image: The UH Portage cath lab, alongside comprehensive cardiovascular screening, and prevention programs, were introduced at UH Portage Medical Center, the only hospital in Portage County, in 2016 to help reduce mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease within the county. Since opening, early results show reduced IHD mortality in the region.
Credit: University Hospitals
RAVENNA, Ohio – University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute at UH Portage Medical Center announces a significant reduction in cardiovascular mortality trends since a $2.5 million dollar investment to establish a local catheterization lab and preventive screening programs.
Ischemic heart disease (IHD) remains a leading cause of death, with a disproportionately higher rate in underserved regions, where access to specialty care is limited. In rural areas including Portage County Ohio, geographic isolation has historically led to delayed treatment.
The UH Portage cath lab, alongside comprehensive cardiovascular screening, and prevention programs, were introduced at UH Portage Medical Center, the only hospital in Portage County, in 2016 to help reduce mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease within the county. Since opening, early results show reduced IHD mortality in the region.
From 2016 to 2019, more than 3,000 catheterizations were performed. During this period, a general decline in the crude death rate, a measure that indicates the number of deaths occurring in a population over a given period, was observed across all age groups, especially in people of advanced age. In the 65-74 age group, rates dropped by 36% (294.2 in 2015 to 188.1 in 2019), while the 75-84 and 85+ age groups saw declines of 21% (817.1 to 648.6) and 28% (3715.6 to 2657.8), respectively.
“These encouraging results show our expert caregivers are saving the lives of patients in Portage County,” said Dr. Anjan Gupta, the Heisler-Tsai Master Clinician in Cardiology and interventional cardiologist at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute at UH Portage Medical Center. “This is significant because Portage County has one of the highest cardiovascular disease and mortality rates in Northeast Ohio.”
This retrospective study analyzed CDRs for IHD (reported per 100,000) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER (Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research) from 2000 to 2019, stratified by age group. Hospital records provided data on angiograms performed from 2016 to 2022. Linear regression and interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate correlation between the intervention and CDR trends.
“University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute serves as a critical lifeline for patients in urban as well as rural communities,” said Dr. Mehdi H. Shishehbor, President, University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, and Angela and James Hambrick Chair in Innovation. “We are proud to share this news with the communities we serve and demonstrate how our expertise delivers on our promise to provide high quality healthcare close to home.”
The UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute team of experts at UH Portage Medical Center provides local access to nationally recognized care for any heart or vascular condition. The team is integrated throughout the health system to collaboratively coordinate care to provide the best patient outcomes.
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About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio
Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of more than 20 hospitals (including five joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Oxford University, Taiwan National University College of Medicine and the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.