The Heart Institute is one of the nation's busiest and most respected comprehensive heart centers in the United States. In 2000, Charleston Area Medical Center's experienced cardiologists completed over 9,216 cases in the cardiac catheterization lab. Over 500 West Virginians with blocked coronary arteries had a new, highly specialized device called a stent inserted into their blocked artery. This device reopened and reinforced their arteries without open heart surgery. CAMC's heart surgeons completed more than 2,463 open heart surgeries last year. And, with the June 1995 opening of six new cardiothoracic surgery suites and a specialized open heart recovery unit, our heart patients can be assured they're receiving quality care from experts in the field. No comprehensive center is complete without the full range of diagnostic and treatment services. At CAMC everything from nuclear medicine stress testing, to angioplasty and to cardiac rehabilitation are all available on one site. In addition, the Heart Institute has just opened an off-site, outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program for people who have completed their first two phases of recovery after surgery and for people with heart disease who need to begin a medically supervised exercise program. For information on cardiac rehabilitation, please call (304) 388-9520. According to national statistics, West Virginians have one of the highest rates of heart and vascular disease in the nation. Our goal is to combat the onslaught of this ailment, not only with skilled medical treatment, but also by focusing on early diagnosis and prevention. That's why the CAMC is the state-wide sponsor of the National Heart Attack Risk Study — a monthly risk screening which will be used to develop a national database to help Americans reduce their risk of developing heart disease. To register for the study, call (304) 345-9051. The Heart Institute is located at the Memorial Hospital of Charleston Area Medical Center.