Posts Tagged ‘heart’
Inova introduces minimally invasive tricuspid valve replacement to the region
Inova’s Structural Heart and Valve Disease Program is among the region’s first to offer transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (TTVR). This exciting milestone expands the range of minimally invasive cardiac procedures available at Inova to now include not only tricuspid valve repair but also replacement of the valve. “This is the first replacement technology alternative to…
Read MoreCardiologist Lily Dastmalchi, DO, earns national menopause specialization credential
Lily N. Dastmalchi, DO, MA, FACC, FASPC, MSCP, is board certified in cardiovascular disease, echocardiography and internal medicine. She leads the development of menopause services at Inova Schar Heart and Vascular and is one of the only cardiologists in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area who has earned a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) credential, affirming…
Read MoreInova becomes first health system to implement new GE HealthCare MRI technology designed to advance cardiac imaging
Fairfax, VA – Inova was the first health system in the world to implement GE HealthCare’s SIGNA™ Sprint Elite[1], a next-generation MRI system developed to advance cardiac, oncologic and pediatric imaging, as well as imaging for patients with implanted devices. The system is designed to enable more efficient, high-resolution imaging while keeping patient comfort at…
Read MoreThe American Heart Association has updated high blood pressure guidelines
In August 2025, the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC) published updated high blood pressure (also known as hypertension) guidelines. The guidelines, updated for the first time since 2017, include several new recommendations that patients and their primary care providers should know. “These are the most up-to-date guidelines for treating patients with one of…
Read MoreSaved by heart surgery, sustained by compassionate care
Six years ago, Gary Hughes scheduled what he thought would be a routine checkup. Instead, his physician delivered a startling message: “I can hear your heart in the next room – you need to see a cardiologist right away.” Gary’s cardiologist diagnosed an abnormal valve requiring surgery – a shock for someone who felt healthy…
Read MoreInova’s commitment to using blood wisely
Alan M. Speir, MD, is Director Emeritus of Cardiac Surgery for Inova and a Senior Associate Director of Inova Schar Heart and Vascular. He is board certified in thoracic and cardiac surgery. Mary Looby, PharmD, BCCCP, is a critical care clinical pharmacy specialist who currently serves as the Director of Quality for Inova Schar Heart…
Read MoreInova offers two new, leading-edge technologies to treat and prevent AFib
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common type of irregular heart rhythm, affecting more than 12 million people in the United States. When a person is experiencing AFib, the heart’s top two chambers are not beating in sync with the heart’s lower two chambers. This means that blood is not flowing through the heart efficiently,…
Read MoreSpecialized care team for Cardiomyopathy improves outcomes
Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle itself. While other forms of cardiovascular disease are in the heart’s valves or blood vessels, cardiomyopathy means that the heart muscle doesn’t work as well as it should. Some kinds of cardiomyopathy are common – one in 500 Americans has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, for example – while others…
Read MoreWhat can a preventive cardiologist do for you?
Inova’s preventive cardiology services can help you identify and reduce your heart disease risk When most people think of cardiology, they think of providers who focus on treating existing cardiovascular disease, from heart attacks and valve disease to heart rhythm problems and heart failure. And of course, many cardiologists do focus on these areas. But…
Read MoreSix 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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