Dr. Le-Bert Improving Scope of Cardiac Care in Nassau Cty

In keeping with our commitment to provide the highest quality of cardiology care to the communities of Northeast Florida, Southern Heart Group is working hard to improve the scope of services available to Nassau County and surrounding areas. Beginning this week, transesophageal echocardiogram (also known as TEE), an important diagnostic test used to better visualize deep cardiac structures, will be available in Nassau County for the first time.

Southern Heart Group’s own Dr. George Le-Bert, a cardiologist board certified in both transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography, will be performing the diagnostic procedure at Baptist Medical Center Nassau in Fernandina Beach. Previously, patients needing this advanced cardiac imaging were required to travel well outside of Nassau County to have the test performed. Says Dr. Le-Bert, “We now have the ability to evaluate and manage a variety of complex cardiac conditions that traditionally have required transfer to other institutions.”

An echocardiogram, often referred to in the medical community as simply an ECHO, is a sonogram of the heart. Also known as a cardiac ultrasound, it uses standard ultrasound techniques to image two-dimensional or sometimes three-dimensional slices of the heart. A standard echo is obtained by applying a transducer to the front of the chest. The ultrasound beam travels through the chest wall (skin, muscle, bone, tissue) and lungs to reach the heart. At times, certain physical traits of the patient such as closely positioned ribs may create technical difficulties by limiting the transmission of the ultrasound beams to and from the heart. In such cases, your physician may elect to get a transesophageal echo, where the echo transducer is placed in the esophagus or food pipe that connects the mouth to the stomach. Since the esophagus sits behind the heart, the echo beam does not have to travel through the front of the chest, avoiding any obstacles such as the one described above. Therefore, TEE offers a much clearer image of the heart, particularly, the back structures, such as the left atrium, which may not be seen as well by a standard echo taken from the front of the heart.

TEE is a relatively common procedure that is extremely useful in diagnosing a variety of heart problems. The ability to offer this important diagnostic tool and offer advanced cardiac imaging to Nassau County residents in the community in which they live will improve patient care and convenience dramatically.

As a Southern Heart Group physician, Dr.Le-Bert is part of a distinguished team of multi-disciplined cardiovascular specialists dedicated to providing superior care and service. Dr. Le-Bert practices full time at our Fernandina Beach location and is currently accepting new patients. For more information on TEE or on Dr. Le-Bert, please contact us at (904) 885-6646.

Time to eat healthy!

February is American Heart Health Month! We want to celebrate with our patients by helping you make lifestyle improvements where necessary. Making healthy choices can greatly improve your cardiovascular health and help you control your cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and diabetes among other things.

At Southern Heart Group our goal is to help you achieve optimum heart health. One way to improve your overall health and fight cardiovascular disease is by eating a healthy diet. The following links are full of heart healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and meal planning ideas that can help you improve your heart health! Enjoy these delicious recipes and you will be on your way to a healthy start to 2011!

http://www.hearthealthyonline.com/

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/heart_healthy_diet

http://www.goredforwomen.org/BetterU/recipes.aspx

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/General/Healthy-Recipes_UCM_306797_Article.jsp

Paul H. Dillahunt, II, M. D.

Paul H. Dillahunt, II, M. D. has been practicing Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida since 1978.  Dr. Dillahunt graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in Medicine, where he received specific pre-clinical honors in Bio-Chemistry and Clinical honors for outstanding performance in services of Medicine, Surgery, OB/GYN, and Pediatrics.  Dr. Dillahunt performed his Internship in Internal Medicine at the University of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles, California.  He then moved to Jacksonville, Florida where his Residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at the University of Florida Affiliated Program were performed.  During his time with University of Florida he was appointed to Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine for the Jacksonville Division of their College of Medicine.  Dr. Dillahunt is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology, and Nuclear Cardiology.  He has been the Chief of Cardiology at Baptist Medical Center for the past eight years and at three different times in the 1990’s.  Dr. Dillahunt is the Medical Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit for Baptist Medical Center and has been so since 1979.    Professional Memberships include:  American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, American College of Chest Physicians, American Medical Association, American Society of Echocardiography, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and the Duval County Medical Society.

During his prestigious career, Dr. Dillahunt has chaired various committees at Baptist Medical Center and Memorial Medical Center and is well known and widely respected in the Medical Community of Northeast Florida.  In 2006, the Consumer’s Research Council of America certified Dr. Dillahunt as one of “America’s Top Physicians”.  Many physicians and their families have chosen Dr. Dillahunt as their personal Cardiologist due to his excellent reputation.

Omar F. Dajani, M.D.

Omar F. Dajani, M. D. has had a long standing career in medicine and has been caring for the residents of Northeast Florida for more than 20 years. Recently named by U.S. News and World Report as one of Jacksonville’s Top Doctors, Dr. Dajani is widely recognized as a superior physician who practices with integrity and compassion.

Dr. Dajani received his Degree in Medicine from the Damascus University School of Medicine in Damascus, Syria where he also performed an Internship in Internal Medicine and Surgery.  Dr. Dajani came to the United States in 1981 and attended Wayne State University College of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. There, he performed extensive training during an Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine followed by a Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease and an additional fellowship in Interventional Cardiology.

Throughout his career as a physician Dr. Dajani has consistently held many leadership positions.  He has been elected Chief of Cardiology at Orange Park Medical Center for 20 consecutive terms which stands as a testament to his excellent reputation within the medical community. Dr. Dajani has also served as Director of the Orange Park Medical Center Cath Lab as well as Medical Director of the ICU/CCU.  He is a past President of the Clay County Division of the American Heart Association and he has chaired various committees at area hospitals and for Blue Cross and Blue Shield Health Options and Humana Health Plans.  He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine,  Cardiovascular Disease and Nuclear Cardiology and is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology.

Salvatore D. Diloreto, M. D.

Salvatore D. Diloreto, M. D.  has been practicing Cardiology in Jacksonville, Florida since 1992.  Dr. Diloreto graduated from the University of Cincinnati Medical School in Cincinnati, Ohio with High Honors.  His Internship in Internal Medicine, Residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease were performed at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina where he also received extensive training in Interventional Cardiology and Nuclear Cardiology.  Dr. Diloreto has also received extensive post graduate training in Peripheral Vascular Disease and Peripheral Vascular Interventions.  He performs procedures such as:  Renal Stents and Lower Extremity Peripheral Interventions.  In addition, he performs Carotid Angiograms as well as Carotid Stents.  Dr. Diloreto has performed thousands of Coronary Interventions for over the past twenty years.  Dr. Diloreto has also implanted permanent pacemakers for over 20 years.  Dr. Diloreto is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Interventional Cardiology and Internal Medicine.  He is also certified in Nuclear Cardiology by the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology.   His professional memberships include:  The American College of Cardiology, The American College of Physicians, The American Medical Association, The South Carolina Medical Association, The Florida Medical Association, The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and The Duval County Medical Society.   Throughout his educational pursuits and career as a physician, Dr. Diloreto has continuously held positions of leadership.

Leon C. Chow, M. D.

Leon C. Chow, M. D. received his Medical Degree from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.  His Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine were both performed at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, California where he was Chief Resident for the Department of Medicine.  Dr. Chow completed his Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at the University of California/San Diego in San Diego, California.  Following his Fellowship, Dr. Chow returned as an Attending Physician to California Pacific Medical Center where he served as the Director of the Coronary Care Unit and the Director of Echocardiography and Non-Invasive Cardiology Lab.  Dr. Chow was a Clinical Instructor in Medicine at the University of California/San Francisco and an Assistant Professor of Medicine for the Division of Cardiology at the University of Florida Health Science Center/Jacksonville, Florida.  Dr. Chow is Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease.  He is a member of the American College of Cardiology, the American Society of Echocardiography, the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and the Clay County Medical Society.

Russell B. Stapleton, III, M. D.

Russell B. Stapleton, III, M. D. has been practicing medicine in Jacksonville, Florida since 1996.  Dr. Stapleton received his degree in Medicine from The Medical University of South Carolina located in Charleston, South Carolina.  He continued at The Medical University of South Carolina to perform his Internship in Internal Medicine, his Residency in Internal Medicine and his Fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease.  Dr. Stapleton was a Staff Physician with the United States Air Force from 1990 to 1993.  Dr. Stapleton is Board Certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Interventional Cardiology.  His professional memberships include:  The American College of Physicians, The American College of Cardiology, The American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and The Duval County Medical Society.

Welcome to Southern Heart Group

 

Welcome to Southern Heart Group

 

Southern Heart Group is a highly distinguished team of cardiovascular specialists who have been caring for the Jacksonville area for over 30 years. With multiple national accreditations and cardiologists recognized among “America’s Top Physicians”, we are proud of our leadership role in the community and are pleased to have been chosen ”Northeast Florida’s Best for Cardiology Care“.

 

At Southern Heart Group, we are devoted to providing the highest quality of care for the full spectrum of cardiac and vascular conditions. Our multi-disciplined physicians are well known for their compassionate approach and are widely recognized for their comprehensive expertise.  With multiple locations to fully serve Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, Southern Heart Group has been described as “an exceptional team that provides superior care and service“. Our thorough consultations and various state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic technologies are performed in a comfortable setting with a knowledgeable, friendly staff. Our goal is to make each visit with us both pleasant and worry-free for our patients and their families. At Southern Heart Group, it is our top priority to achieve the best possible outcome for each person entrusted to our care.

 

More than 30 years after treating our first patient, Southern Heart Group remains the leader in providing the highest quality of cardiovascular care to the communities of Northeast Florida. We are dedicated to the patients we serve and we look forward to assisting you.

 

 

Praveen K. Kanaparti, MD, FACC

Praveen K. Kanaparti, MD, FACC

Dr. Kanaparti received his MBBS and MD from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. In the US, he completed his Residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Cardiology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. There he received The Leo Davidoff Society award for outstanding achievement as a Resident.

For a year, he worked as an attending physician at Montefiore/North Central Bronx hospitals and conducted basic research on endothelial cell adhesion molecules and their role in Atherogenesis. Dr. Kanaparti has additional training in Cardiac MR and Cardiac CT from the University Of  Virginia.

He is proficient in performance of Cardiac Catheterization, temporary and permanent pacemaker implantation, Transthoracic & Transesophageal echocardiography and Echo-guided Pericardiocentesis. He is a member of American Heart Association, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology,  Society of Cardiac CT, Society of Cardiac MR, Society of Vascular Ultrasound and a Fellow of American college of cardiology. He is Board certified in Internal Medicine and in Cardiology.

Dr. Kanaparti became a Diplomate of the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.

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