Heart Symposium
The Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research hosts nationally and internationally known speakers for heart symposium!
Heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome in which the heart function is impaired to the point that the patient becomes limited by shortness of breath and fatigue.
On May 20, cardiologist experts in advanced heart failure management and specialists in pulmonary hypertension came together at VCU for a heart symposium.
The event, organized by the Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, focused on the management of the patients that have heart failure complicated by an elevation in the pressure in lung circulation and/or failure of the right ventricle. The seminar was held in occasion of the American Thoracic Society conference in Washington, D.C.
The symposium, hosted by Wright’s CCTR, Dr. Antonio Abbate, MD, PhD, ‘Roberts’ Professor of Cardiology and Medical Director of the Clinical Research Unit, included an exclusive list of nationally and internationally known speakers. The seminar brought together faculty from VCU’s Cardiology and Pulmonary Divisions as well as colleagues from Levinson Heart Failure Clinic, HCA, and Bon Secours’ Heart and Vascular Institute.
Dr. Norbert Voelkel, MD, former and founding director of the Victoria Johnson Research Center for Pulmonary Disease at VCU, and Dr. Richard Cooke, Associate Professor of Medicine and former Chief of the Heart Failure section at VCU, served as moderators to the session. Andrew Keller, MD, Medical Director of the Levinson Heart Failure Clinic at Chippenham Hospital, HCA, opened the session by discussing a complex case of refractory cardiogenic shock secondary to severe right ventricular failure in a patients supported by a left ventricular assist device.
Roberta Bogaev, MD, Director of the Heart Failure Program at Bon Secours Heart and Vascular Institute, gave an overview of the clinical significance of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular dysfunction in heart failure. Harm Bogaard, MD, a prior faculty member and Professor from the VU University, Amsterdam, Netherlands, presented on the complex pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension in heart failure.
Dr. Melissa Smallfield, MD, Heart Failure program at VCU, presented on the management of the patient developing right ventricular dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension after left ventricular assist device. Daniel Grinnan, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Pulmonary Hypertension program at VCU, reviewed the current treatment strategies for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
The session concluded with Dr. Voelkel, a scientist with an extensive publication and funding record in his more than 40 years of research, telling the audience about the challenges of, and concomitant need for, paradigm defying research.
Categories Education, Facilities, Research