EP 45: The Journey of Dr Alin Gragossian, Physician, Heart Transplant Recipient & Advocate
Two and a half weeks before her urgent orthotopic transplantation, Alin led the life of a busy emergency medicine resident. The warning signs of her dilated cardiomyopathy were drowned out by the demands of a 24-hour shift at her critical care unit. She recalls being confused while she was transferred to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and was signed up for the organ transplant list.
After the heart transplant, while coming to terms with her condition, she decided not to let this “inconvenient life event” bring her down and take over her thoughts, and wrote the first post on her blog “a change of heart”. The blog is a space for raising awareness of organ donation, research and charities.
Dr Ankur Kalra’s guest is Dr Alin Gragossian, a critical care fellow, heart transplant recipient and advocate. In this episode, Alin talks about her journey as a patient, the psychological aspects of her recovery and her advocacy work. Ankur asks Alin about the mindset behind her sense of purpose and her dedication to help raise awareness of organ donation and young heart failure patients.
How did Dr Gragossian receive her diagnosis? How does she feel about her new reality? What drives her? What is her message to our listeners?
Read more about Dr Alin Gragossian's journey here: www.achangeofhe.art/blog
Questions and comments can be sent to “podcast@radciffe-group.com” and may be answered by Ankur in the next episode. Guest @AG_EM33, hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Brought to you by Edwards: www.edwardstavr.com
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According to Dr Eric Adler, at the core of all impactful research is a powerful narrative that makes us reflect on the human condition. In 2006, when the ground-breaking discovery was made that specialized cells can be turned into stem cells, Dr Eric Adler was thinking about how he could create a synergy between his passion for clinical work and his determination to ask compelling questions in research.
Parallax’s guest this week is Dr Eric David Adler, Medical director of heart transplant and mechanical circulatory support at UC San Diego Health.
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Parallax’s guest this week is Dr Eric David Adler, Medical director of heart transplant and mechanical circulatory support at UC San Diego Health.
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What are the key pillars of self-care and what do dirty windshields have to do with it? How can you take meditation “off the matt”? What has chronobiology and Ayurveda taught us about working with, rather than against, our circadian rhythm?
In the final episode of our burnout and resilience series, Kavitha and Ankur give you some practical tools of self-care to help you avoid burnout. Kavitah Chinnaiyan, MD, is an award-winning author and, Cardiologist and Director of Cardiac CT Research at Beaumont Health, MI. Send us your thoughts to this episode for Ankur to share in future episodes: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Guest @ChinnaiyanMD.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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In the final episode of our burnout and resilience series, Kavitha and Ankur give you some practical tools of self-care to help you avoid burnout. Kavitah Chinnaiyan, MD, is an award-winning author and, Cardiologist and Director of Cardiac CT Research at Beaumont Health, MI. Send us your thoughts to this episode for Ankur to share in future episodes: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Guest @ChinnaiyanMD.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
What does mindfulness have to do with burnout? Is our definition of success driving our stress and anxiety? How can we channel our ego into something positive?
In our second episode on burnout and resilience, Kavitah Chinnaiyan, MD, and Ankur take a deeper dive into mindfulness and training the brain to move from Default-Mode to Task-Positive Networks. Kavitah is an award-winning author and, Cardiologist and Director of Cardiac CT Research at Beaumont Health, MI. Send us your thoughts to this episode for Ankur to share in future episodes: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Guest @ChinnaiyanMD.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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In our second episode on burnout and resilience, Kavitah Chinnaiyan, MD, and Ankur take a deeper dive into mindfulness and training the brain to move from Default-Mode to Task-Positive Networks. Kavitah is an award-winning author and, Cardiologist and Director of Cardiac CT Research at Beaumont Health, MI. Send us your thoughts to this episode for Ankur to share in future episodes: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Guest @ChinnaiyanMD.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
How do you nurture resilience in the midst of competition, envy and individualism? What is moral injury? Is the current healthcare landscape driving physicians to burnout? Are we too focused on data and study results? These are some of the questions discussed by Kavitah Chinnaiyan, MD, award winning author and Cardiologist and Director of Cardiac CT Research at Beaumont Health, MI, and host Ankur, in the first episode of this three-part series on burnout and resilience. Send us your thoughts to this episode for Ankur to share in future episodes: pocast@radciffe-group.com. Guest @ChinnaiyanMD.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
Madhav Swaminathan joins Ankur Kalra for a dynamic conversation about diversity, inclusion and leadership. Madhav shares how, as President of large organisation like the American Society of Echocardiography, he works to create an inclusive platform with opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds.
Ankur and Madhav also discuss positive traits of leadership, why we should embrace failure and the importance of mentorship throughout all stages of one’s medical career. Send us your comments to this episode for Ankur to share in future episodes: pocast@radciffe-group.com. Guest @mswami001.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Ankur and Madhav also discuss positive traits of leadership, why we should embrace failure and the importance of mentorship throughout all stages of one’s medical career. Send us your comments to this episode for Ankur to share in future episodes: pocast@radciffe-group.com. Guest @mswami001.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
Following the recent controversy surrounding physician portraits displayed in medical hallways, Ankur spoke to Harriette GC Van Spall MD to unpick this hot topic brought back to life by a recent article penned by Jeffrey Flier (former Dean of Harvard Medical School) in The Boston Globe.
Harriette is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Department of Medicine, Cardiology and the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster University and the Population Health Research Institute in Hamilton, ON, Canada. In this episode, Ankur and Harriette discuss why this issue is so contentious, what the current state of medical walls represents, why this may be an issue and what alternative medical walls could look like. Harriette also shares her thoughts on how this topic relates to the maintenance of hierarchical power structures in academic institutions, calling for more collaborative leadership and management styles. Guest @hvanspall.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Harriette is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Department of Medicine, Cardiology and the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence and Impact at McMaster University and the Population Health Research Institute in Hamilton, ON, Canada. In this episode, Ankur and Harriette discuss why this issue is so contentious, what the current state of medical walls represents, why this may be an issue and what alternative medical walls could look like. Harriette also shares her thoughts on how this topic relates to the maintenance of hierarchical power structures in academic institutions, calling for more collaborative leadership and management styles. Guest @hvanspall.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
In celebration of this month’s ‘National Eat Your Vegetables Day’, this week’s guest is @TheVeggieMD, one of the most prominent physicians on social media! Dr Danielle Belardo MD is a Cardiology Fellow, American Board of Internal Medicine certified and a member of the American College of Cardiology Nutrition and Lifestyle Sub-Committee.
In this episode, Ankur and Danielle speak about the evidence in favour of a whole-food plant-based diet to improve cardiovascular health, the ACC prevention guidelines, how to talk to patients about positive dietary change, the issue of lack of nutrition training in cardiovascular fellowships and what Danielle’s diet looks like as a busy whole-food plant-based cardiology fellow. On her own podcast ‘Nutrition Rounds’ Danielle has discussions about evidence-based plant-based nutrition with physicians who are leading experts in nutrition and health.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
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In this episode, Ankur and Danielle speak about the evidence in favour of a whole-food plant-based diet to improve cardiovascular health, the ACC prevention guidelines, how to talk to patients about positive dietary change, the issue of lack of nutrition training in cardiovascular fellowships and what Danielle’s diet looks like as a busy whole-food plant-based cardiology fellow. On her own podcast ‘Nutrition Rounds’ Danielle has discussions about evidence-based plant-based nutrition with physicians who are leading experts in nutrition and health.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
Listen to our first episode with two guests! Ankur spoke with Emmanouil S Brilakis, MD and Michael Megaly, MD from the Minneapolis Heart Institute, Abbott Northwestern Hospital about their article on the role of drug-coated balloons in small-vessel coronary artery disease (SVD) published in US Cardiology Review 13.1. Percutaneous coronary intervention of SVD remains challenging due to difficulties with device delivery and high restenosis rate, making drug-coated balloons an attractive emerging option in patients with SVD.
In this brilliant conversation, Ankur, Emmanouil and Michael unravel the potential advantages, challenges and practical realities of using drug-coated balloons in SVD, and the findings of the latest randomised controlled trials studying this area.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology. [Disclaimer: The use of drug-coated balloons in coronay intervention is still off-label; it has not been approved by the FDA.]
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In this brilliant conversation, Ankur, Emmanouil and Michael unravel the potential advantages, challenges and practical realities of using drug-coated balloons in SVD, and the findings of the latest randomised controlled trials studying this area.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology. [Disclaimer: The use of drug-coated balloons in coronay intervention is still off-label; it has not been approved by the FDA.]
We have observed a lot of developments in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) over the past 12 months with the publication of various studies and trials. This week, Ankur spoke with J. Dawn Abbott, MD, Associate Professor of Cardiology at Warren Medical School of Brown University about her recently published US Cardiology Review 13.1 article on the significant developments in PCI over the past 12 months.
Dawn is an associate editor of the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions and is widely known for her research program on PCI and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Ankur and J. Dawn discuss multiple trials/studies that were published in 2018, including ORBITA, PIONEER-II and ABSORB. J. Dawn also shares her thoughts on the latest stent technologies.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
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Dawn is an associate editor of the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions and is widely known for her research program on PCI and peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Ankur and J. Dawn discuss multiple trials/studies that were published in 2018, including ORBITA, PIONEER-II and ABSORB. J. Dawn also shares her thoughts on the latest stent technologies.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
This week’s podcast guest needs no introduction! Prof Athena Poppas is one of the most widely known cardiologists in the US and current Vice-President of the American College of Cardiology! Ankur spoke to Athena about her recently published US Cardiology Review 13.1 article on whether early management of hypertension by GPs can improve outcomes.
They discuss the importance of preventative medicine, their experience of reducing hypertension with non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical methods, and the significance of the integrated “team approach” when treating comorbid conditions such as hypertension. Athena also shares her thoughts on cardiologists’ responsibility to shape their patients’ lifestyle choices.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
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They discuss the importance of preventative medicine, their experience of reducing hypertension with non-pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical methods, and the significance of the integrated “team approach” when treating comorbid conditions such as hypertension. Athena also shares her thoughts on cardiologists’ responsibility to shape their patients’ lifestyle choices.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
Ankur is back with his second #AudioArticle! This week he spoke with Santiago Garcia from the Minneapolis Heart Institute about Santiago’s US Cardiology Review 13.1 article on the role of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hscTn) assays and their ability to rapidly rule in or rule out acute coronary syndrome (ACS) with improved sensitivity.
Chest pain is one of the most common reasons for an emergency room visit in the US, with almost 6 million ER visits annually, yet there is no consensus on how to compare the results from various hscTn assays. Tune in to hear Santiago outline the advantages and limitations of using hscTn as a standard biomarket to evaluate patients with suspected ACS in the ER.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
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Chest pain is one of the most common reasons for an emergency room visit in the US, with almost 6 million ER visits annually, yet there is no consensus on how to compare the results from various hscTn assays. Tune in to hear Santiago outline the advantages and limitations of using hscTn as a standard biomarket to evaluate patients with suspected ACS in the ER.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCardiology.
We can count on our fingertips how many interventional intensivists exist in the US.
In this episode Ankur Kalra, MD meets with Dr Ann Gage, Cleveland Clinic’s first ‘interventional intensivist’. She discusses her unique skill set, what it means to be an interventionalist in the cath lab but also an expert in cardiovascular intensive care and advocates why such a unique skill set and critical care training are required in today’s modern medicine.
Listen to this engaging discussion between them on the challenges of being a woman in cardiovascular medicine today.
Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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In this episode Ankur Kalra, MD meets with Dr Ann Gage, Cleveland Clinic’s first ‘interventional intensivist’. She discusses her unique skill set, what it means to be an interventionalist in the cath lab but also an expert in cardiovascular intensive care and advocates why such a unique skill set and critical care training are required in today’s modern medicine.
Listen to this engaging discussion between them on the challenges of being a woman in cardiovascular medicine today.
Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
Dr Cavalcante meets with Ankur Kalra, MD to discuss his recent review published in US Cardiology Review 13.2; on a new aortic stenosis staging system that has important implications for clinical outcomes following aortic valve replacements to aid the treatment of aortic stenosis.
Listen to this, as well as an overview on his interesting childhood and his views on the future of cardiac imaging to treat TAVR.
Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Listen to this, as well as an overview on his interesting childhood and his views on the future of cardiac imaging to treat TAVR.
Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
The first female cardiac surgeon qualified in the 1960’s. Today there are only 4.5% women in cardiology and only 4% in thoracic surgery. Ankur Kalra meets with Dr Kendra Grubb, the first women to be trained at the University of Virginia, US, on cardiothoracic surgery and the 250th board certified women in thoracic surgery.
Her recent post on social media went viral. It was a photo of an all-women surgical team carrying out a complex structural heart procedure. It had over 100,000 views and was seen by people in over 75 different countries. It’s clear from this online reaction, that now is the time for women to be recognised for the work they are doing in medicine.
Listen to this engaging discussion between them on the challenges of being a woman in cardiovascular medicine today.
Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Her recent post on social media went viral. It was a photo of an all-women surgical team carrying out a complex structural heart procedure. It had over 100,000 views and was seen by people in over 75 different countries. It’s clear from this online reaction, that now is the time for women to be recognised for the work they are doing in medicine.
Listen to this engaging discussion between them on the challenges of being a woman in cardiovascular medicine today.
Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com. Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
In our final episode of the year, Ankur has an long conversation with Sukh Nijjer from Imperial College London about the most impactful, exciting and controversial clinical trials of 2019. Sukh and Ankur also discuss how these trials might change practice in the future, and how practice patterns and decisions differ between the US and the UK. In light of an emerging trend of shared decision making between physicians of different specialities and patients with a vast amount of information at their fingertips, Sukh and Ankur examine what tools they use to reconcile the growing data from clinical trials.
Trials discussed in detail include those presented at the ACC in New Orleans: PARTNER 3 & Evolut Low Risk on TAVR/TAVI, and SAFARI & COAPT on radial vs femoral access; presented at the ESC in Paris: THEMIS and ISAR-REACT 5 on DAPT post-PCI, DAPA-HF on SGLT2i’s for heart failure, and COMPLETE on PCI of non-culprit lesions in STEMI; presented at TCT in San Francisco: TWILIGHT on DAPT post-PCI, and EXCEL at 5 years on PCI vs CABG in left main CAD; and finally, presented at AHA in Philadelphia: ISCHEMIA on medical vs invasive approaches in ischemic events. Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Trials discussed in detail include those presented at the ACC in New Orleans: PARTNER 3 & Evolut Low Risk on TAVR/TAVI, and SAFARI & COAPT on radial vs femoral access; presented at the ESC in Paris: THEMIS and ISAR-REACT 5 on DAPT post-PCI, DAPA-HF on SGLT2i’s for heart failure, and COMPLETE on PCI of non-culprit lesions in STEMI; presented at TCT in San Francisco: TWILIGHT on DAPT post-PCI, and EXCEL at 5 years on PCI vs CABG in left main CAD; and finally, presented at AHA in Philadelphia: ISCHEMIA on medical vs invasive approaches in ischemic events. Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
Recorded before the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2019, Ankur is joined by Rasha K Al-Lamee, Interventional Cardiologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London and Study Director of the Objective Randomised Blinded Investigation with Optimal Medical Therapy of Angioplasty in Stable Angina (ORBITA) trial. Rasha talks about how she got into academia, the significance of her end-of-training PhD, and what led to the genesis of ORBITA.
Ankur and Rasha also discuss the findings and unanswered questions of ORBITA, and how recent research in coronary revascularisation and stable ischemic heart disease has (or has not) changed their clinical practice. Finally, in anticipation of its presentation at AHA 2019, Rasha gives an overview of the International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches (ISCHEMIA). Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.
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Ankur and Rasha also discuss the findings and unanswered questions of ORBITA, and how recent research in coronary revascularisation and stable ischemic heart disease has (or has not) changed their clinical practice. Finally, in anticipation of its presentation at AHA 2019, Rasha gives an overview of the International Study of Comparative Health Effectiveness with Medical and Invasive Approaches (ISCHEMIA). Submit your question to Ankur via: podcast@radciffe-group.com.
Hosted by @AnkurKalraMD. Produced by @RadcliffeCARDIO.