Virtual ESC Congress 2020 through Tuesday

A number of Duke Heart team members are scheduled speakers during the European Society of Cardiology’s 2020 Congress, being held virtually. The event began this weekend and runs through Tuesday. Speakers include Sana Al-Khatib, Renato Lopes, Neha Pagidipati, Manesh Patel, Adrian Hernandez, Ann Marie Navar, Anthony Carnicelli and Sean Pokorney. Registration this year is free and all presentations will be available in the ESC Congress platform with access to slides, videos and abstracts until September 30.

Some of the news items coming out of ESC include Renato Lopes presenting on the ISCHEMIA trial (title: Initial Invasive versus Conservative Management for Stable Ischemic Heart Disease with a History of Heart Failure or Left Ventricular Dysfunction: Insights from the ISCHEMIA Trial, which was presented yesterday.

Also, some good news for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – information from the EXPLORER-HCM clinical trial were presented yesterday as a late breaker. Results were presented by lead investigator Iacopo Olivotto, MD, of Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy. The findings showed the drug, Mavacamten, improves heart function and symptoms in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

“The findings represent a breakthrough, first-in-class drug for patients with HCM,” said Andrew Wang, director of the Duke Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Clinic. “Duke had major roles in enrollment as well on as the Steering Committee, which included Matt Roe, Michael Felker and myself, as well as members of the DCRI stats team.”

Duke’s involvement with the trial goes back to 2014, when we had several of the first patients in the world with HCM receiving the drug. This could be the first drug available specifically indicated for the treatment of obstructive HCM – currently all other drugs in use are being used off-label.

Also released at ESC so far, 2020 ESC guidelines for the management of adult congenital heart disease (https://bit.ly/2Gc6Dyd); 2020 ESC Guidelines on sport cardiology and exercise in patients with cardiovascular disease (https://bit.ly/3b4tqau), 2020 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation (https://bit.ly/31M9QNj), as well as the 2020 ESC Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) (https://bit.ly/3joftXC)

Coming up on the schedule over the next two days: Hernandez, Navar, Carnicelli and Pokorney!

Bed Expansion Coming for Heart Services

As many of you know, we have been working over the last several months to improve our hospital access for our heart patients in the community. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the need for more dedicated heart space. The requirements have included both needs for stepdown beds and intensive care unit beds and space. Additionally, as we look to our future, we have been looking to determine the best way to build innovative care spaces that improve the quality of care, education, and provide a way to inform future practice.

Recently, with moves of the Neuro ICU and Neuro stepdown units to the new bed tower, we have had an opportunity to pitch our vision for more beds and coordinated services to the health system. These chances for additional beds do not come up very often, and as a cardiology group and service line, we felt it was essential to our long-term success. We have been fortunate that our request has been supported by Duke Hospital leadership as part of the overall plan for growth of Heart Services at Duke Health.

Over the last several weeks we have engaged our CICU faculty and leaders to review the possibility of moving the CICU to 7 East (24 beds), next to 7 West (CTICU). We would look to keep 7700 to improve our Stepdown/intermediate bed capacity (17 beds; net increase of 5 beds), help move some of our short stay to 7200, and improve our CDU footprint for work in 7200. No spaces are perfect for each patient care group, but individually and in total we see this as opportunities to improve our patient care and experience.

In order to move our care to the future space with input from our faculty, fellows and staff, a team led by our CICU leadership and to include fellows, CICU faculty, other divisional vice-chiefs and faculty section leaders, and nursing leadership will be meeting to review and map out steps of transition and consider coverage models. We are committed to ensuring we have enough staffing and resources before increasing bed capacity even after the move.

This growth and need is a testament to all of you, your expertise, your dedication, and the care we provide to our patients as a team. We are fortunate to have more patients wanting to come to Duke and these moves allow us to better fulfill our mission, vision and values.

Thank you for your patience as we work to optimize patient access at DUH and Duke Heart. Please watch for local meetings and zooms for further updates and opportunities to discuss how we make this effort a complete success for everyone.

Shout-out: Matt Carlisle

We received a shout-out this week for Matt Carlisle, first year cardiology fellow this week. Sunil Rao had this to say, “Just wanted to drop you a note that Matt Carlisle did a great job in VA clinic this week. He did several days covering for his colleagues who were taking the Medicine boards. His presentations were terrific and his management plans were spot on.” Hat tip to Anna Lisa Crowley for the share, who added that Matt is terrific and conscientious. Carlisle responded by sharing that “The entire class has covered each other this month for boards, have a great group to work with!” Great job, Matt!!! We have amazing fellows in our program – we’re glad to have each and every one of you here at Duke Heart and we appreciate all that you’re doing!

 

Good Catch, Oxendine!

One of our amazing team members from 7100/7200 has received a Good Catch award. Way to go, Melissa Oxendine, (RN CNII)!! She noticed that valacyclovir po was still active in eMAR when patient was placed NPO and IV form was ordered. Many thanks to Laura Dickerson and Antoniette Embler for alerting us! Keep up the great work!

Upcoming Opportunities/Save the Date:

Sept. 4: Weight Management Case Conference. Noon- 1 p.m. via Zoom

Presented by weight management experts from:

• Duke Diet and Fitness Center
• Duke Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery
• Duke Healthy Lifestyles Clinic
• Duke Keto Medicine Clinic
• Duke Primary Care and
• Duke Cardiology, Duke Cardiometabolic Prevention Program & Duke Heart

Join Zoom Meeting
https://duke.zoom.us/j/96782978813?pwd=aVVURVRnNFVmVlZrTlRqalg1eC96Zz09

Meeting ID: 967 8297 8813
Passcode: 293321

DIHI: Request for Applications (RFA 2021 Innovation Projects)

Duke Institute for Health Innovation (DIHI) announces the next emerging ideas and funding cycle for innovative ideas and projects. Proposed projects should address actual and important problems encountered by care providers, patients and their loved ones and represent urgent health challenges nationally. For the upcoming funding cycle, DIHI is specifically interested in innovations in areas that: (a) Improve value of care through novel strategies, (b) Create digital solutions for care and monitoring (home monitoring, wearables etc.), (c) Advance health equity, (d) Enhance provider and staff experience and well-being, (e) Accelerate population health solutions and strategies, and (f) Enhance patient engagement and experience.

Please visit https://dihi.org/events/dihi-rfa for additional information and instructions. The deadline for submitting applications is midnight October 9, 2020. All proposals are required to have a Duke Health operational lead as a cosponsor to be accepted for review. If the DIHI team can be of any assistance in the formulation of ideas or connections, please contact Suresh Balu. We look forward to your innovative solutions.

 

2020 Triangle Heart Walk Going “Digital”; Will Be Held Oct. 10

Sign up is open for the 2020 Triangle Heart Walk which is going virtual! Instead, the American Heart Association is planning for a nation-wide digital experience across several weeks leading up to the main event on October 10. You can register at: www.TriangleHeartWalk.org/Duke. Message from Tom Owens: https://duh.dh.duke.edu/president-notes/triangle-heart-walk-goes-virtual-2020 (NET ID required)

 

COVID-19 Updates:

All the latest official DUHS information regarding coronavirus/COVID-19 response at the following locations:

• Recommended Eye Protection
• PDC intranet site
• Duke Health intranet site
• Well-Being Resources

 

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged.

 

Duke Heart in the News:

August 23 — Neha Pagidipati

Healio/Endocrinology

SGLT2s, GLP-1s benefit both sexes despite greater CV risks among women with diabetes

https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20200823/sglt2s-glp1s-benefit-both-sexes-despite-greater-cv-risks-among-women-with-diabetes

 

August 25 — Duke University Hospital

Becker’s Hospital Review

Top 10 Hospitals for Consumer Loyalty

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/top-10-hospitals-for-consumer-loyalty-2.html

 

August 29 — Jonathan Piccini

MedPage Today

Impressive Results With Early-Rhythm Control in AFib

https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/esc/88349

 

August 30 — Jonathan Piccini

Healio/Cardiology

Cryoballoon ablation may be better first-line treatment vs. drug therapy in paroxysmal AF

https://bit.ly/2Gd3Uo4

 

August 30 — Renato Lopes

Healio/Cardiac-Vascular Intervention

Invasive approach to stable ischemic heart disease may benefit in HF, LV dysfunction

https://www.healio.com/news/cardiac-vascular-intervention/20200830/invasive-approach-to-stable-ischemic-heart-disease-may-benefit-in-hf-lv-dysfunction

 

 

Highlights of the week:

Edward P. Chen, MD to Serve as Chief of CT Surgery, Effective Jan. 2021

On Tuesday, Aug. 18, the Duke Section of Surgical Disciplines formally announced the appointment of Edward P. Chen, MD, as the incoming Chief of the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery. He will join the team in January, 2021.

Dr. Chen is currently serving as the Section Head of Adult Cardiac Surgery and Director of Thoracic Aortic Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine. His other roles there have included Associate Program Director for the Thoracic Surgery Residency, Site Director for Resident Education at Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital and Executive Director of the Emory Healthcare Aortic Center Planning Steering Committee.

“We are excited to have Dr. Chen join us in this critically important role,” said Allan D. Kirk, MD, the David C. Sabiston, Jr. Distinguished Professor and Chair of Surgery, and Surgeon-in-Chief for the Duke University Health System. “Dr. Chen is a caring physician and superb technical surgeon who has always exhibited a personal dedication to his patients. He is revered as a teacher and mentor to a generation of surgical trainees. His work in complex cardiac and aortic reconstruction is unparalleled, and he has been deeply engaged in improving cardiac surgery through his participation in numerous landmark trials. He is an experienced leader who has successfully navigated important local, regional and national administrative roles. Most importantly, he has exceptional maturity and has developed a reputation for respectful and thoughtful engagement in all of his interactions, truly living our institutional values of respect, teamwork and ownership.”

Chen’s research focuses on outcomes in cerebral protection for aortic arch surgery, aortic dissection, aortic valve surgery and aortic root replacement. He has led multiple federally funded grants and prospective clinical trials for more than 14 years.

A 1988 graduate of Stanford University, Chen received his medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine in 1992. He went on to complete his general surgery residency at the University of California, San Francisco in 2000, followed by his cardiothoracic surgery residency at Emory University in 2003 and fellowship in Aortic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston later that year. Chen is board certified in thoracic surgery and specializes in surgery of the thoracic aorta, including aortic root replacement, aortic aneurysms, high-risk cardiac surgery, minimally invasive valve surgery, and mitral valve repair.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Chen to the Heart Center as a partner and clearly a leader in the field of cardio-thoracic surgery,” said Manesh Patel, MD, chief of Duke Cardiology and co-director of Duke Heart Center. “His tremendous commitment to education and patient care will serve the Division and Heart Center well for years to come.”

Dr. Chen will take over the reins from Peter K. Smith, MD, Mary and Deryl Hart Professor of Surgery. Smith has served as Division Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery since 1994 as well as a founding co-director of Duke Heart Center – a position that allowed him to grow and shape the strong collaboration between Duke cardiac surgery, cardiology, and cardiac anesthesiology.

Under the leadership of Dr. Smith, the CT Surgery division has become one of the most highly ranked cardiothoracic surgery programs in the country with world-renowned heart and lung transplantation programs as well as top-echelon adult and congenital heart surgery teams. The division’s thoracic surgery residencies and fellowships are some of the most highly reputable and competitive programs in the world.

Considered a luminary in the field, Smith is a highly-regarded international leader in cardiothoracic research. He has led the Cardiothoracic Surgery Clinical Trials Network and multiple clinical trials to improve outcomes in coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve surgery. He is a nationally recognized expert in bleeding and inflammatory complications, outcomes in cardiac surgery, and coronary artery disease.

Over the years, Dr. Smith has served as a mentor and educator to many leaders in thoracic surgery and cardiovascular care.

“Peter Smith has been a guiding light for the Heart Center and Cardio-Thoracic Surgery,” Patel added. “He has been a role model for me and ‘a north star’ for how we accomplish all of our missions within Heart Services, something that we anticipate he will continue to provide in years to come.”

Dr. Kirk added that no one is more dedicated to Duke Surgery than Smith, and that it would be impossible to capture all he has done for Duke or for the field.

“Dr. Smith continues to be an internationally recognized and impressively productive authority in cardiac surgery,” said Kirk. “He has an exceptional understanding of the challenges facing healthcare more broadly, with dedicated national service as Chair of the American Medical Association’s Specialty Society Relative Value Scale Update Committee, the advisory body that establishes the value of essentially all physician services. He also has tirelessly served our veterans as a primary surgeon at the Durham VA Medical Center. I anticipate that this transition will afford Dr. Smith an opportunity to focus his deep and broad subject matter expertise on Departmental and Institutional challenges.”

Dr. Chen says he is looking forward to returning to Durham. As a School of Medicine alum, this is where he began his medical career.

“It will be a true privilege to serve this world-class Division”, says Dr. Chen. “Duke is one of the most storied, accomplished, and visible programs in the entire global landscape of CT Surgery. At Duke is where I first learned to embrace the tripartite academic mission and understood its vital importance to the overall advancement of healthcare. Those early lessons have ultimately served as fundamental core values and guiding principles for me throughout my entire career. I am fully aware of the magnitude and importance of this position and want to thank Dr. Kirk for the confidence he has shown in selecting me for this critically important role.

“I also want to acknowledge the tremendous service and leadership which Dr. Smith has given to Duke during his highly distinguished and accomplished career. It is my full intent to build upon these accomplishments and to keep Duke at the forefront for all the missions of quality, innovation, discovery and education in CT surgery. I am extremely energized by the opportunity to serve the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, its highly accomplished faculty members, support staff, the Department of Surgery and Duke University Medical Center as a whole. I look forward to working collaboratively and collegially with all the institutional stakeholders who are dedicated to the cardiovascular and thoracic service lines to further advance our models of care delivery and quality. I very much look forward to being part of the Duke Team.”

We look forward to welcoming Dr. Chen to the Section of Surgical Disciplines in January 2021, and we look forward to celebrating Dr. Smith over the months to come!

Eric Peterson, MD, MPH, Leaving Duke; Will Lead Clinical Research at UT Southwestern

It is bittersweet to announce that Eric D. Peterson, MD, MPH, the Fred Cobb Distinguished Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology and former Executive Director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI), will leave Duke to become the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW) inaugural Vice Provost and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Research, a position that is effective Nov. 1. He also will serve as the Vice President for Health System Research and hold the Adelyn and Edmund M. Hoffman Distinguished Chair in Medical Science.

As you all have experienced since Eric arrived at Duke, 28 years ago, he has affected many of the lives of the cardiologists that we train, the care that we deliver to our patients, and the way in which we think about implementation. His passion and drive to improve how we study, discover, and deliver healthcare has been a driving force for the tremendous expansion in how we perform research and deliver healthcare both at Duke Heart and the DCRI.  During his time at Duke Heart, he has continuously excelled at carrying out our mission of patient care, research excellence, and mentorship.

Notably, he was awarded our fellowship mentorship award, has personally overseen our quality work, and excelled at clinical research both in leading the DCRI and in shaping careers of many of our faculty. With over 1,400 peer-reviewed publications, he ranks among the top one percent of published researchers in clinical medicine. He has been recognized with numerous awards including the American Heart Association’s Meritorious Achievement, Distinguished Achievement, and Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Awards.

Beyond these considerable accomplishments, Eric has been a proponent of thinking differently, pushing what is possible, and has been a positive force in our division. He has been magnanimous, has worked to ensure we promote our junior faculty, and continues to provide guidance to many mentees. The position at UTSW will provide him an amazing opportunity to impact health care through clinical research, something that he is uniquely suited to do. Although we will miss his wisdom, perspective, and drive for excellence, we will look forward to new found collaborations.

Please join us in congratulating and wishing him well! We look forward to celebrating with him prior to his departure.

Duke Heart Grows by Two!

We are excited to welcome two new faces to our Duke Heart family. Please join us in congratulating the Snow and Wegermann families on their newest members:

Miles Bessho Snow was born in the morning on August 14th weighing in at 7lbs 13oz. First year cardiology fellow Sarah Snow (and Miles’ mother) report that she, her husband Anson, and baby Miles are doing well!

Ilsa Helen Wegermann, daughter of fourth year cardiology fellow, Zach Wegermann, was born on August 18th. Mom Kara, Dad Zach, and big sister Ingrid are doing well!

 

DRH, DUH Receive Chest Pain – MI Registry Performance Achievement Awards

Congratulations to our teams at Duke Regional and Duke University Hospital! Duke Regional Hospital (DRH) has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Silver Performance Achievement Award for 2020 and is one of only 124 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

Duke University Hospital has received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain ̶ MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2020, one of only 140 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The awards recognize Duke’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that our hospitals have reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

The Center for Disease Control estimates that almost 700,000 Americans suffer a heart attack each year. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot in a coronary artery partially or completely blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment guidelines include administering aspirin upon arrival and discharge, timely restoration of blood flow to the blocked artery, smoking cessation counseling and cardiac rehabilitation, among others.

WAY TO GO! This is well deserved and so important for the patients in our community.

Shout-out: Duke Regional Cardiology Team

A big shout-out to the cardiology team at Duke Regional Hospital — they received their Echo Lab Accreditation with no improvement recommendations in their findings.  We are so proud of the team! Congratulations, everyone!

Mentz, Pagidipati Among Speakers at #HID2020

The 4th annual Heart in Diabetes conference (#HID2020) is running through tomorrow and is, of course, being held virtually due to the pandemic. Faculty speakers include Robert Mentz and Neha Pagidipati. To learn more, visit: https://www.heartindiabetes.com.

Upcoming Opportunities/Save the Date:

Aug. 24, 27, 31 & Sept. 3 – The Building Research Programs: Perspectives from Outstanding Mentors

Updated information from last week! See flyer for registration information.

This is a seminar series forged within the partnership of Aga Khan University (AKU), Duke Heart and Duke Clinical Research Institute; the series will offer the opportunity to study pathways that leaders have taken to develop research capacity around the world. Over the last several decades AKU has been at the forefront of developing researchers from and for the developing world. AKU’s collaborating partner, Duke, has trained many of AKU’s graduates and is a known global powerhouse of research. This seminar series will bring together scientists from both AKU and Duke with established research careers to talk about their journey from early career researchers to established, world renowned experts.

Building Research Programmes_F

2020 Triangle Heart Walk Going “Digital”; Will Be Held Oct. 10

As you have likely heard, the 2020 Triangle Heart Walk will not be an in-person event. Instead, the American Heart Association is planning for a nation-wide digital experience across several weeks leading up to the main event on October 10. You’ll hear more about that in the coming days in a more formal announcement from Dr. Tom Owens, who is chair of this year’s event. Registration is open if you’d like to sign up as a walker or a team captain. You can register at: www.TriangleHeartWalk.org/Duke. Stay tuned for more details!

 

COVID-19 Updates:

All the latest official DUHS information regarding coronavirus/COVID-19 response at the following locations:

• Recommended Eye Protection
• PDC intranet site
• Duke Health intranet site
• Well-Being Resources

 

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged.

 

Duke Heart in the News:

August 12 — Geoffrey Ginsburg

Magnify (Duke SOM)

Early Detection of COVID-19: How Your Smartwatch Could Help

https://bit.ly/32iN52f

 

August 14 — Eliana Perrin (pediatrics)

NBC News

Kids in the U.S. are eating more fast food, the CDC reports

https://nbcnews.to/3aNvt2z

 

August 17 – Duke University Health System

Associated Press

Politics slows flow of US virus funds to local public health

https://bit.ly/3hnSvPL

Highlights of the week:

Al-Khatib Named Director of DCRI Fellowship Program

Please join us in congratulating Sana Al-Khatib, MD, MHS, who was recently named director of the DCRI Fellowship program. Since its inception, the program has welcomed more than 300 fellows, many of whom have remained at Duke and the DCRI. Adam Goode, PhD, DPT, will join as Associate Director for the program, and Neha Pagidipati, MD, MPH, will continue in her role as Associate Director for the third year. The new appointments were announced on Aug. 5.

“Of all my job responsibilities, nothing excites me as much as mentoring and coaching fellows and seeing them grow and be successful,” said Al-Khatib. “I have served as the primary mentor for 15 post-doctoral fellows and a co-mentor for seven other research scholars. My goal for the Fellowship Program mirrors the goals of the DCRI—to disrupt the status quo through innovation, collaboration, inclusiveness, and diversity.”

Al-Khatib brings significant experience to her new role. Of the 22 people she has mentored, 10 currently hold a position at an academic institution, nine are still in training, and three are working in non-academic settings. Al-Khatib also serves as the co-director of the NHLBI-funded Duke T32 grant for Postdoctoral Training in Cardiovascular Clinical Research. She is the recipient of the 2013 Robert Califf Award for Outstanding Research Mentorship and the 2015 Duke Cardiology Fellows’ Award for Outstanding Mentorship.

The DCRI has a longstanding commitment to developing the next generation of clinical researchers and leaders, and its fellowship program is of one of the most unique research fellowship programs in the world. It offers a living laboratory for promising clinical research investigators, combining access to faculty experienced in all facets of clinical research with a supportive, collaborative environment that contributes to a unique and successful fellowship experience.

In her role, Al-Khatib will convene a leadership team that provides oversight of the development of post-doctoral fellows in broad-based, multi-disciplinary research across multiple clinical and methodological domains.

“I look forward to pulling together the leadership team and working with our fellows to build upon the program’s legacy of educating the next generation,” said Al-Khatib. “I want to recognize my colleagues for their leadership and contributions to the program over the past years. Finally, I want to thank all my mentors, my mentees, and my colleagues who have believed in me and supported me over the years.”

Congratulations, Sana! We know the program will benefit from your leadership and passion for mentoring!

Duke EP Becomes First Team in NC to Implant WATCHMAN FLX

On Tuesday, Duke’s Electrophysiology (EP) team became the first in North Carolina to implant the WATCHMAN FLX™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Device, the newest iteration of Boston Scientific’s WATCHMAN implant. The team implanted two WATCHMAN FLX devices in separate cases at Duke on August 11.

“Both patients had a great result (complete closure with zero leak) that would not have been possible with the previous technology,” according to Jon Piccini, MD, associate professor of medicine in cardiology and Director of Electrophysiology.

The WATCHMAN FLX device is indicated to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) who need an alternative to oral anticoagulation therapy by permanently closing off the left atrial appendage – the area of the heart where stroke-causing blood clots commonly form in NVAF.

For patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), oral anticoagulation therapy is a very effective and important treatment strategy to reduce the risk of stroke. AF patients are at higher risk of stroke than the general population and strokes in AF patients tend to be larger and lead to more disability than non-AF related strokes, he added. However, about 10 to 20 percent of atrial fibrillation patients cannot tolerate long-term oral anticoagulation medications.

“For nearly four years, we have been using the original WATCHMAN device which has been very helpful to treat those who are not good candidates for long-term oral anticoagulation treatment,” Piccini says. “However, there were patients whose anatomies just would not allow for use of the WATCHMAN.”

The new technology features a new, fully rounded design that offers electrophysiologists the ability to safely enter, and maneuver within, the left atrial appendage. It is the first LAAC device that can be fully recaptured, repositioned and redeployed for precise placement, and the new frame design allows for optimal device engagement with the tissue for long-term stability and a faster, more complete seal.

Piccini says that not only is the WATCHMAN FLX a better device all around and easier to implant, but it expands the patient anatomies that the device can appropriately cover and treat.

Notably, Duke’s EP team was also the first in NC to implant the original WATCHMAN device when it launched in 2016.

Piccini issued a broad note of thanks to the team earlier in the week. “Thank you to everyone on the team who made today possible, including all of the echo team, the lab team and nurses, cardiac anesthesia, and all of the Duke physicians who got their training done despite busy schedules.”

The device received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in July; it is currently available at a limited number of centers in the U.S.

Great job and hearty congratulations to the entire Duke EP team!

FAST FACTS! Did you know? Duke Electrophysiology has one of the largest electrophysiology faculty teams in the U.S., with 14 faculty members (two of whom are women). It is home to the Duke Center for Atrial Fibrillation, one of the largest atrial fibrillation centers in the country. The team treats well over 15,000 patients with atrial fibrillation and performs an average of 450-550 catheter ablations per year. Way to go!

Duke Students Return to Campus Amidst Pandemic

Duke University has launched its comprehensive COVID-19 testing program by administering 3,116 tests to the first undergraduate and graduate students who have returned to campus since Aug. 1. As of last week, a total of four positive results have been reported. Any student who tests positive is required to isolate until getting medical clearance to access campus facilities.

All incoming students are required to get a COVID-19 test before they are permitted to enter university housing or attend class on campus. In addition to the mandatory testing, move-in protocols were modified this year, with students arriving in shifts over a week-long period, limited visitors and requirements for face coverings and other health and safety protocols.

Starting tomorrow, Aug. 17, testing will begin for half of the undergraduate students residing on campus and be expanded in subsequent weeks to include all on- and off-campus students, undergraduate, graduate and professionals. Duke will conduct regular surveillance testing of students and other campus community members who do not have any symptoms to assist in the early detection and response for potential COVID-19 cases on campus.

To learn more, visit Duke Today.

COVID-19 Updates:

All the latest official DUHS information regarding coronavirus/COVID-19 response at the following locations:

• Recommended Eye Protection
• PDC intranet site
• Duke Health intranet site
• Well-Being Resources

Upcoming Opportunities/Save the Date:

Aug. 24, 27, 31 & Sept. 3 – The Building Research Programs: Perspectives from Outstanding Mentors

AKU Save the dates 7.0

This is a seminar series forged within the partnership of Aga Khan University (AKU), Duke Heart and Duke Clinical Research Institute; the series will offer the opportunity to study pathways that leaders have taken to develop research capacity around the world. Over the last several decades AKU has been at the forefront of developing researchers from and for the developing world. AKU’s collaborating partner, Duke, has trained many of AKU’s graduates and is a known global powerhouse of research. This seminar series will bring together scientists from both AKU and Duke with established research careers to talk about their journey from early career researchers to established, world renowned experts.

Specifically, this series aims to highlight the importance of leadership in the domain area of research facilitation to advance knowledge, with the idea that experts are ‘made and not born.’  Therefore, the Seminar series will explore themes such as mentorship and training; development of research infrastructure/environment within universities; and building new research programs.

In our inaugural session, a panel of esteemed scientists will be asked to give brief presentations where they reflect on research programs and mentors that supported them on their journey, and highlight specific milestones in their respective careers which they believe they could not have achieved without the support of mentors and formal research programs (or a lack of mentors/programs which pushed them to establish these during their careers).  Experts will also be asked to look forward and reflect on what Universities need to do to in order to develop the next generation of researchers.  Presentations will be followed by a panel discussion with a Q and A session from the audience.

Registration details are to be announced this week. Please save the dates and stay tuned for updated information next weekend.

Thank you to Jerry Bloomfield for sharing this info with us!

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged.

Duke Heart in the News:

August 10 — Duke University Hospital (Lung Transplant Program)

WTKR (Coastal VA/Northeastern NC)

Kill Devil Hills mother who received third double lung transplant finally returns home

https://bit.ly/3kT80RZ

 

August 10 — Tracy Wang

Wired

Covid-19 Drug Research Is a Big Huge Mess

https://www.wired.com/story/covid-19-drug-research-is-a-big-huge-mess

 

August 11 — J. Matthew Brennan

Heart.org/AHA News

Black people get fewer heart valve replacements, but inequity gap is narrowing

https://bit.ly/3ayuKlM

 

August 12 — Duke University Health System

Triangle Business Journal

Duke files plans for new medical complex at former Macy’s in Durham

https://bit.ly/31RPl0k

 

August 13 — Stephen Green and Adam DeVore

tctMD/the heart beat

HF Care Gaps May Stem From Patient-Specific Factors, Canadian Study Finds

https://www.tctmd.com/news/hf-care-gaps-may-stem-patient-specific-factors-canadian-study-finds

 

Thank-you, Duke Heart Providers & Staff!!

Thank you to all of our Duke Heart staff members and provider teams for your dedication and extraordinary efforts throughout the pandemic. This has not been an easy time for any of us and we know you’re working extremely hard under difficult and often confusing circumstances, be it in the clinics, the hospitals, our research facilities or you’re working from home. It might be virtual; it might be in person and behind a mask – either way, we see you and we know you’re giving us your all. We have an incredible team within Duke Heart (we think it’s the best one at Duke!) – thank you everyone. We truly appreciate what you do each and every day.

Shout-out to Sandoval

Duke Cardiac Sonographer Eddy Sandoval was caught going the extra mile for our patients this week – not only by expertly acquiring and interpreting cardiac images, but then following all of that up by wheeling a patient back to her car.

Hat tip to James Jollis for the photo!

MURDOCK C3PI Study Update

We learned this week that more than 1,300 people have enrolled in the MURDOCK Cabarrus County COVID-19 Prevalence and Immunity (C3PI) Study since June 9, including 300 participants co-enrolled in a testing cohort.

The MURDOCK C3PI Study is a partnership between Duke, study participants, and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to understand the community prevalence of COVID-19 and to monitor the disease over time. The study is part of a statewide effort to learn more about what percentage of people have no symptoms and better understand the true number of COVID-19 infections in North Carolina.

Located at the Duke CTSI office in Kannapolis, the Translational Population Health Research (TransPop) group set up a drive-through testing site in a parking lot at the North Carolina Research Campus to observe participants self-administer their initial nasal swab test. They will do subsequent nasal swabs at home every other week for at least six months to detect COVID-19 infection. Serology testing is also underway to detect antibodies that could indicate prior, potentially asymptomatic, exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and possible immunity.

To read more about this project, please visit: https://www.ctsi.duke.edu/news/murdock-c3pi-study-covid-19-testing-serology-underway-kannapolis

 

COVID-19 Updates:

All the latest official DUHS information regarding coronavirus/COVID-19 response at the following locations:

• Recommended Eye Protection – NEW!
• PDC intranet site
• Duke Health intranet site
• Well-Being Resources

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged.

Duke Heart in the News:

August 2 — L. Kristin Newby and Chris Woods (Global Health, CTSI)

Independent Tribune

Testing begins in Duke CTSI’s COVID-19 study

https://bit.ly/3guRBRf

August 3 — Ann Marie Navar and Michael Zeitouni (Duke Clinical Research Institute)

Healio/Cardiology

Cholesterol guideline suitability questioned in younger patients with, at risk for MI

https://bit.ly/3fEwPx7

August 3 — Duke University Hospital

Becker’s Hospital Review

Top hospitals for cardiology by state, ranked by US News

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/cardiology/top-hospitals-for-cardiology-by-state-ranked-by-us-news.html

 

Chief’s message:

Students return to the Duke Campus this week and will undergo testing and protocols to reduce transmission.  We are all continuing to struggle with understanding and working in the COVID-19 world.  This last week there was an important article in the journal JAMA that showed evidence of myocardial involvement with COVID-19.  The images are included here.

Additionally, our faculty and fellows are working in many groups to help the system care for both the cardiovascular patients and our COVID-19 patients. We will be spending the upcoming weeks reviewing our research and quality work in the Heart Center around our COVID and our continuing heart care.  We appreciate all the support from the heart community.

COVID-19 Updates:

All the latest official DUHS information regarding coronavirus/COVID-19 response at the following locations:

• PDC intranet site
• Duke Health intranet site
• Well-Being Resources

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged.

 

Duke Heart in the News:

July 27 — Tracy Wang

Health Day

In Rush to Publish, Most COVID-19 Research Isn’t Reliable, Experts Say

https://bit.ly/3190AkM

 

July 28 — L. Kristin Newby and Chris Woods (Global Health)

WBTV (Kannapolis)

Volunteers take part in drive-thru testing, months of follow-up in COVID-19 study in Kannapolis

https://bit.ly/31fO9U4

 

July 28 — L. Kristin Newby

Salisbury Post

Duke University study begins drive-thru COVID-19 testing of participants

https://bit.ly/33lrjxc

 

July 28 — Jason Katz

Medpage Today

Full-Dose Clot Prophylaxis for COVID-19 Tied to Mortality

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/87792

 

July 29 — L. Kristin Newby

WSOC (Charlotte)

COVID-19 study of hundreds of Cabarrus County residents underway

https://bit.ly/2XkxKg8