Christiana Care Health System is one of the largest health care providers in the mid-Atlantic, serving all of Delaware and parts of PA, MD and NJ.

ChristianaCare

New Row

Contact expert @[Full Name](fullname), @[Job Title](job_title) at @[Organization](organization) for media, speaking, professional opportunities and more.

@[Full Name](fullname) at @[Organization](organization) | Contact Form

Expert Inquiry

Open Sans

Former president of Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions

Association of Cognitive Impairment With Treatment and Outcomes in Older Myocardial Infarction Patients: A Report From the NCDR Chest Pain-MI Registry

Occupational health hazards of interventional cardiologists in the current decade: Results of the 2014 SCAI membership survey

Adoption of Radial Access and Comparison of Outcomes to Femoral Access in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Predictors of Long-Term Survival After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery Results From the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (The ASCERT Study)

Prediction of Long-Term Mortality After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Older Adults

Dr. Kirk Noel Garratt oversees one of the nation's busiest heart and vascular programs. 

Renowned in the field of heart disease for his achievements in the clinical, academic and research aspects of interventional cardiology, Dr. Garratt joined ChristianaCare in 2015. He was appointed in 2016 as ChristianaCare’s John H. Ammon Chair of Cardiology.

Previously, Dr. Garratt spent 17 years at the Mayo Clinic and was a member of the team of physicians who first performed minimally invasive heart procedures there.

Dr. Garratt serves on medical advisory boards, task forces and steering committees and presents at conferences and symposiums worldwide. He has participated in clinical research for more than 30 years, authored more than 300 publications and is a reviewer and editor for multiple medical journals.

In terms of heart attack volume, ChristianaCare is No. 45 nationwide in terms of inpatient admissions for heart attack patients with Medicare.

Cardiology

Cardiovascular Disease

Heart Health

ResearchGate Author Profile

ChristianaCare Heart Program

Downloadable Photos of Dr. Kirk Garratt

National Media Tour

new-outpatient-cardiology-practice-at-wilmington-hospital-expands-access-to-lifesaving-care-for-patients-with-peripheral-artery-disease

Center for Heart & Vascular Health brings specialized services to the community

Medical Director of Center for Heart & Vascular Health and John H. Ammon Chair of Cardiology

With the opening of a new cardiology practice at its Wilmington campus, ChristianaCare is bringing life-saving treatment for peripheral artery disease (PAD) closer to home for people who live in and around the city of Wilmington.

Peripheral artery disease happens when plaque builds up in the arteries and limits blood flow to the legs. This can cause pain, cramping and difficulty walking. If left untreated, it can lead to serious problems like limb loss, heart attack or stroke.

“We’re on a mission to improve the heart and vascular health of our community, and one of the key ways we do that is to identify where people need access to care and ensure that it’s convenient, high-quality and accessible. ChristianaCare’s expansion of cardiology services to the Wilmington campus has made it easier for patients in Wilmington and the surrounding community to receive excellent heart and vascular care,” said Kirk Garratt, M.D., MSc, medical director of the Center for Heart and Vascular Health. “Importantly, it’s part of a multi-disciplinary effort to bring a focus on PAD that includes vascular surgery and interventional radiology.  We’re expanding those services in the Wilmington community, too.”

 In Delaware, an estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people are living with PAD. The condition is more common among older adults and those with diabetes, high blood pressure or a history of smoking, all of which are widespread in the state. Because symptoms can be subtle, many people may not know they have it. That’s why awareness and early diagnosis are so important.

Anyone who experiences leg pain, numbness or slow-healing sores should talk with their doctor. A simple test can measure blood flow, and with the right treatment or lifestyle changes, people can ease symptoms and lower their risk of serious complications.

The new practice, located in the Gateway Building at Wilmington Hospital, 501 West 14th Street, 4th Floor, offers convenient access to diagnosis and treatment in the heart of the city. The practice is open on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and hours will be adjusted based on patient demand.

Meet the Cardiologist: Dr. Vikashsingh Rambhujun Board-certified interventional cardiologist Vikashsingh Rambhujun, MBBS, has cared for ChristianaCare patients for more than a decade and now sees patients at the Wilmington practice.

 Rambhujun earned his medical degree from SSR Medical College in Mauritius. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the NYU Grossman Long Island School in New York and did his fellowship in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology at ChristianaCare. Rambhujun also spent a year doing interventional cardiology and endovascular medicine and interventions at Yale University Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. His research has been published widely in medical journals.

Rambhujun aims to help patients manage PAD before it becomes advanced. When appropriate, he can perform minimally invasive catheter-based procedures to open blockages in the arteries.

“We have new patients with blockages that haven’t progressed to the point that they need a procedure, which is where we want to catch them,” Rambhujun said. “We can manage their cholesterol, blood pressure and other risk factors to prevent disease from progressing.”

When Rambhujun began practicing in Wilmington, he made it a priority to speak at local community meetings, raising awareness about the warning signs of heart and vascular disease. His message is simple but urgent: don’t wait; seek treatment early.

“We’re trying to help people keep their toes and feet,” he said. “When we treat blockages from peripheral artery disease, the difference can be dramatic,” he said. “Patients who once struggled to walk even a short distance because of pain can leave the hospital able to move freely again. Helping someone reclaim their basic freedoms to walk, stay active and enjoy life is incredibly rewarding.”


New Outpatient Cardiology Practice at Wilmington Hospital Expands Access to Life-Saving Care for Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease

a-new-heart-disease-prevention-strategy-combining-ezetimibe-statins

Statement by Kirk Garratt, M.D., Medical Director of ChristianaCare's Center for Heart & Vascular Health "A new study is challenging the current approach to preventing heart disease by showing that combining ezetimibe (Zetia) with statins could be a highly effective treatment for all high-risk patients, not just those who can’t tolerate higher doses of statins. Ezetimibe works by blocking the absorption of dietary fats before they reach the liver, while statins block the conversion of these fats into bad cholesterol. Clinical studies have already shown that combining moderate doses of statins with ezetimibe works as well as high doses of statins alone.

This new research, which used a sophisticated method to combine results from many studies, demonstrates the potential of using this combination more routinely. The impact could be significant—potentially avoiding thousands of heart attacks and saving many lives each year.
Ezetimibe has minimal side effects and is available in generic form, offering a treatment option with few barriers to widespread use. However, patients should speak with their doctor to discuss whether this combination is right for them."

Learn more:


 

A New Heart Disease Prevention Strategy: Combining Ezetimibe & Statins

center-for-heart-vascular-health-recognized-for-continued-excellence-with-american-college-of-cardiology-heartcare-center-designation

Award recognizes world-class patient care and sustainable quality improvement

For the fifth consecutive year, ChristianaCare’s Center for Heart & Vascular Health has earned the premier recognition from The American College of Cardiology (ACC) – the HeartCARE Center National Distinction of Excellence award – for its commitment to comprehensive, high quality cardiovascular care.

ChristianaCare was the first hospital system in Delaware and one of only a handful in the U.S. to attain this recognition when it was first awarded in 2020 from the ACC, a nonprofit medical association representing more than 50,000 cardiovascular specialists.

 “We are proud to be a regional leader for cardiovascular care with the most advanced medical, surgical and minimally invasive specialty care, technology and research,” said Kirk Garratt, M.D., medical director of ChristianaCare’s Center for Heart & Vascular Health. “Congratulations to our entire team and all who collaborate seamlessly to deliver care 24/7. As a result, those living in Delaware and neighboring states can receive the highest quality cardiovascular care from the Center for Heart & Vascular Health.”

Hospitals that have earned an ACC HeartCARE Center designation have met a set of criteria, including participating in at least two ACC accreditation services programs, national cardiovascular data registries and targeted quality improvement campaigns designed to close gaps in guideline-based care. In addition to being a current recipient of the HeartCARE Center designation, ChristianaCare participates in the ACC’s chest pain MI with PCI (heart attack with angioplasty) and resuscitation accreditation, cath lab accreditation and the Society of Thoracic Surgeon database.

“ChristianaCare has demonstrated its commitment to providing the community with excellent heart care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., MPH, FACC, chair of the ACC accreditation management board. “ACC accreditation services is proud to award the Center for Heart & Vascular Health with the HeartCARE Center designation.”

Hospitals receiving the HeartCARE Center designation have demonstrated their commitment to consistent, high-quality cardiovascular care through comprehensive process improvement, disease and procedure-specific accreditation, professional excellence and community engagement. ChristianaCare has proven to be a forward-thinking institution with goals to advance the cause of sustainable quality improvement.

 The Center for Heart & Vascular Health is among the largest, most capable regional heart centers on the East Coast. It is among the few centers in the region that integrates cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, vascular interventional radiology, cardiology and interventional nephrology in a single location. Its expert clinical staff performed nearly 200,000 patient procedures last year.


Center for Heart & Vascular Health Recognized for Continued Excellence with American College of Cardiology HeartCARE Center Designation

Dr. Kirk Garratt explains the connection between heart problems and mental health conditions.

How can heart disease impact mental health?

Dr. Kirk Garratt, medical director of ChristianaCare's Center for Heart & Vascular Health, speaks to how heart patients have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of not delaying heart care.

Facebook Live: Heart Care and Heart Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Patient's with heart and vascular disease need to be attentive to their mental health problems. Dr. Kirk Garratt discusses the importance of managing mental health in collaboration with a health care provider.

Managing Mental Health and Heart Disease

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of healthcare. While some procedures can safely be put on hold, the need for heart and cancer care does not stop. Dr. Nicholas Petrelli, medical director of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute and Dr. Kirk Garratt, medical director of the Center for Heart & Vascular Health speak to how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the heart and cancer programs at ChristianaCare. The doctors discuss how they’re keeping patients safe at ChristianaCare, the effects the virus has on heart and cancer patients, changes in care delivery and the rise of virtual care.

Select Inquiry Type