About St. Mary's REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
St. Mary's Regional Medical Center's Congestive Heart Failure Center provides comprehensive physical and emotional support for patients whose congestive heart failure can't be managed solely by oral medications.
At the Center, patients receive infusions of an intravenous medication called Primacor® that increases the strength of the heartbeat – more... and widens the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow through the body more easily. Infusion therapy generally lasts five to eight hours, and patients have regular infusions as needed. Some require twice-a-week sessions; others come a few times a month.
John Bartolozzi, M.D., a cardiologist and Medical Director of the Congestive Heart Failure Center, says the program involves much more than infusion therapy. "During therapy, a dedicated team of nurses, physicians and other professionals provides group educational sessions on how to manage heart disease, including how to eat, exercise, manage medications and reduce stress," he says. Patients also can receive one-on-one counseling. The aim of the program is to improve the length and quality of life by addressing issues that accompany heart failure, including emotional problems and financial concerns.
According to Dr. Bartolozzi, the effect of Primacor can be immediate or can occur over time. Most patients see a decrease in their symptoms no more than a few days after therapy sessions. Sometimes, the medication can improve heart muscle function enough so that patients can reduce the number of sessions or discontinue the medication altogether.
"The medication might help lower the chance that patients will be hospitalized for congestive heart failure," Dr. Bartolozzi says. "If they are hospitalized, their stays will most likely be shorter than they would be without the therapy." – less – More from ZoomInfo »
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