HISTORY AND DETAILS OF THE HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY PROGRAM

Dr. Naidu launched the HCM Program at Cornell in 2004, then moved it to Winthrop in 2006.  It was at Winthrop that the HCM Program grew from a handful of patients to over 800, and developed a reputation as one of the largest programs in the country.  During this time, the Center became the only nationally certified Center of Excellence on Long Island, and a leader in alcohol septal ablation.  In 2016, Dr. Naidu and the HCM Program were recruited to Westchester Medical Center, providing resources and staffing to make it a leader throughout the world.  The Center capitalizes on the strengths of NY Medical College and the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital to make it one of the most comprehensive and expert centers in the country.  Together with noted expertise in open heart surgery and heart failure/transplantation, the program offers patients the best treatments and outcomes.

Driven by unique expertise in alcohol septal ablation, Dr. Naidu represented SCAI on the 2011 AHA/ACC HCM Guidelines.  Dr. Naidu is a leader in this established technique, an alternative to surgical myectomy in appropriate patients, publishes frequently on technical modifications and outcomes, and runs a live training course for the technique annually. Today, the program performs both alcohol septal ablation and myectomy, with choice of therapy based on patient anatomy, clinical symptoms, patient and family preference, and discussion by a Heart Team comprised of non-invasive cardiologists, invasive cardiologists, and cardiothoracic surgeons.  Roughly half of severely symptomatic patients go on to surgical myectomy, while the other half receive alcohol septal ablation.  Currently the WMC program is likely the busiest alcohol ablation program in the country.  However, most patients usually can be managed without invasive procedures, through changes in medications and lifestyle.

The full HCM Team is comprised of non-invasive clinical cardiologists, advanced imaging cardiologists for echocardiography and MRI, electrophysiologists, interventionalists, cardiothoracic surgeons, pediatric cardiologists, heart failure specialists, and geneticists, as well as clinical coordinators, dieticians, genetic counselors, marketing and education staff, research staff, and patient liaisons - forming one of the largest and most comprehensive programs in the country.  More information on the WMC HCM Program, including the multi-disciplinary team and HCM brochure, can be found at www.westchestermedicalcenter.com/hcm.