Advanced Pulmonary Hypertension, Right Heart Failure & CTEPH/PTE Heart Program
Temple Health is nationally renowned for expert care of heart-related complications from pulmonary hypertension (PH), particularly right heart failure and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). With one of the most active and experienced heart treatment teams in the U.S., Temple leads in innovative care, achieving superior outcomes in cardiac interventions and right heart therapies.
How Pulmonary Hypertension Affects the Heart
Pulmonary hypertension places excessive strain on the right side of your heart. As pressure builds due to narrowed or blocked pulmonary vessels, your heart must work harder, potentially causing:
- Right heart enlargement
- Right-sided heart failure
- Reduced cardiac output
- Serious cardiovascular complications
Without proper cardiac treatment, right heart failure from PH can become life-threatening.
Heart-Focused Treatments for Pulmonary Hypertension & CTEPH
Temple’s specialized heart-focused program offers expert diagnosis and targeted treatments for heart conditions related to PH and CTEPH, including:
- Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy (PTE) - Surgical removal of blockages causing strain on the right heart.
- Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty (BPA) - Minimally invasive procedure to relieve heart strain caused by narrowed pulmonary arteries.
- Comprehensive Right Heart Management - Expert care using advanced cardiac diagnostics and individualized therapy plans.
Internationally Recognized Pulmonary Hypertension Heart Specialists
Paul Forfia, MD, Co-director
A nationally recognized cardiologist in PH-related cardiac care, Dr. Forfia expertise includes precise echocardiographic interpretation to identify heart impacts of PH. His groundbreaking approach improves cardiac diagnosis and avoids unnecessary invasive procedures, optimizing heart function in patients with PH.
Anjali Vaidya, MD, FACC, FASE, FACP, Co-director
Dr. Vaidya is internationally renowned in care of all forms of pulmonary hypertension, including specialized expertise in echocardiography, right heart failure, CTEPH, and pregnancy management in pulmonary hypertension. Her tailored echocardiographic evaluations and therapies help patients maintain optimal heart health. She leads Temple’s pulmonary hypertension/pulmonary vascular disease fellowship program, training the next generation of cardiac and pulmonary specialists in PH care.
Dr. Ahmed Sadek
Dr. Sadek specializes in invasive cardiac evaluations for PH patients, including advanced right heart catheterizations and critical-care cardiology. His extensive training enhances Temple’s capacity to address complex heart complications of pulmonary hypertension.
Carly Fabrizio, DO
Dr. Fabrizio is extensively trained in all forms of advanced heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. She has additional expertise in right heart catheterization and has in-depth experience in critical care cardiology patients with complex cardiopulmonary syndromes.
Riyaz Bashir, MD
Dr. Bashir is nationally renowned in interventional cardiology for his innovations and technique for diagnostics and management of thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension using catheter directed intervention and advanced balloon pulmonary angioplasty technique. An integral part of Temple Advanced Pulmonary Hypertension, he leads Vascular and Endovascular Medicine at Temple Health.
Vladimir Lakhter, DO
Dr. Lakhter has years of extensive experience performing cardiac catheterization, including right heart catheterization, coronary angiography, pulmonary angiography, catheter directed intervention for acute thromboembolic disease, and balloon pulmonary angioplasty. He completed additional training in vascular interventional cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA, prior to joining the Temple Heart and Vascular Institute’s program.
Yoshiya Toyoda, MD, PhD
An internationally respected cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Toyoda has performed hundreds of successful PTE surgeries, significantly reducing cardiac stress and restoring heart function. He excels in surgical management of complex cardiac conditions related to pulmonary hypertension.
Temple Heart & Vascular Institute: A Leader in All Treatments for PH
Patients trust Temple Heart & Vascular Institute due to:
- National leadership and unparalleled experience in heart complications from PH
- Highest surgical volume of pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) on the East Coast
- Exceptionally low mortality rates for cardiac surgeries and interventions
- Advanced non-surgical heart therapies like balloon pulmonary angioplasty
- Rapid patient appointment scheduling
Patient Experiences
Temple’s specialized heart care has enabled patients like Kevin to regain an active, healthy lifestyle through successful cardiac interventions. Read Kevin's story about undergoing PTE surgery >
Learn More About Cardiac Treatment for CTEPH
Watch Dr. Paul Forfia explain how Temple’s innovative cardiac approach diagnoses and treats heart complications of CTEPH using PTE surgery, outlining what patients can expect before, during, and after the procedure.
Temple's heart-focused pulmonary hypertension program offers hope, healing, and the highest level of cardiac care to patients nationwide.
