Advanced Heart Failure

Heart failure is the most common heart-related reason for hospital admission and readmission in West Virginia and surrounding regions.

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Trust your heart care with the first and only multidisciplinary heart failure team in the state.

At the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, our board-certified, and fellowship-trained advanced heart failure specialists treat patients with state-of-the-art technologies and techniques to properly diagnose and treat all severities of heart failure.

As the first and only multidisciplinary heart failure team in the state, our team includes pharmacists, specialty-trained nurses, exercise physiologists, social workers, dietitians, and expert physician team members, who go above and beyond to bring the highest quality and most comprehensive service for patients across the region. Having a multidisciplinary team means our patients have someone to assist in every aspect of their care.

Our treatment goals are to:

    • Relieve symptoms and improve quality of life
    • Slow disease progression
    • Reduce the need for emergency room visits and hospitalization
    • Help people live longer
    • Treatment options depends on the type, cause, symptoms and severity of the heart failure. Usually, more than one therapy is used.
QUICK FACTS
  • First center in West Virginia to offer the Barostim™ Baroreflex Activation Therapy, the world’s first FDA-approved heart failure device to use neuromodulation, to improve the symptoms of patients with systolic heart failure who may not receive adequate symptom relief from medications alone and those who are not suited for treatment with other hear failure devices, like cardiac resynchronization therapy.

  • Working in collaboration with Story Health, to improve access to specialty care for patients with heart failure. The partnership combines the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute’s leadership in clinical quality and excellence with Story Health’s specialty care platform solution to extend access and improve health outcomes for an important population.

  • Recognized as High Performing in Heart Failure by U.S. News & World Report as part of its 2023-24- Best Hospitals in the United States.
  • The first in West Virginia to successfully implant the life-saving heart pump known as a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Now, patients in West Virginia and nearby states no longer need to leave the state to obtain this advanced heart failure therapy.
  • Only center in West Virginia to offer both oral and intravenous therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
  • First center in West Virginia to offer heart transplant – Patients no longer need to leave the state for this life-saving therapy.
  • West Virginia’s only dedicated cardio-oncology program. We provide specialized care to assist in the prevention, detection, monitoring, and treatment of cardiovascular toxicities related to cancer therapy, as well as delivering optimal care to those with cancer and established cardiovascular disease.
  • Recognized for Excellence in Heart Failure, receiving the Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation’s secondary prevention guidelines for patients with heart failure. View Certificate

Conditions and Treatments

Heart failure is the most common heart-related reason for hospital admission and readmission in West Virginia. Although heart failure is a serious condition that progressively gets worse over time, certain cases can be reversed with treatment. Even when the heart muscle is impaired, there are a number of treatments that can relieve symptoms and stop or slow the gradual worsening of the condition.

Conditions and treatments include:

  • Heart Failure
  • Heart Transplant
  • Barostim™ Baroreflex Activation Therapy
  • Cardiogenic Shock
  • Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Cardiac Amyloidosis
  • Cardiac Sarcoidosis
  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
  • Infiltrative Heart Disease
  • Cardio-Oncology

The Center for Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Cardiology Support

The Center for Advanced Heart Failure and Mechanical Cardiology Support, the only such center in the region, is an area of special care at WVU Medicine. It provides IV inotropic therapy to stable outpatients with advanced heart failure, with a goal of improving functional level and avoiding hospitalization.

The center is an important resource for the state, reducing the number of emergency room visits and lowering health costs for heart patients. Many patients receive treatment through medication. The treatments are especially useful for patients who are at the maximum dosage of other heart drugs, people awaiting a heart transplant, or people who have a heart muscle disease. The treatment also helps patients breathe more easily.

Patient Support Groups

WVU Heart and Vascular Institute Heart Failure Facebook Support Group
This private Facebook group is a resource where patients diagnosed with heart failure can connect with others while learning about their condition and its management. To join the group, visit www.facebook.com/groups/wvuheartfailure. For details, contact Debra Hairston at (304) 285-7900 or email debra.hairston2@wvumedicine.org.

U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals 2023-24

Five WVU Medicine hospitals were designated as High Performing in Heart Failure.

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American Heart Association, 2022 Get With The Guidelines®-Heart Failure Gold Plus & Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll Award

The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence.

View Certificate→

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Latest News

The WVU Heart and Vascular Institute Advanced Heart Failure team was the first in West Virginia to implant the Cordella® Pulmonary Artery Pressure Sensor System as part of the PROACTIVE-HF Pivotal Trial sponsored by Endotronix.

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Clinical Research

The experts at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute conduct ongoing heart and vascular clinical trials and research studies.

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Academics & Fellowship Programs

Learn more about the WVU School of Medicine Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.

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Our Advanced Heart Failure Faculty

George Sokos, DO

Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Cardiology
Non-Invasive and Heart Failure Cardiology
Morgantown, WV

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Christopher Bianco, DO

Associate Professor
Non-Invasive and Heart Failure, Cardiology
Morgantown, WV

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Marco Caccamo, DO

Associate Professor
Non-Invasive and Heart Failure Cardiology
Morgantown, WV

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Luigi Lagazzi Garros, MD

Associate Professor
Cardiac Surgery
Morgantown, WV

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Affan Haleem, MD

Assistant Professor
Interventional and Heart Failure Cardiology
Morgantown, WV

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Kevin Felpel, DO

Associate Professor
Non-Invasive and Heart Failure Cardiology
Morgantown, WV

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Brijesh Patel, DO

Assistant Professor
Non-Invasive and Heart Failure Cardiology
Morgantown, WV

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Locations

Through partnerships and affiliations with local hospitals and clinics, we bring access to complete comprehensive care for patients across West Virginia, and into surrounding regions, including Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and beyond.

WVU Heart and Vascular Institute at Summersville Regional Medical Center

400 Fairview Heights Road
Summersville, WV 26651
Phone: 855-988-2273
Services: Telemedicine, Clinic

Waynesburg - Clinic

451 Murtha Drive
Waynesburg, PA
Phone: 855-WVU-CARE

WVU Heart and Vascular Institute at Wheeling Hospital

20 Medical Park, Ste. 105
Wheeling, WV 26003
Phone: 304-242-4800

For more information or to schedule an appointment,
call 855-WVU-CARE (855-988-2273) or schedule online.