Love Your Heart: A Cleveland Clinic Podcast

Dr. Lars Svensson, Chairman of the Heart and Vascular Institute, and Dr. Samir Kapadia, Chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, have been involved with PARTNER trials over many years. Together, they discuss the history of the PARTNER Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) trials, the results of the low risk PARTNER 3 trial and what it means for patients with aortic stenosis, who should have TAVR and considerations for treatment of aortic stenosis in young patients. What should you know if you have aortic stenosis requiring treatment?

Dr. Deborah Kwon Director of MRI in the Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic answers common questions about cardiac MRI: What is it used for? Is it safe after surgery or if you have a device implanted? What does conditionally safe mean? Is MRI safe after heart valve surgery? How long does an MRI take? What if I am claustrophobic? Who should not have an MRI? And – how do you get your results?

Mazen Hanna, MD, Co-Director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Amyloidosis Center talks about the FDA’s recent approval of the drug Tafamidis for the treatment of ATTR Amyloidosis (also known as Amyloid Transthyretin Amyloidosis), the research behind it, what this medication does, and what this means for patients.

Dr. Nicholas Smedira leads a panel of experts in the discussion of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) . Cardiac surgeon Dr. Michael Tong, pulmonologist Dr. Gustavo Heresi, interventional radiologist Dr. Ihab Haddadin, and vascular medicine specialist Dr. John Bartholomew discuss what is CTEPH and how it is different from other types of pulmonary hypertension, risk factors for CTEPH, medical management including types of blood thinners and length of treatment, surgical treatment, types of diagnostic testing, non-surgical therapies, and how to choose a treatment center.

Lee Kirksey, MD, vascular surgeon and Vice Chairman of Vascular Surgery, leads a discussion of common questions about carotid artery disease with vascular surgeon Christopher Smolock, MD, and cardiovascular interventionalist Joseph Campbell, MD, including: When is carotid artery disease treated? What is the ideal medical management? What do you do with statin intolerance? What do you do for a 100% blocked artery? What is the best treatment for the patient: endarterectomy vs. stent?

Oussama Wazni, MD, Section Head, Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing, and electrophysiologist Walid Saliba, MD, discuss atrial fibrillation stroke prevention, and the role of left atrial appendage occlusion. Drs. Wazni and Saliba also discuss outcomes noted at Cleveland Clinic, what to do in patients that are unable to take Coumadin due to the risk of bleeding, FDA indications, new technology available and the role of LAA occlusion in light of the newer anticoagulants.

Siva Raja MD, PhD, FACS, thoracic surgeon and surgical director, Center for Esophageal Diseases leads a discussion with Madhu Sanaka, MD, FACG, FASGE, director of Advanced Endoscopy and gastroenterologist Amir Bhatt, MD on Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD), a minimally invasive option for treating early esophageal and gastric cancer. Part 4: Choosing a Center for Esophageal Cancer.

Siva Raja MD, PhD, FACS, thoracic surgeon and surgical director, Center for Esophageal Diseases leads a discussion with Madhu Sanaka, MD, FACG, FASGE, director of Advanced Endoscopy and gastroenterologist Amir Bhatt, MD on Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD), a minimally invasive option for treating early esophageal and gastric cancer. Part 3: Innovations, treatments for advanced esophageal cancer.

Siva Raja MD, PhD, FACS, thoracic surgeon and surgical director, Center for Esophageal Diseases leads a discussion with Madhu Sanaka, MD, FACG, FASGE, director of Advanced Endoscopy and gastroenterologist Amir Bhatt, MD on Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD), a minimally invasive option for treating early esophageal and gastric cancer. Part 2: ESD (Endoscopic submucosal dissection) benefits, what to expect, when can you eat, outcomes

Siva Raja, MD, PhD, FACS, Thoracic surgeon and Surgical Director, Center for Esophageal Diseases leads a discussion with Madhu Sanaka, MD, FACG, FASGE, Director of Advanced Endoscopy and gastroenterologist Amir Bhatt, MD on Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), a minimally invasive option for treating early esophageal and gastric cancer. Part 1: Treatments such as EMR – endoscopic mucosal resection and ESD – Endoscopic submucosal dissection