### Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University The Department of Cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, is a Key Discipline of the Ministry of Education, a National Key Clinical Specialty, a Leading Specialty in Shanghai Medicine, a Shanghai "Top Priority" Clinical Medical Center, and the Shanghai Cardiovascular Disease Clinical Quality Control Center. The center currently houses 1 Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 2 recipients of the National Outstanding Youth Science Fund, and 51 Professors/Associate Professors. ### Glorious History: The Department of Cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital was founded in 1948 by Professor Tao Shouqi, a renowned cardiovascular disease expert in China. It has been carried forward by distinguished physicians including Academician Chen Haozhu of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and renowned experts Zhu Junren, Pu Shouyue, Lin Youshan, and Cai Naisheng. * **1980:** The Cardiovascular Institute, including the Department of Cardiology, was officially designated as a WHO and Ministry of Health Collaborating Center for Cardiovascular Disease Research and Training. * **1988:** The Department of Cardiology was approved as a Key Discipline by the State Education Commission. * **1994:** Approved as a Leading Specialty and Key Discipline in Shanghai Medicine. * **1994:** Designated as the National Clinical Pharmacology Center for Cardiovascular Diseases. * **1997:** Listed as a Key Discipline in the "211 Project" development plan. * **1998:** Re-designated as a Leading Specialty and Key Discipline in Shanghai Medicine. * **2001:** Designated as the Shanghai Cardiovascular Disease Clinical Medical Center. * **2001:** Approved as a National Key Discipline by the State Education Commission. * **2001:** Designated as a Top Priority Construction Discipline under Fudan University's "985 Project". ### Brilliant Present: Under the leadership of the new generation of academic leaders, Academician Ge Junbo of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Department of Cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital is thriving. It has gathered numerous top-tier cardiovascular talents and produced significant scientific achievements meeting national medical development needs, such as research on inflammatory cardiomyopathy, intravascular ultrasound technology, and novel coronary drug-eluting stents. These achievements have earned 2 National Science and Technology Progress Awards and 1 National Technological Invention Award. In 2015, the Department moved to a new location in the East Campus, featuring an improved medical environment and upgraded hardware facilities. ### Superior Medical Services: **1) Diagnosis and Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)** Interventional and pharmacological treatment for coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, and myocardial infarction, including post-intervention follow-up and treatment guidance. The department performs coronary plaque rotational atherectomy and has established a 24/7 "Green Channel" for emergency rescue of acute myocardial infarction patients. **2) Diagnosis and Treatment of Arrhythmias (Electrophysiology, Radiofrequency Ablation, and Pacemakers)** Interventional and pharmacological treatment for arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, premature ventricular contractions, ventricular tachycardia, and supraventricular tachycardia. Pacemaker therapy, consultation, and follow-up for cardiac conduction system diseases like sick sinus syndrome and atrioventricular block. Annually, using advanced equipment like the Carto/INSITE3000 3D mapping system and Prucka 700 electrophysiology recorder, the department performs over 1,500 cardiac electrophysiology studies and radiofrequency ablation procedures for tachyarrhythmias. Currently, over 800 permanent pacemakers are implanted annually, along with over 100 ICDs/CRTs. **3) Diagnosis and Treatment of Structural Heart Disease (Congenital Heart Disease, Valvular Heart Disease)** Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect, and patent ductus arteriosus. Interventional treatment for adult complex congenital heart disease and valvular heart disease, including alcohol septal ablation. Currently, over 700 interventional procedures for structural heart disease are performed annually. In 2009, the department initiated interventional treatment for paravalvular leak. In 2010, Professor Ge Junbo performed percutaneous aortic valve implantation. **4) Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Heart Failure, Myocarditis, and Cardiomyopathy** Diagnosis, personalized treatment decision-making and guidance, and follow-up for viral myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, and chronic heart failure. Research on myocarditis/cardiomyopathy won the Second Prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2004. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and stem cell transplantation are novel treatment strategies for chronic heart failure. **5) Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension** Right heart catheterization and targeted drug therapy for pulmonary hypertension. Standardized diagnosis and treatment for thrombosis-related diseases. **6) Diagnosis and Treatment of Hyperlipidemia** Early detection, treatment guidance, and monitoring for dyslipidemia. **7) Diagnosis and Treatment of Refractory Hypertension** Diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for various types of refractory and resistant hypertension. **8) Management of Chronic Cardiovascular Diseases** Development of standardized personalized treatment plans and provision of health education and medical consultation for patients with cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, smoking) and chronic cardiovascular diseases. ### Specialized Techniques: 1. Application of intracoronary imaging (Intravascular Ultrasound, Optical Coherence Tomography) and functional assessment (Fractional Flow Reserve) in the diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease. 2. Interventional treatment for complex coronary lesions, including optimization strategies and technical innovations for chronic total occlusions (CTO), severely calcified lesions, left main coronary artery disease, bifurcation lesions, and severe three-vessel disease. 3. Interventional treatment for valvular heart disease: Percutaneous aortic valve replacement (2010), percutaneous mitral valve repair (2012), and successful percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation using the domestically developed VENUS-P self-expanding valve system (2013). 4. Implantation of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators (ICD), biatrial synchronous pacing for prevention of paroxysmal atrial tachyarrhythmias, pacing at different cardiac sites, and cardiac pacing for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. 5. Genetic testing for high-risk populations with hereditary heart diseases, enabling early diagnosis and intervention before organic changes occur, thereby preventing malignant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. ### Academic Frontiers: The Department of Cardiology at Zhongshan Hospital has achieved a series of accomplishments in intravascular ultrasound research and the development of novel coronary stents, advancing clinical diagnostic and treatment standards and technological innovation in cardiovascular medicine in China. It discovered the unique "half-moon phenomenon" and "finger-tip phenomenon" of myocardial bridging and revised traditional treatment methods, with these findings incorporated into domestic and international cardiology textbooks. Addressing the inherent drawbacks of traditional drug-eluting stents, the department led the creation of a novel biodegradable polymer-coated stent, reducing the incidence of fatal thrombosis from 1.2-1.9% to 0.34%, benefiting over 80,000 CHD patients annually. A multicenter randomized controlled trial (RACTS study) established the role and status of cilostazol in preventing coronary in-stent restenosis, recognized by the 2003 TCT conference as one of the top ten "Late-Breaking Clinical Trials" of the year. Research achievements have garnered 21 national and provincial/ministerial science and technology awards, including 2 Second Prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award and 1 Second Prize of the National Technological Invention Award. The department holds 5 national patents. In the past five years, it has received over 20 major national and provincial/ministerial research grants, published over 400 papers (115 indexed in SCI), and edited/co-edited 11 books. Currently, closely addressing the severe and rapidly increasing burden of cardiovascular disease in China, and building upon existing research, the department focuses on international frontiers and challenging issues in cardiovascular medicine. It pursues clinical and translational research primarily in the following five directions: **Direction 1:** Utilizing the "Shanghai Heart Health Study Cohort" to explore optimal prevention and treatment models for chronic cardiovascular diseases among community residents in China. Investigating a comprehensive chronic disease management model combining community population management with high-risk group management, and integrating disease management with risk factor intervention. The goal is to find optimal prevention and treatment strategies suitable for community-level implementation, thereby reducing mortality and disability from cardiovascular diseases in China. **Direction 2:** Leveraging established advantages in cardiovascular disease diagnosis and treatment technology to address the international challenge of complex and critical cardiovascular conditions, conducting research on optimized combined medical-surgical treatment strategies. Optimizing treatment strategies for complex coronary heart disease, including CTO, severe calcification, and severe three-vessel disease. Applying Da Vinci robotic surgery and interventional techniques for "hybrid" procedures in complex CHD, with short- and long-term clinical observational studies. **Direction 3:** Based on international academic frontiers and innovative scientific achievements in replacement therapy for end-stage cardiovascular disease, advancing research on optimization strategies for cell therapy, device therapy, and tissue replacement. Focusing on rapidly developing novel treatment technologies for end-stage myocardial diseases, including cell therapy, ventricular assist devices or artificial hearts, and cardiac resynchronization therapy, aiming to establish an optimized treatment protocol to improve outcomes for patients with end-stage heart failure. **Direction 4:** Addressing the design flaws of current drug-eluting stents, leveraging the successful experience of creating the "novel biodegradable polymer-coated coronary stent," to conduct research and development and technology translation for a new generation of functionalized coronary stents. Studying vascular remodeling after stent implantation; investigating