For immediate release: August 19, 2011

Contact Fiona Libsack: 970.391.1253

Poudre Valley Health System's Heart Center of the Rockies recently opened the first and only Heart Valve Clinic in northern Colorado. The clinic, spearheaded by Heart Center of the Rockies' cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, hosts a team of cardiac experts working closely together to comprehensively assess and effectively treat patients with heart valve problems.

"The Heart Valve Clinic provides us an opportunity to manage and treat valve conditions in a multi-disciplinary fashion that ultimately leads to better patient care," said cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Mark Guadagnoli.

"Heart valve disease can be a complex condition in which the best treatment often requires an entire spectrum of medical care, interventional procedures and surgery," said cardiologist Dr. Brad Oldemeyer. "The more complex the case, the more important it is to have an experienced team approach to identifying the optimal treatment plan for each individual patient."

Other features of the Heart Valve Clinic include a dedicated clinically-trained coordinator who ensures that patients receive seamless care throughout their health care experience, timely and thorough follow-up with referring physicians and a dedicated valve patient registry that tracks prevalence and outcomes.

According to cardiologist Dr. Justin Strote, there are two main types of valve problems. Aortic stenosis occurs when the heart valve becomes stiff or narrowed, causing the heart to pump harder to get blood through it. Regurgitation happens when a valve becomes leaky, causing blood to flow backwards.

"Some valve problems are harmless, but more serious cases can lead to heart failure, which accounts for approximately 300,000 deaths each year," said Dr. Strote. "Timely and appropriate treatment is the key to successful outcomes," he said.

"We are pleased to bring the Heart Valve Clinic to northern Colorado as a cardiac care best practice standard for the treatment of valve disease," said Dr. Guadagnoli.

For more information about Heart Center of the Rockies' Heart Valve Clinic, call 970.624.1833 or go online to pvhs.org/heart.

About Poudre Valley Health System

Poudre Valley Health System is a locally owned, private, nonprofit organization with a strong vision: to provide world-class health care. PVHS is a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the highest presidential honor for quality and process improvement. Based in northern Colorado since 1925, PVHS provides evidence-based health care and wellness services in Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming, serving more than 50,000 square miles. PVHS is a regional medical hub that includes Poudre Valley Hospital and  Medical Center of the Rockies, both Magnet Award recipients, and a network of medical and behavioral health clinics. PVHS has more than 5,100 employees. The organization's mission is to be an integrated, independent, non-profit organization providing innovative, comprehensive care of the highest quality while exceeding expectations of the communities it serves. For more, visit pvhs.org.

--PVHS--