HEALTHCARE
State-of-the-Art Cardiac Care at New Jersey ’ s Top Hospitals
Compiled by Miles Z . Epstein Editor , COMMERCE
State-of-the-art cardiac care is making a difference for hundreds of thousands of patients each year — there are five million people in the United States suffering from chronic heart failure , with 550,000 new cases diagnosed each year . Here are the latest treatments that are saving lives and improving the quality of life for survivors and their families . In addition , through early intervention , many 911 calls and emergency room visits are being avoided altogether .
Atlantic Health System Linda D . Gillam , M . D ., MPH , MACC , Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair , Medical Director , Cardiovascular Service Line
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“ World-class cardiac centers such as our Cardiovascular Rescue and Recovery Program continue to evolve to successfully care for patients who , just a few years ago , could not be treated ,” says Linda D . Gillam , M . D ., MPH , MACC , Dorothy and Lloyd Huck Chair , Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Medical Director , Cardiovascular Service Line , Morristown Medical Center , Atlantic Health System .
The Cardiovascular Rescue and Recovery Program will provide advanced treatment for patients in need of complex percutaneous coronary intervention ( PCI ) due to severe , total or multiple difficult-to-treat blockages of their coronary arteries ( PCI is angioplasty with or without a stent .) The program will also expand the advanced support capabilities for patients who are gravely ill with acute cardiac problems , such as cardiogenic shock , in which the heart suddenly can ’ t pump enough blood to meet the body ’ s needs . The Cardiovascular Rescue and Recovery team will also address other serious cardiac conditions . Cardiogenic shock most commonly occurs after a heart attack , is frequently lethal , but with coordinated , 24 / 7 / 365 , multidisciplinary care , including mechanical support , PCI and surgical revascularization , Morristown provides improved outcomes for these complex conditions . The program ’ s philosophy is that every PCI , whether simple or complex , should be assessed and performed at the highest level of precision .
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center By Joseph Daoko , M . D ., Chief of Cardiology
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center offers Coronary Calcium Scoring testing . This non-invasive test uses a CT scan that shows the amount of coronary artery calcium ( plaque ) that resides in the coronary artery , which cannot be directly imaged non-invasively . It measures the amount of calcified plaque in your coronary arteries . The test measures your calcium score , which helps your doctor calculate your risk of developing coronary artery disease ( CAD ) -related events such as a heart attack . Every person with a moderate risk of heart disease can
By addressing medical conditions that affect the human heart , doctors and researchers are saving lives .
Photo : Getty Images / iStockphoto / Mohammed Haneefa Nizamudeen
benefit from a coronary calcium score , making this procedure another important weapon in the Medical Center ’ s robust health and wellness arsenal .
Englewood Health By Samuel Suede , M . D ., Chief of Cardiology
Cardiac care continues to become less invasive with the use of advanced technology . At Englewood Health , we are strengthening our capabilities for diagnosing and treating patients with valve disease , arrhythmias , coronary artery disease , heart failure , structural heart disease and vascular disease at both our main hospital campus and in our community-based settings . Englewood Health ’ s transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR ) program offers a catheter-based ( minimally invasive ) approach to treating patients with aortic stenosis , performed by an expert team of interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons . Our electrophysiologists also use a minimally invasive approach to implant the Watchman left appendage closure device to prevent strokes from atrial fibrillation . Our heart and vascular team participates in clinical trials , contributing to research and expanding treatment options for our patients . New advanced imaging allows for less-invasive diagnostics , such as coronary CT angiography with fractional flow reserve ( CTA-FFR ), which our doctors are now using to help determine whether plaque is restricting the amount of blood flow through a coronary artery . Our cardiologists are adopting this low risk , highly accurate tool to help determine if chest pain or shortness of breath is due to severe coronary artery disease requiring a more invasive cardiac angiography ( catheterization ) in some patients .
Holy Name Medical Center By Tariqshah Syed , M . D ., Chief of Cardiology
Holy Name Medical Center ’ s cardiology experts provide high-quality , patient-centered heart care aimed at preventing , diagnosing , treating and managing cardiovascular disease with state-of-the-art technology and techniques . Our expert team addresses cardiovascular issues that range from the common to the complex , including heart rhythm
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