NCQA Recognizes Multiple Care Practices of Affinity Health Group

Based in Monroe, Los Angeles, Gregory Sampognaro, M.D. is a board-certified cardiologist and a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Dr. Gregory Sampognaro treats patients at Affinity Health Group as an interventional cardiologist.

Formed in 2007, Affinity Health Group is a group medical practice that was designed to provide patients with greater access to high-quality healthcare. Eight practices operating under the Affinity Health Group are recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for meeting the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model's standards for excellent patient care. This model aims to enhance cooperation between patients and their doctors and was developed from evidence-based practice guidelines.

Practices operating under the PCMH model of healthcare delivery provide timely and focused care to patients when it is needed and aim to avoid unnecessary patient hospitalizations and visits to emergency care rooms by administering proactive and preventive care strategies. The PCMH model of care also provides patients with coordinated and individualized healthcare to improve their overall healthcare experience.

Foods to Eliminate to Improve Heart Health

Licensed by the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, Dr. Gregory Sampognaro possesses an MD and American Board of Internal Medicine board certifications in interventional cardiology and cardiovascular diseases. As a cardiologist with Affinity Health Group in Louisiana, Dr. Gregory Sampognaro leverages his MD to deliver preventative, diagnostic, and rehabilitative care for cardiovascular conditions. He also educates patients on the guidelines of a heart-healthy diet.

Reducing blood pressure and cholesterol are key to maintaining heart health, especially for individuals with heart conditions. Heart-healthy diets eliminate the following foods:

Cheese: Many types of cheese contain high amounts of sodium and saturated fat. Cheese also contains proteins, calcium, and vitamins, so switching out processed and salty varieties for low-fat Swiss or mozzarella can be a suitable alternative.

Processed meat: Deli meats, hot dogs, sausages, and bacon contain preservatives that have been linked to a higher incidence of heart disease. Eating more than one serving of these types of meats per week can also increase the risk of developing other chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

Foods with refined sugar: In addition to having no nutritional value, refined sugars also raise blood pressure and trigger inflammation. Refined sugars can be found in a range of processed foods, such as white bread, pasta, and condiments.

Unbroken Hearts - A Patient Education Campaign by SCAI

With an MD from the LSU School of Medicine, Dr. Gregory Sampognaro has served as an interventional cardiologist at the Affinity Health Group since 2014. Dr. Gregory Sampognaro keeps current with his profession by participating as a fellow MD at several professional associations, such as the Society of Coronary Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and the American College of Cardiology.

SCAI was founded in 1976 by two scientists who successfully contributed to the development of invasive cardiology. Dr. F. Sones and Dr. Melvin Judkins formed the society to conduct and advance invasive cardiology studies.

Also dedicated to patient education and collaboration, SCAI created a campaign in 2015 to share the value of interventional cardiology. The campaign called Unbroken Hearts publicized some real-life stories from patients who have suffered from severe heart conditions and how these conditions were treated, and their lives improved with the help of technology, fast action, and skills of interventional cardiologists and their team.

SCAI’s dedication to patient education through Unbroken Hearts has raised awareness in the world of social media and brought a better understanding of interventional cardiovascular medicine and to the technology and science involved in the treatment of heart disease.

Coronavirus and Risks for Heart Patients

Based in Monroe, Los Angeles, Dr. Gregory Sampognaro, MD, currently serves patients at Affinity Health Group and is the chairman of the cardiology committee at Physicians and Surgeons Hospital. Dr. Gregory Sampognaro, MD, is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology (ACC).

Recently, the AAC published an article regarding heart patients and the risks of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as part of their Cardiosmart initiative. Since patients with heart disease are believed to have a greater risk of becoming seriously ill due to the virus, the ACC has released a clinical bulletin called the COVID-19 Clinical Guidance for the Cardiovascular Care Team to assist physicians who treat patients with heart conditions.

COVID-19 produces symptoms including shortness of breath, cough, and fever. Although the illness can be severe, causing organ failure and mortality, it is mild in most cases. However, patients with heart disease are more likely to die from COVID-19. Therefore, these patients should follow precautions to protect themselves from contracting the infection. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone, including patients with heart conditions, can lower their risk of contracting the virus by practicing frequent hand washing, avoiding people who are ill, and cleaning surfaces that are frequently touched.

Cardiac Catheterization In Angioplasty

A member of the Society of Coronary Angiography and Interventions, Dr. Gregory Sampognaro, MD, is a former cardiac cath lab director at St. Francis Medical Center. Dr. Gregory Sampognaro, MD, is also a co-author of medical articles including “Use of a Novel Access Technology for Femoral Artery Catheterization: Results of the RECITAL Trial.”

A procedure used for diagnosing and treating certain cardiovascular diseases, cardiac catheterization is done in some established surgical procedures such as coronary stenting and coronary angioplasty. Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive procedure, has quick recovery time, and a low risk of complications.

Cardiac catheterization is completed in a sterile environment. During cardiac catheterization for balloon angioplasty, a small incision is made to access an artery in the patient’s groin or wrist region through which a long tiny tube called a catheter is inserted. Two main types of catheters are used in the procedure: a flexible one is threaded from the point of insertion to the narrowed artery, and a smaller catheter, called a balloon catheter, is guided to the narrowed areas through the flexible catheter. The balloon catheter helps enlarge the narrowed artery. In many cases, a mesh coil known as a stent is placed at the narrowed portion to keep it open.

The procedure is usually performed while the patient is awake but sedated.