Myron L. Weisfeldt, M.D.

Headshot of Myron L. Weisfeldt
  • Medical Consultant Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures
  • Professor of Medicine

Research Interests

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Sudden Death

Background

Dr. Myron Weisfeldt is Professor of Medicine and  Medical Consultant for Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures. In this position, he provides advice on strategies and evaluation of intellectual property of Johns Hopkins faculty.

From 2001 to 2014 Dr. Weisfeldt was the William Osler Professor of Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He was also Physician-in-Chief of the Johns Hopkins Hospital.  Dr. Weisfeldt received a BA and MD from the Johns Hopkins University. He trained in Cardiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and the National Institutes of Health and from 1975 to 1991, was Director of the Cardiology Division at the Johns Hopkins.  From 1991 to 2001, he was Chairman of the Department of Medicine and Samuel Bard Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Director of the Medical Service at the Columbia-Presbyterian Campus of the New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Weisfeldt was Chairman of the Cardiology Advisory Board of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute from 1987 to 1990 and held the position of President of the American Heart Association in 1990. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.

His research interests have included heart function, age changes in the heart and circulation, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. From 2005 to 2018 he was study chair for a large-scale ongoing clinical trials network to conduct randomized definitive trials of devices, drugs and other therapies for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and severe traumatic injury sponsored by NHLBI and others. The network was called Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium. In November 2022 he will be awarded the Eugene Braunwald Mentoring Award of the American Heart Association.

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Titles

  • Medical Consultant Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures
  • Past Chairman Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine
  • Professor of Medicine

Departments / Divisions

Centers & Institutes

Education

Degrees

  • B.A.; Johns Hopkins University (Year I/Human Biology Pgm) (Maryland) (1962)
  • M.D.; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Maryland) (1965)

Research & Publications

Selected Publications

Termination of malignant ventricular arrhythmias with an implanted automatic defibrillator in human beings. Mirowski M, Reid PR, Mower MM, Watkins L, Gott VL, Schauble JF, Langer A, Heilman MS, Kolenik SA, Fischell RE, Weisfeldt ML.N Engl J Med. 1980 Aug 7;303(6):322-4. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198008073030607.PMID: 6991948 cited1011

Hemodynamic determinants of the time-course of fall in canine left ventricular pressure. Weiss JL, Frederiksen JW, Weisfeldt ML. J Clin Invest. 1976 Sep;58(3):751-60. doi: 10.1172/JCI108522.PMID: 956400 cited 1099

Importance of prolonged compression during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in man. Taylor GJ, Tucker WM, Greene HL, Rudikoff MT, Weisfeldt ML.N Engl J Med. 1977 Jun 30;296(26):1515-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197706302962608.PMID: 865532 cited 119

Direct measurement of free radical generation following reperfusion of ischemic myocardium. Zweier JL, Flaherty JT, Weisfeldt ML. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Mar;84(5):1404-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.5.1404.PMID: 3029779 cited 1095

A preliminary study of cardiopulmonary resuscitation by circumferential compression of the chest with use of a pneumatic vest. Halperin HR, Tsitlik JE, Gelfand M, Weisfeldt ML, Gruben KG, Levin HR, Rayburn BK, Chandra NC, Scott CJ, Kreps BJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 1993 Sep 9;329(11):762-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199309093291104.PMID: 8350885 cited 134

Evidence of incomplete left ventricular relaxation in the dog: prediction from the time constant for isovolumic pressure fall. Weisfeldt ML, Frederiksen JW, Yin FC, Weiss JL.  J Clin Invest. 1978 Dec;62(6):1296-1302. doi: 10.1172/JCI109250.PMID: 748380 cited 170

American Heart Association Report on the Public Access Defibrillation Conference December 8-10, 1994. Automatic External Defibrillation Task Force. Weisfeldt ML, Kerber RE, McGoldrick RP, Moss AJ, Nichol G, Ornato JP, Palmer DG, Riegel B, Smith SC Jr. Circulation. 1995 Nov 1;92(9):2740-7. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.92.9.2740 cited 132

Resuscitation after cardiac arrest: a 3-phase time-sensitive model. Weisfeldt ML, Becker LB. JAMA. 2002Dec18;288(23):3035; doi:10.1001/jama.288.23.3035. PMID: 12479769 cited 845

A randomized trial of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator for acute myocardial infarction with subsequent randomization to elective coronary angioplasty.Guerci AD, Gerstenblith G, Brinker JA, Chandra NC, Gottlieb SO, Bahr RD, Weiss JL, Shapiro EP, Flaherty JT, Bush DE, Chew PH, Gottlieb SH, Halperin HR, Ouyang P, Walford G, Bell WR, Fatterpaker AK, Llewellyn M, Topol EJ, Healy, B, Sui S, Becker L, Weisfeldt ML N Engl J Med. 1987 Dec 24;317(26):1613-8. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198712243172601.PMID: 2960897 Cited 1074

Impact of Bystander Automated External Defibrillator Use on Survival and Functional Outcomes in Shockable Observed Public Cardiac Arrests.Pollack RA, Brown SP, Rea T, Aufderheide T, Barbic D, Buick JE, Christenson J, Idris AH, Jasti J, Kampp M, Kudenchuk P, May S, Muhr M, Nichol G, Ornato JP, Sopko G, Vaillancourt C, Morrison L, Weisfeldt M; ROC Investigators. Circulation. 2018May15:137(20):21042 113.doi:10.1161/CIRCULATION AHA.117.030700. Epub 2018 Feb 26.PMID: 29483086 cited 164

Patents

Integrated system for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and circulation support
Patent # 4397306 | 09/09/1983

An integrated system for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and circulation support comprising chest compression means adapted to be positioned over the patient's sternum and operable to compress the sternum at desired intervals and to a desired degree, lung ventilating means including (1) a high pressure ventilator for ventilating simultaneously with chest compression; (2) a low pressure ventilator for inflating the lungs at low pressure between a selected number of compression cycles; and (3) a negative pressure ventilator for deflating the lungs between chest compressions; valve means for selectively operating only one of the indicated ventilators at any one time; means for restricting the abdomen to exert pressure on the abdominal wall; and control means for selectively operating the chest compression means, the lung ventilating means, valve means and abdomen restriction means in a selected sequence and for the period of time desired.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Assisted Circulation System
Patent # 4928674 | 05/29/1990

A vest system for generating cyclic fluctuations in intrathoracic pressure for use in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and non-invasive circulatory assistance. The vest is preferably provided with a two bladder inflation system. A high pressure bladder contacts the chest wall while a bias bladder is disposed between the high pressure bladder and the vest material. The bias bladder is pressurized to press the high-pressure bladder tightly against the chest wall so that cyclic inflation of the high-pressure bladder can generate large changes in intrathoracic pressure. The bias bladder is released periodically to allow the chest to expand for adequate ventilation. Air flow into and out of each bladder is controlled by sequencing large bore 3-way and 2-way solenoid valves and the rate of air flow into the high-pressure bladder is controlled by a variable resistor.

ECG Amplifier and Cardiac Pacemaker for Use during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMR insensitive pacemaker)
Patent # 5217010 A | 08/02/1993

A device for monitoring a patient or pacing a patient is disclosed which can safely operate in a MRI system. The device uses unique RF filtering and shielding to attenuate voltages on the leads resulting from the high frequency RF signals produced in the MRI. The device is uniquely shielded to prevent induced currents from disrupting the amplifying and processing electronics. The device uses an optional secondary low pass or band reject filter to eliminate interference from the MRI's gradient magnetic field. The device uses optional inductors placed close to electrodes to limit RF currents through the electrodes. Several embodiments of the RF filter are taught which depend on the number of sensing leads, whether the leads are shielded, whether the RF filter is contained in the electronic shielded housing or whether single or multistage filtering is employed. The device may operate as an extended ECG monitor or may be an implantable MRI safe pacemaker.

Mri interference-filtered monitor, stimulator and pacemaker
Patent # WO1992021286 A1 | 04/08/1994

A device for monitoring, stimulating or pacing a patient to safely operate in an MRI system, uses RF filtering (104-110) to eliminate interference from the MRI gradient magnetic field and shielding (122) to attenuate voltages on the leads resulting from the high frequency RF signals produced in the MRI to prevent induced currents from disrupting the amplifying and processing electronics (124).

Cardiac assist method using an inflatable vest
Patent # 6752771 B2 | 01/14/1998

A method and device are disclosed for inflating an inflatable vest to assist the heart in patients suffering from heart failure. The inflation of the vest is synchronized with on-set of the systole phase of the heart, when the left ventricular compresses to force blood out of the heart and through the aorta. The inflated vest compresses the patient's chest and increases the intrathoracic pressure. This increase in pressure assists the heart in moving blood out of the heart and through the aorta. In addition, the vest is arranged to leave the patient's abdomen free of restraint so that the increase in intrathoracic pressure due to the vest moves blood into the abdomen, and to allow the abdomen to dynamically recoil in response to the vest inflation. In addition, ECG signals from electrodes applied to the patient are processed to trigger the vest inflation in real time with the current heartbeat cycle, such that the vest inflation is triggered when the heart begins to contract.

Cardiac assist method using an inflatable vest
Patent # 6179793 B1 | 01/14/1998

A method is disclosed for inflating an inflatable vest to assist the heart in patients suffering from heart failure. The inflation of the vest is synchronized with on-set of the systole phase of the heart, when the left ventricular compresses to force blood out of the heart and through the aorta. The inflated vest compresses the patient's chest and increases the intrathoracic pressure. This increase in pressure assists the heart in moving blood out of the heart and through the aorta. In addition, the vest is arranged to leave the patient's abdomen free of restraint so that the increase in intrathoracic pressure due to the vest moves blood into the abdomen, and to allow the abdomen to dynamically recoil in response to the vest inflation. In addition, ECG signals from electrodes applied to the patient are processed to trigger the vest inflation in real time with the current heartbeat cycle, such that the vest inflation is triggered when the heart begins to contract. A controller provides an adjustable signal blanking period to avoid noise components following the QRS complex.

Portable negative pressure ventilation device and methods and software related thereto
Patent # 8571663 B2 | 10/29/2013

Featured is an apparatus an apparatus including a monitoring and sensing means, an electrode patch and a control device operably coupled to each of the sensing means and the electrodes and outputs signals to the electrodes for purposes of stimulating the phrenic nerve to thereby cause breathing by natural contraction of the diaphragm. The control device is configured and arranged to initially localize the phrenic nerve with respect to a given set of electrodes that is effective, when appropriately energized, for stimulating the phrenic nerve to establish negative pressure induced respiration in the body, based on the output signal(s) from the monitoring and sensing means. After such initially localizing; the control device thereafter repetitively outputs stimulation signals via the given set of electrodes so as to thereby continuously stimulate negative pressure induced respiration. Also featured are methods related thereto.

Contact for Research Inquiries

1812 Ashland Ave Suite 110
Baltimore, MD 21205 map

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Activities & Honors

Honors

  • Phi Beta Kappa, Johns Hopkins, 1962
  • Alpha Omega Alpha, Johns Hopkins, 1965
  • American Physiological Society, 1974
  • American Society for Clinical Investigation, 1977
  • Interurban Clinical Club, 1982
  • Association of American Physicians, 1988
  • Fellow, American Association for Advancement of Science, 1991
  • Award of Merit recipient, American Heart Association, 1992
  • Gold Heart Award, American Heart Association, 1998
  • Recipient Herrick Award of the Council on Clinical Cardiology, American Heart Association, 2004
  • John Phillips Memorial Award, American College of Physicians, 2006
  • Diversity Award, Association of Professors of Medicine, 2008
  • Robert H Williams Distinguished Chair of Medicine, Association of Professors of Medicine, 2015
  • Eugene Braunwald Mentoring Award, American Heart Association, 2022

Memberships

  • American Clinical and Climatological Association
  • National Academy of Medicine

Professional Activities

  • Cardiology Advisory Board, NHBLI, 1986 - 1990
  • Chairman, Cardiology Advisory Board, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 1987 - 1990
  • President, AHA (National), 1989 - 1990
  • Study Chair, Executive Committee Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2003
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