Award-Winning Cardiovascular Expertise
Your heart is more than a muscle. It powers your body and mind, fueling your every endeavor. So when something feels off, your heart deserves the most advanced care — and that's what you can expect at The Pepin Heart Institute at AdventHealth Tampa.
Our cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons diagnose and treat acute and chronic heart conditions using the latest research and technology, including Impella® devices, the da Vinci Surgical System and biomedical devices that prevent and treat — and often cure — heart diseases. Count on us for the support you need to keep following your heart.
Healing Hearts in Tampa Bay for 35 Years
As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of our AdventHealth Pepin Heart Institute, we remember the legacy that Art and Tom Pepin began and that the family continues.
We honor your innumerable stories of healing as we continue to provide the most advanced cardiovascular technology from the best and brightest heart health experts.
Serving our community for more than three decades has been a privilege and joy. The future of Tampa Bay heart care is bright, and we look forward to helping you feel whole for decades to come.
Keep Your Heart Beating Strong
- Know Your Heart Disease Risk
- Early Heart Attack Care Can Save a Life
- AdventHealth Pepin Heart Institute
To feel whole, it’s important to keep your heart healthy and strong. As the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States, heart disease can be silent for many people. You can take charge of your health today, and the first step is knowing your risk.
Early Heart Attack Care (EHAC) education can help you recognize the warning signs of a heart attack. By learning about the early signs of cardiac arrest and understanding the risk factors, you could help a loved one (or yourself) get critical care faster — which can greatly improve outcomes.
When you or a loved one has heart problems, you want cardiac experts with the skill, commitment, and compassion to give you the finest possible heart care. At AdventHealth Pepin Heart Institute that means more than treatment for your heart problem.
Diagnosing, Treating and Caring for Your Heart
- Children's Heart Care
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If your child has a heart condition, your own heart is weighed down with worry. We can help with the most advanced diagnostic and treatment techniques available, and with our caring pediatric heart care experts who will answer all your questions and give you peace of mind. Our pediatric cardiology team cares for children with heart problems ranging from mild to severe.
A few of the conditions we treat include:
- Arrhythmias
- Cardiomyopathy
- Chest pain
- Congenital heart disease
- Heart murmurs
- Kawasaki disease
Advances in care have helped children with heart conditions live longer and healthier lives. We partner with the experienced team at AdventHealth for Children to personalize your child’s care and closely monitor their recovery.
- Heart Attack Care
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A heart attack happens when a blood clot blocks an artery in your heart. It’s always a medical emergency, and always requires immediate care. During a heart attack, 85% of heart damage happens within the first two hours. If you have some of these early symptoms, call 911 for immediate medical attention:
- Anxiety
- Back pain
- Chest pain (pressure, squeezing or discomfort)
- Fatigue
- Feeling of fullness
- Jaw pain
- Nausea
- Pain that travels down one or both arms
- Shortness of breath
We use the most advanced cardiac care to minimize the damage from a heart attack and return you to whole health. Diagnostic tools give our providers a clear picture of your heart and set you on the right path for treatment.
Depending on your health and condition, your treatment may include:
- Cardiac rehabilitation to increase your strength and help you establish a heart-healthy lifestyle
- Implanted devices to maximize heart function
- Medication to address your condition and relieve symptoms
- Surgery to remove blockages and restore function
- Heart Disease Care
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At AdventHealth Tampa, we’re honored to care for your heart. We'll address your heart disease through medication, lifestyle changes or minimally invasive surgery before it can lead to more serious issues like heart attack or stroke. If you’re dealing with coronary heart disease or other cardiac-related illnesses, our experts will get you on the road to recovery.
- Heart Failure Care
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A congestive heart failure diagnosis may feel overwhelming, but our team is here to help you get back to what matters most. Together, we’ll find the treatment that addresses your unique health needs and goals. And we’ll be at your side for every step of your cardiac care.
At our hospital, you have a range of options to support your heart health, including:
- Cardiac catheterization
- Coaching on heart-healthy lifestyle changes
- Counseling and support for your mind and spirit
- Implanted devices
- Medication
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Heart Rhythm Care
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Your heartbeat is the rhythm of your life. But sometimes, your heart can beat too fast, too slow or irregularly.
Arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeats) can cause serious health problems. Our heart rhythm specialists will evaluate your arrhythmia and recommend the best treatment. Our team will also treat any underlying condition causing your arrhythmia and monitor you to ensure your whole health.
This may include:
- Implanted devices like pacemakers or cardioverter defibrillators (ICD)
- Medication to regulate your heart’s rhythm
- Procedures to help your heart maintain a normal rhythm
- Heart Success Center
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Located in Tampa, our Heart Success Center can help you manage and maintain your health after heart failure treatment with a personalized, multidisciplinary approach. We also have a unique, specialized practice location to support you, the AdventHealth Medical Group Heart Success Clinic at Tampa.
- Stroke Care
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Hundreds of thousands of Americans experience a stroke each year, and stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability. A stroke requires immediate care, and symptoms can appear suddenly, including:
- Confusion
- Drooping on one side of the face
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Severe headache
- Slurred speech
- Trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Weakness or numbness, especially on one side of the body
If you have one or more of these stroke symptoms, call 911 right away. Getting treatment within the first few hours after seeing signs of a stroke can reduce your risk of long-term side effects and disability.
Your recovery begins the moment you enter our emergency room. We’ll deliver the care you need to help reduce your risk of long-term complications. As one of Tampa’s only Comprehensive Stroke Centers, we’re well-equipped to respond to signs of a stroke with speed, efficiency, and a high level of care.
- Vein Care
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At the heart of your whole health is your body’s complex network of arteries and veins that comprise your vascular system.
At AdventHealth Tampa, we’re dedicated to helping you regain health and confidence through personalized vein care treatments.
Our highly skilled team of vascular experts offers comprehensive vein care, from leading-edge treatments for vascular disease to minimally invasive procedures for spider or varicose veins to help you embrace confidence.
- Women’s Heart Health
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Women have unique heart health needs as cardiovascular disease often appears differently in women than in men. The signs and symptoms of heart attacks in women aren’t always the same as those in men. Research shows that understanding how to recognize and treat cardiac conditions in female patients results in better outcomes.
At AdventHealth Tampa, we take a whole-person approach with these unique factors in mind to treat women’s cardiac health while caring for the body, mind and spirit.
Cardiac Services We Offer
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Calcium Scoring
This is a non-invasive test using an X-ray called computed tomography (CT) to detect calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. A score of zero indicates a low risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), while a higher score is associated with a greater risk for CAD.
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Cardiac MRI
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a painless test that uses radio waves, magnets and a computer to create detailed pictures of your heart.
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Cardiac Rehab
Our cardiac rehabilitation program includes extensive education, monitored exercise and fitness maintenance designed to help you maximize strength and regain independence.
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Cardiovascular Surgery
Common heart surgeries include valve repair or replacement, bypass and atrial fibrillation treatment. Many procedures are minimally invasive laparoscopies, depending on the specific operation and severity of the condition being treated.
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Cardiovascular Ultrasound
This is a procedure that uses sound waves to examine the blood flow through the heart and arteries in the neck, arms or legs.
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Cholesterol Care
Our Lipid Wellness and Prevention program can help you manage your cholesterol. Our expert team is committed to your whole health, working to keep your heart beating strong for years to come.
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Diagnostic Cath Lab
A thin, hollow tube called a catheter is inserted into the heart to determine how well the heart is functioning.
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Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
An ECG, also called an EKG, is a quick, painless test using sensors attached to your chest to measure your heart's electrical activity. It can show how fast or slow the heart is beating and detect irregular heartbeats, known as arrhythmias.
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Electrophysiology (EP)
Our electrophysiologists use physical evaluations and catheter-based procedures to pinpoint the location and cause of your heart rhythm disorder, uncovering vital information to determine how to treat your irregular heartbeat.
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Interventional Cardiology
Interventional cardiology is a branch of heart care that uses catheter-based procedures to treat heart disease.
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Loop Recorder Implants
A heart-monitoring device implanted in the chest continuously records the heart's rhythm for up to three years.
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Pacemaker Implants
A pacemaker is a medical device that stimulates the heart muscle and regulates its contractions. It is inserted into the heart surgically.
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Pulmonary Rehab
We take a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates time-tested techniques and whole-person care. We’ll provide the exercise therapy, education and support to help you reach your goals.
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Stress Tests
In a standard stress test, a technician will attach electrical conductors to your body, which are then connected to a nearby monitor. These electrodes record your heart activity while you exercise on a treadmill or stationary bike.
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Structural Heart Surgery
Access the most recent medical advancements, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and the WATCHMANTM procedure. We’ll ensure you benefit from the most recent advances in cardiology — including effective new therapies and leading-edge technologies.
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Thoracic Surgery
Thoracic surgery is surgery conducted in any part of the thoracic cavity, including your heart, lungs and esophagus. Depending on your diagnosis, your treatment plan may include an open surgical procedure or a minimally invasive solution.
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Vascular Surgery
This refers to a variety of procedures to address problems with the body’s arteries and veins. Vascular surgery may address carotid stenosis, varicose veins, abdominal aortic aneurysm or peripheral artery disease.
Heart and Vascular Conditions We Treat
- Aortic Aneurysm
- Atrial Fibrillation (AFib)
- Blood Clots
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Carotid Artery Disease
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Heart Failure
- Ischemic Heart Disease
- Peripheral Artery Disease
- Peripheral Vascular Disease
- Renal Vascular Disease
- Stroke
- Varicose and Spider Veins
- Vascular Disease
Access Advanced Technology for Your Heart
For people who have severe aortic stenosis (a narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve) and may not be candidates for open-heart surgery, groundbreaking procedures like TAVR offer a safer alternative.
AdventHealth surgeons and invasive cardiologists were some of the first in Florida to perform this less-invasive option, which is done through a small incision in the leg.
With advanced procedures like TAVR, we’re elevating our heart care and improving clinical outcomes that mean fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries for our patients.
The WATCHMAN FLX is a small device that’s implanted inside the left atrial appendage (small pouch in the top left heart chamber), closing off a part of the heart where blood clots most commonly form.
Implanting the FLX is a minimally invasive, one-time procedure that helps prevent blood clots, lowering your risk for stroke. The procedure is completed within an hour and patients commonly stay in the hospital overnight and leave the next day.
If you’re experiencing an irregular heartbeat and can’t tolerate blood thinners, the FLX could help. To see if this device could be right for you, click below to learn more or call our team today.
Call Our Team at 813-55-HEART (43278)
About the size of a vitamin capsule, Micra is the world’s smallest pacemaker, designed for patients with a slow heart rate. Unlike most pacemakers, Micra is leadless and implanted directly into the heart — all in one minimally invasive procedure with no chest incision needed.
Because Micra is self-contained within the heart, it eliminates possible medical complications arising from a chest incision and from the wires with conventional pacemakers. By using Micra, we’re able to help our patients get back to their regular activities without restrictions.
Inserting the MitraClip device is a minimally invasive procedure for treating mitral valve regurgitation. During the procedure, the MitraClip device is implanted in your heart, connecting the areas of your mitral valve, significantly reducing the backflow of blood and decreasing your risk of heart failure. Your surgeon positions and repositions the device in real time to ensure you get the proper fit in just one procedure.
This breakthrough treatment option can improve your quality of life and lead you to whole-person recovery.
A Story From the Heart
As an artist, Gene relies on this heart to create wonderful works of art. After a mild heart attack, he learned his heart was blocked in five places. He was taken to The Pepin Heart Institute, where our team performed lifesaving quintuple bypass surgery. Watch his full story to see how we helped him get back to the life he loves.
Award-Winning Care You Can Trust
Our heart and vascular teams at AdventHealth Tampa uphold the highest standards of safety and quality for every patient, every time they need us. While we’ve been recognized with these distinctions, our greatest achievement will always be caring for you.
Blue Distinction® Center for Cardiac Care
Florida Blue recognizes us as a Blue Distinction® Center for Cardiac Care as part of the Blue Distinction® Specialty Care program.
HeartCARE™ Center
This National Distinction of Excellence program recognizes hospitals that demonstrate dedication to a comprehensive, high-quality culture.
Chest Pain Performance Achievement
This award recognizes our high quality and level of competency in applying the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) clinical guidelines.
TAVR Certification
This certification highlights hospitals delivering high-quality TAVR and TEER procedures with formalized training and shared decision-making.
Cardiac Cath Lab Accreditation
Our accreditation recognizes our approach to cath lab services and helps us implement all essential pre-, peri- and post-procedures.
Chest Pain Center Accreditation
This designation proves our competency in treating heart attacks with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) available 24/7.
Electrophysiology
Accreditation
Our electrophysiology accreditation merges the latest science and process improvements with guidelines and expert consensus statements.
Heart Failure Accreditation
This accreditation demonstrates our commitment to our patients and clinicians as we employ best practices in heart failure care.
IAC Accredited Facility for Vascular Testing
This accreditation recognizes our commitment to providing quality testing for the diagnosis of vascular disease in our Vascular Lab at AdventHealth Medical Group Vascular Surgery at Tampa.
Your Heart, in Good Hands
Our cardiology experts — board-certified cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, heart rhythm specialists, interventional cardiologists and other professionals — are ready to take great care of you. Explore our network of providers who'll keep your whole health in mind as they care for your heart.
Evaluating Your Heart Disease Risk
This confidential assessment can help give you a better idea of your heart disease risk if you’re over age 20 and don’t have heart disease or diabetes currently. While it can’t replace an evaluation by a medical professional, it’s a good starting point to better understand your heart health and get the best possible care.
Expert, Wholehearted Care for Your Whole Life
Breaking down barriers to better heart health. That’s what multidisciplinary care means to us. Our Care Coordinators can connect you to the local nutrition, exercise and surgical experts who can help you feel better and feel whole as you continue your journey to wellness. From helping with medication management to supporting your rehabilitation progress, our approach to care is simple: We’re here to help you get from where you are now to where you want to be.