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Winter 2013

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Newest Frontier in Cardiac Care: Kidneys
By: Candace Stuart

They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Not so, at least when it comes to cardiac care. Recent research and clinical practice point to the kidneys as a pathway for treating cardiovascular diseases. Using a percutaneous, catheter-based technique to disrupt overactive renal sympathetic nerves, specialists have been able to lower blood pressure in patients with drug-resistant hypertension. And they aren’t stopping there. Early studies show the approach may be effective for treating atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) as well. 

An unnerving scenario

The heart is one of several organs that in concert regulate blood pressure. The kidneys also play an important role, assisted by the renal sympathetic efferent and afferent nerves within and...
Editorial
- Candace Stuart - Headshot
Registries & Randomization
By: Candace Stuart
We appear to be poised on a new era for treating a variety of cardiovascular conditions with renal artery denervation, a percutaneous technique that disrupts the renal sympathetic nervous system...
Features
- Service Lines
Service Lines: Getting It Straight Under Reform
By: Candace Stuart
Some service line champions are calling these structures into service to help them maximize their potential. 
Features
- Thumbs up, thumbs down
EHRs & CVD: The Good, the Bad & the Future
By: Luke Gale
EHR adopters are using health IT to improve patient outcomes. There is potential for savings, too, if barriers can be overcome.
Features
- Ty Cobb Room
Georgia on my mind: New Hospital Development Model Emerges
By: Justine Varieur Cadet
Ty Cobb Regional Medical Center in Lavonia, Ga., applied a creative business model to build when others were shuttering their doors.
Special Section
- Brijeshwar S. Maini, MD
FFR is Integral in PinnacleHealth’s Reform Strategy
By: Justine Varieur Cadet
PinnacleHealth embraces new technologies to cost effectively improve care.
Features
- Nichols-Steffen
Thoracic Surgery: New Alliance Under ICD-10
By: Jill Gormley
Thoracic surgeons may find that accurate coding and billing under ICD-10 may require a higher level of specificity than before. 
Features
- Money Balloon
Ballooning Inpatient AF Costs: A $26 Billion Conundrum
By: Justine Varieur Cadet
Atrial fibrillation (AF) places a heavy financial burden on the U.S. healthcare system, but cardiologists may help to chip away at these costs.
Departments
- Eric C. Stecker, MD, MPH, FACC
Thriving as a Cardiologist in the Post-reform Era
By: Eric C. Stecker, MD, MPH, FACC
The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold most elements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ensured that major structural changes in healthcare will continue to rapidly evolve. 
Features
- CV Executives
C-suite CV Executives Prepare for an Evolving Landscape
By: Justine Varieur Cadet
Four physician executives share strategies for navigating today’s healthcare landscape. 

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