The Johns Hopkins Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure Practice uses a multidisciplinary approach to the evaluation and management of patients with heart failure due to any cause. Important components of this team approach include social work, dietary counseling, physical rehabilitation, educational programs, and support groups. Our goal is to empower patients to better care for themselves by improving compliance, patient understanding, and family support.
The keystone to this program remains cutting edge, individualized patient diagnosis and treatment provided by the faculty in conjunction with our nurse practitioners. Our patients range from those who are asymptomatic to those in desperate need of cardiac transplantation. We believe that transplantation is the "court of last resort" and will do everything possible to avoid transplantation if possible.
Johns Hopkins offers a new innovative procedure known as Surgical Ventricular Restoration (SVR). SVR is a surgical procedure to treat congestive heart failure caused by myocardial infarction (heart attack). Following a heart attack, scar or an aneurysm may develop resulting in an enlarged rounded heart that may lead to congestive heart failure (CHF). The goal of the SVR is to restore the heart to a more normal size and shape, therefore improving function. We have been on the leading edge in the refinement of this novel procedure.
Patients may also be referred to other Practices within Cardiology such as The Ciccarone Preventive Cardiology Service or the Catheterization Laboratory. The Catheterization Laboratory has a special interest in patients with cardiomyopathy. Pressure-volume loop analysis was developed at Johns Hopkins. We also have extensive experience with endomyocardial biopsy as a means of looking for reversible causes of cardiomyopathy. Cardiopulmonary stress testing is available as well as the complete spectrum of noninvasive testing. Referrals may also be made within the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution rated the number one hospital in the United States by US News and World Report.
