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Tag: University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center

  • New Study Confirms HeartFlow FFRCT Leads to Improved Patient Outcomes

    New Study Confirms HeartFlow FFRCT Leads to Improved Patient Outcomes

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    Newswise — CLEVELAND – A diagnostic test, first offered in the United States at University Hospitals (UH) Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, has now shown through a clinical study to significantly decrease cardiovascular mortality, reduce additional non-invasive heart testing, and increase cath lab efficiency. These results show a promising, new approach that benefits not only patients’ health, but their pocketbooks.

    Developed by HeartFlow Inc., FFRCT (Fractional Flow Reserve – Computed Tomography) is the first and only non-invasive integrated heart care solution that creates a 3D model of the coronary arteries used to help physicians detect blockages, as well as identify their extent and impact on heart function. It aims to be a new standard of care for the diagnosis and management of coronary artery disease (CAD) – the number one killer worldwide. CAD affects an estimated 16.8 million American adults and is one of the most expensive medical conditions to the U.S. health care system.

    UH Harrington & Heart Vascular Institute’s Daniel Simon, MD, and Hiram Bezerra, MD, PhD were the first to use the FFRCT test in the U.S. on Jan. 16, 2015.

    “This is another example of UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute’s commitment to research and defining the future of medicine,” said Mehdi Shishehbor, DO, MPH, PhD, President of UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, and Angela and James Hambrick Chair in Innovation. “Every day, our teams work to find new treatments and approaches to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Eight years later, our early adoption of HeartFlow’s FFRCT technology has proven incredibly beneficial to our patients.”

    Now, promising results from a real world, multi-center, retrospective clinical study have been  released. The National Health Service England conducted the two-year FISH&CHIPS study and presented its findings at the 2023 European Society of Cardiology Congress meeting in Amsterdam.

    The study, involving more than 90,000 patients, was designed to assess at a national level the incremental impact of adding FFRCT to a CCTA-first (Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography) diagnostic pathway to evaluate and manage CAD.

    FISH&CHIPS key outcomes associated with availability of FFRCT include:

    • A significant 14% relative reduction in cardiovascular mortality and a significant 8% relative reduction in all-cause mortality.
    • An increase in cath lab efficiency, driven by a 5% relative reduction in invasive cardiac angiography (ICA) and an 8% relative increase in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).
    • A 14% relative reduction in additional non-invasive heart testing following CCTA.
    • High prognostic value for FFRCT whereby patients with severely abnormal FFRCT values (≤0.50) had a 2x risk of all-cause death and a 3x risk of non-fatal MI compared to patients with normal FFRCT values.

    After performing the first American FFRCT case in 2015, Dr. Simon, then president of UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, said he believed FFRCT had the potential to completely change the way CAD was managed globally.

    “FFRCT is indeed a game changer,” said Dr. Simon, now President of Academic & External Affairs and Chief Scientific Officer, and Ernie and Patti Novak Distinguished Chair in Health Care Leadership at University Hospitals, as well as Professor of Medicine and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “This technology has changed our approach to the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. We have embraced FFRCT as the first line, preferred test because it saves lives, reduces unnecessary invasive procedures, and increases cardiac cath lab efficiency.”

    Non-invasive tests are widely used to diagnose CAD, but studies have shown a need to improve their accuracy. Most other diagnostic tests provide information regarding a patient’s overall risk of CAD, but they cannot help the clinician determine the extent to which a specific blockage is impeding blood flow to the heart. This missing piece leads to more testing and potentially more cost to the patient. HeartFlow’s FFRCT technology is designed to address this unmet need.

    “The nationwide CCTA-first approach for evaluating patients with possible cardiovascular disease has become the model of both clinical efficacy and efficiency, which is why clinical guidelines across the globe have adopted it,” said Campbell Rogers, Chief Medical Officer, HeartFlow. “FISH&CHIPS demonstrates that the decision to incorporate the HeartFlow FFRCT Analysis into patient care extended the lives of many patients and ensured efficient and effective use of noninvasive and invasive testing and treatment.”

    The recent Prospective Randomized Trial of the Optimal Evaluation of Cardiac Symptoms and Revascularization (PRECISE) trial, which compared a non-invasive precision pathway to traditional testing, proved the CCTA+FFRCT pathway to be a more effective approach in guiding and informing treatment. FISH&CHIPS confirms and extends these results at a population level, delivering marked improvements in the hard clinical endpoints of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, extending patients’ lives without adversely impacting other clinical events.

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    About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 21 hospitals (including five joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Oxford University, the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and National Taiwan University College of Medicine. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Ohio’s only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.

     

     

     

     

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  • New ‘gold standard’ surgical textbook co-written by hospital system CEO

    New ‘gold standard’ surgical textbook co-written by hospital system CEO

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    Newswise — CLEVELAND — Only 5 percent of hospitals in the United States are run by CEOs with a medical degree, according to the Journal of Hospital Administration. Many of those physician CEOs head some of the leading academic medical centers in the nation, including Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, who is CEO of University Hospitals in Northeast Ohio, a system comprising 21 hospitals, more than 50 health centers and over 200 physician offices.

    If running a major health system were not enough, Dr. Megerian, who is also the Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair, still sees patients, teaches, and writes medical texts books including a newly published second edition of a major surgical textbook co-written with colleagues Nicholas C. Bambakidis. MD, Chair of Neurological Surgery, Vice President and Director of the Neurological Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, and the Harvey Huntington Brown, Jr. Chair in Neurosurgery; and Robert F. Spetzler, MD, FACS, Emeritus President and CEO, Emeritus Chair, Department of Neurosurgery of the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.

    The book, Surgery of the Cerebellopontine Angle, Second Edition, published by Springer Cham, is a boon resource for expert specialists in neurosurgery, neurotology, neuroradiology, otolaryngology/head and neck surgery, and endovascular surgery.

    Now fully revised and expanded in this edition, this book remains the gold standard guide to the surgical treatment of diseases in the cerebellopontine angle (CPA), the fragile area of the skull base. 

    Tumors can arise in the CPA, and four out of five of these tumors are vestibular schwannomas (commonly known as acoustic neuromas). The new edition combines current information on the relevant clinical diseases of the CPA with dramatically improved surgical management of its diseases, arranged in five thematic sections.  The book provides detailed descriptions of surgical management techniques for acoustic neuromas and other lesions in the CPA.  It also provides 21 distinct clinical cases with associated video segments, demonstrating the approaches and techniques in real time.

    “When I assumed the role of CEO of University Hospitals, I not only vowed to ensure we would uphold our mission — To Heal. To Teach. To Discover — but that I as an individual contributor in this health system, would continue to heal patients, to teach the next generation of medical professionals, and further research and medical innovation,” explained Dr. Megerian. “With the first edition in 2009, our collective goal was to convene the world’s experts on this topic and create a resource of best practices as it relates to surgery of the cerebellopontine angle. Given that this surgery is often done by teams, we emphasized selection of author groups that represent the top teams in the nation and the world. While this new 2023 second edition has updates that capture the evolution of the surgical science, it also includes video chapters comprising intraoperative step-by-step surgical sequencing by masters in the field in order to guide learners and younger teams in their development.  The three of us who co-wrote this book have been blessed with careers at iconic institutions and have enjoyed partnerships with top teams. As a result, we strongly believe it is our societal duty to share our collective experience with the next generation.”  

    Dr. Bambakidis said, “This book has become the go-to resource for surgeons tackling tough problems in the most difficult regions to reach in the brain.  It’s one of the reasons that our team of skull base surgery experts is recognized worldwide and why we host not one but two courses teaching these techniques to surgeons from around the world right here at UH.”

    Dr. Spetzler added, “My whole professional life has revolved around patient care, research and education, all of which has been possible by standing on the shoulders of our predecessors who have generously shared their knowledge with us. This volume is our contribution to further excellence in surgical care in the continuum to improve the care of our patients.”

     

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    About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 21 hospitals (including five joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Oxford University and the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Ohio’s only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.

     

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  • Can (Holiday) Stress Cause a Heart Attack?

    Can (Holiday) Stress Cause a Heart Attack?

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    Newswise — The joy, excitement and rush – physically and emotionally – of the holidays are here. Along with gifts, magic and memories comes the stress: shopping, over-spending, cooking, events, expectations and family dynamics. It should be no surprise that, left unchecked, the stress and anxiety of creating the picture-perfect holiday can be detrimental to physical and mental health. And that includes heart health.

    “When we try to be everything to everyone we lose sight of our personal health,” says University Hospitals cardiologist Myttle Mayuga, MD. “We don’t eat right. We don’t get enough exercise, rest and downtime. And we get stressed easily. All of these factors increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack.”

    Heart Disease Risks

    Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women. Most people know the common risk factors for heart disease, which include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking. But fewer people are aware of the significant risks that stress, depression and anxiety can pose to heart health.

    Ongoing or sudden extreme life circumstances, such as divorce, ongoing family conflict, personal disaster or the death of a loved one, have been linked to heart attacks and heart failure. And persistent stress can diminish or prevent healing. But how does stress actually cause heart problems?

    Connecting Stress with Heart Disease

    When under stress, the body releases cortisol and other stress hormones. Cortisol signals the nervous system to increase heart rate and blood pressure for the body’s “fight or flight” response. In the short-term cortisol is good, powering you when you need it most. But in the long-term, ongoing stress can contribute to high blood pressure and can cause stress in other parts of the body as well.

    In addition to increasing the risk of heart attack and blood clots, high blood pressure may also increase the risk for heart failure. Narrowed and hardened vessels require the heart to work harder to pump blood to the body. To meet the demand, the heart gets larger and pumps faster. With the heart working harder than it should and beyond its capabilities, in time, a person could experience fatigue, shortness of breath and an inability to accomplish daily activities – all symptoms of heart failure.

    How to Relieve Stress & Protect Heart Health

    Despite the stress of the holidays, it’s crucial to make your health a priority throughout the season. Lifestyle choices that benefit your physical and mental health will also support your heart health.

    • First, support your physical health. Along with the occasional indulgences of holiday treats, try to maintain a healthy diet of nutritious whole foods. Stay hydrated by choosing water or low-calorie, non-caffeinated beverages which can help curb overeating and high-calorie cravings. Drink alcohol responsibly and sparingly. If you smoke, find help to quit. And stay active through focused exercise, daily activities and high-energy opportunities such as dancing or winter sports. Get plenty of rest and good quality sleep.
    • Second, do your best to reduce stress. Focus on things that add joy and meaning during the holidays. Make your holiday season to-do list, then consider each item and choose what’s most important. Let go of unachievable expectations and extras that simply add stress. Calm yourself with physical relaxation exercises, breathing and meditation. Strengthen your spirit and soul through volunteer services or events, small acts of gratitude and kindness, and charitable giving to boost personal meaning and connection.
    • Finally, to reduce heart risk, it’s critical to know your numbers – your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels – and follow your doctor’s advice. An ounce of prevention is more valuable than a pound of cure. If you find that holiday stress is taking over, talk with a health care provider. Get the help and advice you need to improve diet and exercise, reduce alcohol intake, quit smoking and reduce stress.

    The experts at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute have the advanced training and experience to diagnose and treat all types of cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension. Their expertise ranges from the management of chronic diseases to the most complex open heart surgical procedures – and everything in between.

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