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Heart Valve Clinic at Heart Hospital of Austin Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
On Feb. 15, 2013, the Heart Valve Clinic at Heart Hospital of Austin commemorated its one-year anniversary by inviting its patients—who have been given a second chance at life through treatment provided at the clinic—to a celebration event. Over the past year,interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at the clinic have treated 55 patients with severe aortic stenosis who were previously considered “inoperable” and, in some cases, given only months to live.
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Heart Hospital of Austin to Offer Free Heart Screenings for Student Athletes
AUSTIN, Texas—On Saturday, Feb. 2, from 8 a.m. to noon, Heart Hospital of Austin will offer free heart screenings for students ages 14 through 18. The screening will include a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) and a limited two-dimensional echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, to detect hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).
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Heart Hospital of Austin Awards 11 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and Life-Saving Training to Local Organizations
AUSTIN, Texas—Heart Hospital of Austin has selected 11 community organizations to receive automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and life-saving training as part of its Community Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program. The program, which was launched in late August, is designed to provide AED devices and education to organizations that host large numbers of people.
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Heart Hospital of Austin Names New Chief Nursing Officer
AUSTIN, Texas—Heart Hospital of Austin has named Candice Fonke, R.N., M.B.A., as its new chief nursing officer. In this role, she is responsible for leading the nursing team at Heart Hospital of Austin, as well as overseeing compliance with regulatory agencies and customer satisfaction. Fonke assumed this position on Oct. 24, 2012.
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Heart Hospital of Austin, Austin Heart Cardiologist Serves as Featured Speaker at Annual Stem Cell Research Symposium
AUSTIN, Texas—On Oct. 19, 2012, Roger Gammon, M.D., interventional cardiologist at Heart Hospital of Austin and medical director of research at Austin Heart, served as a featured speaker for the 3rd annual Stem Cell Research Symposium: Spotlight on Texas held at the Texas Capitol. He was joined by world-renowned researchers.
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Heart Hospital of Austin First in Austin to Implant Accent MRI® Pacemaker and Tendril MRI® Lead System As Part of Clinical Trial
AUSTIN, Texas—In September, Heart Hospital of Austin became the first site in Austin to implant the new Accent MRI® Pacemaker and Tendril MRI® Lead system as part of a clinical trial. The study will ultimately determine if patients implanted with these devices can safely and effectively undergo full-body, high-resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans to better accommodate their medical needs.
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St. David’s Medical Center, Including Heart Hospital of Austin, Named Among Nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals
AUSTIN, Texas—On Oct. 1, 2012, St. David’s Medical Center, which includes Heart Hospital of Austin, was named among the nation’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals by Truven Health Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters).
St. David’s Medical Center, including Heart Hospital of Austin, is the only Texas hospital to be recognized with the designation this year. Prior to being consolidated under St. David’s Medical Center, Heart Hospital of Austin was recognized with this honor six times.
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Heart Hospital of Austin Launches Community Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program
AUSTIN, Texas—On Aug. 29, 2012, Heart Hospital of Austin announced its Community Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program designed to distribute AED devices and provide life-saving education to organizations that host large numbers of people. Eleven organizations in the Greater Austin area will be selected to receive AEDs through an application process.
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Heart Hospital of Austin Offers Free Heart Screenings for Student Athletes
AUSTIN, Texas—On Saturday, Aug. 4, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Heart Hospital of Austin offered free heart screenings for students ages 14 through 18 years of age. The screening 427178_10102245398121040_1066521214_n.jpgincluded a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) and a limited two-dimensional echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, to detect Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).
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Heart Hospital of Austin Participates in CONNECT II Global Clinical Trial to Evaluate New Imaging Technology to Fight Peripheral Arterial Disease
AUSTIN, Texas—Recently, physicians at Heart Hospital of Austin began participating in CONNECT II, a global clinical trial conditionally approved by the FDA that gives physicians access to a sophisticated new imaging technology tool to fight Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). The technology, called Ocelot, helps to eliminate the need for bypass surgeries and/or amputations in patients with the disease. Each year, nearly 200,000 amputations occur as a result of PAD, and many of them can be avoided. Heart Hospital of Austin is the only site in Central Texas to participate in this trial.
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St. David’s HealthCare Facilities Awarded The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Recognition for Heart Attack Care
AUSTIN—Five St. David’s HealthCare facilities recently qualified for the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline Receiving Center Performance Achievement Award. The award recognizes hospitals’ commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients that effectively improves the survival and care of STEMI (ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction) patients.
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Heart Hospital of Austin Performs Robotic Cardiac Ablation Procedure Using Latest Magnetic Navigation System
On May 10, 2012, Heart Hospital of Austin performed a robotic cardiac ablation procedure using the Stereotaxis Epoch™ Platform to treat a complex cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat. Epoch is a state-of-the-art computer-controlled robotic navigation system that allows physicians to safely navigate inside a patient’s heart to ablate diseased tissue causing a cardiac arrhythmia.
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Heart Hospital of Austin to Participate in Landmark Study of New Approach to Treat High Blood Pressure
Heart Hospital of Austin is now enrolling patients in the SYMPLICITY HTN-3 study, a clinical trial of the investigational Symplicity® renal denervation system for treatment-resistant hypertension. Treatment-resistant hypertension is defined as systolic blood pressure that remains high (greater than 140/90 mmHg) despite treatment with three or more anti-hypertensive medications.
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Heart Hospital of Austin First in the United States to Use New, FDA-Approved Safire™ BLU™ Duo Ablation Catheter
Heart Hospital of Austin recently performed the first successful treatment of a patient using the Safire™ BLU™ Duo ablation catheter. The Safire BLU Duo ablation catheter is the latest in advanced ablation technology, helping physicians treat patients using minimally invasive catheter-based methods to achieve successful outcomes for patients with heart rhythm abnormalities.
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Heart Hospital of Austin First in Central Texas To Perform New Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Procedure Since FDA Approval
On Feb. 15, 2012, physicians at Heart Hospital of Austin became the first in Central Texas to perform a new, catheter-based valve replacement procedure, known as a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), since the technology was approved by the FDA in November 2011. The procedure offers an alternative to traditional, open-chest surgery in some patients.
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Heart Hospital of Austin Offers Free Heart Screenings for Student Athletes
On Saturday, Feb. 18, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Heart Hospital of Austin offered free heart screenings for students ages 14 through 18 years of age. The screening included a 12-lead electrocardiogram (EKG) and a limited two-dimensional echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, to detect Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM).
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Heart Hospital of Austin Opens Heart Valve Clinic, Among First Sites in U.S. to Receive New Trans-Catheter Aortic Valve Replacement Technology Since FDA Approval
On January 24, Heart Hospital of Austin opened a Heart Valve Clinic, the first of its kind in the region. The clinic gives new hope to patients with severe aortic stenosis who were previously considered “inoperable,” delivering a multidisciplinary approach to evaluating such cases. Additionally, interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons at the clinic will collaboratively identify patients who may be eligible for a new, catheter-based valve replacement procedure, known as trans-catheter aortic valve replacement, instead of traditional, open-chest procedures. Heart Hospital of Austin is among the first sites in the nation to receive this trans-catheter aortic valve replacement technology since it was approved by the FDA in November 2011.
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Heart Hospital of Austin/Austin Heart Enroll First Texas Patient in Study to Determine Effectiveness of Drug-Coated Balloon in Treating Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease
Heart Hospital of Austin and Austin Heart enrolled the first patient in a clinical trial known as the LEVANT 2, a global, multicenter, randomized study evaluating the effectiveness of the Moxy™ Drug Coated Balloon compared to a standard angioplasty balloon for treating patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). Heart Hospital of Austin/Austin Heart is one of only 55 global centers selected for this study, and it is the only site in Texas.
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Heart Hospital of Austin Designated an Aetna Institute of Quality® Cardiac Care Facility
Heart Hospital of Austin has been designated an Aetna Institute of Quality® Cardiac Care Facility for comprehensive heart and vascular treatment, including cardiac medical intervention, cardiac rhythm and cardiac surgery.
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Heart Hospital of Austin Physician First in Texas To Implant New Heart Failure Device
On November 30, 2011, a physician at Heart Hospital of Austin became the first in Texas to implant the Unify Quadra™ cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and Quartet® Left Ventricular Quadripolar Pacing Lead
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