Dr. Cindy Grines leads the Clinical Research Program at Northside Hospital Heart Institute as its chief scientific officer.
Dr. Grines has been at the forefront of advancing cardiovascular care. Dr. Grines is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in transforming the medical management of ST-elevation myocardial infarction, or STEMI, worldwide.
A trailblazer in interventional cardiology, Dr. Grines played a pivotal role in the development and widespread adoption of primary percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, a now-standard treatment that has significantly improved outcomes and quality of life for heart attack patients.
By participating in clinical research trials, Dr. Grines and her colleagues fundamentally changed how heart attacks are managed by:
- Establishing primary PCI as the gold standard, proving it to be superior to thrombolytic therapy in STEMI patients
- Demonstrating that stenting significantly reduces the risk of reocclusion and restenosis
- Showing that STEMI patients can be safely transferred for PCI or treated at hospitals without on-site surgical backup
- Advocating for early discharge, revealing that low-risk STEMI patients can safely leave the hospital by Day 3 without intensive care unit admission or extensive non-invasive testing
- Challenging conventional practices, including the use of intra-aortic balloon pumps, which were found to offer no benefit in high-risk STEMI cases
- Emphasizing the importance of proper heart function and recognizing the clinical significance of multiple unstable plaques
“It is very important to provide clinical research trials to our NHHI’s patients to improve care and access to cutting-edge therapies,” Dr. Grines said.
The NHHI Clinical Research Team comprises dedicated clinical research nurses, including Renee Gaiter, Troy Crain, and Nicole Kirby, as well as experienced support staff, such as research data specialists Lauren Beagle and David Liu. These team members manage all aspects of patient screening, enrollment and oversight for a wide range of cardiovascular clinical trials.
Also supporting the Clinical Research Team at Northside Hospital Heart Institute are Clinical Research Operations Manager Anila Lokhandwala, Cardiology Research Nurse Manager Thomas Notaro and Research Data Coordinator Lisa Barton.
For inquiries or to discuss patient eligibility for current trials, contact the Central Research Department at 404-303-3355 or clinical.trials@northside.com.
Learn more about Northside Hospital Heart Institute.
