New seminar by CRF aims to provide patients and caregivers deeper understanding of heart failure

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) will hold a free seminar, "Broken Hearts: Living with Heart Failure," on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 for heart failure patients and caregivers at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. The seminar, part of a series of Mini-Med Schools conducted by the CRF Women's Heart Health Initiative, will focus on providing both patients and caregivers a deeper understanding of heart failure, its symptoms, and treatment options.

Heart failure occurs when the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs in the body. According to the American Heart Association, the number of people diagnosed with heart failure is increasing and is projected to rise 46% by 2030, resulting in more than 8 million people living with the disease.

"This rapid rise in heart failure rates inspired the CRF Women's Heart Health Initiative to educate both men and women on this important subject," said Nisha Jhalani, MD, Director of the CRF Women's Heart Health Initiative and Director, Clinical and Educational Services for the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. "Our goal is to have leading experts share their knowledge and provide attendees with the tools they need to take better care of themselves and their loved ones."

"We hope to empower patients and their caregivers to take ownership of their health so that they can lead full and active lives," said Melana Yuzefpolskaya, MD, Associate Medical Director of the Cardiac Assisted Device Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. "We want to motivate them to work closely with their physicians to follow treatment plans and closely track their symptoms to better manage their heart failure."

The program will include the following presentations from renowned experts in the field:

Introduction to Heart Failure

Nisha Jhalani, MD

Director, CRF Women's Heart Health Initiative

Director, Clinical and Educational Services, Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center

Heart Failure in Women

Jennifer H. Haythe, MD

Co-Director, Center for Women's Cardiovascular Health, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center

Living with Advanced Heart Failure

Melana Yuzefpolskaya, MD

Associate Medical Director, Cardiac Assisted Device Program, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center

Innovations in Heart Failure Treatments: When Medications Aren't Enough

Daniel Burkhoff, MD, PhD

Director, Heart Failure, Hemodynamics and MCS Research, CRF Clinical Trials Center

Adjunct Associate Professor, Columbia University Medical Center

Patient Perspectives (Q&A and Panel Discussion with Patients, Nurses, Nutritionists, and more)

Ajay J. Kirtane, MD, SM

Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Chief Academic Officer, Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Associate Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center