The year 2002 has been a year of growth
and new discovery in the Minneapolis Heart
Institute Foundation’s research division. We
have added 17 new staff members! In addition
we have the privilege of working with Dr.
Kwang Soo Cha, a Korean cardiologist who
began a two-year fellowship with Dr. Tim Henry
and the angiogenesis research team.
There have been many exciting things that have
occurred in 2002. Accomplishments that we are particularly
excited about are the drug eluting stents, distal protection
devices and Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) closure devices
in Interventional Cardiology research. In Integrative
Therapies research, Dr. Vibhu Kshettry’s innovative
Quality of Life and Patient Satisfaction study analyzed
the effect of noetic treatments (music therapy, massage
and touch therapy) in patients having coronary artery
bypass surgery, completed enrollment this year and will
soon be published. The OPTIMIST Program was created
in 2002 as a systematic way to evaluate patients with
severe coronary artery disease and angina who are not
candidates for conventional treatment options. One of
the most exciting things we have to offer these patients is
the chance to participate in angiogenesis (the growth of
new blood vessels) research. Angiogenesis research for
peripheral vascular disease (disease of the blood vessels
in the legs) grew tremendously in 2002.
Studies continued under the leadership of Dr. Kevin
Graham in the 55 and Under Registry, tracking the pathophysiology
and disease progression of coronary artery
disease in patients who are diagnosed at the age of 55 or
younger. A recent Wall Street Journal article confirmed the
impact of the registry. The Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
(HCM) Center, directed by Dr. Barry Maron, continued to
lead the field of HCM research in 2002. In the area of
publications, a quick look at the Around the Foundation
page in InTouch will give you an idea of the remarkable
amount and quality of research coming out of MHIF.
And we are getting ready for 2003! The areas of acute
coronary syndromes, cardiovascular surgery, chronic heart
failure, electrophysiology, cardiovascular imaging and neurointerventional
radiology are positioned for significant
growth in 2003. We are currently coordinating over 80
clinical trials in all areas of heart research, with at least
a dozen on the brink of starting. We are proud of our
accomplishments in 2002 under the guidance of Dr. Tim
Henry, director of clinical research, and look forward to
another year of growth, learning and contributions to
the care of the cardiovascular patient.
2002 Annual Report home page
