Clinical Cardiology Electronic Newsletter

Experienced, Collaborative Care

NorthShore Cardiovascular Institute’s (CVI) Clinical Cardiology Program has long been recognized for its sophisticated team of talented and collaborative physicians. Clinical cardiologists throughout NorthShore’s system have specialized training and years of experience, enabling expert diagnosis and treatment of a full range of common cardiovascular conditions including coronary artery disease, heart valve disorders, irregular heart rhythms, lipid disorders, hypertension and congestive heart failure.

Immediate access to the CVI’s excellent subspecialists enables the highest level of specialized care whenever needed. Clinical cardiologists work in partnership with cardiovascular sub-specialists, and remain fully involved in decision-making and treatment plans for individual patients. Cardiology at the CVI is an exceptionally collaborative practice with multi-disciplinary teams of highly regarded subspecialists coming together focused on the best outcome for each patient.

Building Relationships

Our cardiologists understand the importance of developing trusted relationships with patients and their families. Clinical cardiologists see their patients when they are hospitalized and stay in steady communication with CVI specialists as well as other NorthShore physicians through our advanced electronic medical record. The number of new patients seeking cardiology care continues to grow at NorthShore, a reflection of patient satisfaction and confidence in the CVI.

Advanced Diagnostics, Sophisticated Imaging

Skilled diagnosticians, our cardiologists also have the latest in non-invasive cardiac imaging available at NorthShore including 3-D echocardiography and cardiac CT and MRI, as well as nuclear imaging and a full array of cardiac stress testing modalities. The high patient volume at NorthShore adds to the extraordinary level of experience in our cardiac practice.

Emphasis on Prevention

NorthShore’s cardiologists focus on prevention, helping patients stay healthy and do all they can to avoid cardiac disease. Thorough and compassionate patient education is critically important, and our physicians and specially-trained cardiac advanced practice nurses are dedicated to helping patients mitigate their modifiable risks with smoking cessation, weight loss, personalized exercise recommendations, as well as lipid and hypertension management when needed.

Identification of patients at higher risk through familial history means even more aggressive actions to reduce risk and more frequent follow-up. Ongoing research will enable more genomic identification of those at higher risk.

Weight Loss Management Clinic

The CVI’s physician-led medical Weight Loss Management Clinic provides a comprehensive, individualized program for motivated patients to lose weight and improve their overall health and cardiac wellness. Frequent follow-up and accountability are key to patient success, as is the multi-disciplinary team of experts including sleep specialists, endocrinologists, nutritionists, psychologists, sports medicine experts, lipidologists and more. Other resources include partial meal replacement plans and in a small percentage of cases weight loss medications.

Personalized Medicine

NorthShore’s lipidology experts are at the forefront of innovative developments including injectable PCSK9 medications for people with very high cholesterol or coronary disease who can’t get adequate control with their statins alone. NorthShore’s success rate in the lengthy approval process for coverage of these expensive medications is well above the national average. CVI physicians in partnership with NorthShore’s medical genetic experts are continuing to look at genomic information and biomarkers to develop enhanced management of cardiac risk factors.

NorthShore has several clinical trials involving specific genotypes and new cardiac disease prevention medications.

Extensive Access

NorthShore’s highly experienced cardiologists serve patients at all four hospitals and multiple offices throughout the region, offering the most advanced care in many convenient locations.

Fellowship Training

A competitive clinical Cardiology Fellowship training program sponsored by the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine recognizes the strength and depth of the CVI’s clinical cardiology program.