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Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation Staff:
- Medical Staff
- Stanley L. Hazen, MD, PhD, Section Head
- Leslie Cho, MD, Section Head
- Gordon Blackburn, PhD, Program Director, Cardiac Rehabilitation
- Julie Huang, MD — Tomsich Family Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
- Richard Lorber, MD — Department of Pediatric Cardiology
- Leo Pozuelo, MD — Department of Psychiatry and Psychology
- Michael B. Rocco, MD — Tomsich Family Department of Cardiovascular Medicine
- Douglas Rogers, MD — Head, Section of Pediatric Endocrinology
- Paul Schoenhagen, MD — Department of Diagnostic Radiology
- Nurse Practitioners: Advanced Practice Nurses
- Katherine Gambino, MSN, RN, CRNP
- Heather Gaudette, MSN, RN, CRNP
- Loretta Planavsky, MSN, RN, CRNP
- Julia Renee Zumpano RD, LD - Nutrition Counseling
If you are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a preventive cardiology program of care is your best bet for a long and healthy life. If you already have heart disease, then a program of cardiac rehabilitation that helps you recover and prevents further problems is crucial.
The Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation Section helps both types of patients - those who already have heart and/vascular disease, and those who are at high risk of developing it. We evaluate our patients' health with very special attention to modifiable risk factors, especially hyperlipidemias, such as high LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol), increased triglycerides (fats in the blood), low HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol), high blood pressure (hypertension), homocysteine, as well as sedentary lifestyle, obesity and diabetes.
We are familiar with the latest and most effective drugs for lowering cholesterol as well as for hypertension and diabetes. In addition to prescribing medications to manage cardiac risk, we also can prescribe highly individualized lifestyle adjustments that can enhance your efforts to stay well and symptom-free. Although many people know the importance of a heart-healthy lifestyle, few are sure of how to implement healthier ways of living in their own day-to-day lives. Our specialists in nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation and stress management can put together a "prescription" of treatments designed especially for you. You will receive an individualized exercise program and low-cholesterol meal plan, including heart-healthy recipes.
The preventive cardiology program uses the very latest technology in diagnosis and treatment. For example, we incorporate the use of biochemical and genetic markers of cardiovascular disease. We also currently perform calcium-scoring tests (in collaboration with the Department of Radiology) on numerous select patients. The calcium scoring test ( also known as fast-CT) can show blockages in the arteries that may not be detected by other diagnostic tests.
Other preventive cardiology approaches being investigated include the study of markers for coronary artery disease, such as homocysteine, CRP and myeloperoxidase (MPO). When risk factors are found, our patients receive the very newest treatments to prevent or overcome any progression of heart disease.
The Cardiac Health Improvement and Rehabilitation Program was founded in 1985 and helps to promote health and wellness of cardiac and vascular patients both in the hospital and during recovery.
Take a look at the following related information on our website:
Patient Care
Tests and Procedures
Information for Health Care Professionals
Research
If you need more information, contact us, chat online with a nurse or call the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute Resource & Information Nurse at 216.445.9288 or toll-free at 866.289.6911. We would be happy to help you.
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