Inova offers two game-changing treatments for high blood pressure

For the past year, Inova Schar Heart and Vascular has offered ultrasound-based renal denervation (uRDN), a minimally invasive procedure to help people with high blood pressure that is tough to treat (known in the medical world as “resistant hypertension”). More recently, the health system also added radiofrequency-based renal denervation (rRDN) at both Inova Alexandria and…

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Six scenarios for consultation with an advanced heart failure specialist

Heart failure affects a large, diverse patient population, and many diseases fall under its broad umbrella. These factors, together with ever-evolving guidelines for medical therapies and newly approved treatments hitting the market, make it difficult to pinpoint specific clinical criteria that warrant consultation with an advanced heart failure and transplant team. “My rule of thumb…

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Dedicated women’s heart care for a lifetime

The Inova Women’s Cardiovascular Health Program is focused on recognizing sex and gender differences in cardiovascular disease over a lifetime, particularly the impact of sex-specific risk enhancers that affect women at different stages of their lives. Our multidisciplinary team works to detect these risks early, address them effectively, and provide specialized treatment for heart conditions…

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Nearly 50 years of cardiac surgery innovation and excellence

In 1977, Inova established a dedicated program for patients who required surgical intervention for cardiovascular disease. Over the past five decades, we have remained committed to serving our community by providing the full spectrum of contemporary cardiovascular surgical care and developing well-equipped, talented surgical and critical care teams to ensure excellent outcomes. As a result, Inova…

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Kate’s complex journey reaches a new chapter with a new heart

Kate Markey is an expert at beating the odds. Although only in her early-50s, Kate is successfully managing the aftermath of cardiac amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis, having survived congestive heart failure, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, a stem cell transplant and a heart transplant, all related to the condition. Her story illustrates why the coordinated, multidisciplinary care…

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Inova Schar Heart and Vascular receives $1.4 million pediatric heart transplant research grant

Fairfax, VA — A research team at Inova Schar Heart and Vascular recently received nearly $1.4 million to develop a new blood test that doctors can use to optimize the immunosuppression medications needed after pediatric heart transplant. The team will be led by Palak Shah, MD, MS, Director of the Inova Cardiovascular Genomics Center and…

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Inova Schar Heart and Vascular: a premier destination for the highest quality cardiovascular care

Christopher M. O’Connor, MD, MACC, is the President of Inova Schar Heart and Vascular. He is an internationally renowned authority on heart failure and practices at the Inova Cardiology – Fairfax office. Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the nation and in Virginia. The toll is particularly high in those over…

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Latitia got a new heart and new lungs in 2023 – as Inova celebrates a record-breaking 50 lung transplants

Latitia Figgs family

In 2023, Inova established a new institutional record for lung transplants performed in a year, completing a total of 50. That number included four heart-lung transplants, our first HIV lung transplant and our first lung retransplantation with a subsequent kidney transplant the following day. Additionally, Inova has extended the upper age cutoff for lung transplantation…

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Heart Failure Patients Get Transplants the Same Day, Fall in Love 5 Years Later

Taylor Givens and Collin Kobelja’

Against All Odds Inova heart transplant patients, who never met while receiving lifesaving care in adjoining hospital rooms, reconnected and found enduring love On Taylor Givens and Collin Kobelja’s first date, the couple paused their dinner for a medicine break. Both needed to take anti-rejection drugs to help sustain their transplanted hearts. “It was a…

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