The Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute (BHVI) was established in 1993 to promote cardiovascular research and education to prevent and treat heart and vascular disease. Paul A. Grayburn, M.D. is Director of Cardiology Research and is an internationally recognized expert in echocardiography.

As part of the Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital, BHVI serves as a research and education facility that supports development and implementation of the newest techniques and technologies in cardiovascular care. The Institute is also an important referral center for physicians and consumers seeking information about and access to treatment for cardiovascular disease.

The Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute supports a variety of original research including cardiovascular imaging, advanced cardiovascular surgical options, and robotic surgical procedures. Vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists recently completed participation in a national research trial that studied new technology to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms. Cardiologists on the staff at Baylor are studying the advanced technology that continues to revolutionize the treatment of heart disease. Research is also underway on drugs that treat high blood pressure and cholesterol.

The Institute is represented on the Cardiovascular Research Review Committee that oversees the distribution of funding from Baylor Health Care System Foundation’s cardiovascular research endowment funds. The Committee assesses the scientific merit of research proposals and awards start-up funds for new projects. Baylor also offers cardiovascular clinical trials that are not generally available elsewhere