Distinguished Cardiologist Andrea Natale, MD, Joins Scripps Clinic

San Diego – Scripps Health, the largest provider of cardiac care in the San Diego region, is pleased to announce that Andrea Natale, MD, has been named the director of interventional electrophysiology at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Calif. He is an internationally recognized leader in arrhythmia management and ablation procedures.

Dr. Natale pioneered a new circumferential ultrasound vein-ablation system to correct atrial fibrillation and performed the world’s first five procedures. He also developed some of the current catheter-based cures for atrial fibrillation and was the nation’s first electrophysiologist to perform percutaneous epicardial radiofrequency ablation, a treatment for patients who fail conventional ablation.

“He is one of the world’s most sought after electrophysiologists. Patients around the world seek his expertise,” said Paul Teirstein, MD, division head of cardiovascular diseases at Scripps Clinic. “His contributions will further Scripps’ vision of becoming the destination heart program for the West Coast.”

Dr. Natale was head of the cardiovascular physiopathology section at the Italian Air Force’s Aerospace Research Centre and served as director of the electrophysiology laboratory at Duke University and director of the electrophysiology program at the University of Kentucky, Lexington. He also headed the cardiac electrophysiology section at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio. He is currently affiliated with the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute at St. David’s Medical Center, in Austin, Texas and California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

Dr. Natale has served as a professor at a variety of prestigious universities, including Duke University and Stanford University. He has been an invited lecturer at more than 200 symposiums and conferences around the world, and is the author or co-author of hundreds of published articles on pacing and electrophysiology. In addition to serving on the editorial boards of numerous medical journals, he is editor-in-chief of the Journal of Atrial Fibrillation.

A native of Siracusa, Italy, he graduated summa cum laude from the Medical School of the University of Florence, Italy, and summa cum laude from the Catholic University School of Cardiology in Rome, Italy. Dr. Natale received his clinical training in cardiology at Methodist Hospital, Baylor College in Houston and at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. After completing a clinical fellowship in cardiology (electrophysiology) at the University of Western Ontario in 1991, he further trained in cardiology (electrophysiology) at the University of Wisconsin, Sinai Samaritan Medical Center in Milwaukee.

“Atrial fibrillation is the most common abnormal heart rhythm affecting more than 2 million patients in the United States. As a leading innovator, Dr. Natale has pioneered the development of many key techniques now used to help our patients each day,” said Dr. Teirstein. “His specialized expertise brings an extraordinary amount of skill and experience to Southern California.”

Scripps performs more cardiothoracic surgeries than any other provider in the region, with 35.6 percent of the region’s cardiovascular surgical volume and 27.6 percent market share of thoracic surgeries, according to 2007 Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development discharge data. The cardiac electrophysiology practice at Scripps Clinic is a high volume, comprehensive center for the management of all cardiac arrhythmias and was the first in Southern California to acquire the Hansen system for the robotic manipulation of catheters during the ablation of cardiac arrhythmias. The practice conducts frequent clinical trials and offers medical therapy for all cardiac arrhythmias, and implantable device therapy to treat slow heart rhythm abnormalities, prevent sudden cardiac death and monitor congestive heart failure. Additionally, we offer cardiac ablation for all abnormal heart rhythms utilizing all of the currently available technology.

About Scripps Health

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a $2 billion nonprofit community health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps cares for a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,750 affiliated physicians and 12,700 employees. It includes four acute-care hospitals on five campuses, 19 outpatient clinics, home health care services, and an extensive ambulatory care network. Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and graduate medical education. More information is available at www.scripps.org.

Media Contact: Regan Olsson

Phone: 858-652-5519

E-mail: olsson.regan@scrippshealth.org