DUKE HEART CENTER - DUKE CENTER FOR LIVING

The Duke Center for Living is a local and national resource for both medical and wellness information in a variety of programs that improve the lifestyle of our clients. Our mission is to help people achieve optimal health and quality of life through prevention, treatment, education and research.

The Mission of the Duke Heart Center is to achieve the highest level of excellence in patient care, research, and education in the science and delivery of cardiovascular medicine through a collaborative, integrated and multidisciplinary approach. The Heart Center provides seamless and efficient care to its patients through the care continuum.

Duke exceeds all nationally recommended volume guidelines for medical facilities and doctors performing angioplasty and open heart surgery. As studies have shown, medical facilities with the most experience performing angioplasties and open heart surgery have the greatest success rates with these procedures. Duke physicians follow thousands of heart patients, tracking how well they do as their heart disease is treated. The Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease is the largest and oldest heart disease databank of its kind in the world. With the knowledge of the databank's 200, 000 cases at their fingertips, Duke physicians draw on decades of experience to help heart patients and their families decide which treatment options are most appropriate for them.

Duke has more than 60 board-certified cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, and cardiac anesthesiologists, and is widely recognized as one of the nation's top hospitals in cardiology. All Heart Center nurses are ACLS (advanced cardiac life support) certified; many hold CCRN (critical care registered nurse) credentials. Duke Hospital has received full accreditation with commendation from the JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations).

Breakthroughs at Duke can be rapidly transferred into treatments that directly benefit patients. Literally hundreds of basic and clinical scientists, physicians, and other health care professionals work together every day to gain more knowledge about the causes of heart disease and how best to treat it.

Duke Heart Center offers a complete range of cardiac care services and clinical treatment programs, including a specialized chest pain unit for diagnosis and emergency treatment 24 hours a day. Every patient also has access to a multidisciplinary health care team that includes physicians, nurses, physical therapists, dieticians, and social workers, among others.