Pennsylvania Cardiology Program Implanting Defibrillators That Slow Heart Failure Progression

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Heart Disease;  Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 03 Sep 2009 - 6:00 PST

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Electrophysiologists Robert Stevenson, MD, and Jeffrey L. Williams, MD, MS, FACC, are safely implanting cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators in the Good Samaritan Hospital (GSH) Cardiology (Heart Failure) Program. These advanced defibrillators are used to treat sudden cardiac death, which is abrupt heart failure, usually due to an electrical rhythm dysfunction in the lower chambers of the heart that causes the heart to pump blood ineffectively. In addition, these devices have an additional implanted pacing lead that helps to resynchronize an abnormally pumping heart in an attempt to lessen heart failure symptoms for cardiology patients.

Results of the MADIT-CRT Trial were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This trial was designed to determine whether cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (implanted by electrophysiologists or cardiologists) would reduce the risk of death or heart failure events in patients with mild cardiac symptoms, a reduced ejection fraction, and a wide QRS complex. These cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators were associated with a 34 percent relative reduction in the risk of all-cause death or first heart failure event.

"We are proud to provide Central Pennsylvania the most state-of-the-art cardiology and heart failure services with a patient- and family-centered caregiving approach," says electrophysiologist Dr. Williams. The Invasive Electrophysiology Laboratory at Good Samaritan Hospital (http://www.gshleb.org) offers the most advanced 3D intracardiac mapping system and intracardiac echocardiography available and is the only center in Central PA to offer jet ventilation for advanced cardiology heart rhythm ablation to ensure the safest possible procedures. A new state-of-the-art procedure room permits diagnosis and management of cardiac arrhythmias, including patients with syncope, supraventricular tachycardia (e.g., AV nodal reentry, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome), atrial fibrillation/flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and survivors of cardiac arrest or heart failure. Drs. Stevenson and Williams have safely treated hundreds of heart failure patients with implantable pacemakers, defibrillators, and loop recorders in the GSH Invasive Electrophysiology Laboratory.

The Good Samaritan Hospital has received the Get With The Guidelines Heart Failure Gold Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association. The recognition signifies that GSH has reached an aggressive goal of treating heart failure patients to core standard levels of care as outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines for heart failure patients. According to the most recent Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council report, there is no other hospital in central PA that has better patient survival ratings for Chest Pain or Abnormal Heartbeats. Good Samaritan Hospital's Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Laboratories had an impressive overall 97.2% patient satisfaction score. This score incorporates the entire patient experience from navigating the hospital to patient/family comfort during implants. Over 99.5% of patients reported that their physician was kind and caring during the procedure. GSH is one of the few hospitals in central Pennsylvania recognized by Blue Cross and Blue Shield as a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by demonstrating their commitment to quality cardiac care.

Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist Dr. Stevenson completed Fellowships in both Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. He is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Nuclear Cardiology. Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist Dr. Williams completed Fellowships in both Cardiovascular Disease and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease, and Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.

Drs. Williams and Stevenson are available for consultations at Good Samaritan Hospital and at their practice, Lebanon Cardiology Associates, Lebanon, PA (http://www.lebanoncardiology.com). They specialize in advanced cardiac heart rhythm evaluation, intracardiac arrhythmia ablation (including atrial fibrillation) and implantation of pacemakers and defibrillators. LCA has been providing cardiac care to Lebanon County for over 20 years and offers their patients innovative and state of the art treatment including cardiac imaging, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, peripheral vascular disease, and heart failure. Both GSH and LCA are only 14 miles from Hershey, centrally located between Lancaster and Reading. In addition, they are located less than 5 minutes from the Lebanon VA Medical Center.

Source
Lebanon Cardiology Associates