Category: Cardiology & Heart

Specialty: Heart & Vascular

Cardiovascular Disease — Not Cardiac Drugs — Tied to Risk of Death from COVID-19

Close up of statin tablet or generic pill with out of focus tablets in backgroundWhat accounts for the increased risk of death from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) seen among patients with cardiovascular disease? Does the disease itself put patients at risk or could certain treatments for cardiovascular conditions make patients more vulnerable to COVID-19?

A new study led by Brigham Health investigators and published in the New England Journal of Medicine provides new insights into the intersection of cardiovascular disease, cardiac medications and the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data for nearly 9,000 patients from across Asia, Europe and North America, the research team examined outcomes for patients with and without cardiovascular disease hospitalized with COVID-19. Read More

The Cardiac Amyloidosis Program at Brigham and Women’s

The Cardiac Amyloidosis Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital was the first of its kind in the United States. Established 10 years ago by Rodney H. Falk, MD, a widely recognized expert in cardiac amyloidosis, the collaborative program has expanded to diagnose and treat every form of amyloidosis, involving experts from cardiology, cardiac pathology, gastroenterology, hematology, nephrology, oncology and neurology.
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Innovations in Transcatheter Mitral Valve Therapies

surgeons in operating room

In the last decade, there has been rapid progress in the treatment of aortic valve disease with catheter-based therapies. For adults with aortic stenosis, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become commonplace, with Brigham and Women’s Hospital offering the highest-volume TAVR program in New England.

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Treatment of Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) with Noninvasive Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)

Members of the Brigham’s Cardiac SBRT teamVentricular tachycardia (VT) in patients with structural heart disease can be life-threatening and often requires a multi-pronged treatment strategy. While implanted defibrillators can detect arrhythmias, shocks can be painful and sometimes harmful.

Medications can help manage or eliminate VT, but they can have limited efficacy and toxicities. And while radiofrequency catheter ablation can destroy abnormal heart tissues, success rates range from 49 to 75 percent.
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A Case Study: High-Risk Percutaneous Bypass Saves Patient’s Life

coronary arteries before and after intervention
Left side: Severe narrowing of left coronary arteries in 54-year-old woman. Right side: Open coronary arteries following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

When a 54-year-old woman arrived at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, cardiovascular experts at the Heart & Vascular Center (HVC) discovered that her left main and right coronary arteries were 99 percent blocked.

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Managing the Cardiovascular Complications of Cancer Therapies

Doctors looking at computer screen

Advances in cancer therapies have allowed clinicians to better manage cancer and extend the lives of patients, but many therapies can produce serious cardiovascular side effects, from arrhythmias and hypertension, to cardiomyopathy and even heart failure.

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Brigham and Women’s Cardiologists Present Advancements at AHA Scientific Sessions 2019

This November, leading experts in cardiology from Brigham and Women’s Hospital presented new findings and cutting-edge research at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2019 in Philadelphia.

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The First in New England to Assess the NuPulseCV iVAS System

The NuPulseCV Intravascular Ventricular Assist system (iVAS) is a novel, minimally invasive mechanical circulatory support device that provides long-term support for patients with advanced heart failure who are not benefiting from medications or cardiac resynchronization therapy.
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WATCH-DM Risk Score Predicts Heart Failure Risk in Diabetes Patients

Senior woman with glucometer checking blood sugar level at home. Diabetes, health care conceptIn September 2019, results from the DAPA-HF trial revealed that SGLT2 inhibitors may be helpful for patients with heart failure. These therapies may also be used to prevent heart failure in patients with diabetes*. However, a way of accurately identifying which diabetes patients are most at risk for heart failure has been elusive.
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Transforming Cardiovascular Medicine Across Brigham Health

On August 1, 2019, John F. Keaney, Jr., MD, assumed the role of chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine in the Department of Medicine and executive director of the Heart and Vascular Center (HVC) at Brigham Health.
Keaney info box, cardiovascular medicine Read More