Conducting multidisciplinary research is a hallmark of work done through Baylor Scott & White Research Institute (BSWRI). At Baylor Scott & White Health, multiregional research collaborations extend across the integrated health system. One such endeavor is the COVID Recovery Clinic, which was recently recognized with the 2022 Internal Medicine Research Award from the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM).
African American women have higher rates of diabetes and obesity than White women, increasing their risk for multiple chronic diseases. Although lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise can help, African American women also tend to benefit less from these interventions than White women. Baylor Scott & White Research Institute researcher Heather Kitzman, PhD, had the important idea that faith-based interventions may be more successful than typical interventions to engage African American women in weight loss and other healthy behaviors. Her team’s publication on this work was recently honored with the Dorothy Nyswander 2021 Paper of the Year Award from the American Journal of Health Promotion.
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth now offers comprehensive care for patients with advanced heart failure, including left ventricular support devices and other mechanical circulatory support. The advanced heart failure team implanted its first LVAD in July.
Placement of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC), commonly known as a Swan-Ganz catheter, provides hemodynamic data that is vital for clinicians treating patients with acute decompensated heart failure or cardiogenic shock. While routine use has been shown to not be beneficial, there are many instances in which hemodynamic monitoring through the use of a Swan is highly indicated.
Cardiogenic shock represents a dynamic set of conditions, presentation profiles and pathophysiologic mechanisms whose mortality has not changed in more than 20 years. While almost 75 percent is due to predominant left ventricular failure, a quarter is due to something else, such as a rupture or tamponade, right ventricle shock or acute severe mitral regurgitation.
