Stunning as it may sound, nearly half of Americans ages 20 years and up – or more than 122 million people – have high blood pressure, according to a 2023 report from the American Heart Association. And even if your numbers are normal right now, they are likely to increase as you age; more than […]
Congratulations to Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, Stacey L. Rentschler, MD, PhD, and Rajan Sah, MD, PhD!
Celebrating 75 Years of Distinction – Groundbreaking research in the use of thrombolytics for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Advancements in cardiac imaging, mechanical assist devices, and aortic and mitral valve repair. Development of the MAZE procedure to treat chronic atrial fibrillation. Internationally recognized research into cardio-genetics, heart failure, and other areas that have led to […]
Tricuspid Regurgitation – Setting Standards for Diagnosis, Repair & Replacement. The Valve Team at Washington University School of Medicine is among the first in theworld to use a transfemoral transcatheter device for the treatment of severe tricuspidregurgitation (TR).
New Cardiovascular Division Chief Named – Sumanth D. Prabhu, MD, an internationally recognized expert in how immunity and inflammation contribute to heart failure, has been named the new Chief of the Cardiovascular Division in the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. Upon joining our division on September 1, 2021,Dr. Prabhu also will […]
Discoveries & Growth in Center for Cardiovascular Research – A multi-year planned progression and expansion of cardiovascular research within the Cardiovascular Division is paying multiple dividends in terms of nationally recognized discoveries in a broad swathof research areas. “The Center for Cardiovascular Research has been at Washington Universityfor 25 years,” says CCR director Jeanne Nerbonne, […]
COVID Response Flexibility, Innovation & Best Practices Highlight Division Response – Even before the first confirmed COVID-19 case was identified in St Louis, teams of hospital and university personnel converged into emergency task forces to re-imagine how patient care would be delivered in the face of a rapidly spreading infectious disease. In the Cardiovascular Division, […]
Impacting Health Policy to Improve Outcomes – Cardiologists at Washington UniversitySchool of Medicine are at the forefront of advocating and advancing evidence-basedhealth care policy. “We’re a bit of an anomaly here and also nationally,” says cardiologist Karen Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH. “Most clinicians who focus on health policy and public health are generalists and not […]
A New Era Emerging in CCU Care – The Cardiovascular Division at Washington University School of Medicine has established a new Section of Critical Care Cardiology and is changing how it approaches the care of patients admitted to the coronary care unit. In addition, in collaboration with the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, […]
New Advanced Heart Failure Center Opens – This month, after more than five years of planning, the Washington University Heart Failure Center opens at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in west St. Louis County. The center is a collaborative effort between heart failurespecialists in the Cardiovascular Division and cardiologists in the BJC Medical Group, private cardiologists […]
Mitral Valve Repair & Replacement – At Washington University School of Medicine, interventional cardiologists are seeing a double-digit growth in the number of patientreferrals for evaluation and treatment of complex mitral valve regurgitation (MR).The growth comes as results of the latest participation in clinical trials evaluatingboth mitral valve repair and replacement devices are expected to […]
Taking Cancer Survival to Heart – With a new director hired and a dedicated training pathwayestablished, the Cardiovascular Division is gearing up to expand its cardiooncologyprogram in a big way. This year, the Division will jumpstart a robust clinical trials program and will increase both staff and locations for subspecialty cardiooncology clinics.
Honoring the Past, Creating the Future – Cardiovascular Division Celebrates 70 Years – The Cardiovascular Division is on an upward trajectory. Over the past five years, the Division has made growth of the clinical and research programs a top strategic priority. The result is theaddition of a number of talented clinical and research faculty, the […]
The Path To Accreditation – Adult Congenital Heart Disease – This February, Washington University’s Cardiovascular Division is anticipating a site visit from the Adult CongenitalHeart Association (ACHA) as the next step in becoming one of the organization’sfirst accredited ACHD Comprehensive Care Centers in the country.
Collaborative Trends — Cardio-Neuromuscular Clinic – In just over a year and a half, a uniqueCardio-Neuromuscular Clinic (CNC) at Washington University School of Medicine is improving the coordination of care for hundreds of patients diagnosed with genetic neuromuscular diseases.
Advances in the Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia – The section of electrophysiology has along tradition of innovation in treating atrial arrhythmias. Today electrophysiologistPhilip Cuculich, MD, and radiation oncologist Clifford Robinson, MD are continuingthis long tradition by developing a non-invasive method for treating ventriculartachycardia (VT), using stereotactic cardiac ablation radiotherapy (a.k.a. the GammaKnife). “The procedure is […]
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy – Expanding Expertise and Research – With multiple clinical trials evaluating the first promising medications that may slow or stop the progressionof hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), Washington University School of Medicine isreinvigorating its entire HCM program and drawing national attention.
Women and Heart Disease – Cardiologist Kathryn Lindley, MD, says there’s a need for a specialniche in the cardiovascular field that focuses on heart disease in pregnant women.“These are the trends we see now — a higher incidence of acquired heart disease amongolder moms, trends in diabetes and obesity that increase the risk for heart […]
The Advanced Heart Failure Program Expands – In five years, the number of left ventricularassist devices (LVADs) implanted at Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes-Jewish Hospital has more than doubled, from 52 in 2009 to 122 devices in 2013.
Cardiovascular Genetics – In the near future, it may be routine for patients to undergo genetic testing as part of their treatment for heart problems. The addition of genetic testinghas been discussed for years, but it’s only been recently that Washington Universitycardiologists have used genetic testing in wider clinical applications.
Physician Scientists – Not an Endangered Species at WU – In the past two years, Washington University’s Cardiovascular Division has lured eight physician scientists to join its faculty. The group is researching everything from the connection between diabetes and cardiovascular disease to the role immune cells play in helping cardiac tissue heal after injury. Complex […]
Cardiovascular Division Establishes Smith-Oliver Alumni Society – In recognition of the 65th anniversary of the Cardiovascular Division, a new alumni society has been established to foster a sense of family and community among fellows who have completed their clinical and/or research training programs in our Division.
Honoring the Past: Cardiovascular Division Celebrates 65 Years – The Cardiovascular Division at Washington University has been at the forefront of advances in cardiologysince it was founded in 1947. From the development of cardiac positron emissiontomography (cPET) to the participation with the Division of Cardiac Surgery in the inventionand assessment of the Cox-MAZE procedure and […]
Complex Valvular Heart Disease: A Team Approach Brings Surgeons and Cardiologists Together in Clinic & in Surgery – In the rapidly evolving era of trans-catheter aortic valve replacements, Washington University heart specialists are working side by side, collaborating both in surgery and in multidisciplinary patient clinics. “The surgical and medical disciplines are no longer completely […]
From Welcome to Farewell: New Queeny Lobby Supports Personalized Patient Care – The ample lobby in the Queeny Tower building has been transformed, befitting the space where patients and families are welcomed to the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart &Vascular Center. Ever since the lobby opened this summer, entering patients have been connecting immediately with […]
The Heart & Vascular Center: Multidisciplinary Approach Offers Improved Patient Care – Washington University cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and vascular surgeons have partnered with Barnes-Jewish Hospital to provide a new, fully integrated approach to heart and vascular patient care, education and research. The Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center is a collaborative effort to […]