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University Medical Center is positioned to become the state’s center of excellence in cardiovascular care. While UMC has offered award-winning cardiovascular care for decades, we expect this service line to play a key role in our ongoing success as a health care system in the coming years. As we like to do in Las Vegas, UMC is doubling down and betting on the continued growth of our Cardiology and Stroke Center. We’ve made strategic investments in valuable capital improvement projects, revolutionary clinical technology upgrades and enhanced business development initiatives. This includes a large-scale remodel of our cardiovascular care infrastructure, building additional cardiac catheterization laboratories, introducing expanded electrophysiology services, renovating existing labs, developing a hybrid cath/surgical suite and outfitting all of these clinical areas with state-of-the-art equipment. We also continue to focus on building a comprehensive structural heart program.

Our team at UMC has made significant progress in the development of our world-class cardiothoracic surgery program. Working in partnership with Nevada Heart & Vascular Center, UMC introduced a new team of cardiothoracic surgeons in 2022. With this new team in place, our open-heart surgery volumes have more than doubled, and we anticipate continued growth in the coming years.

Offering a robust residency program coupled with Nevada’s only cardiology fellowship program, UMC plays a vital role in training the next generation of cardiologists for our community. UMC looks forward to building upon the strong foundation of our cardiovascular services while further elevating the level of care available in Nevada. Have a great day!

Advisory Highlights:

• American Heart Association’s checklist to measure cardiovascular health is updated, now called Life’s Essential 8™, adding healthy sleep as essential for optimal cardiovascular health.
• Other health and lifestyle factors in the checklist, which were part of the previous, 7-item scoring tool, are nicotine exposure, physical activity, diet, weight, blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.

Read More.

Press Release

          On December 3^rd, 2021 Dr. Arjun Gururaj of Nevada Heart & Vascular Center, Las Vegas Nevada successfully implanted the first Central Sleep Apnea Device in Nevada. The FDA cleared device is called Remede’ & has been released by Respicardia.  It was done at Seven Hills ASC & Cath Lab in Henderson Nevada. Nevada Heart and Vascular is Nevada’s most complete cardiology practice with a fully accredited, full service sleep medicine program. They are one of a handful of practices that has the expertise to manage complex sleep apnea patients.

The ability for this device to be placed and programmed at an ASC is a monumental step forward for the millions or Americans that suffer from Central Sleep Apnea. The device is implanted through accessing a vein that runs alongside of the heart, thus creating the ability to deliver impulse therapy to patients. It is well-tolerated and allows patients to experience a good night’s sleep, which they may not have felt for years.

Dr. Arjun Gururaj graduated medical school from the University of Texas and completed his extensive training at Boston University of Medicine. Dr. Gururaj is a well-respected & vital part of the Las Vegas Community. He has spent countless hours helping other doctors learn about Electrophysiology and heart failure devices. He is triple board certified and is proud to be an active member of Nevada Heart & Vascular and Seven Hills ASC.  Dr. Gururaj is an integral part of the sleep medicine program at Nevada Heart & Vascular Center.

Performing this landmark procedure at an esteemed outpatient facility, such as Seven Hills ASC was important to Dr. Gururaj. Seven Hills ASC is one of very few facilities in the United States that operates a Full Service, State-of-the-Art Cardiac Cath Lab and a multi-specialty Ambulatory Surgery Center. The center is accredited by Joint Commission to maintain the highest of standards in ambulatory surgical procedures. The combined expertise of this facility provides high level experience and technology to support the procedure with excellent quality fluoroscopic imaging, and highly technical cardiac cath lab staff.

Information about the device can be found below. Please direct questions to:

Sleep Medicine | Nevada Heart & Vascular Center

www.Sevenhillsasc.com

remedē® | Innovative treatment for Central Sleep Apnea (respicardia.com)

Nevada Heart and Vasculars’ Dr. Branavan Umakathanwas the first in Las Vegas, Nevada to perform Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm repair with New, Lower-Profile Stent Graft System at Spring Valley Hospital Medical Center

UMC Cardiology and Stroke Center Introduces Innovative New Technology
Hospital continues to elevate level of care available in Southern Nevada

LAS VEGAS – Building upon more than a decade of continued expansion and innovation, the UMC Cardiology and Stroke Center recently introduced several new procedures focused on saving and improving the lives of patients.

UMC recently began performing procedures to implant cutting-edge heart monitors that allows physicians to remotely monitor patients’ heart health after they leave the hospital. The CardioMEMS HF System is implanted directly into the pulmonary artery, and it can detect signs of worsening heart failure before the patient begins to notice symptoms. The data collected by this implantable device can be used by physicians to make adjustments to patients’ medications and care plans.

“At UMC, we take pride in leveraging the latest technological advances to improve the quality of our patients’ lives,” said Dr. Chowdhury Ahsan, UMC’s Chief of Medicine and Director of Cardiac Catheterization and Intervention. “Innovative tools such as the CardioMEMS System help our world-class team deliver the advanced cardiovascular care our community deserves.”

Building upon the reputation of the UMC Cardiology and Stroke Center, Dr. Ahsan and his colleagues at UMC also specialize in procedures to implant ventricular assist devices, which provide valuable support to heart failure patients and others with weakened hearts.

Following a procedure performed by Dr. Arjun Gururaj, UMC became the first hospital in Nevada to utilize the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System, a wireless pacemaker that is roughly the size of a large vitamin. Requiring only a small incision, the procedure to implant the Micra system offers reduced risks and eliminates the need for wires.

UMC’s Cardiology and Stroke Center has benefitted from a long-term partnership with Nevada Heart and Vascular Center, and the organizations recently celebrated 11 years of collaboration.

As a result of the hospital’s commitment to providing exclusive, world-class care, UMC is Nevada’s only hospital to offer a dedicated heart failure clinic. Led by Dr. Richard Shehane, UMC’s Heart Failure Clinic offers specialized care to heart failure clinics to improve their quality of life and reduce readmissions to the hospital. UMC also plans to introduce a Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic in the coming months.

In addition, UMC is home to Nevada’s first and only Cardiology Fellowship Program, providing the next generations of cardiologists with highly specialized training.

“Dr. Ahsan and his colleagues at the UMC Cardiology and Stroke Center play an instrumental role in elevating the level of care available in Southern Nevada,” said UMC CEO Mason VanHouweling. “Looking toward the future, UMC will continue to focus on the introduction of innovative new procedures and equipment to provide our community with continued access to the latest breakthroughs in medical technology.”

About UMC

UMC offers the highest level of care in Nevada, providing a wide range of exclusive and specialized health care services to community members and visitors. UMC is home to Nevada’s only Level I Trauma Center, only Designated Pediatric Trauma Center, only Burn Care Center and only Center for Transplantation. Children’s Hospital of Nevada at UMC serves as the state’s only hospital to be recognized and accepted as an associate member of the Children’s Hospital Association. Offering highly skilled physicians, nurses and staff members supported by the latest, cutting-edge technology, UMC and Children’s Hospital of Nevada continue to build upon their shared reputation for providing Nevada’s highest level of care. In support of its mission to serve as the premier academic health center, UMC is the anchor partner for the UNLV School of Medicine. For more information, please visit www.umcsn.com and www.chnv.org.

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Congratulations to Dr. Cres P. Miranda and Dr. Charles Allen Rhodes have been named on the “Best Doctors in America List”

Congratulations to Dr. Cres P. Miranda and Dr. Allen Rhodes on winning Top Doctor Recognition by Desert Companion Magazine/ KNPR