMAN since 2020.
The Heart Center is also marking the 400th Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) patient to successfully receive this life-changing procedure in the Quad Cities. Additionally, Trinity earned a 3-star TAVR rating for high-quality outcomes from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology (STS/ACC TVT Registry). UnityPoint Health – Trinity is the only site in Illinois to earn the highest achievement.
