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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Integrated palliative care support throughout patient journey

When patients face the potential need for a left ventricular assist device or heart transplantation, Inova integrates palliative care as part of our collaborative, multidisciplinary team to ensure patients’ concerns around symptoms and goals for their care are understood by the care team. At the onset of every patient’s journey with advanced heart failure, the…

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Inova providers volunteer at community events to address healthcare disparities in Fairfax County

Inova Schar Heart and Vascular addresses healthcare disparities in Fairfax County by educating underserved populations about important health information in line with the county’s community health improvement plan. Inova team members, including nurses, advanced practice providers, physicians, cardiac rehabilitation specialists and administrative staff, volunteer their weekends to provide free healthcare services and screenings at community…

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Inova among first hospitals to introduce leading-edge treatment for blocked or narrowed coronary artery stents

Cardiac catheterization and placement of cardiac stents is a highly effective, common procedure to treat blockage of the coronary artery. It uses a tiny, metal frame tube to reopen the artery and restore blood flow to the heart. Even though it is performed fairly frequently, the procedure isn’t without risk. In roughly 10% of cases…

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What we do matters – a story of the generational impact of caring for patients

Cleveland Francis, MD, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisor at Inova Schar Heart and Vascular. Growing up in small-town West Virginia, Jessica Flanagan heard stories about a wonderful doctor. During the late 1970s, an Alexandria cardiologist had treated her late mother, Susan Flanagan, before she passed away from a congenital heart condition. Jessica was only 3…

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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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