Department of Internal Medicine - Division of Cardiovascular Medicine

Cardiomyopathy Treatment Program

Frances L. Johnson, M.D., Director

Fran Johnson, M.D.

The University of Iowa Cardiomyopathy Treatment Program (CTP) provides comprehensive multidisciplinary care to patients with advanced cardiopulmonary disease. Over 1,000 patients are receiving specialty care by our award-winning teams with expertise in the evaluation and treatment of new onset heart failure, refractory heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, heart transplantation and pulmonary hypertension. Experienced and dedicated staff work across department and college boundaries to provide a unique service.

Our heart failure and pulmonary hypertension program is well-supported by experienced nurse specialists and full-time research staff who provide 24/7 first-line patient access to clinical services and multiple sponsored clinical trials. There is exceptional participation by patients in our longitudinal data registry and biorepository entitled “Molecular Pathways in Cardiovascular Disease”. Over 700 patients and their family members have registered and donated DNA and serum for genetic and biomarker discovery research. Advanced imaging with research-quality cardiac MRI and CT angiography contributes to the academic difference for our patients and UI clinician scientists. Our heart transplant program is the only one to serve our state, and reports one of the highest survival rates in the nation. It has been continuously operating since 1985 and received UNOS and CMS re-certifications in 2008 and 2009. Excellence in donor management and innovative translational research is achieved through a close partnership between the UI CTP and the Iowa Donor Network (IDN). IDN has received the Congressional Medal of Honor for excellence in donation and organ placement for the past four years.

Our mechanical circulatory support program has a long history of excellence and was a leading enrollment site in the landmark REMATCH trial. Today we have a variety of devices for support of virtually any pediatric or adult patient in need. The University of Iowa was designated as a high-volume “Vanguard Center of Excellence” by the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) in 2009. A dedicated ECMO team providing rapid response combined with experienced VAD and transplant physicians and surgeons enables us to achieve outstanding results. The University of Iowa CTP also provides educational opportunities to physicians by sponsoring an advanced heart failure and heart transplant fellowship that conforms to ACGME guidelines.

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