At University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, advanced heart and vascular treatments from top practitioners are available close to home
By Laura Briedis
At University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, the focus is as much on prevention as it is on diagnosing and treating conditions.
“The vast majority of my practice is taking care of patients who are at risk for heart attacks, blood vessel blockages and leg wounds,” says Dr. Clint Oommen, an interventional cardiologist and endovascular specialist at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, a Campus of UH Regional Hospitals. “Though I specialize in advanced medical procedures, I want to help people avoid emergency care.”
According to Dr. Oommen, there are ways to lessen your chance of having a medical emergency, such as a heart attack or pulmonary embolism. “I do risk factor modifications and help patients lower their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as make sure any diabetes is under control,” he says. “I also encourage patients to live an active lifestyle, as that has been shown to help lower risk of heart attack, stroke and death.”
Uniquely qualified to treat both heart and blood vessel disorders, Dr. Oommen brings specialized care to Geauga County. As an interventional cardiologist, he uses catheter-based techniques to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease, vascular disease, structural heart disease and congenital heart defects. And as an endovascular specialist, he treats conditions affecting arteries and veins, not just in the heart, but also in the arms and legs.
Dr. Oommen also sees patients with chronic and non-healing wounds at the UH Geauga Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine Center. Patients with diabetes, poor circulation, traumatic injury, cancer or other serious conditions can develop chronic wounds that do not heal over weeks, months or even years. In addition, open wounds can cause severe pain, lead to amputation, and greatly impact the patient’s quality of life and psychosocial behavior.
“There is a subset of patients I work with who have non-healing wounds due to blockages in the blood vessels of their legs,” explains Dr. Oommen. “I look forward to helping these patients improve their mobility, manage pain and avoid amputations by opening up these blockages so that wounds can heal.”
The cardiovascular system involves the heart, arteries and veins, and patients can develop disease in any or all parts of the system. “I am trained to treat it all—from a blockage in blood vessels that results in a wound that is unable to heal, to chest pain and a heart attack,” says Dr. Oommen.
Dr. Oommen studied on the East Coast and earned his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Maryland. He completed a residency at Washington Hospital Center before heading west for a fellowship at the University of Arizona Medical Center and joined University Hospitals in 2021.
When to Seek Treatment
The board-certified physicians and surgeons at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute at UH Geauga Medical Center offer treatments to help patients suffering from a range of conditions related to heart and vascular diseases:
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hardening of the arteries
• Heart muscle and heart valve diseases
• Vascular disease
• Heart and vascular care for patients with co-conditions like cancer or diabetes
This community hospital, with state-of-the-art cath labs, offers the same diagnostic and interventional capabilities available at UH’s academic medical center in downtown Cleveland, but close to home in Geauga County.
UH Geauga Medical Center is located at 13207 Ravenna Road, in Chardon. For more information, call 440-901-6104 or visit UHHospitals.org/Heart.