Cardiovascular Institute and Center for Cardiovascular Health
|
Cardiology Fellowships: Urban Community Program Other Facilities and Programs Frieda and Milton F. Rosenthal Coronary Care Unit Coronary Care Unit The Coronary Care Unit (CCU) is a large, state-of-the-art 14-bed facility. Included in the unit is a treatment room equipped with fluoroscopy for the insertion of Swan-Ganz catheters and temporary pacemakers. The facility provides for patients on balloon pumps and other assist devices, multiple intravenous medications and arrhythmia monitoring. Admitted to the CCU are patients with a range of cardiac problems, including acute myocardial infarction, decompensated heart failure, unstable angina, arrhythmias, and those awaiting heart transplant. The CCU is staffed by a cardiology fellow (from the investigator track), three senior medical residents, three medical interns and an outstanding nursing staff. Two attending cardiologists make teaching rounds in the CCU with the medical staff. Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation Program The Heart Failure Program is an integrated program of clinical care and heart failure research. Patients referred to the Heart Failure Program receive a full cardiac evaluation and an optimization of their medical regimen. The heart failure evaluation customarily includes exercise testing with a metabolic cart as well as a hemodynamic assessment. Patients are often eligible to participate in one of the ongoing trials. Current research studies involve the use of beta-blockers in heart failure, investigational inotropic agents, endothelin and metalloproteinase inhibitors, novel peptides, calcium channel blockers, and hemodynamics studies. Patients who are enrolled in the Heart Failure Program are also evaluated for cardiac transplantation. The Cardiac Transplant Program is an active, integrated component of the Heart Failure Program and provides both clinical and research training in the management of heart transplant recipients. Ongoing research in this area includes the study of transplant hemodynamics, myocarditis trials, immunosuppressive therapy trials, non-invasive markers for rejection and the development of allograft arteriopathy. The Pulmonary Hypertension Program evaluates and treats patients with primary and secondary forms of pulmonary hypertension. Treatment modalities range from oral vasodilating agents to continuous ambulatory infusions of pulmonary vasodilators to inhaled nitric oxide. This group also has great interest in the genetic mechanisms and basic metabolic pathways in pulmonary hypertension. Joseph H. Hazen Cardiology Clinics The Joseph H. Hazen Cardiology Clinics are in session five days a week. The clinics provide approximately 4,300 visits each year. Ancillary staff includes a full-time nurse clinician, nurses, and medical assistants. Our heart disease prevention staff includes a social worker, nutritionist, counselor for smoking cessation and stress reduction and an exercise physiologist. A recently renovated physical plant provides patient reception, consultation and examination facilities. In addition, the clinics are equipped with numerous computers interfacing with the hospital and cardiology information system networks, allowing for enhanced access to test results and clinical data management. Specialized programs directed at the evaluation and management of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, congestive heart failure, and cardiac rhythm disturbances are in place. Hypertension Section The Hypertension section offers an integrated clinical and research
approach to the understanding of hypertensive disorders. Opportunities
exist for a comprehensive one-year training period in hypertension.
This program offers advanced training in the pathophysiology, diagnosis
and treatment of essential and secondary forms of hypertension. Experience
is enhanced by an active consultative practice for inpatients as well
for the emergency room, clinic, and faculty practice. |
