Research & Publications †
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Biographical Sketch
Dr. Donald Hammer is Director of Cardiology Surgical Services and a staff cardiologist in the Section of Clinical Cardiology, the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, at the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute. He is board certified in internal medicine and cardiology. Dr. Hammer's specialty interests are ischemic heart disease and perioperative cardiac management.
Dr. Hammer graduated summa cum laude from Case Western Reserve University (Phi Beta Kappa) with an undergraduate degree in chemistry. He received his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, in Columbus, Ohio, where he was inducted in the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society. He completed his clinical internship and residency in internal medicine at The Ohio State University Hospitals, where he went on to receive a fellowship in cardiology.
Dr. Hammer served 10 years in the United States Naval Corps and retired as a Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Naval Medical Corps. He has had multiple academic appointments, which include Clinical Instructor in Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University Hospitals; Director of Education, Internal Medicine at the Naval Regional Medical Center at Camp Pendleton, CA; Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine and Associate Medical Director of the Cardiac Transplantation Program at The Ohio State University Hospitals; Education Coordinator for Cardiology at Wright State University in Dayton, OH, where he was also Director of the Cardiology Fellowship Training Program; Director of the Echocardiography Laboratory and Chairman of the Cardiology Research Panel at Good Samaritan Hospital in Dayton, among others. In 1998, Dr. Hammer was appointed to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation as Director of Cardiology Surgical Services.
Dr. Hammer has long been involved in clinical studies on his specialty interests and heart related issues. His post basic research endeavors included high-energy phosphate analysis in dilated cardiomyopathy and CHF. He currently is the principal investigator on a retrospective comparison of second and third generation beta blockers and post-operative atrial fibrillation prophylaxis, and is a co-investigator on the safety and efficacy in low molecular weight heparin in selected patients post open heart surgery. Dr. Hammer has participated in many other clinical trials including the QUIET STUDY and in the GUSTO trials.
He has presented his research findings and addressed his specialty interests at many national conferences and symposia. He is the author or co-author of articles related to his work in leading publications, including Circulation, Heart, and the New England Journal of Medicine, to name a few. In addition, he has co-authored a chapter on endogenous inotrope in a medical textbook on Cardiotonic Drugs.
Dr. Hammer is Fellow in the American College of Cardiology and a member of the American Medical Association, the American Society of Echocardiography and the Medical Society of Northeastern Ohio.
Specialty Interests
General cardiology, heart disease, aorta disease, perioperative cardiac management
Industry Relationships
Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists may collaborate with the pharmaceutical or medical device industries to help develop medical breakthroughs or provide medical expertise or education. Cleveland Clinic strives to make scientific advances that will benefit patient care and support outside relationships that promise public benefit. In order for the discoveries of Cleveland Clinic physicians' and scientists' laboratories and investigations to benefit the public, these discoveries must be commercialized in partnership with industry. As experts in their fields, Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists are often sought after by industry to consult, provide expertise and education.
To assure professional and commercial integrity in such matters, Cleveland Clinic maintains a program that reviews these collaborations and, when appropriate, puts measures in place to minimize bias that may result from ties to industry. The Cleveland Clinic publicly discloses the names of companies when (i) its physicians/scientists receive $5,000 or more per year (or, in rare cases, equity or stock options) for speaking and consulting, (ii) its physicians/scientists serve as a fiduciary, (iii) its physicians/scientists
receive or have the right to receive royalties or (iv) its physicians/scientists hold any equity interest for the physician's/scientist's role as inventor, discoverer, developer, founder or consultant.* In publicly disclosing this information, the Cleveland Clinic tries to provide information as accurately as possible about its physicians' and scientists' connections with industry.
As of 7/13/2012, Dr. Hammer has reported no financial relationship with industry that is applicable to this listing. In general, patients should feel free to contact their doctor about any of the relationships and how the relationships are overseen by the Cleveland Clinic. To learn more about the Cleveland Clinic's policies on collaborations with industry and innovation management, go to our Integrity in Innovation page.
Public Health Service-Reportable Financial Conflicts of Interest. Cleveland Clinic scientists and physicians engage in basic, translational and clinical research activities, working to solve health problems, enhance patient care and improve quality of life for patients. Interactions with industry are essential to bringing the researchers’ discoveries to the public, but can present the potential for conflicts of interest related to their research activities. Click here to view a listing of instances where Cleveland Clinic has identified a Public Health Service (PHS)-Reportable Financial Conflict of Interest and has put measures in place to ensure that, to the extent possible, the design, conduct and reporting of the research is free from bias.
* Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists subscribe to the guidance presented in the PhRMA Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals and the AdvaMed Code of Ethics on Interactions with Health Care Professionals. As such, gifts of substantial value are generally prohibited.