LiveWell Louisiana

Caring for Your Heart

The new St. Thomas Heart & Vascular Center brings personalized cardiovascular care to New Orleans.
February 1st, 2017 by: Misty Miloto

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Louisiana. Just think of all that fried food, sugar and alcohol. It is also due in part to greater-than-average rates of risk factors like obesity, cigarette smoking and high blood pressure. Another contributing factor to likelihood of death by heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular issues is that quality cardiovascular care is not easily accessible for underserved and minority populations. Luckily, the St. Thomas Community Health Center recently added the St.Thomas Heart & Vascular Center. It’s the first comprehensive cardiovascular program offered by a Federally Qualified Health Center in the Greater New Orleans region.

A full range of cardiovascular services are now available five days per week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services include diagnostics and interventional procedures such as electrocardiogram ECG/EKG, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, stress testing, remote and in-office pacemaker monitoring, angioplasty and coronary stents, and much more.

New Orleans native, Dr. Arthur “Chip” Grant, director of the St. Thomas Heart & Vascular Center, attended Louisiana State University School of Medicine, completed his residency at Duke University, and fellowships in both Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology at Ochsner Medical Center. Dr. Grant will use the facilities at University Medical Center New Orleans for cardiac and vascular angiography and intervention. “We are combining the personalized care and customer service that patients have come to expect from St. Thomas with a state-of-the- “ art cardiovascular program,” Dr. Grant says.

Louisiana has the fifth highest death rate from cardiovascular disease in the country. “We want to remind people not to wait until it’s too late,” Dr. Grant says. “People should recognize and address important risk factors for cardiovascular disease like high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and smoking. People should also pay attention to warning signs like chest pain or pressure, shortness of breath or leg swelling.” 1936 Magazine St., (504) 529-5558, sthvc.com, stthomaschc.org