NEWS
Marshall University Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine
marshallhealth . org / pulmonary-hypertension-clinic or call 304- 691-6841 .
Image : Amro Al-Astal , MD , ( center ) and his team are the first in West Virginia to treat pulmonary hypertension using a subcutaneous treprostinil pump .
Study Reveals New Insights Into Salt Handling
A new study led by Marshall University researchers focuses on a novel mechanism of the body ’ s regulation of salt balance .
New Treatment Available for Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonologists at Marshall Health and Mountain Health Network are the first in West Virginia to treat patients with pulmonary hypertension using a subcutaneous treprostinil pump .
Much like an insulin pump , the treprostinil pump , under the brand name Remodulin ® , delivers medication continuously under the skin , helping control the patient ’ s symptoms and improve functional status and quality of life . Marshall Health Pulmonologist Amro Al-Astal , MD , inserted the first treprostinil pump in January at Cabell Huntington Hospital ( CHH ), a member of Mountain Health Network . The first cases have shown excellent results and significantly improved patients ’ symptoms , including shortness of breath , heart palpitations , and dizziness .
While there is no cure for pulmonary hypertension , patients now have access to advanced care close to home . In 2021 , Marshall Health established a pulmonary hypertension clinic dedicated to evaluating and diagnosing pulmonary hypertension , as well as providing the specific level of care this condition requires .
“ This disease places a significant burden on a patient ’ s quality of life ,” said Al-Astal , an associate professor of medicine at the Marshall University Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine . “ Pump technology has made significant advances in the last few years . This pump is the most advanced on the market with an excellent safety profile . Through the collaboration of our team of physicians , pharmacists , staff , and the ICU nurses and staff at CHH , patients who have pulmonary hypertension now have access to state-of-the-art treatment without having to travel far from home .”
Patients must have a referral from a physician to receive care at the pulmonary hypertension clinic . For more information , visit
The kidneys play a central role in the body ’ s ability to maintain an appropriate sodium balance , which is critical for the determination of blood pressure . Na / K-ATPase ( NKA ) is the enzymatic machinery that drives absorption of sodium along the renal proximal tubule . As such , it makes quite an unlikely candidate as a molecular counteractor of sodium absorption . In contrast , the Xie model for NKA receptor / signaling , named for the late Zijian Xie , PhD , predicts that NKA has evolved as the perfect molecular entity to sense intracellular sodium and coordinate the cellular response to temper absorption and maintain a steady delivery to the distal tubule .
Using gene targeting in cells and mice to test the respective contributions of NKA signaling and ion pumping to the overall regulation of renal sodium reabsorption . NKA signaling was found to be functionally dominant over NKA ion pumping in the control of renal sodium reabsorption , according to new research published earlier this month in the FASEB Journal , which ranks among the top biology journals in the world .
This research was funded by the American Heart Association ( 19PRE34450095 ) and the National Institutes of Health ( DK129937 ). To view the article , “ Na / K-ATPase signaling tonically inhibits sodium reabsorption in the renal proximal tubule ,” by Mukherji et al . in its entirety , please visit doi . org / 10.1096 / fj . 202200785RR .
Marshall Health , Cabell Huntington Hospital Now Offering Image-Free Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement and Computer-Guided Hip Replacement Through New CORI™ Surgical System
The orthopaedic team at Marshall Health and Cabell Huntington Hospital ( CHH ), a member of Mountain Health Network , now offers the latest Smith + Nephew CORI™ Surgical System for knee and hip replacement .
“ The CORI Surgical System is designed to offer broader capabilities and expand our range of robotic-assisted replacements for those seeking total knee and partial knee replacement as well
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