UHealth Unveils HeartAware and New CT Scanner

William O’Neill, M.D., chief medical officer of UHeath, prepares to undergo a scan using the 128-slice CT (computed tomography) now at University of Miami Hospital.

10/2/2008

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women across the United States, with nearly 2,400 Americans dying from cardiovascular disease each day.  With the goal of reducing that statistic, the University of Miami Health System (UHealth) has launched the HeartAware screening program.  HeartAware is a national program that provides a confidential heart screening to help identify and manage risk factors.

“This is a critical tool that can help identify people who are at risk," says William O’Neill, M.D., chief medical officer of UHealth.  The test can be taken online in just seven minutes.  O’Neill, a renowned interventional cardiologist, stresses that this simple questionnaire is so critical that it should be taken by every man over the age of 40 and every woman over the age of 50.  Smokers, diabetics and those with a family history of heart disease should take the screening at an even earlier age.

“It’s imperative," O’Neill says, "that people know the different risks and then get the proper care from a cardiologist to reduce those risks."

The HeartAware program is only available at the University of Miami Hospital and includes questions about a patient’s blood pressure, cholesterol, family history, diet, and exercise.  All those factors are then put together to form a profile.  Patients can also take the assessment in person with a registered nurse screener.  If test results indicate the patient should see a specialist, UHealth is there for the next step, with some of the top cardiologists in the nation.

And UHealth has an important new tool for fighting heart disease.  University of Miami Hospital is now home to the only 128-slice CT (computed tomography) scanner in Miami-Dade County.  CT has become an indispensible way to detect strokes and examine the heart and coronary vessels.

For 50 years, coronary angiography has been the benchmark method for doctors to get a clear image of the heart.  Using a catheter, a special fluid is injected to give cardiologists a view of the vessels and any blockages, but it comes with downsides.  "It carries risks, it’s invasive and it’s inconvenient for the patient," O’Neill says.

The 128-slice CT provides three-dimensional images of the inside of the heart and coronary vessels non-invasively.  Similar to an x-ray, the patient lies on a table, which moves through an opening in the scanner.  The examination lasts about 15 to 30 minutes, the patient feels nothing, and there is one-third less radiation exposure compared to the old 64-slice CT.

William O’Neill, M.D., resting comfortably while inside the 128-slice CT scan.

O’Neill, who has a family history of cardiac disease, recently underwent a scan using the 128-slice CT.   He was back at work in one hour and describes the device as a "state-of-the-art tool that takes UHealth to the next level in terms of the care provided to patients."  While it is still fairly new, O’Neill believes the 128-slice CT will become a widely used diagnostic tool in the future.

For now, he received good news: no blockages.  However, he admits it motivates him to exercise more and watch his diet.

To those who believe they’re not at risk, O’Neill points out a sobering reality: A large majority of the more than one million people who have heart attacks have no symptoms.  They are "ticking time bombs."

The combination of top-notch cardiologists assembled at UM, the exclusive HeartAware screening now available and technology such as the 128-slice CT are creating a "world-class facility for cardiac patients across South Florida," says O’Neill.  "From diagnostics to prevention and treatment, UHealth is setting the standard."

Log on to www.umiamihospital.com and take the free online screening, or call               (800)608-6939        to schedule a free assessment in person with a registered nurse screener.