Primary care providers now can order coronary CT angiography (CCTA) directly through Norton Heart & Vascular Institute, streamlining access to advanced cardiac imaging when clinically appropriate. CCTA is a Class I, Level A recommendation, establishing it as a first-line imaging strategy alongside functional stress testing for many patients with stable or acute chest pain and…
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute is helping patients get answers about potential heart disease sooner with Kentucky’s first photon-counting CT scanner and expanded access to coronary CT angiography across its network. For patients concerned about their heart health, getting answers quickly can make a meaningful difference. This new scanner can help detect narrowing or blockages…
Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliate with UofL School of Medicine, welcomes Sarah Khan, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist specializing in pediatric advanced heart failure, cardiomyopathy, mechanical circulatory support and heart transplantation. Dr. Khan joins the institute’s multidisciplinary heart failure, cardiomyopathy and heart transplant program, expanding the team’s specialized expertise in caring for children with complex cardiovascular…
Ascending aortic dilation is often an incidental finding, but appropriate surveillance and timely referral can help identify patients who may need specialized evaluation. For primary care providers, the most important considerations are aortic size, change over time and risk factor modification to prevent growth. “Most patients with an enlarged ascending aorta feel completely well, which…
The patient A middle-aged male with no immediate cardiovascular risk factors presented for a routine annual wellness examination with his primary care provider. He had severe fatigue but denied exertional chest pain, dyspnea, palpitations or exercise intolerance; his overall cardiovascular risk profile prompted additional evaluation. Given the absence of symptoms but the presence of fatigue…
A newly published international best-practices consensus provides updated guidance on one of the more advanced treatment options available for patients living with persistent atrial fibrillation (A-fib): hybrid convergent ablation. Hybrid convergent ablation combines an epicardial surgical approach with an endocardial catheter-based approach in a single, coordinated treatment strategy. The consensus reinforces that this combined approach…
Referring providers in Bullitt County, Kentucky, and communities south of Louisville now have another local option for patients who need cardiovascular evaluation and ongoing management. Laura J. Pope, APRN, will provide general cardiology services at Norton Heart & Vascular Institute – Bullitt County, located in Shepherdsville. The new office will expand access to specialized evaluation,…
Published in The New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American College of Cardiology’s scientific meeting, “Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Anticoagulation for Atrial Fibrillation” positions left atrial appendage closure as a viable first-line alternative to long-term oral anticoagulation in eligible patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (A-fib). This publication is a conclusion to…
The patient A 60-year-old male with no prior cardiovascular diagnoses presented for routine preventive care. The patient was an active runner, including in ultramarathons, with no reported symptoms of coronary artery disease, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance or fatigue. His medical history was notable for elevated cholesterol and a significant family…
People living with heart arrhythmias in Kentucky and Southern Indiana now have access to next-generation, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered technology that could make treatment of dangerous heart rhythm disorders faster, safer and more precise. Norton Heart & Vascular Institute is one of only 12 health systems in the United States selected to evaluate and help launch…
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute has joined a select group of North American centers in a landmark randomized clinical trial aimed at reducing one of cardiac surgery’s most common and consequential complications: postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF). About the trial Postoperative atrial fibrillation affects more than half of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, depending on individual risk…
Norton Heart & Vascular Institute continues to expand its role in advancing cardiovascular clinical research, joining a global clinical trial that potentially could redefine treatment for one of heart failure’s most challenging patient populations: heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF. Why it matters HFpEF patients retain normal left ventricular pumping function (LVEF ≥50%)…