ACC - 2025 Cardiology Research Portfolio by Sanford Health

AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS OF AWARDWINNING HEART CARE, WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

HEART CARE AT SANFORD HEALTH

We are proud to have two heart hospitals – one in South Dakota and one in North Dakota. Our team includes nearly 40 of the most experienced cardiac care physicians. Across the region, we put the latest technology in the hands of highly skilled cardiologists because we believe in bringing world-class care to every patient, no matter where they live.

75,251 PATIENTS SEEN EACH YEAR

1,685 NEW PATIENT REFERRALS EACH MONTH

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

American College of Cardiology Chest Pain Center Accreditation

American Heart Association’s Gold Get With The Guidelines –Heart Failure Quality Achievement Award

American College of Cardiology Platinum Performance Achievement Award for Chest Pain –MI Registry Becker’s Top 100 Heart Programs

American Heart Association’s Gold Get With The Guidelines –Stroke Care Achievement Award

Premier Inc. Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals

PROGRAM

CARDIOVASCULAR GENETICS

This program helps anyone who may have a strong family history of heart disease. A multidisciplinary team works together to provide screenings, genetic counseling, personalized care and support to patients and families with hereditary diseases of the heart, such as cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, familial hypercholesterolemia, long QT syndrome and other arrhythmias.

Our team also helps families understand the physical and emotional implications of having a genetic or inherited heart condition and makes recommendations to minimize and prevent future cardiovascular health problems.

Areas of focus:

• Adult congenital heart disease

• Congenital heart defects (CHD)

• Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH)

• Cardiomyopathy

• Arrhythmias

• Aortic aneurysm

• Pharmacogenomics (PGx) P2Y12 inhibitors

Clinical research

Sanford Polygenic Risk Score Return of Results for Coronary Artery Disease in Sanford Heart Screen Patients

• Prospective, non-randomized, investigator-initiated pilot study for patients to receive a polygenic risk score for coronary artery disease

PI: Tom Stys, MD

Evaluation of the Cost-effectiveness of a Genotyping-guided Approach to Antiplatelet Therapy

• Retrospective, non-randomized, investigator-initiated study looking at medication savings and overall health care costs (e.g., medication-adverse events and health outcomes)

PI: Tom Stys, MD

PROGRAM

CARDIOVASCULAR WELLNESS & PREVENTION

Our heart screenings give patients the ability to take control of their long-term health. These painless tests give providers a better look at a patient’s risk for heart disease so they can help them plan for future care.

Clinical research

Heart Screen Study

• Data repository of 92,000 enrolled patients who have completed the cardiovascular wellness and prevention program

PI: Tom Stys, MD 10,280 SCREENINGS PERFORMED IN 2024 25-30% OF ALL SCREENINGS LED TO FURTHER CARE

PATIENTS UNDERWENT A

TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT (TAVR) PROCEDURE IN 2024

150 procedures – Sioux Falls, SD 217 procedures – Fargo, ND

MITRACLIP PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED IN 2024

13 procedures – Sioux Falls, SD 44 procedures – Fargo, ND

INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY AND ADVANCED HEART TECHNOLOGY

Clinical trials

WATCHMAN PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED IN 2024

135 procedures – Sioux Falls, SD 174 procedures – Fargo, ND

TRANSCATHETER TRICUSPID VALVE REPLACEMENT (TTVR) PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, IN 2024

ROBOTIC MITRAL VALVE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED IN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, IN 2024

SPYRAL AFFIRM Global Clinical Study of Renal Denervation with the Symplicity Spyral Renal Denervation System in Subjects with Uncontrolled Hypertension

• A multi-center, international, prospective, interventional, single-arm study designed to investigate renal denervation in a real-world population with a focus on the safety, efficacy and durability of the procedure in subjects with varying severity of hypertension and associated comorbidities

PI: Yassar Almanaseer, MD

Amplatzer Amulet LAAO

• Clinical trial of atrial fibrillation patients comparing left atrial appendage occlusion therapy to nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants

• Device: Amplatzer Amulet LAA Occluder

• Drug: Non-vitamin K oral antagonists

• Sanford Health was a top enroller in the trial for atrial fibrillation

PI: Tom Stys, MD

Medtronic Evolut Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients

• An expanded use addendum to the Medtronic TAVR in Low-Risk Patients trial protocol to conclude the randomized phase of the trial and initiate the single-arm, non-randomized, continued-access phase of the trial

• Devices: Medtronic Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Systems and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacements (SAVR)

PI: Thomas Haldis, DO

PROGRAM

HEART FAILURE CLINIC

• Patients are assigned a heart failure case manager to monitor and evaluate their needs

• Patients enrolled in the heart failure clinic see a 50% reduction in hospital readmissions

• CardioMEMS™ HF System: Automatically sends a patient’s pulmonary artery pressure and heart rate data to our clinic team to review daily so medications can be adjusted quickly to meet changing needs

• Sanford Health is an LVAD Shared Care Center in both Sioux Falls and Fargo, and manages patients’ care and follow-ups in conjunction with the implanting center

Clinical trials

PROACTIVE-HF IDE Trial Heart Failure NYHA Class III (PROACTIVE-HF)

• A prospective, multi-center, open-label, single-arm clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Cordella Pulmonary Artery Sensor System in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III Heart Failure Patients

• Device: Cordella Pulmonary Artery Sensor

PI: Adam Stys, MD

A Research Study to Look at How Ziltivekimab Works Compared to Placebo in People with Heart Failure and Inflammation (HERMES)

• Drug: Ziltivekimab

PI: Naveen Rajpurohit, MD

A Prospective, Multi-Center, Open-Label, Randomized Control

Clinical Trial Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of the Cordella Pulmonary Artery Sensor System in New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II-III Heart Failure Patients (PROACTIVE HF-2 Trial)

• Includes a randomized sub-study to evaluate a clinician-directed patient self-management strategy in patients enrolled with NYHA Class III Heart Failure

PI: Marian Petrasko, MD

PROGRAM

CARDIAC RHYTHM CENTER

Sanford Health offers the region’s first and only comprehensive team focused exclusively on the diagnosis and treatment of complex heart rhythm disorders. Our fellowship-trained heart rhythm specialists have additional training and board certifications in clinical cardiac electrophysiology, giving them the expertise needed to diagnose and treat rhythm disorders.

Conditions we treat include:

• Atrial arrhythmias

• Atrial fibrillation

• Atrial flutter

• Bradycardia

• Tachycardia

• Heart block

• Heart failure or cardiomyopathy

• Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)

• Supraventricular tachycardia

• Syncope

• Long QT syndrome

• Ventricular fibrillation

• Ventricular tachycardia

PROGRAM

CARDIAC MONITORING CENTER

Our Cardiac Monitoring Center actively tracks patient cardiac devices either in-office or remotely to ensure they are functioning properly.

Some of the devices monitored by the center include:

• Implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICD)

• Pacemakers

• Holter monitors

• Event monitors

• Insertable loop recorders

Clinical trials

Analysis of Both Sex and Device-Specific Factors on Outcomes in Patients with Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy (BIO-LIBRA)

• Prospectively assess outcomes of device-treated ventricular tachyarrhythmias and all-cause mortality in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy patients indicated for ICD or CRT-D implantation for the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Differences in outcomes will be evaluated by sex and by device type

• Device: BIOTRONIK ICD or CRT-D

PI: Christopher Pierce, MD

WE OFFER A VARIETY OF PROCEDURES, INCLUDING:

• Aortic dissection repair

• Ascending aortic aneurysm repair

• Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery

• Surgical valve repair and replacement

• Endoscopic arterial and venous harvesting

• Robotic mitral valve surgery

• Bentall procedure

• Aortic arch reconstruction

PROGRAM

CARDIAC, THORACIC & VASCULAR SURGERY

Sanford Health has a team of specialists who surgically treat organs inside the thoracic cavity using the most advanced technology available.

Clinical trials

Alexion ARTEMIS

• A phase three study of Ravulizumab to protect patients with CKD from CSA-AKI and MAKE

• Drug: Ravulizumab

PI: Cornelius Dyke, MD

On-X Aortic Prosthetic Heart Valve Low-Dose

Warfarin Post-Approval Clinical Registry Study

• Proposed study to assess the occurrence of bleeding, valve-related thromboembolism and valve thrombosis with the On-X Aortic Prosthetic Heart Valve when targeted at an International Normalized Ratio (INR) level of 1.8 (1.5-2.0 range) during a five-year follow-up period

• Device: On-X Aortic Heart Valve

PI: Cornelius Dyke, MD

Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion for Prophylactic

Stroke Reduction (LeAAPS) Trial

• Demonstrate the effectiveness of LAA exclusion (LAAE) for the prevention of ischemic stroke or systemic arterial embolism in subjects undergoing cardiac surgery who have risk factors for atrial fibrillation and ischemic stroke

PI: Keung Ung, MD

AI Platform for Preoperative TAVR Surgery Planning

• Development of a computer-based program to predict outcomes after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

PI: Cornelius Dyke, MD

PROGRAM

CARDIAC REHABILITATION

Sanford Health runs a supervised cardiac rehabilitation program that includes exercise therapy, lifestyle consultations, education and emotional support for people who have had a heart attack, bypass surgery or other heart problems.

Patients qualify for cardiac rehabilitation if they have had any of the following procedures or diagnoses:

• Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)

• Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)

• Stable angina

• ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)

• Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)

• Systolic heart failure

• Valve repair and replacement

• Heart transplant

PROGRAM

PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY

Our heart specialists provide advanced care in a compassionate, healing environment to help children lead healthy lives.

Clinical trial

Lipoprotein(a) and Aortic Valve Calcification Risk in Children: Assessing the Risk of Aortic Valve Calcification in Children with Elevated Lipoprotein(a)

• Cross-sectional study of children ages 5-17 to assess the aortic valve by echocardiography in those with and without elevated LP(a) levels

PI: Carlos Miranda, MD

Understanding Motivations and Factors Behind Genetic Testing Decision-Making in Children with Familial Hypercholesterolemia

• Explores the factors that affect parent/guardian decision-making to pursue or decline genetic testing for their children in a pediatric lipid clinic. Previous studies have been performed to determine themes in genetic testing decision-making for various other indications, but little research of this kind exists in the pediatric lipid space, and to this team’s knowledge, none has occurred in the United States

PI: Carlos Miranda, MD

WE DIAGNOSE, TREAT AND PROVIDE CONSULTATIONS FOR KIDS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS, INCLUDING:

• Arrhythmias

• Cardiovascular disease

• Congenital heart disease

• Congestive heart failure

• Disorders of the heart or blood vessels

PROGRAM

CARDIOLOGY FELLOWSHIPS

Our fellows present at national and international conferences and publish an average of 12 abstracts and 17 manuscripts per year. Furthermore, neither of our programs have received citations from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) since they began.

Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship

• Started in 2012

• Three fellows are added every year to participate in the program for three years

• 100% of fellows pass boards on the first attempt

• 100% of alumni are employed or in additional training

Interventional Cardiology Fellowship

• Started in 2017

• One fellow is added every year to participate in the program for one year

• 100% of fellows pass boards on the first attempt

• 100% of alumni are employed or in additional training 15

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY

Atrial Fibrillation Polygenic Risk Score (AF-PRS) Predicts Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy (NICM) in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF)

• Contributors: Patrick Benjamin1 , Mahmoud Alsaiqali1 , Usman Naseer1 , Krystina Stys1 , Joey Anders1 , Ayush Patel1 , Jacob Stys1 , Catherine Hajek 2 , Max Weaver2 , Shubhi Bartaria2 , Shaopeng Gu3 , Jerome I Rotter3 , Henry Lin3 , Xiuqing Guo3 , Jingyi Tan3 , Eric Larson1 , Marian S. Petrasko1 , Adam T. Stys1 , Tomasz P. Stys1

1. University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

2. Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

3.The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California

Double Barrell Left Main Stenting and Simultaneous “Ping Pong” TAVR Technique with Impella Support

• Contributors: Blerina Asllanaj, Andrii Maryniak, Filip Oleszak, Marian S. Petrasko, Adam T. Stys, Tomasz P. Stys, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Rare Encounter: Large Pericardial Effusion Secondary to Epstein-Barr Virus

• Contributors: Dawood Shehzad, Whitnee Otto, Natale Wasef, Kelly Steffen, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Association of Atrial Fibrillation Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) in Evaluation of Post-CABG Atrial Fibrillation

• Contributors: Whitnee Otto1 , Emmanuel Fohle1, Filip Oleszak1 , Alexis Ung1 , Jacob Stys1 , Ethan Yu1 , Krystina Stys1 , Catherine Hajek 2 , Max Weaver2 , Shubhi Bartaria2 , Shaopeng Gu3 , Jerome I Rotter3 , Henry Lin3 , Xiuqing Guo3 , Jingyi Tan3 , Eric Larson1 , Marian S. Petrasko1 , Adam T. Stys1 , Tomasz P. Stys1

1. University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

2. Sanford Health, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

3.The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California

Watchman-Associated Left Atrial Thrombus Despite NOAC Therapy: Unraveling a Hypercoagulable Mystery

• Contributors: Natale Wasef, Blain Taffesse, Tehreem Fatima, Scott Pham, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Aorto-Atrial Fistula from Ruptured Coronary Sinus Aneurysm: A Rare Presentation with Heart Failure and Recurrent Pleural Effusion

• Contributors: Emmanuel Fohle, Sanjana Manimaran, Usman Naseer, Naveen Rajpurohit, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

Pulmonary Valve Mass: A Rare Case of Primary Cardiac Myogenic Spindle Cell Sarcoma

• Contributors: Emmanuel Fohle, Logan Johnke, Naveen Rajpurohit, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

An Unconventional Affair: A Case Report of Native Valve Gonococcal Endocarditis

Contributors: Logan Johnke, Orvar Jonsson, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine

ORIGINAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH

Tom Stys, MD

Medical Director of Sanford Health Cardiology Services

• Orbital Atherectomy and Heavily Calcified Saphenous Vein Graft Intervention. Gedela M, Li S, Bhatnagar U, Stys A, Stys T. Tex Heart Inst J. 2020 Feb 1;47(1):41-43. doi: 10.14503/ THIJ-18-6640. PMID: 32148453; PMCID: PMC7046354.

• Triple-Guidewire Technique for Treating Stent Underexpansion in Severely Calcified Coronary Artery Lesions. Gedela M, Li S, Desai C, Stys T, Stys A. Tex Heart Inst J. 2020 Apr 1;47(2):155-159. doi: 10.14503/THIJ-18-6622. PMID: 32603468; PMCID: PMC7328083.

Adam Stys, MD

Physician, Sanford Health Cardiology Services

• Robotic-Assisted Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Through Transradial Approach: Experience in 4 Patients with Complex Lesions. Anuwatworn A, Ali Kahn M, Stys T, Petrasko M, Stys A. Tex Heart Inst J. 2020 Apr 1;47(2):144-148. doi: 10.14503/ THIJ-17-6350. PMID: 32603464; PMCID: PMC7328076.

Naveen Rajpurohit, MD

Physician, Sanford Health Cardiology Services

• Relation of activated clotting times during percutaneous coronary intervention to outcomes. Rajpurohit N, Gulati R, Lennin RJ, Singh M, Riahl CS, Santranch PJ, Donato LJ, Karon BS, Del-Carpio F, Tak T, Motiei A, Lopes RD, Gharacholou SM. American Journal of Cardiology, 2015 Dec 13 (Epub ahead of print) Cited on PubMed; PMID: 26762725

• A New Technique for Coronary Guide Catheter Exchange over Coronary Guidewire using GuideLiner Catheter. Stys TP, Khan MA, Rajpurohit N, Stys AT. Journal of Invasive Cardiology. 2013 Nov; Cited on PubMed; PMID: 24791727

Thomas Haldis, DO

Physician, Sanford Health Cardiology Services

• Endovascular management of external iliac “snow plowing” using “reverse snowplow” technique during transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Ricker V, Rowe H, Edwards A, Beaudrie J, Dyke C, Haldis T. Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research. January 2023.

• Severe rheumatic, mitral stenosis, discovered one week after uneventful delivery. Fohle E, Tompkins R, Newman R, Haldis T. Journal of the American College of Cardiology March 2022. 79 (9): 3282.

Cornelius Dyke, MD

Physician, Sanford Health Cardiology Services

• Underutilization of transcatheter, aortic valve replacement in northern plains American Indians with severe aortic stenosis. Roberts J, Gauthier C, Teigen L, Row H, Sandstrom A, Haldis T, Dyke C. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. 2023 May 2.

• Underutilization of transcatheter, aortic valve replacement in American Indians, outcomes from a single center retrospective study. Roberts J, Sandstrom A, Teigen L, Gauthier C, Bekdash I, Sharma P, Haldis T, Dyke C. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. March 2022. 79 (9): 897.

Yassar Almanaseer, MD

Physician, Sanford Health Cardiology Services

• An Itchy Lead: First Reported Case of Ventricular Pacemaker Lead Self- extraction. Klinkhammer B, Wijetunga M, Almanaseer Y. Journal of Atrial Fibrillation. August 2018; 11 (2): 2052.

• Aortic Valve Endocarditis Complicated by ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction. Jenny B E, Almanaseer Y. Texas Heart Institute Journal. December 2014, Vol. 41, No. 6, pp 668-670.

PHYSICIANS

SIOUX FALLS, SD

Richard Clark, MD

Cardiology

Bao Nguyen, MD

Cardiology

Rajpurohit, MD

Cardiology

Stys, MD

Cardiology

Marian Petrasko, MD

Cardiology & Interventional

Cardiology

Adam Stys, MD

Cardiology & Interventional

Cardiology

Tom Stys, MD

Cardiology & Interventional

Cardiology

Maria

Naveen

PHYSICIANS

SIOUX FALLS, SD

John Grehan, MD

Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

David Maziarz, MD

Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Nofil Arain, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

Eric Mittelstaedt, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

Keung Ung, MD

Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Raphael Ngengwe, MD

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Scott Pham, MD

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Theresa Stamato, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

William Waltz, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

PHYSICIANS

FARGO, ND

Ahmed Abuzaanona, MD

Cardiology

David Clardy, MD

Cardiology

Taylor Dowsley, MD

Cardiology

Susan Farkas, MD

Cardiology

Oluwaseun Fashanu, MD

Cardiology

Heeraimangalore Manjunath, MD

Cardiology

Aaron Smith , MD

Cardiology

Thomas Haldis, DO

Interventional

Cardiology

Puneet Sharma, MD

Interventional

Cardiology

Jason Go, MD

Interventional

Cardiology

Yassar Almanaseer, MD

Interventional

Cardiology

Ismail Bekdash, MD

Interventional

Cardiology

PHYSICIANS

FARGO, ND

Michael Co, MD

Cardiac Electrophysiology Madhav Lavu, MD

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Christopher Pierce, MD

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Gurjyot Bajwa, MD

Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Cornelius Dyke, MD

Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Roxanne Newman, MD

Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Matthew Trefz, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

Justin Horner, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

Carlos Miranda, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

Alex Thompson, MD

Pediatric Cardiology

PHYSICIANS

BISMARCK, ND

Udit Agarwal, MD

Cardiology

Diane Kraft, MD

Cardiology

Charles Lenz, MD

Cardiology

Pradyumna Agasthi, MD

Interventional

Cardiology

Nayan Desai, MD

Interventional

Cardiology

Timothy Pansegrau, MD

Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery

Colby Halsey, MD

Cardiac

Electrophysiology

Michele Pasierb, MD

Pediatric

Cardiology

PHYSICIANS

BEMIDJI, MN

Mouhamad Mansour, MD

Cardiology

Gregory Schuchard, MD

Cardiology & Interventional

Cardiology

Antony Chu, MD

Cardiac

Electrophysiology

James Dewar, DO

Interventional

Cardiology

Muhammad Panhwar, MD

Interventional

Cardiology

PHYSICIANS

OUTREACH LOCATIONS

SOUTH DAKOTA

Aberdeen

Sanford Aberdeen Clinic

Armour

Douglas County Memorial Hospital

Brookings

Sanford Health Brookings Clinic

Burke

Burke Medical Clinic

Chamberlain

Sanford Chamberlain Clinic

Clear Lake

Sanford Clear Lake Clinic

Dakota Dunes

Sanford Dakota Dunes Clinic

Huron

Huron Regional Medical Center

Mitchell

Sanford Health Mitchell Clinic

Pierre

Sanford Pierre Clinic

NORTH DAKOTA

Beulah

Coal Country Community

Health Center

Devils Lake

Sanford Devils Lake

Dickinson

Sanford West Dickinson Clinic

Jamestown

Sanford Jamestown 2nd Ave Clinic

Vermillion

Sanford Vermillion Medical Center

Viborg

Viborg Medical Clinic

Watertown

Sanford Health Watertown Clinic

Winner

Winner Regional Hospital

Minot

Sanford Highway 2 Clinic

Wahpeton

Sanford Wahpeton Clinic

OUTREACH LOCATIONS

MINNESOTA

Canby

Sanford Canby Clinic

Detroit Lakes

Sanford Detroit Lakes Clinic & Same Day Surgery Center

East Grand Forks

Sanford 621 Demers Ave Clinic

International Falls

Rainy Lake Medical Center

Luverne

Sanford Luverne Medical Center

Perham

Perham Health Clinic

Slayton

Murray County Medical Center

Thief River Falls

Sanford Thief River Falls Clinic

Tracy

Sanford Tracy Medical Center

Worthington

Sanford Worthington Medical Center

IOWA

Rock Rapids

Sanford Rock Rapids Clinic

Sheldon

Sanford Sheldon Medical Center