VCU Health Pauley Heart Center

10/24/2025

New research coming out of the Pauley Heart Center shows that statins — a medication commonly used to treat high cholesterol—may provide some protection to breast and lymphoma cancer patients’ cognition during chemotherapy. In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, lead author Pamela Jill Grizzard, MS, assistant director of research compliance and regulatory affairs at Pauley, found that patients who received statins before, during and up to 24 months after cancer treatment saw an improvement in their executive function, or mental skills for planning, focus and self-control.

“Cancer treatment can be debilitating, and cognitive decline arising from chemotherapy treatment can sometimes last long after treatment concludes,” Grizzard said. “My hope is that this research contributes in some small way to any larger efforts to offer therapeutic relief to cancer patients who encounter difficulties with executive function following cancer treatment. If future studies confirm a beneficial effect, statins could become a valuable tool in helping cancer survivors maintain cognitive function and quality of life throughout treatment.”

Read more here: https://bit.ly/3Jo1804

10/23/2025

Coffee lovers, this one’s for you. ☕ Caffeine often gets a bad rap when it comes to heart health, but what’s the real story? If you want to learn more from Dr. Ajay Pillai, just click the link below.

When it comes to discussing heart health, caffeine gets a bad rap. But, when people say, “caffeine is bad for you,” they may not have the full picture.  

10/13/2025

Last Saturday, teams from across VCU Health Pauley Heart Center, and VCU Health Hume-Lee Transplant Center came together to celebrate all we have accomplished for healthy hearts at the 2025 Central Virginia Heart Walk. ❤️👟 To all of the volunteers, donors and our partners at American Heart Association - Virginia, thank you for your unwavering commitment to saving lives!

10/09/2025

Huge Pauley Heart appreciation for Richmond Mayor Danny Avula, MD, who joined our Pauley Heart Center retreat this past weekend for a Q&A with Pauley director Greg Hundley, MD. Mayor Avula and Dr. Hundley discussed the ways in which social, economic, and technological trends and challenges are shaping public health in Richmond, and how Pauley and VCU Health can partner with City of Richmond, VA Government to meet local residents where they are and provide them with the heart health resources they may need.

10/08/2025

It's PA (Physician Assistant) Week! Today, we're celebrating Pauley advanced practice provider outpatient team lead Kristyn Rudisill, PA. Earlier this year, she was named PA of the Year by Virginia Academy of PAs. Nominated by her peers, Kristyn received this award in recognition of her "exemplary service to the PA profession and her community." Here at VCU Health, we are lucky to work with Kristyn and witness her dedication, leadership, and kindness every day!

09/30/2025

Did you catch VCU Health patient Tara Daudani and her Pauley cardio-oncology doc Wendy Bottinor, MD on Virginia This Morning on CBS 6 earlier this month? They were promoting this coming weekend's Play It Forward tournament and field day, both of which are a fundraiser for the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Pauley Heart Center's cardio-oncology program. Come out to Courtside West on Saturday, October 4 for a ladies tennis tournament (register here: https://bit.ly/4mJ68dg) and Sunday, October 5 for a kids’ field day (register here: https://bit.ly/4pOC5Um ). Field day proceeds will support the creation of a Cardio-Oncology Survivorship Program at VCU Health, and all donations come with a dollar for dollar match up to $5,000.

Watch the video to learn more about this event from Tara and Dr. Bottinor! https://bit.ly/3VI3Vnr

09/22/2025

Happy National APP Week — let's some of our outstanding Pauley advanced practice providers! First up is Courtney Drissi, ANP, a nurse practitioner with the VCU Health cardiothoracic surgery team.

💛 Courtney's day-to-day at Pauley: "I have the privilege of working with the cardiac and thoracic surgeons. On the cardiac side, we see patients undergoing surgery for everything from valve repair and replacement, CABG, endocarditis, pericardial windows, to heart transplants. I see my own patients, round with the surgeons, and progress patients toward a safe discharge. We also go see consults anywhere in the hospital. On the thoracic side, I work with surgeons and residents to manage post-op patients following lung and esophageal procedures, including managing chest tubes and feeding tubs, and working toward getting patients home."

❤️ One fact about Courtney that may surprise you: "I'm a mom to three boys. And a marathon runner."

💛 Her walk-up song: "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys

❤️ A movie line she always quotes: "Better out than in." -Shrek

09/19/2025

Happy birthday to the one, the only, Stan Pauley! In 2006, Mr. Pauley's generous gift to VCU created the Pauley Heart Center, and in the two decades since, the Pauley family's support has continued to advance cardiovascular care at VCU Health and in central Virginia. Click here: https://bit.ly/3t30iNR to learn more about Mr. Pauley (seen here at center), his remarkable life, and his transformative generosity. 💛🖤

09/17/2025

Big news coming Friday! We’re excited to share a special announcement about how you can help us unlock a brighter future for everyone who learns, grows and heals at VCU. Stay tuned!

08/28/2025

Today, VCU Health and Pauley Heart leadership celebrated the opening of the Reynolds Crossing clinic! The best cardiovascular care in Virginia is now available in the West End. For the first time, VCU Health’s outpatient cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation services are available beyond the VCU Medical Center. Thank you to all guests, staff and partners who made this exciting milestone possible.

08/07/2025

For the fourth year in a row, the VCU Health Pauley Heart Center has been named the top heart hospital in Virginia by U.S. News and World Report! 🏆 Read more here: https://bit.ly/47hhz80

06/23/2025

These three awesome physicians—L to R: Sangeeta Shah, MD; Saima Shikari, DO; and Ronald Ramus, MD—are part of Pauley's cardio-OB team, which provides expert care for women experiencing pregnancy-related cardiovascular disease, both during pregnancy and after childbirth. They recently shared what expecting moms need to know about preeclampsia, a common and serious complication of pregnancy that involves high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine. Read more here: https://bit.ly/43RrFu1