PULSE is a biannual publication by the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS).
Improved control for surgeons, Better surgery outcomes for patients
Driven to deliver more intuitive techniques and consistent patient outcomes, Prof Theodoros Kofidis, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), NUHCS, has crafted a new set of 12 mitral valve techniques improving on current established procedures, with inspiration from Roman architecture. Termed “The Singapore Correction”, the techniques allow for better surgical control through simplifying current procedures, to achieve more uniformity in patient results each time.
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Did you know that those with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) are five times more likely to suffer from a stroke? Affecting approximately 1 in 100 people, AF is the most common heart rhythm disorder in the world and afflicts 2.6% of men and 0.6% of women here – a number that is set to rise dramatically given Singapore’s ageing population.
NUHCS researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using data from 11 high-quality studies published within the last 20 years, to compare the clinical outcomes of cardiac arrest patients who received E-CPR versus C-CPR.
Introducing the new Lifesaving Cardiogenic Shock Treatment Approach
Acute Myocardial Infarction: Allied Health-Oriented, Patient-Centred Technology-Enabled (AMI-HOPE) Programme
To project the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, hyperlipidemia (or high cholesterol), obesity and smoking, among AMI-incident and AMI-related mortality for 2025 to 2050, Dr Nicholas Chew from the Cardiovascular-Metabolic Disease Translational Research Programme (CVMD TRP) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Department of Cardiology, NUHCS, led a study using data from the Singapore Myocardial Infarction Registry (SMIR) from January 2007 to December 2018, focusing on age group, gender and ethnicity.
Held from 21 to 23 September 2023 at Suntec City Convention Centre, the Asian Interventional Cardiovascular Therapeutics (AICT)-AsiaPCR 2023 conference saw an impressive turnout of more than 700 participants gathered together, to uncover the best practices in cardiovascular care across Southeast Asia and beyond.
The National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) commemorated the annual World Heart Day in September with a Health Screening Carnival, held at Yew Tee Community Club in partnership with Limbang constituency and People's Association. Graced by Deputy Prime Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Mr Lawrence Wong, the event was attended by over 300 participants who engaged in various fun and insightful activities. In line with the nationwide Healthier SG initiative in driving preventive health, chronic screening tests for high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol were made available at no cost to eligible registered participants to help diagnose for any underlying conditions.
On 19 August 2023, NUHCS organised a public health talk titled "Don't Lose Sleep Over Snoring" to spread awareness on Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) – a condition where the throat muscles relax during sleep, causing airway blockage. With up to one in three Singaporeans suffering from some form of OSA, this forum aimed to provide insightful information and tips on managing this under-diagnosed sleep disorder.
The NUHCS Congenital Heart Surgery Parent Huddle was held on 22 July 2023, in partnership with Congenital Heart Association Parent & Patient Support (CHAPPS), bringing together congenital heart patients and their families to learn more about Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and meet other parents who are also in the journey of caring for a child with CHD.
Beginning from the lower-left chamber of the heart, the aorta is the largest blood vessel carrying oxygen-rich blood from the heart to vital organs throughout the body. As the body’s main blood supply, a diseased or damaged aorta could lead to a medical emergency of massive internal bleeding if not attended to immediately.
In recognition of their public spirit and outstanding contributions to Singapore's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, about 9,500 individuals from the public healthcare, public, private, and people sectors have been recognised and will receive the National Awards (COVID-19), announced at the 2022 National Day Rally.
At NUHCS, three received The Public Administration Medal (Bronze) (COVID-19) shares more about how they went beyond their call of duty during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a voluntary initiative by NUHCS patients, the Caring Hearts Support Group (CHSG) was launched in 2018 with the vision to build an inspiring and caring heart patient support group that brings positive changes to the lives of patients and the community.
Time is often of the essence when treating Myocardial Infarctions (MI), also known as heart attacks. Every minute after a heart attack, more heart tissue is damaged or dies, causing irreversible injury to the heart. One of the key life-saving procedures used to treat heart attacks is Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), also commonly known as “stenting” or “ballooning”.
In order to enhance the heart care services provided to patients in the community, NUHCS Heart Clinic @ Jurong Medical Centre (JMC) is bringing cardiac specialised services nearer to them so they can be treated for chronic diseases, offering less waiting time and easier access to a heart clinic for patients referred in by their primary care physicians.
Shining light into the serious medical emergency, the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), organised its inaugural NUHCS Cardiogenic Shock Masterclass on 13 May 2023 for medical professionals to learn more about this increasingly prevalent condition. Attended by more than 260 participants from around the region, the virtual webinar uncovered emerging technical advances and new directives in the evolving CS field.
Established in 2008 to meet anticipated growing demand for cardiovascular health services, we crossed our fifteenth year in 2023 – a momentous milestone as a National Centre in Singapore specialising in the treatment of the most challenging heart, lung and circulatory diseases. As we look forward to realise our vision, we continue to unlock innovations across clinical, surgical and research fronts, towards tackling cardiovascular diseases and improving patient outcomes.
NUHCS’ Department of CTVS has over the years worked towards becoming the centre of excellence in the region. Several programmes were streamlined to benchmark a higher standard of care. One such initiative to improve the standard of training at NUHCS is the development of the CTVS Simulation Centre.
From 4 to 6 March 2023, thousands of cardiovascular professionals around the globe came together at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Session with the World Heart Federation’s World Congress of Cardiology (WCC) 2023, to discuss and impart cutting-edge scientific advancements and innovative practices of cardiac care. The conference commenced with late-breaking clinical trial sessions that drew an overwhelming number of audiences, covering both preventive aspects of cardiology and groundbreaking innovations in interventional cardiology.
The treatment for HF is often complex and can last over extended periods of time. How patients cope with HF is highly dependent on the time they receive their diagnosis and treatment, as well as their body's receptivity to key medication adjustments. This calls for holistic, personalised care with close monitoring and reviewing of the patient's ongoing condition and medications.
In the recent Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) nationwide study, the prevalence of Dementia was found to be one in every 10 people aged 60 years and above. This disease is well-known to affect more women than men, where two out of three people with Alzheimer’s Disease are women.
Patients at NUHCS with lung conditions are usually in their 60s, 70s, and even their 80s. This makes open-chest or multiple-incision surgeries riskier for older patients, as they not only take a longer time to heal but tend to have other conditions that may complicate the surgery. In his pursuit to reduce post-operative pain for lung surgery patients, A/Prof Tam looked to find a better technique that would be safe, reduce surgical risks and have better outcomes for patients.
Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) is a medically supervised programme designed to strengthen and improve one's cardiovascular health. Beneficial for almost any heart condition, NUHCS Cardiac Rehabilitation is a specialised programme to help patients achieve normalcy in daily living, while reducing the risk of a relapse.
For more than 60 days, 17-year-old Dante Lin fought for his life relying on the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) life support. From then, a multidisciplinary team comprising healthcare professionals from both NUHCS and NUH kept a close watch on Mr Lin’s condition, adjusting his treatment accordingly.
Blood culture-negative endocarditis (BCNE) is endocarditis in which blood cultures using usual laboratory methods remain sterile, and account for 2.5% to 70% of all cases of endocarditis, depending on countries. This geographical variation in incidence is explained by several factors including differences in the diagnostic criteria used; specific epidemiological factors, as it is the case for fastidious zoonotic agents; variations in the early use of antibiotics before blood sampling; differences in sampling and testing strategies; and involvement of unknown pathogens or non-infective etiologies.
On 2 Sep 2022, the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) performed its first Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER) for the tricuspid valve, one of the heart's four major valves.
One 16-year-old teenager owes his life to his two older brothers who helped to save him through Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) when he suffered a sudden heart attack at home. Both brothers had never used their skills before but immediately jumped into action, and applied what they learnt in an attempt to resuscitate their unconscious brother.
A research team from the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) recently won the top Young Investigator Award at two medical conferences – the American College of Cardiology Asia 2021-32nd Singapore Cardiac Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2021 (ACC Asia-SCS ASM) and the 25th ASEAN Federation of Cardiology Congress (AFCC) – for the team’s research on Mitral Stenosis.
The Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS), National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) has successfully conducted Singapore’s first holography-guided heart surgery using Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 – a pair of mixed reality smart glasses through which surgeons can view a projected three-dimensional (3D) hologram of the patient’s heart derived from the patient’s Computerised Tomography (CT) scans.
NUHCS’s innovative Endopsis Retractor System enhances minimally invasive heart surgeries
Dr Loh Poay Huan, Senior Consultant, Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), recently took up the role of the new Head of Cardiology at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH), and will be spearheading the management of cardiovascular health services at the hospital.
National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) @ Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) has established a multi-disciplinary team of cardiologists to form the new Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT), which introduced a new approach to treat Pulmonary Embolism (PE), resulting in an increased survival rate of patients with high-risk PE to more than 98%.
Joining the world in celebrating females on International Women’s Day, the National University Heart Centre Singapore (NUHCS) held its Women’s Heart Health Campaign in March to celebrate inspiring life stories from our heart warriors, and raise awareness on the little-known number one cause of death for women in Singapore – Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).
Moving to the Next Generation Electronic Medical Record (NGEMR) platform is an initiative by Singapore’s Ministry of Health to put in place an advanced centralised electronic medical record system for the country's population. With the NGEMR platform, it allows healthcare providers to provide a seamless patient experience by responding in a cohesive and efficient manner.
On 18 Jan 2022, robots joined forces with the surgical team of cardiac and thoracic surgeons and nurses at the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) to perform a minimally invasive heart surgery, carrying out a successful Internal Mammary Artery (IMA) harvest – the first robot-assisted bypass surgery in Singapore.
Cross-training strategy increases nursing competency
New goals for NUHCS paediatric cardiac surgery, led by A/Prof Laszlo Kiraly, the newly appointed Head of Congenital Heart Surgery Division in the Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (CTVS) at the National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS).
A lookback at the cardiac electrophysiology service in NUHCS
At the heart of Singapore's western health cluster is the Western ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) Network, a joint effort with National University Hospital (NUH) Emergency Department, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital (NTFGH) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
A new platform for education, research and innovation in cardiovascular interventions in Asia Pacific, AICT-AsiaPCR recently concluded their inaugural meeting at Singapore's Suntec Convention Centre.
A heart attack is commonly understood to occur due to plaque build- up or rupture in the coronary artery. Sometimes it is not an ordinary heart attack but the result of spontaneous tearing in the coronary artery wall.
As simulation-based training evidently imparts critical care and management skills better than problem-based learning, our centre has developed the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Crisis and Emergency Management (CICCEM) programme for training surgical teams.
Over the years, the NUHCS' Division of Vascular Surgery has been sharing their expertise with physicians across the Asia Pacific region. This year, the division is running a series of workshops on vascular pathology for regional specialists
Dr. Leonardo De Carvalho moved to Singapore from Brazil in 2012 to start a new career in NUHCS. While initially apprehensive, he soon assimilated comfortably into the hospitable sunny island.
Men over 40 have nearly 50% chance of developing heart disease during their lifetime. They must thus take precautionary steps to avoid it from occuring.
Want to know how you can control your blood pressure? Get the tips from our doctor who appeared in a recent episode of Body SOS.
Cardio-oncology is a growing field that aims to prevent or treat cancer patients who face heart problems due to its treatments. With the support of National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), Asst. Prof. Tan Li Ling pursued training in this area of specialty.
To push the envelope for women's heart health, National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) provides a programme dedicated to women with and at risk of heart disease. In 2018, the team had an opportunity to go for clinical attachment programmes in North America.
Three staff from National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) were presented the Long Service Award on 21 November 2017 for their loyalty and dedication to the organisation. They share their motivations and what keeps them going at work.
When a passenger on board a flight took ill, Assistant Nurse Clinician Ms. Woo Pei Yoong went beyond her call of duty to render medical assistance to the passenger. In recognition of her act of compassion, Pei Yoong was identified as one of the recipients of 'Our People, Our Pride', which honours staff for their dedication in providing quality care for patients.
A sudden cardiac arrest may cause a person to lose consciousness within a mere 15 seconds and stop breathing within a minute. In such situations, the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) may help save a life. Dr. Tan Ze Ying, Senior Resident, Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, University Medicine Cluster, National University Hospital (NUH) recounts how she and other staff came to the rescue of an unwell shopper.
National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) is home to a comprehensive Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery (MICS) Programme. This is the result of years of time and effort, investments, envisioning, faith and teamwork.
In January 2017, the Ministry of Health announced the regrouping of Singapore’s six Regional Health Systems (RHS) into three integrated clusters. This brought on a closer partnership between NUHCS’s and NTFGH’s cardiology teams, which are part of the National University Health System (NUHS) cluster.
National University Heart Centre, Singapore’s (NUHCS) Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Retrieval Service was created to help patients from other hospitals that do not offer ECMO.
Launched in February 2014, the Heart Failure Transitional Care (TC) Programme was established to facilitate safe, smooth and quality transitions for heart failure patients from hospital to home setting.
We often think that cardiovascular care is limited to caring for older patients. However, at National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), we have the capabilities to care for patients throughout their entire life, from the moment they are born.
Anomalous Coronary Artery1 is a rare condition that can cause sudden cardiac death particularly in those with abnormal blood vessels. In the USA, this condition accounts for nearly 17 per cent of sudden cardiac deaths in competitive athletes. Asst. Prof. Yeo Tee Joo shares the case of a local athlete.
Cardiovascular disease has consistently been ranked as the top three causes of hospitalisation and death in Singapore. However, the threat of this disease can be averted if people take preventive measures early.
Asst. Prof. Raymond Wong introduces the launch of a value-added service that helps to treat fluid overload in heart failure patients who do not respond to diuretics.
In alignment with NUHCS’s patient safety guidelines, four facilities were identified as key service units that require rapid coordinated care due to their high-risk patient profiles and complexity of procedures performed there. The units are Angiography Centre, Diagnostic Cardiology Lab, Diagnostic Nuclear Lab and Coronary Care Unit.
The Outstanding Nurse Leader Award is presented each year to honour nurse leaders who play a pivotal role in guiding other nurses to deliver great patient care. National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) is proud to have nurses winning the award for two consecutive years and we are excited to anticipate another NUHCS winner next year. Read on as 2016 award winner, Ms. Oon Siow Eng, recounts her nursing journey.
For three consecutive years, our nurses from National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS) have clinched the Healthcare Humanity Awards for exemplifying courage, extraordinary dedication, selflessness and steadfastness in ethics, compassion and humanity. This year, Ms. Florence Ang received the award for going the extra mile to not only serve patients at our National Centre but also disadvantaged patients across Asia.
