Advanced care from pioneers in heart failure treatment and research
More than 6 million Americans have heart failure, a chronic disease that worsens over time and can severely limit your ability to live a full and normal life. Our Advanced Heart Failure program is dedicated to alleviating symptoms and adding quality years to the lives of patients across the spectrum of the disease.
Our doctors are pioneers in heart failure treatments, having implanted the first HeartWare® left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in the country and having performed the first heart transplant in the District of Columbia. We continue to improve on these procedures while also aggressively pursuing even more effective therapies for the sickest of the sick.
Our team includes not only heart doctors and surgeons but also nutritionists, financial counselors, and social workers as part of our Patient Support program. We are one of the first advanced heart failure programs to integrate palliative care personalized pain management along every step of treatment.
Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a progressively worsening series of events which causes pressure to build within the heart chambers and venous system, resulting in an accumulation of fluid in body tissues.
What are the types of heart failure?
Heart failure occurs when your heart doesn’t fill with enough blood or doesn’t pump enough blood throughout your body. This is different from sudden cardiac arrest in which the heart actually stops beating.
There are three main types of heart failure:
-
Congestive heart failure, in which blood backs up and causes congestion in the body’s tissues. This most often results in swelling in the legs, but it also can interfere with lung and kidney function.
-
Left-sided heart failure, in which the heart does not have enough force to pump blood to the rest of the body.
-
Right-sided heart failure, in which the heart can’t effectively accept blood from the body and deliver it to the lungs.
What can cause heart failure?
Most cases of heart failure are caused by damage to the heart due to an underlying condition, such as:
-
Arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat
-
Cardiomyopathy, or disease of the heart muscle
-
Congenital defects and disease or heart conditions you’re born with
-
What are the possible risk factors for heart failure?
Along with having one of the conditions above that can cause heart failure, the following factors also can increase your risk for the disease:
-
Age (older than 65)
-
Drinking too much alcohol
-
Family history of heart failure
-
Gender (men are at higher risk)
-
Obesity
-
Race (African-Americans are at increased risk of heart failure)
-
Tobacco use
Tests
Diagnosing heart failure is the first step to developing a treatment plan. Our specialists may recommend one or more diagnostic and imaging procedures.
Angiogram (Angiography)
An angiogram is a special X-ray taken as a special dye is injected through a thin, flexible tube called a catheter to detect blockages or aneurysms in blood vessels.
Cardiac Catheterization
Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive way to diagnose and treat a variety of heart and vascular conditions by guiding thin, flexible tubes called catheters through blood vessels to problem areas.
Chest X-ray
Chest X-rays use a small dose of radiation to create pictures of the structures inside the chest, including the lungs, heart, and chest wall.
Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan
The cardiac computed tomography scan, or cardiac CT, uses X-rays to create three-dimensional images of your heart and blood vessels.
Echocardiogram
An echocardiogram uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your heart.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
An electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, measures the heart’s electrical activity.
Heart Biopsy
In a heart biopsy, your doctor will remove small samples of your heart muscle tissue to monitor heart function or diagnose a problem.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Magnetic resonance imaging, better known as cardiac MRI, is a combination of radio waves, magnets, and computer technology to create images of your heart and blood vessels.
Stress Tests
Stress tests are used to assess how your heart works during physical activity. There are several types of stress tests, including treadmill or bike stress tests, nuclear stress tests, stress echocardiograms, and chemically induced stress tests.
Treatments
If you have heart failure, you’ll likely need lifelong treatment to manage symptoms, reverse damage, and live longer. It may include lifestyle modifications, medications, or other advanced treatments.
Heart failure treatment
Treatments for heart failure, such as medications, surgery, and mechanical devices, vary based on the cause and severity of your condition.
Inotropic therapy
Inotropic therapy is an IV medication that can relieve symptoms of heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms.
Ventricular assist device (VAD)
A ventricular assist device (VAD), also known as a mechanical circulatory support device, helps the heart pump blood more effectively during end-stage heart failure.
Heart transplant
A heart transplant replaces a diseased, failing heart with a healthier heart from a donor.
Our providers
Location: Change location Enter your location
-
Dweep Barbhaya, MD
Cardiology & Hospital Medicine
-
Lindsay Nicole Bussey, FNP-BC,CRNP
Cardiology
-
Jee Young Choi, ACNP-BC
Cardiology
-
Jesse A Doran, MD
Cardiology
-
Allison Frere, PA-C
Cardiology
-
Jonathan David Gardner, MD
Cardiology
-
Caroline L. Gracia, CRNP,C,FNP
Cardiology
-
Karim Hemady, PA-C
Cardiology
-
Brittany A. Muchla, CRNP,C,FNP
Cardiology
-
Sarah Helen Pennington, PA-C
Cardiology
-
Christopher W Puleo, MD
Cardiology
-
Jacquelyn Marie Smith, PA-C
Cardiology
-
Ida Suen, MD
Cardiology
-
Maritess Almirante Teston, CRNP
Cardiology
-
Anam Waheed, MD
Cardiology
-
Sara E. Wanner, CRNP,ACNP,BC
Cardiology
Show All
Additional information
Advanced heart failure patient support
Our unique patient support program for advanced heart failure patients offers the resources you need to optimize your medical care and improve your quality of life.
Ask MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute
Have general questions for our heart and vascular program? Email us at AskMHVI@medstar.net. If you have clinically-specific questions, please contact your physician’s office.