Sripal Bangalore, MD

My goal as an interventional cardiologist is to improve the lives of people who have complex coronary artery disease. This includes people with severely blocked or narrowed arteries and chronic total occlusion, which occurs when an artery is completely blocked for three or more months.

I also specialize in using angioplasty to open blocked coronary arteries for people who have chronic kidney disease. Coronary angioplasty generally relies on the use of contrast dye to makes blockages visible. However, for people with chronic kidney disease the dye can further worsen kidney function and increase the chance of needing dialysis. To limit the impact on kidney function, I use as little dye as possible, and sometimes none at all.

When I meet with patients, I want to understand their individual needs. I discuss their symptoms and test results and ask how the heart condition is affecting their everyday lives, because treatment for blocked arteries is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. I strive to determine the treatment that is most likely to improve a person’s quality of life in the least invasive way.

I use advanced stenting technology and best-in-class stents. My treatment recommendations are based on evidence from clinical studies and national and international society practice guidelines, many of which I participate in. Ultimately, my goal is to determine the treatment plan that is most likely to result in the best short- and long-term outcomes for my patients.

I am actively involved in research comparing the effectiveness of different cardiovascular disease treatments, including medication and stenting. I am the principal investigator of the ISCHEMIA-CKD trial, a randomized trial for patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and abnormal stress test, which is being carried out in 33 countries and up to 350 clinical sites. The trial tests the effectiveness of performing cardiac catheterization versus medical therapy alone for people who have chronic kidney disease. In addition, my research has compared the outcomes of stenting versus coronary bypass graft surgery for people with multiple blockages.

I have received several awards including the Dr. Gregory Braden Memorial Fellow of the Year Award from the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and the Douglas P. Zipes Distinguished Young Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology. I have been awarded grants from the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and American Heart Association, as well as from the industry, and have published more than 400 articles in leading national and international journals.