Please also see the archives for the president's "Heart to Heart" e-newsletter.
May 7, 2013
THI President Among Men of Distinction
Dr.
James T. Willerson, president and medical director of the Texas Heart
Institute (THI) at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital was honored as one of
Houston's 2013 Men of Distinction. The award was
presented to Dr. Willerson and three others, at the group's annual
luncheon, benefitting medical research and treatment for children. Dr.
Willerson is a world reknowned cardiologist and scientist. He has helped
pioneer a number significant medical advancements, particularly in the
field of using adult stem cells to help heal damaged hearts. Before
taking the leadership role at THI, Dr. Willerson was president of The
University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston's Texas Medical
Center.The Men of Distinction annual awards, begun in 2007, are to
"recognize Houston men who have distinguished themselves through
excellence in community achievements, thereby providing support for
superior biomedical research, education and patient care in the Texas
Medical Center and directly benefitting the Houston community." See Houston Chronicle photo gallery. See also www.menofdistinction.org.
May 2013
The Center for Women's Heart & Vascular Health was one of two recipients of an Alpha Phi Foundation Heart to Heart Grant. We received the $50,000 grant
to help fund our ongoing study, Houston Heart Reach for Women, designed
to investigate the roles biology, psychology and lifestyle play in
putting a women at risk for heart disease.
May 2, 2013
Dr. William E. ‘Billy’ Cohn Wins 2013 Edison AwardThe
director of minimally invasive surgical technology for THI at St.
Luke’s received a 2013 Silver Edison Award for a catheter-based surgical
suture device he invented -- the SentreHEART Lariat.
MORE... t
April 25, 2013
President and Medical Director Dr. James T Willerson profiles 50 Years Of THI Accomplishments for BioNews Texas.
April 22, 2013
Repairing and Replacing Body Parts: What's Next
Researchers are exploring ways to repair, refurbish, or replace human organs: "Medicine is saving people who previously we weren't able to save," says Dr. Doris A. Taylor, director of regenerative medicine research at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston. Read the full article from National Geographic Daily News
April 19, 2013
Big move for St. Luke's Episcopal Health System
In
a major surprise, St. Luke's board of directors approved a deal Friday
with Catholic Health Initiatives, the nation's second largest
faith-based health system, instead of Methodist and Memorial Hermann. Read more on Houston Chronicle website and Catholic Health Initiatives website.
Related news coverage:
April 16, 2013
First in Texas to Investigate Potential New Treatment For Advanced Heart Failure
St.
Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, home of the Texas Heart Institute, is the
first center in Texas to treat a patient suffering from advanced heart
failure (HF) in a clinical trial with the new investigational drug
MYDICAR®. Read press release on St. Luke's website.
April 15, 2013
Grandmother Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Heart Transplant Glenda
Pay recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her heart transplant.
Pay's journey began at age 41 when she acquired a bad cough and chest
pain that would not subside. Eventually, she was diagnosed with heart
failure. After referral to
Dr. Bud Frazier at the Texas Heart Institute,
physicians determined that Pay's heart disease was familial, affecting
only women in the family. She would need a heart transplant. Today, Pay
volunteers with the
Heart Exchange Support Group and encourages people to register as organ donors. Read the article:
Texas Medical Center News.
April 14, 2013
St. Luke's sale could mean a Cooley-DeBakey heart center
Half
a century after a rivalry between two pioneering surgeons divided the
Texas Medical Center, a possible uniting of the doctors' programs could
again make Houston the world's center of innovative heart care.
Read the full article on the Houston Chronicle website (subscriber only).
April 4, 2013
Olympic swimmer Dana Vollmer will speak at Go Red for Women luncheon "Before
swimmer Dana Vollmer became an Olympic gold medalist, she had a
different battle to conquer . . . she was diagnosed with long QT
Syndrome, a congenital disorder that affects the heart's electrical
system. Her heart could stop at any moment, and without immediate CPR,
she could die . . . [however,] doctors told her she could continue to
compete, as long as she had a defibrillator nearby at all times."
During a visit last fall to the
Texas Heart Institute,
"They did two full days of every test under the sun," Vollmer said.
"They didn't see any signs of long QT syndrome. They're looking back
trying to see what could have shown those signs. It just shows how much
more research we need." Now an ambassador for the American Heart
Association, Vollmer will speak at the
Go Red for Women luncheon April 12 in Nashville. Read her story from
The Tennessean (
PDF).
March 22, 2013
"The remarkable feats of the Texas Heart Institute" An interview with International Innovation
"Cardiovascular disease costs the US $449 billion each year.
Dr James T Willerson,
President and Medical Director, enlightens us on the remarkable feats
of the THI and reveals his thoughts on reducing the heavy burdens of
this widespread,and often fatal, health issue."
Read the full article (PDF) published in the February issue of International Innovation. [About the publication, see www.researchmedia.eu.]
Update April 24, 2013: This article is now available online (open access) from ResearchMediaLtd.
March 14, 2013
Video News: Live@ACHE 2013: Modern Healthcare Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Denton A. Cooley
Dr.
Cooley, founder and president emeritus of the Texas Heart Institute,
accepts induction into Modern Healthcare's Hall of Fame and recalls some
highlights of his long career as a cardiovascular surgeon. View the video from American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE).
March 13, 2013
Dr. Cowboy Cooley
It's Rodeo season in Houston and in keeping with that theme, the latest edition of Cowboys & Indians magazine features a rousing article about the ranching endeavors of THI founder Dr. Denton A. Cooley
and his "Cool Acres" spread down on the Brazos River. Written by his
good friend Warner Roberts, the article is available to subscribers or
for purchase in the April edition. Readers will learn about Dr. Cooley's
Western traditions, including his pet longhorn. [See a full profile for Dr. Cooley.]
March 8, 2013
The Manzano Mile - March 23 in Austin, Texas
Texas
Heart Institute partners with Olympian Leo Manzano for fitness and fun
at the 3rd Annual Manzano Mile, a family physical fitness event that
includes a free kids 400 m run. Details here.
March 7, 2013 UPDATE March 12, 2013
Heart Screenings offered free to middle- and high-school students
Texas Heart Institute announced that free heart screening appointments were open in the Texas Medical
Center during the spring break week (March 11-15) to area middle school and
high school students. All available appointments have been booked. Watch for another opportunity during summer vacation period. The screenings are part of a
research program into certain difficult-to-detect, congenital heart
abnormalities that are thought to predispose young people to Sudden Cardiac
Death (SCD). Details here.
February 28, 2013
Alpha
Phi Foundation Announces 2013 Heart to Heart Grant Recipients
Awarded annually, Alpha Phi Foundation's Heart to
Heart Grant funds research and educational programs that support the improvement
of women's heart health. Texas Heart Institute will receive $50,000 to continue advancing women's heart health both in the local
community and the medical field. Read the full press release for details (PDF).
February 26, 2013
Hakeem Olajuwon's DR34M Line Debuts At Knolls
Basketball
phenomenon and hometown favorite Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon can now
add fashion designer to his lengthy resume. At the launch event of his
DR34M collection, the "Heart of a Champion" partnered with Texas Heart
Institute "champions of hearts,"
Dr. Denton Cooley and
Dr. James Willerson. [In addition to being an Honorary Trustee on the THI
Board, Olajuwon is also a spokesperson for the
Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies.] —
Houston Chronicle Also see the CultureMap Houston article: "Houston's biggest NBA legend teams up with superstar heart surgeon for an unexpected mission."
February 14, 2013
Texas
Heart Institute Physician & Scientist William E. ‘Billy’ Cohn Named
2013 Edison Awards Finalist for Innovative Surgical Invention
The
LARIAT Suture Delivery Device, invented by Dr. Cohn, allows surgeons to
tie off the left atrial appendage (LAA) via a catheter without the need
for open-heart surgery.
January 27, 2013
Saving lives with help from pigs and cells
Doris
Taylor and her team are building new organs, hoping to reverse disease,
maybe even the aging process. On the ninth floor of the Texas Heart
Institute's Denton Cooley building, Doris Taylor and her team are
building human hearts, with help from pigs and stem cells.
"We
think a pig heart is a perfect scaffold for a human heart, based on its
structure and size," says Taylor, a passionate scientist with a Ph.D.
in pharmacology. — Houston Chronicle
Learn more about
Regenerative Medicine Research at THI.
January 23, 2013
Keeping hearts pumping
Doctors
push the limits of heart-pump technology in an effort to save lives.
Dr. Bud Frazier often tells a story about when he was a medical student
in the 1960s . . . Frazier had this thought: If I can keep a man alive
with my hand, why can't we make a pump that we can pull off of the shelf
to do the same thing? Dr. Billy Cohn, another physician who works at
the cutting edge of heart pump technology, likes to use the history of
human flight as an analogy for the evolution in his field. Experimenters
in both domains had to give up the idea of bio-mimicry to advance the
technology. "It is similar to when man first tried to build a flying
machine with flapping wings that mimic the birds. It is obvious now that
fixed wings were the way to go," he says. "We think it is the same with
the nonpulsatile pump, which, because it has only one moving part, is
much more durable." - Houston Chronicle
Learn more about Heart Assist Devices at THI.
January 13, 2013
Mattress Mack donation brings BiVACOR artificial heart to Houston Australian
engineer Daniel Timm's revolutionary device to be developed at THI. "I
think we're beyond the Kitty Hawk stage with this," - Drs. Bud Frazier
and Billy Cohn. Read
Eric Berger's Houston Chronicle article.
January 9, 2013
The revolutionary artificial heart without a pulse Dr.
Bud Frazier has been working on making an artificial heart since the
1960s. In 2011, Frazier and his colleague Dr. Billy Cohn implanted the
first of a new kind of artificial heart: one without a pulse. Minnesota
Public Radio's
The Daily Circuit talks with guests Dr. Bud Frazier and Dr. Billy Cohn from the Texas Heart Institute.
Listen . . . January 2, 2013
100 Hospitals With Great Heart Programs
St.
Luke's Episcopal Hospital, home to the Texas Heart Institute (THI), has
been named as one of the "100 Hospitals With Great Heart Programs" by Becker's Hospital Review.
See also on this website: Patient Care
December 17, 2012
THI Chosen as Biorepository for Cardiac Stem Cell Research Network THI
has been chosen as the Biorepository Core Lab for the CCTRN and will be
under the direction of Dr. Doris Taylor and Dr. Adrian Gee.
December 11, 2012
Dr. Todd K. Rosengart named professor and research scientist at THI
Rosengart,
DeBakey-Bard Chair of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, is a
nationally recognized cardiothoracic surgeon who is board certified in
surgery and thoracic surgery with special expertise in minimally
invasive surgery.
December 10, 2012
Dr. George J. Reul receives 2012 Ray C. Fish Award
Cardiovascular surgeon is honored by Texas Heart Institute for scientific achievements, contributions to cardiology and surgery.
December 4, 2012
The Heart Problem You're Not Worried About
Atrial fibrillation
is a growing epidemic . . . awareness and early diagnosis can save
lives. Age is the biggest risk factor for afib (an irregular and often
rapid heartbeat that causes poor blood flow). A person's chances of
developing the irregular heartbeat increase after age 60 . . . "Many
people develop afib in their later years," says Mohammad Saeed, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at THI. Full article and associated videos from everydayhealth.com.
December 1, 2012
Medical Center pioneer Dr. Denton Cooley
reflects on life's ups and downs
One of the pioneers of the Texas
Medical Center has written a book about his life that includes the good and the
bad. Dr. Denton Cooley talked with KHOU 11 News about his
success, family tragedy and his infamous dispute with another medical pioneer.
Interview
and video from KHOU.com.
See also on this website: 100,000 Hearts: A Surgeon's
Memoir
November 26, 2012
Moderate alcohol intake can benefit
health
The key word is "moderate:" one to two drinks for women and
two to three drinks in men can be preventive for strokes and heart attacks.
Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol can have a
negative impact on health, says Dr. James T. Willerson, THI
president and medical director. "It can actually cause heart-related problems
such as high blood pressure, stroke, irregular heartbeats and cardiomyopathy,"
he said. "Also, remember that the average drink has 100 to 200 calories that
often add body fat, which can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease."
- Houston
Chronicle
November 25, 2012
Basking briefly in legend's
brilliance
A personal perspective on the distinguished career of
Dr. Denton Cooley and his mentor: "So who does Cooley . . .
credit for developing a technique that saved the lives of thousands? Vivien
Thomas, a financially strapped black high school graduate who rose above racism
to devise surgical techniques as a technician at Johns Hopkins University." — Paul
Harasim's column from the Las Vegas Review-Journal
November 23, 2012
Blood test would identify harmful
protein
Some of the most common forms of cancer are often treated
with a drug that can cause heart failure. But researchers in Houston have made a
discovery that could help patients avoid that damage. A research team led by
Dr. Edward T.H. Yeh plans to recommend a blood test to identify
at-risk patients. — Houston
Chronicle
November 20, 2012
FDA Approves HeartWare LVAD for
HF
The FDA gave the green light for the HeartWare Ventricular
Assist System as a bridge to heart transplantation in patients with heart
failure. "The miniaturized device with an integrated inflow cannula is placed
within the pericardial sac . . . simplifying the surgical insertion," said
O.H. "Bud" Frazier, MD, of Texas Heart Institute. Read the full
story from medpagetoday.com.
See also on this website: Heart Assist Devices
October 29, 2012
Research unraveling risks of deadly hidden heart problems
Alaina
Dixon had no idea she had heart problems until she collapsed in cardiac
arrest 25 yards from the finish line at the Chevron Houston Marathon in
January 2011. Because race organizers had emergency cardiac equipment
on hand, Dixon survived to run another day. — Houston Chronicle
October 29, 2012
Researchers Discover Key to How Cancer Drug Causes Heart Failure
Researchers
at the Texas Heart Institute and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center have demonstrated a genetic link that may prevent damage
to the heart from one of the most common cancer chemotherapy drugs,
according to a paper being published in Nature Medicine.
October 25, 2012 Texas can be a center of adult stem cell research — by Gov. Rick Perry
"Growing replacement organs. Spinal regeneration. Repairing cardiac
tissue in the aftermath of a heart attack. These ideas have belonged to
the realm of science fiction for generations, but all are now realistic
goals, thanks to groundbreaking research in the field of adult stem
cells." Researchers ... from the Texas Heart Institute ... including
Dr. Doris Taylor ... are revolutionizing science. — Houston Chronicle
October 10, 2012
Olympian Leo Manzano — Starter for
Great Pumpkin Fun Run
Olympic
Silver Medalist (1,500 meter run) and former University of Texas track star Leo
Manzano will serve as Official Starter for the 17th Annual Great
Pumpkin Fun Run, beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 27, 2012.
September 17, 2012
Texas Heart Institute marks 50 years of mending hearts.
Houston Chronicle opinion piece by Steve Miller and Dr. James T. Willerson
September 14, 2012
Landry's Concepts Supports Fight Against Cardiovascular Disease
Area restaurants partner with Texas Heart Institute to celebrate 50 years of dedication and success.
August 10, 2012
European Soccer Star Cleared for Play After Evaluation by Experts at THI
Dutch player Hedwiges
Maduro has been cleared to resume play for the Spanish team, FC
Sevilla, after an extensive evaluation by Dr. Paolo Angelini, with the
Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies at THI. Watch the video on YouTube (available in both English and Spanish).
August 6, 2012
Heart transplant patient going strong after 20 years
"Look
at Bonnie Lundy Kwan today and you'd never know 20 years ago, she was
at death's door. 'I was just a normal teenager,' Kwan said, 'and I was
diagnosed with cardiomyopathy at 17' A virus had attacked her heart and
was slowly killing her. 'We didn't think she was going to make it,
frankly,' said her doctors at THI, Dr. Bud Frazier and Dr. Edward
Massin. She needed a miracle. . . In the 20 years since receiving a
heart transplant, Bonnie has dedicated her life to helping others."
Read the story from KIAH-TV Houston 39 Online.
For video from this story and more, visit the Multimedia Room.
August 2, 2012
THI Celebrates Heart Transplant Program: 30 Years and 1,200 Recipients
Dr.
Bud Frazier, heart surgeon and Chief, Center for Cardiac Support at
Texas Heart Institute talks about the 30-year anniversary of heart
transplantation at THI and where the future lies in treating people
whose hearts are failing. Transplant recipient Randy Creech, who
received his new heart 22 years ago, talks about his incredible gift of
life. Watch the 2 video interviews and read the stories in the Multimedia Room.
July 25, 2012
Texas Mother Bridged to Heart Transplant with
SynCardia Total Artificial Heart Excited to Adopt
New Baby One Year Later
"On
Sept. 20, 2011, 39-year-old Shawn Galloway was given new life when she
received a donor heart transplant [at Texas Heart Institute (THI) at St.
Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston] after 60 days of support with the
SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart. This September, Galloway
and her family will be blessed with new life for a second time." See the
full article from PRNewswire.com.
July 24, 2012
Researchers Mark Progress in Reprogramming Skin Cells
Into Heart Muscle Cells
Physicians and scientists at THI, working collaboratively with the University of Houston, the Texas A&M Health Science Center in Houston and the Baylor College of Medicine, have shown a new way to convert human skin cells into beating heart cells, according to an article being published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Robert J. Schwartz reports.
July 17, 2012
THI Remains Among America's Top 10 Heart Centers
The Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital has once again been named one of the top 10 heart centers in the nation in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings announced today. THI, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is named No. 6 and has been in the top 10 for 22 consecutive years.
July 11, 2012
Olympic Runner Leo Manzano Partners with THI
as Ambassador for Heart Health
Texas Heart Institute announced a partnership with Olympic runner Leo Manzano, who will serve as a THI "Ambassador" to help promote heart health and to raise awareness of the devastating effects of cardiovascular disease. Manzano, the 5' 5" former University of Texas track and field star, qualified for his second U.S. Olympic team in the 1,500 meter race.
Read the news release. Visit the partnership home page.
June 29, 2012
Heart disease numbers drop for Baby Boomers,
still at high risk
"The death rate by heart attack for Baby Boomers declined by 25 % from 1997 to 2007. Experts say it may mean we're eating better and moving slightly more than our parents, but not enough." Dr. Stephanie Coulter, director of THI Center for Women's Heart & Vascular Health, discusses prevention and therapy in a special report by Houston Business Journal (PDF).
June 15, 2012
Son escapes death, then saves father's life
"A son dealing with heart failure was able to overcome his own medical struggle to save his father's life.". Dr. Bud Frazier, THI heart surgeon, calls it "remarkable." Story and video from Houston's ABC13 Health Check.
See more as Albert and Brian Benoit tell their own stories and talk about lessons learned in Stories from THI.
June 7, 2012
THI Center for Women's Heart Health and Auscultation Primer App are Winners
Texas Heart Institute has been honored by two awards in the Winter/Spring 2012 Web Health Awards competition: the Center for Women's Heart & Vascular Health received a Merit Award and the Auscultation Primer App and Heart Sounds Podcast Series received a Bronze Award.
May 15, 2012
BlueCross BlueShield of Texas sponsor Great Pumpkin Fun Run
Texas Heart Institute founder, Dr. Denton A. Cooley, left and THI President, Dr. James T. Willerson accept a check from BlueCross BlueShield of Texas Divisional Vice President Shara McClure and Regional Director Johnna Lenamon for THI's annual Great Pumpkin Fun Run. The family-friendly fun run has been held each October for the last 17 years and BlueCross BlueShield of Texas has been the title sponsor for the event for 13 years.
May 2012
Act 2 Opens for Stem Cell Heart Treatments
Medical Director of THI's Stem Cell Center, Dr. Emerson Perin, is featured in the lead story of Cardiology News. "Stem cell treatment for cardiac disease recently launched into advanced clinical trials, as a flurry of early-phase studies over the last year has collectively confirmed the treatment as safe but left its efficacy unresolved." Read more at ecardiology.com.
May 8, 2012
Rice students work on weighty problem for doctors
Mehdi Razavi, MD, director of electrophysiology clinical research at THI, sought help from senior engineering students to produce a prototype to help obese patients breathe during medical procedures. View video and news release on Rice.edu.
Additional coverage: VITALS on msnbc.com, Cutting Edge on cnet.com
April 30, 2012
Heart Risk in Athletes Is Gaining Attention
"Should high school athletes be screened for heart trouble before taking to the practice field?" A New York Times article examines the issue. "Researchers at the Texas Heart Institute are even looking at the prevalence of heart abnormalities in middle-school students and the feasibility of complete screenings, combining EKGs and imaging tests." Read more about the THI Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies and the Houston MRI Screening Study.
May 1, 2012
Legends meet to stand up against heart disease
Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan (left)and basketball legend Hakeem Olajuwon (right) have more in common than just being exceptional athletes: both are among Houston's most admired sports figures, both wore No. 34 on their uniforms, and both serve in volunteer leadership roles at THI, standing up against heart disease. Surprisingly, the two had never met in person before a meeting here on April 30. They posed with THI founder, Dr. Denton A. Cooley and THI president, Dr. James T. Willerson.
April 30, 2012
Bionic bride brings message to Austin
"A Houston woman known as the 'bionic bride' is in Austin this weekend to spread her message of heart health and giving back." Ally Smith Babineaux attends American Heart Association's Heart Ball. See KXAN.COM from Austin. See Ally's story on YouTube and read her story on the Texas Heart Institute website.
April 25, 2012
Tribeca Film Festival: 'Heart Stops Beating' Review: Brilliant
"In March 2011, two visionary doctors from the Texas Heart Institute successfully replaced a dying man's heart with a 'continuous flow' device, proving that life was possible without a heartbeat. Jeremiah Zagar's "Heart Stops Beating" is an exceptional short film at this year's Tribeca Film Festival that will leave the audience filled with amazement." Read the full review at ReviewFix.com. Read "Heart to Heart" for more background.
April 16, 2012
THI's Dr. Bud Frazier and Dr. William Cohn were featured presenters on April 13 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, for the annual TEDMED conference.
As the TEDMED organizers say, the assemblage "comes together to explore the issues, challenges and innovations that will help shape the future of Health and Medicine for 300 million Americans...and the world."
Coverage on medGadget website.
April 12, 2012
29th Anniversary of Heart Transplant
Seventy-five-year-old retired research chemist and teacher Charles Washington, who is thought to be the longest surviving heart transplant recipient, recently marked the 29th anniversary of his transplant. During his annual check-up at the Texas Heart Institute in early April, the Oak Ridge, Tenn., resident shared some of his thoughts about his 1982 heart attack and his life over the three decades since his transplant. View video.
April 2011
The Link Between Atrial Fibrillation and Family History
"Having a family history of atrial fibrillation can increase your chances of developing this common but potentially dangerous type of irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)." Dr. Mehdi Razavi, cardiologist at Texas Heart Institute, discusses causes and preventive measures in this article from everydayHEALTH.
See also on this website: Atrial Fibrillation
April 9, 2012
Cooking with Heart: Heart-Healthy Mother's Day Dinner
In this complimentary cooking demonstration, learn healthy eating tips from a dietitian and have heart-related questions answered by a cardiologist. The menu: * Crab Cakes with Smarter Tartar Sauce * Herb Roasted Fingerling Potatoes * Asparagus with Tarragon Aioli * Nectarine Tart
Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 6:30 – 9pm, Central Market Cooking School, 3815 Westheimer Road, Houston. Sign up today; space is limited!
April 3, 2012
The National Institutes of Health Extends National Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN)
The national Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN), which includes Texas Heart Institute, will be expanded and has been refunded for an additional seven years by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
March 30, 2012
Cheney's heart transplant sparks age debate
There's been debate over the age of people getting transplants after former Vice President Dick Cheney received a heart transplant at 71. But the world's biggest heart transplant center says that's not unusual . . . older people sometimes do better. "They reject less and they tend to have good outcomes," said cardiologist Dr. Reynolds Delgado with the Texas Heart Institute transplant team. Experts say the real issue isn't competition for organs but too few donors. See the story and video from KTRK-TV HealthCheck.
March 29, 2012
St. Luke's Recognized by American Heart Association as Accredited Heart Attack Receiving Center
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital received accreditation as a Mission: Lifeline® Heart Attack Receiving Center from the American Heart Association and Society of Chest Pain Centers, becoming the only hospital in Houston to earn this recognition. The accreditation program recognizes centers that meet or exceed quality of care measures for people experiencing the most severe type of heart attack, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in which blood flow is completely blocked to a portion of the heart. Read more on St. Luke's website . . .
March 24, 2012
Study Shows Potential for Stem Cell Therapy in Patients Suffering from Severe Heart Failure
Novel treatment may help restore heart's ability to pump
Doctors from THI presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session, the results of a multi-center clinical study that measured the possible benefits of using a patient's own bone marrow cells to repair damaged areas of the heart. "This is exactly the kind of information we need to move forward with the clinical use of stem cell therapy," said THI's Dr. Emerson Perin.
March 13, 2012
No Pulse: How Doctors Reinvented The Human Heart
"This 10,000-rpm, no-pulse artificial heart doesn't resemble an organic heart--and might be all the better for it."
The March 2012 issue of Popular Science magazine featured Dr. Bud Frazier and Dr. Billy Cohn and their story of the development of the "total artificial heart." Read the full article at www.popsci.com.
March 9, 2012
Noted surgeon and physician join multidisciplinary team at St. Luke's Cooley Transplant Center
Hari R. Mallidi, MD, and Ramachandra R. Sista, MD, lead Lung and Heart-Lung Transplant programs.
March 1, 2012
Cameron's engineering team presents a check for $500,000 to Texas Heart Institute for collaboration on artificial heart development.
February 29, 2012
"Six Steps to a Healthier Heart"
Dr. James Wilson, THI cardiologist, provides good advice for preventing heart disease in this online article by American Profile: "Don't smoke. Maintain an ideal body weight. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise everyday."
February 17, 2012
Ally takes her story to the classroom
Two hundred 7th graders in the Fort Bend Independent School District heard the bionic bride's story (and got her autograph) as she helped them learn about heart health. Ally Smith Babineaux is "living her dream" (YouTube) after receiving a new heart at THI. Read her story.
February 8, 2012
Getting to the heart of Marfan syndrome
Some doctors might see a patient with Marfan syndrome once or twice a year. But Dr. Joseph Coselli, professor of surgery at Baylor College of Medicine and chief of adult cardiac surgery at the Texas Heart Institute, sees on average one or more a week. Coselli and his team have treated hundreds of patients with Marfan syndrome. Read the article from BCM News.
Learn more about Marfan syndrome.
February 11, 2012
Texans take dance break at H-E-B stores across the state for Heart Health. THI offered free heart-health screenings with Dr. Jim Willerson, THI President and Medical Director and Dr. Stephanie Coulter, Director of THI Center for Women's Heart & Vascular Health.
February 6, 2012
THI President, James T. Willerson, MD, Profiled in Journal
Dr. James T. Willerson, President and Medical Director of the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital has earned the honor of being profiled in the February 3, 2012, issue of Circulation Research. Read the full profile.
January 25, 2012
World-Renowned Cell-Therapy Researcher, Doris Taylor, PhD, Joins Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's
Noted for work to regenerate hearts, other organs...
January 31, 2012
A group of cardiologists and trauma specialists from Stavanger University Hospital in Norway has been visiting the Texas Medical Center this week, including a stop at THI [photo]. The delegation, headed by Research Director, Dr. Stein Tore Nielsen, spent time with THI President and Medical Director James T. Willerson, MD. Others in the delegation included cardiologists Dr. Vernon Vijay Singha Bonarjee, Dr. Alf Inge Larsen, Dr. Cord Manhenke and Dr. Svein Skeie. Also in the group were emergency care specialists Dr. Stephen Sollid and Dr. Eldar Soreide.
January 25, 2012
On track at Rolex 24 for the Texas Heart Institute
There will be a super reason to root for the Goldstone Ranch Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Car in this weekend's 50th running of the Rolex 24 in at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.
January 23, 2012
Houston's Dr. Cooley Recalls Historic Surgical "Firsts" in Memoir
One of Houston's great heart surgeons, in the decades after World War II, he helped develop open-heart surgery and transplantation. He also started the Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke's. Now, at age 91, Cooley has written a memoir.
Hear and read this report on kuhf.org.
January 16, 2012
Affiliation with Covenant Heart and Vascular Institute Announced
A unique affiliation agreement between THI at St. Luke's and Covenant Heart and Vascular Institute (CHVI) in Lubbock will create more opportunities for collaboration and research in the fight against cardiovascular disease.
January 16, 2012 
LoneStar Heart Acquires Worldwide Exclusive Rights to New Class of Small Molecules That May Lead to New Treatments for Diabetes
Researchers at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center identify new class of molecule that restores insulin expression in human pancreas cells. Working in collaboration with Texas Heart Institute and other centers, researchers have shown the molecules may also "modulate the differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells, and they can induce a population of progenitor cells found in the heart to become cardiac muscle cells." Read the full news release from Yahoo Finance news online.
January 13, 2012
Blase A. Carabello, MD, Appointed Chief of Cardiology
Dr. Blase Carabello has been appointed Chief of Cardiology for both the Texas Heart Institute and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital. Earlier this year, Dr. Carabello was chosen to head THI's new Center for Heart Valve Disease. Read the full news release from St. Luke's.
January 10, 2012
Cooking with Heart on February 13 - Asian-inspired Valentine's Dinner
Spice up Valentine's Day with a delicious, heart-healthy meal with an Oriental twist. In this Central Market complimentary cooking demonstration, you will learn healthy eating tips and have heart-related questions answered. Menu: Japanese-Style Beef and Noodle Soup; Light and Crisp Egg Rolls; Asian-Style Chicken Wraps; Lemon Grass Spiced Poached Pears; and Chinese Five-Spice Chocolate Cake. [Update January 19 - This event is now full. Watch for next "Cooking with Heart" at www.stlukeshouston.com/register.]
Go to archived news for 2010 - 2011.
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