As more children with congenital heart disease survive into adulthood, primary care physicians are managing a growing population of adults with these conditions. Chief among the new challenges presented by these patients is an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac death accounts for about 25% of all mortality in patients with congenital heart…
The patient A 54-year-old man with chronic severe pulmonic regurgitation due to history of valvar pulmonary stenosis, the patient had a Brock procedure at age 8. Right heart failure symptoms included dyspnea, early satiety, ascites and peripheral edema, qualifying as New York Heart Association Class III heart failure. A cardiac MRI showed a severely dilated…
When Norton Children’s Neuroscience Institute , affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, first introduced Surgical Theater technology, it revolutionized how neurosurgeons approach complex brain procedures. Now, this same leading-edge, 3D visualization technology is making waves in cardiac care, opening new possibilities for treating the most challenging congenital heart conditions. The foundation of innovation: Neuroscience…
The patient A 33-year-old female presented with progressive exertional intolerance, peripheral edema, nausea and vomiting. Cardiac history included tricuspid atresia with normally related great vessels with severe pulmonic stenosis (single ventricle heart disease). She underwent staged surgical palliations with a left modified Blalock-Taussig shunt procedure in infancy followed by bilateral, bidirectional Glenn procedure, and finally…
The patient A 41-year-old pregnant patient at 38 weeks’ gestation was admitted for elective cesarean section. Her medical history included three pregnancies, two live births, two prior cesarean sections, anterior placenta with polyhydramnios (amniotic fluid index 35), pituitary macroadenoma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and headaches. Echocardiogram in 2019 demonstrated an ejection fraction (EF) of 56%….
Norton Healthcare is proud to welcome vascular surgeon Peter L. Albrecht Jr., D.O., to Norton Heart & Vascular Institute, enhancing the institute’s established expertise in advanced endovascular and aortic procedures. Dr. Albrecht’s fellowship training and experience with the latest minimally invasive and device-based techniques expand options for referring providers seeking comprehensive vascular care — from…
Heart failure affects more than 6 million Americans, with Kentucky facing particularly high death rates of this complex cardiovascular syndrome. For primary care providers, understanding the full spectrum of heart failure — from at-risk patients to those requiring advanced therapies — is crucial for improving outcomes and quality of life. Chioma O. Obiokoye, M.D., heart failure…
Logan M. Eberly, M.D., an adult congenital heart disease cardiologist, serves patients across both Norton Heart & Vascular Institute and Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine. He brings expertise but also a unique dual perspective to adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) care that is maximizing outcomes. Growing need for specialized…
The patient A 4-year-old child with complex form of long QT syndrome needed surgical revision of her implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) due to device malfunction. Long QT syndrome is a congenital heart condition that predisposes affected patients to suddenly develop serious heart rhythm disturbances (for example, ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation) that can be life-threatening. In addition to taking…
The Patient A 52-year-old male with a long-standing history of poorly controlled high blood pressure despite adherence to a four-drug antihypertensive regimen (including a calcium channel blocker, ACE inhibitor, thiazide diuretic and beta-blocker). The patient reported persistent systolic blood pressures in the range of 170–190 mmHg, confirmed by ambulatory monitoring. He had no evidence of…
The patient A 48-year-old male with a past medical history significant for malignant thymoma status post thymectomy and right lower lobe lobectomy, and myasthenia gravis, presented to Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital emergency department with dyspnea on exertion (DOE). His CT was concerning for possible pulmonary embolism. His labs on this admission showed B-type natriuretic…
Norton Healthcare has received American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of…