Advanced Heart Failure
We are pleased to announce a new program which offers a procedure only available in Cincinnati at The Christ Hospital; The Mechanical Assist Device Program. This service now offers heart failure patients access to ventricular assist devices or VADs, which are emerging as the newest and most promising treatment for end stage heart failure.
Heart failure is a condition that develops when the heart’s muscle becomes weakened after it is injured from something like a heart attack or blood pressure, and loses its ability to pump enough blood to supply the body’s needs. It is a very common disease and affects nearly 5 million Americans, and an estimated 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.
Care of patients with advanced heart failure continues to evolve with newer therapeutic options including newer drugs and devices. The Ohio Heart & Vascular Center, in conjunction with The Christ Hospital, has a comprehensive congestive heart failure program directed by our physicians with extensive training in congestive heart failure and cardiac transplantation. They are supported by nurses and nurse practitioners at each of the offices for a team approach in the care of these patients. Presently, we offer M.D. follow-up, nurse practitioner follow-up, and heart failure education to help the patient understand their disease process. The patient education module includes diet, exercise, medication compliance and a heart failure support group. Patients have direct access to heart failure nurses and nurse practitioners to discuss their problems and concerns. This helps alleviate unnecessary emergency room visits and subsequent hospitalizations. The advanced heart failure program works closely with an electrophysiologist in our group to ensure that patients that qualify for ICDs (defibrillators) and Bi Ventricular pacers are referred appropriately. Call 1.866.379.7055 to learn more about our advanced heart failure program.
We also offer a clinic for uninsured heart failure patients that are at risk because of inability to pay for follow-up appointments or medications. For information on our heart failure clinic for uninsured patients, call 513.585.2472.
Eugene Chung, MD FACC
Greg Egnaczyk, MD, PhD
Santosh G. Menon, MD, FACC
Thomas M. O’Brien, MD, FACC
Click here for information on our LVAD Support Group