University Hospital Celebrates Heart Failure Awareness Week Feb. 10 - 14

Contact: Erika Turan (513) 585-7200
Date: 01/15/2003

Cincinnati? Feb. 10 ? 14 is Heart Failure Awareness Week. The University Hospital has events planned throughout the week for patients, nurses and health care providers. An estimated 5 million Americans live with congestive heart failure (CHF), and 700,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. Congestive heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart gradually becomes weakened and cannot pump an adequate amount of blood throughout the body. Although its cause is not always known, congestive heart failure usually occurs as a result of other cardiac conditions that have weakened or damaged the heart. These conditions include: infections in the heart; valvular heart disease; heart attacks; high blood pressure; or cardiomyopathy. National Heart Failure Awareness Week is a part of a national campaign used to inform Americans of this growing health problem, encourage early diagnosis, and help patients discover available treatments. The events occurring during Heart Failure Awareness Week include: ?Living With Heart Failure? WHEN: Feb. 11, 6 ? 8 p.m. WHERE: Vernon Manor Hotel, 400 Oak St., Cincinnati A FREE program for patients and their families, presented by University Hospital physicians and nurses. Registration is required. Call 513-584-2001. ?Congestive Heart Failure Club Dinner for Health Care Providers? WHEN: Feb. 12, 6 ? 9 p.m. WHERE: Gregory Center, downtown on Pete Rose Way University of Cincinnati physicians Lynne E. Wagoner, M.D., director, Section of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplant; and Harvey Hahn, M.D., director, Echocardiography and Homodynamic Laboratory, will present information on current treatment and diagnostic modalities for health care providers. Call 513-584-2001 for more information. ?Celebration of Hope? WHEN: Feb. 14, 1 p.m. WHERE: University Hospital main lobby A ceremony that includes the release of 1,000 balloons, a garden of ribbons, refreshments and speakers to honor those with heart failure and heart transplants. The University Hospital has an internationally recognized reputation for the treatment of heart failure, and has the area?s only adult heart transplantation program. In 2002, University and Christ Hospitals were both named among the 100 Top Heart Hospitals in the United States by Solucient. The University Hospital is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system that also includes The Christ Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, The Fort Hamilton Hospital and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. To view other Health Alliance news releases, go to www.health-alliance.com/pressroom.