John T. Milliken Department of Internal Medicine Cardiovascular Division | Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Scientist in the Spotlight: Lindsay Underhill’s career path in global health

The Washington University in St. Louis community encompasses many talented researchers of diverse academic interests and disciplines. As a member of the Global Health Student Advisory Committee, I recently spoke with Lindsay Underhill, PhD, MPH, a global environmental health researcher and instructor of medicine. Her research focuses on the implementation and effectiveness of built environment, behavioral, and health systems interventions aiming to reduce environmental exposures and chronic disease in the U.S. and global south.

Science of St. Louis Blues with Dr. Mustafa Husaini

The St. Louis Blues NHL team and Washington University Physicians have collaborated with Barnes-Jewish Hospital to create a series of videos on the Science of Blues Hockey. Hosted by Karlie Kloss, the latest video features Dr. Mustafa Husaini, Cardiovascular Division faculty member and director of our sports cardiology program.

Statement on Aortic Aneurysm Reflecting on the Death of Grant Wahl

The Marfan Foundation is saddened to learn that journalist Grant Wahl has died due to complications of an ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm. Diagnosed, this condition can be treated if people and their health professionals know the risk and manageable complications.

Redefining Advanced Heart Failure

Today, patients with congestive heart failure have more treatment options than ever before, and traditional advanced therapies have greatly improved over the last decade. Nationally ranked in Cardiology and Heart Surgery by U.S. News & World Report, our advanced heart failure cardiologists at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart and Vascular Center work with patients’ current cardiologists and primary care physicians to provide them with the best possible outcomes.

Cardiovascular Division Faculty Present at AHA Conference; Dr. Prabhu Honored

Many Washington University School of Medicine Faculty were present and presenting at the 2022 American Heart Association Annual Scientific Sessions, held in Chicago. Cardiovascular Division Chief Sumanth Prabhu, MD was honored as the George E. Brown Memorial Lecturer.

A HISTORY OF HEART FAILURE—AND RECOVERY

Just a few hundred years ago, the heart and its function were a bit of a mystery. And when the heart malfunctioned, treatment options were few and often ineffective. Today’s cardiologists offer their patients treatments that can lead to recovery. To date, an Egyptian man named Nebiri, also known as Chief of Stables, is the oldest-known case of heart failure. Thanks to a German pathologist’s examination of 3,500-year-old mummified remains, it’s believed Nebiri died of pulmonary edema caused by heart failure.

Dr. Mustafa Husaini Elected to ACC Cardiovascular Management Leadership Council

Dr. Husaini Mustafa of the cardiovascular division was elected this week to the American College of Cardiology’s Cardiovascular Management Leadership Council. With this 3-year appointment, the ACC recognizes Dr. Mustafa’s outstanding contributions to cardiovascular medicine and his leadership in advancing the ACC’s goals of innovation and knowledge to optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes.

Washington University School of Medicine Among Sites of new HFpEF Study

The National Institute of Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, recently awarded Wake Forest University School of Medicine a five-year grant expected to total $30 million to support research to test a novel rehabilitation program designed for older patients hospitalized for acute heart failure. Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes-Jewish Hospital will serve as one of the 20 sites for this important study. HFpEF is the most common form of heart failure in older persons. Unfortunately, these frail patients have poor outcomes, and there are few proven treatments available. The Phase III REHAB-HFpEF trial will examine whether a novel physical rehabilitation intervention will reduce rehospitalizations and mortality in patients hospitalized for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Ejection fraction refers to the contraction ability of the heart.

Cardiovascular Division Faculty Among Recipients of McDonnell Academy Seed Grants

Drs. Victor Davila-Roman and Mark Huffman were announced among the recipients of The McDonnel Academy Seed Grants. Their abstract ENHANCING INTERGENERATIONAL HEALTH IN NIGERIA: PERIPARTUM AS CRITICAL LIFE STAGE FOR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH (ENHANCE-CVH), was funded as part of the Public Health category.

Dr. Zainab Mahmoud Co-Authors Paper on Disparities in Cardiovascular Health in Black Women

Cardiovascular Division Instructor in Medicine Zainab Mahmoud, MD, MSc, co-authored a paper entitled “Eliminating Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease for Black Women”, published in the latest edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Dr. Mark Huffman Will Serve as Faculty Lead for Trust and Public Health Transdisciplinary Team

The Washington University Incubator for Transdisciplinary Futures announced Mark Huffman, MD, MPH as a faculty lead of the Trust and Public Health cluster this week. According to the ITF website, the mission of the organization “is to nurture innovative academic configurations that may endure—and even become research and educational models to follow—thus transforming not only Arts & Sciences but also Washington University.”. The Trust and Public Health Cluster will create new research and learning that focuses on understanding the various sources of trust, mistrust, and distrust that affect public health, healthcare, and health policy.

Dr. Linda Peterson Inducted as President of Society for Heart and Vascular Metabolism

Cardiovascular Division faculty member Linda Peterson, MD, was inducted as president of the Society for Heart and Vascular Metabolism last month at their 19th annual Scientific Sessions, hosted in Seoul, South Korea. The Society was founded in 2000, with the intent of providing a forum for the free exchange of ideas by a group of investigators with a special interest in the multiple roles of intermediary metabolism in the cardiovascular system. An important aim of the Society is to foster interactions between young investigators and senior scientists in an informal setting.

ACC, AHA Issue Aortic Disease Guideline, Recommend Genetic Screening

The American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Heart Association (AHH) on Wednesday published updated guidelines on the diagnosis and management of aortic disease, focusing on surgical intervention considerations, consistent imaging practices, genetic and familial screenings, and the importance of a multidisciplinary aortic team. Dr. Alan Braverman of the Washington University School of Medicine’s cardiovascular division served on the writing committee for the updated guidelines.

Department of Medicine names diversity, equity leaders

Jesus Jimenez, MD, PhD, has been appointed as the Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Fellows and Postdoctoral trainees in the Department of Medicine. Dr. Jimenez grew up in southern California and completed his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology at the University of California, San Diego. He joined the Medical Scientist Training Program and received his MD and PhD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY

Tenth Annual Cardiovascular Research Day October 13, 2022

The cardiovascular division is hosting the tenth annual Cardiovascular Research Day this Thursday, October 13th! Join us for posters, presentations, and lectures celebrating basic, clinical and translational cardiovascular research at Washington University.

Valve Team Performs First Transseptal Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement

As part of the Apollo clinical trial, a team of Wash U physicians successfully completed a transseptal transcatheter mitral valve replacement at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Washington University is the only participating Missouri location for the trial. The surgical team included the Cardiovascular Division’s Dr. Alan Zajarias, Dr. Marc Sintek, Dr. Majesh Makan, and Dr. Sam Linder as well as the Department of Surgery’s Dr. Puja Kachroo. Dr. John Lasala, Dr. Nishath Quader, and Dr. Spencer Melby also participated in evaluation and treatment of the patient.

4th Annual Heart Team Summit Comes to St. Louis

Join faculty members in the Divisions of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Cardiology at Washington University School of Medicine as they unite with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana for the 4th Annual Heart Team Summit. Cardiovascular Division faculty that will be presenting at this event include Nishath Quader, MD; Alan Zajarias, MD; Anubha Argarwal, MD, MS; Alan Braverman, MD; John Lasala, MD, PhD; Thomas Maddox, MD, MS; Jonathan Moreno, MD, PhD; Marc Sintek, MD; and Justin M. Vader, MD.

Institute for Public Health to Hold Special Seminar: Algorithms of Oppression

Cardiovascular division faculty members Karen Joynt Maddox (co-Director, Center for Health Economics & Policy) and Gmerice Hammond (Associate Director, Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity) along with their colleagues at the Institute of Public Health will be hosting a seminar October 19th entitield Algorithms of Oppression, presented by Dr. Safiya U. Noble.

Dr. Kory Lavine Receives Leadership Achievement Award at ISHR North American Conference

Kory Lavine, MD, PhD, received the International Society for Heart Research- North American Section 2022 MCI Leadership Achievement Award, presented in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at the section’s annual meeting on September 6th. Nominated by Division Chief Sumanth Prabhu, MD, Dr. Lavine was selected by committee to receive this award based on his leadership, mentorship, and achievements in cardiovascular research. The Lavine Lab at Washington University School of Medicine focuses on developing therapeutics for cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infraction, heart failure, myocarditis, and heart transplant rejection.

Faculty receive $6.1M NIH grant for maternal health study

Three faculty from the Brown School and the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis have received a seven-year $6.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) aimed at improving the health of mothers and children in the St. Louis region. The project, titled “Enhancing Cardiovascular Health Equity in Mothers and Children Through Home Visiting,” will be led by Debra Haire-Joshu, PhD, the Joyce and Chauncy Buchheit Professor in Public Health; Victor G. Davila-Roman, MD, professor of medicine, anesthesiology and radiology; and Rachel Tabak, PhD, research associate professor at the Brown School.

Low testosterone may increase risk of COVID-19 hospitalization for men

Among men diagnosed with COVID-19, those with low testosterone levels are more likely to become seriously ill and end up in the hospital than men with normal levels of the hormone, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Saint Louis University School of Medicine. The team analyzed the cases of 723 men who tested positive for COVID-19, mostly in 2020 before vaccines were available. The data indicate that low testosterone is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 hospitalization, similar to diabetes, heart disease and chronic lung disease.

Dr. Stacey Rentschler and Colleagues Receive NIH Grant to Fund Study on Radiation Therapy for VT Patients

Stacey Rentschler, MD, PhD in collaboration with many other Washington University researchers within and outside the cardiovascular division recently received an NIH grant totaling over $3 million to further study a major breakthrough in a non-invasive treatment for ventricular tachycardia. The grant follows a 2021clinical study from Washington University School of Medicine brought together cardiologists, engineers, radiologists, and radiation oncologists to invent a novel and noninvasive radiation therapy to treat ventricular tachycardia.

Wide Complex Tachycardia Discrimination Tool Improves Physicians' Diagnostic Accuracy

A new study published in the Journal of Electrocardiology this month by Washington University Physician Adam May shows that an automated tool for WCT differentiation can improve the accuracy of the physician interpreting ECGs. In the study, it was shown that using an algorithm designed to differentiate between ventricular tachycardia (VT) and supraventricular wide complex tachycardia (SWCT) in ECGs called the VT Prediction Model improved both accuracy and confidence of diagnosis among physicians who used it over a four-day period.

New Clinical Trial for Evoque Valve Comes to Valvular Heart Disease Center

Dr. Alan Zajarias and the team at the Valvular Heart Disease Center have been invited to join the Edwards Triscend 2 pivotal trial, testing the safety and effectiveness of the Evoque valve device in patients with tricuspid regurgitation. The Evoque tricuspid valve replacement system is designed to use an implant to replace the native tricuspid valve without open-heart surgery. The trial includes patients with severe or greater tricuspid regurgitation (TR).

Save the Date for the 75th Anniversary of the Cardiovascular Division!

On November 11, 2022 the Washington University School of Medicine Cardiovascular Division will be celebrating our 75th Anniversary! You won’t want to miss this event, which will include guest speakers, panels with current and former faculty and fellows, and more.

New Drug, Positive Results for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

An estimated 1 million people in the U.S. have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—a heart condition also known as HCM—and many don’t know they have the condition until it’s too late. A genetic disease, HCM often goes undetected until someone in the family experiences symptoms, which can range from irregular heart rhythms and stroke to heart failure and death in people of any age. And HCM is the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in young people.

Leadership Announcement – DOM Vice Chair of Clinical Research

It is my pleasure to announce that Dr. Nancy K. Sweitzer, Professor of Medicine, has joined Washington University School of Medicine as the Vice Chair of Clinical Research for the Department of Medicine and Director of Clinical Research for the Division of Cardiology. Dr. Sweitzer joins us from the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she had been the Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine, Director of the Sarver Heart Center and Co-Director of the Clinical Translational Sciences Graduate Program for the University of Arizona Health Sciences.

Cardiovascular inflammation, heart failure focus of $6 million grant

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a $6 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to harness new understandings of the immune system to develop innovative therapies for heart failure and the prevention of organ rejection following heart transplantation.

Diabetes, metabolic syndrome in mice treated with novel class of compounds

A study in mice — led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis — shows that a new class of compounds the scientists developed can improve multiple aspects of metabolic syndrome. An increasingly common group of conditions that often occur together, metabolic syndrome includes type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, fat buildup in the liver, and excess body fat, especially around the waist. This syndrome often leads to cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide.

Popular heart failure drug no better than older drug in sickest patients

A new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that a widely used heart failure drug named sacubitril/valsartan is no better than valsartan alone in patients with severe heart failure. The study also provides evidence that the treatment with valsartan may be slightly safer for patients with advanced heart failure.

Institute for Public Health names new director of its Global Health Center

The Institute for Public Health announces the appointment of Victor G. Dávila-Román, MD, as director of its Global Health Center. He was also named vice chair of global health in the Department of Medicine at the School of Medicine. Dávila-Román is professor of medicine in the cardiovascular division of the Department of Medicine, and a professor of anesthesiology and radiology at the School of Medicine.

Radiation therapy reprograms heart muscle cells to younger state

New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that radiation therapy can reprogram heart muscle cells to what appears to be a younger state, fixing electrical problems that cause a life-threatening arrhythmia without the need for a long-used, invasive procedure.

Research to explore how genes, other factors affect cardiometabolic disease risk

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received a four-year, $8.8 million grant to ramp up research aimed at unraveling how an individual’s risks of cardiometabolic diseases, such as heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, are influenced by the interaction of specific genes with demographic and lifestyle factors.

Prabhu named cardiovascular division director

Sumanth D. Prabhu, MD, an internationally recognized expert in how immunity and inflammation contribute to heart failure, has been named director of the Cardiovascular Division in the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He also will become cardiologist-in-chief at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the Tobias and Hortense Lewin Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases at the School of Medicine when his appointment begins Sept. 1.

Hammond receives Merck research fellowship

J. Gmerice Hammond, MD, a cardiologist and health policy research fellow in the Cardiovascular Division at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received a Merck Fellowship Research Award from the Association of Black Cardiologists and the American College of Cardiology. Hammond is one of three award recipients who will be honored in a virtual ceremony May 17 as part of the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology.

Scientists find genetic link to clogged arteries

High cholesterol is the most commonly understood cause of atherosclerosis, a hardening of the arteries that raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. But now, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a gene that likely plays a causal role in coronary artery disease independent of cholesterol levels. The gene also likely has roles in related cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure and diabetes.

COVID-19 can kill heart muscle cells, interfere with contraction

Since early in the pandemic, COVID-19 has been associated with heart problems, including reduced ability to pump blood and abnormal heart rhythms. But it’s been an open question whether these problems are caused by the virus infecting the heart, or an inflammatory response to viral infection elsewhere in the body. Such details have implications for understanding how best to treat coronavirus infections that affect the heart.

Immune therapies for heart disease aim of international research network

When a patient arrives in the emergency room with symptoms of a heart attack, doctors’ first priority is to restore blood flow to the heart muscle. Over the past few decades, therapeutic advances aimed at getting blood flowing and reducing strain on the heart have improved patients’ chances of surviving heart attacks to more than 90% from 50%.

Leadership Announcement – DOM Vice Chair for Health Equity

It is my pleasure to announce that Angela L. Brown, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine has been appointed as Vice Chair for Health Equity for the Department of Medicine. In this new role, Dr. Brown will lead our diversity, equity, inclusion and antiracism activities.

Maddox selected as American College of Cardiology trustee

Thomas M. Maddox, MD, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been selected to serve as a trustee of the American College of Cardiology, an international professional society for cardiovascular care providers. He will serve a three-year term on the board of trustees beginning in April.

$10 million in grants aimed at preventing organ rejection after transplantation

Transplant surgeons and researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received two grants totaling $10 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how immune cells contribute to organ rejection, with the aim of improving the viability of organs after transplant.

Immune cells play surprising role in heart, mouse study suggests

New research in mice suggests that certain immune cells may help guide fetal development of the heart and play a role in how the adult heart beats, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

High-protein diets boost artery-clogging plaque, mouse study shows

High-protein diets may help people lose weight and build muscle, but a new study in mice suggests they have a down side: They lead to more plaque in the arteries. Further, the new research shows that high-protein diets spur unstable plaque — the kind most prone to rupturing and causing blocked arteries. More plaque buildup in the arteries, particularly if it’s unstable, increases the risk of heart attack.

Heart pump devices associated with serious complications in some patients shortly after heart stent procedure

In critically ill patients who require a heart pump to support blood circulation as part of stent procedures, specific heart pumps have been associated with serious complications, according to a new study led by cardiologists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

New Clues Found to Help Protect Heart From Damage After Heart Attack

Scientists at the School of Medicine have found a way to spur heart immune cells called macrophages to promote healing after a heart attack or other cardiac injury. Such a strategy could help prevent the usual inflammation that follows a heart attack and is a common driver of heart failure.

Safety-net Hospitals Fare Better Under New Medicare Reimbursement Rules

Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, led a study showing that new Medicare reimbursement rules reduce financial penalties for safety-net hospitals. The change shifts some of the financial burden away from hospitals that care for the most vulnerable patients

Effects of High-fat, High-sugar Diet on Heart Passed Down Three Generations

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that cardiac mitochondria are abnormal in the offspring of mouse mothers that become obese due to a high-fat, high sugar diet. Those offspring then pass on the mitochondrial defects at least two more generations.

Is Intermittent Fasting the Cure for Diabetes?

Three men with Type 2 diabetes used “intermittent fasting” to reverse their dependence on insulin, according to a report published on [October 9th, 2018] — but you shouldn’t try it without medical supervision, experts say.

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