The Heart Failure Program at the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical is one of the only programs in the region with cardiologists certified by the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) for their specialized knowledge and skills in providing competent heart failure services. Led by HFSA-certified physicians, Drs. Andrew and Kevin , the Program provides patients with the expertise needed to diagnose, treat and manage heart failure.
The HFSA is the first organized effort by heart failure experts across the Americas to provide a forum for those interested in heart function, heart failure, and congestive heart failure (CHF) research and patient care. Through this forum and its experts, the Heart Failure Program at Long Beach Medical Center continues to expand heart failure care through collaboration, education, innovation, research and advocacy.
Heart failure is often confused as a condition where the heart has stopped beating. In actuality, heart failure occurs when the heart is unable to pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the body’s organs. It usually results from the end-stage of an untreated cardiovascular disease, and if not treated, it can continue to progress and become life-threatening.
Heart failure is a chronic disease that requires lifelong management. However, with treatment, the signs and symptoms of heart failure can improve, and the heart function can progress. Doctors can sometimes correct heart failure by treating the underlying cause. For example, repairing a heart valve or controlling a fast heart rhythm may reverse heart failure. But for most people, treating heart failure involves a balance of the proper medications and, in some cases, devices that help the heart beat and contract correctly.
While it often can’t be cured, the experts at the Heart Failure Program at Long Beach Medical Center can help slow down the progression of the disease and add years to a patient’s life. The Program provides several advanced treatment options to help manage heart failure symptoms. A multidisciplinary team assesses each patient’s condition to provide the best treatment option. Possible treatment plans include medications, lifestyle changes, minimally-invasive surgery, or a combination of these to improve a patient’s symptoms and overall quality of life.
The Heart Failure Program at Long Beach Medical Center is part of the distinguished MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute, which provides the latest in cardiac imaging and diagnostics to ensure that heart failure patients receive the correct diagnosis as quickly as possible. Some of these diagnostic tests include Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) technologies, which are offered at very few sites in the area.
The MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center is recognized by the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
The award recognizes Long Beach Medical Center for meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients, ensuring they receive the most appropriate treatments according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines founded in the latest scientific evidence.