With heart disease the nation’s number one killer, the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) has made cardiovascular care a top priority. In fact, over the past 12 months, the Miller School of Medicine’s Cardiovascular Division has witnessed great strides in all areas, from groundbreaking research to the addition of renowned cardiologists, updated patient facilities and state-of-the-art technology, all coming together to make the University of Miami home to a cardiovascular powerhouse.

Joshua M. Hare, M.D., chief of the Cardiovascular Division, has launched two first-of-their-kind clinical trials, using mesenchymal stem cells to treat damage caused by either heart failure or a heart attack. In the first trial, funded by the NIH, patients are injected with either their own mesenchymal stem cells or a placebo during open heart surgery. The second trial, which started in October, involves using a spiral shaped catheter to inject the cells. Alan W. Heldman, M.D., vice chief for new programs and translational medicine in the Cardiovascular Division and an interventional cardiologist, has been a pioneer in using the Biocardia Helical Injection Catheter in preclinical studies for four years.

"The implications for this kind of therapy are enormous when you consider that nearly five million Americans suffer from heart failure and 500,000 new cases are diagnosed each year," says Hare, who is also the director of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute. "We are very optimistic because we have experimental data that show very clearly the cells we are using do have the ability to turn into new heart muscle cells."

William O’Neill, M.D., executive dean for clinical affairs and a renowned interventional cardiologist, worked with Heldman to start Florida’s first clinical trial using the percutaneous aortic valve replacement system. The minimally invasive procedure involves crimping the transcatheter heart valve onto a balloon delivery catheter, then threading it through the patient’s circulatory system from the leg. It’s particularly effective for avoiding lengthy open-heart surgery which can be risky in older patients. Last April, just one day after the procedure was performed on two South Florida men in their 80s, both were eager to return to regular activities.

To build on its already distinguished electrophysiology team, the Miller School has brought in a new group of experts who are treating heart rhythm disorders in a state-of-the-art lab at University of Miami Hospital. The UM team is focused on using catheter ablation in the treatment of complex cardiac arrhythmia, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Resynchronization therapies are also being used in the treatment of congestive heart failure.

Patients who need a heart transplant can count on UM doctors for compassionate care with the highest degree of skill. Working with Jackson Memorial Hospital since 1986, the cardiac transplantation program continues to expand, providing lifesaving surgery to patients.

The University of Miami Hospital is also home to HeartAware, an easy-to-use screening program that can quickly identify a patient’s potential cardiac risk. The goal is to flag those patients for follow-up care before a life-threatening event. "If we can identify people who are at risk for a coronary event," says O’Neill, who helped design the national screening test, "we can treat them before they wind up in the emergency room."

"Right now we are at a major transition point in medicine. We are currently reaping the benefits of decades of scientific work that has yielded major new approaches to treating cardiovascular disorders," says Hare. "The Cardiovascular Division at UM is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of care to patients while at the same time being on the cutting-edge of new therapies."