The American College of Cardiology recognizes exceptional care at cardiology hospitals with its HeartCare Center National Distinction of Excellence award. The award recognizes forward-thinking heart hospitals with goals to advance the cause of sustainable quality improvement. Specifically, the 54,000-member college requires HeartCare Centers to demonstrate their “commitment to consistent, high-quality cardiovascular care through comprehensive process…
The 10 Louisville-area heart failure patients who received implanted mechanical pumps through Norton Heart & Vascular Institute’s launch and certification of a ventricular assist device (VAD) program share that they’re experiencing a better quality of life or are hopeful that they will. For many, the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) option offered an alternative to…
In the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, acute anxiety, panic attacks and similar topic searches online spiked following a March 2020 presidential declaration of a national emergency. Although researchers found anxiety-related searches soon returned to previous levels, emergency rooms and immediate care clinics have continued to see high levels of patients experiencing anxiety symptoms,…
Being ready with questions to ask your oncologist can help put you back in control after hearing the scary news of a cancer diagnosis. Understanding your disease and how it’s treated is important, so don’t be shy about asking straightforward questions about your oncologist’s subspecialty, experience and access to clinical trials. Treating cancer takes time…
No one needs to face cancer alone. A cancer diagnosis is life-altering, and living with cancer can cause feelings of fear, sadness, nervousness and uncertainty, and a sense of being overwhelmed. At Norton Cancer Institute, the health care team understands that patients need both leading-edge medical care and support for their mental and emotional health…
Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are bacteria, viruses or parasites that are spread usually through bodily fluids such as blood or semen. How can you tell if you have an STI? Some STIs don’t have symptoms, but many do. Symptoms that might indicate an STI include: Sores, bumps or itching on the genitals or in the oral or…
“I just got diagnosed with diabetes. Now what?” Or maybe you’re trying to manage diabetes during these uncertain times when it can feel risky to go out of your self-isolation/quarantine bubble. Know that diagnosis is the first step. Your provider and even a team of diabetes educators are available to you for support. Your provider…
Norton Infectious Diseases Institute has been selected by Pfizer as the only site in United States to study how to effectively detect respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in adults. “For the most part, RSV attention has been focused on children,” said Julio A. Ramirez, M.D., FACP, chief scientific officer, Norton Infectious Diseases Institute. “But some studies…
Multiple sclerosis (MS) triggers that worsen symptoms or cause a relapse can include stress, heart disease and smoking. While some are easier to avoid than others, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and overall health and wellness can have outsized benefits for MS patients. Every MS patient’s triggers are going to be different. Understanding what can cause…
To say the teen years aren’t easy would be an understatement for Katie Deppe. When she was 14, Katie saw several doctors for unexplained symptoms before spending two weeks at Norton Children’s Hospital, where finally she was diagnosed with a rare condition called postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Because the condition involves the autonomic nervous…
Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Wegovy (semaglutide) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or who are overweight and have at least one weight-related condition (such as diabetes or hypertension). This is the first weight loss drug approval from the FDA since 2014. New weight loss drug is a…
Ajay K. Kandra, M.D., has practiced medical oncology since 2010 and has a special interest in lung, breast, colon and prostate cancers. His passions are caring for cancer patients, the science behind the medicine, research and understanding the complexity of cancer care. Dr. Kandra is a board-certified medical oncologist/hematologist practicing at Norton King’s Daughters’ Health…