Anita Radhakrishnan, MD, is an advanced cardiac imaging specialist with AHN Cardiovascular Institute.

Anita Radhakrishnan, MD

Community Echocardiogram Program Reveals Cardiac Risks, with Anita Radhakrishnan, MD

A community-based heart screening initiative in Western Pennsylvania is helping uncover significant rates of undiagnosed 

 in underserved groups, particularly African American women. The Every Heart Matters Initiative, backed by community grants, provides free screening echocardiograms to residents in low-income neighborhoods via churches, high-rises, and federally qualified health centers.

Among the first 200 participants, 67% were African American, 72% were women, and the average age was 61. One in four participants had abnormal findings, prompting referral to cardiology. Notably, 16% of African American women screened were found to have pulmonary hypertension (PH)—a rate far exceeding the 1–4% typically reported in the general population.

“Echocardiograms, which are just ultrasounds, are the workhorse of all cardiac testing as an extremely valuable test,” Anita Radhakrishnan, MD, a cardiologist at Allegheny Health Network Cardiovascular Institute, told HCPLive. “A lot of information can be obtained from an echocardiogram, and right now, electrocardiogram (EKGs) and biometric screenings are part of routine screenings accepted by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), but echocardiograms are not.”

Many participants had symptoms or risk factors but never sought evaluation due to a lack of insurance, language barriers, or competing life priorities. The program was specifically targeted at people with no known SHD who either have symptoms, risk factors, or a long lapse in cardiac follow-up.

The program helped bridge that gap by offering not just testing, but follow-up communication, CD copies of echo images, and help with referrals, regardless of insurance status. All patients with abnormal results received a phone call, a written report, and a CD with imaging files they can share with any provider.

“We give them a full report, and I actually call every abnormal test result patient and explain the test result to them and explain why I feel they need to see a doctor, a cardiologist, and make sure they see their primary care physician,” Radhakrishnan told 

Beyond the clinical impact, the initiative is designed to be sustainable. Fellows perform the echocardiograms as part of their training, and the program is set to continue under the general cardiology fellowship. Radhakrishnan noted her hope that this model can scale nationally through cardiology training programs.

“All of our general fellows perform echoes as part of their training, and I think it’s a great way to get them involved in community work and serve underserved populations, with an opportunity to see how they can help them,” Radhakrishnan told 

. “Almost every city has anywhere from 5 to 10 programs that have trainees and cardiology fellows. I think this is the first, very easy step that we’re showing here in Pittsburgh, they could replicate across the country.”

Radhakrishnan reports no relevant disclosures.

Alnaimat S, Radhakrishnan AU. Every Heart Matters: A Local Initiative of Screening for Valvular Heart Disease in Western Pennsylvania. Presented at: American College of Cardiology (ACC.25) Annual Scientific Session. March 29 – 31, 2025. Chicago, Il.

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Anita Radhakrishnan, MD, leads a community screening effort to detect early heart disease in underserved populations in Pittsburgh.

Scaling Health Equity in Heart Failure with Anita Radhakrishnan, MD

 and hypertensive urgency (HU) patients in Pittsburgh’s North Side showed promising results in reducing hospitalizations and improving cardiovascular health metrics in one of the city’s most medically underserved areas.

The North Side Heart to Heart Project, launched at a major hospital serving the area, provides patients with free Heart Care Kits—including blood pressure cuffs, scales, and fitness trackers—along with regular monitoring from a cardiac nurse. Patients received weekly calls to report vitals and symptoms, with real-time intervention if abnormalities were detected.

American College of Cardiology (ACC) 2025 Annual Scientific Sessions

, Anita Radhakrishnan, MD, a cardiologist at the Alleghany Health Network (AHN) Cardiovascular Institute, told 

 the program was born from a long-standing concern, as patients who resided in that city neighborhood were more often hospitalized than at an outpatient center for regular care maintenance.

“Knowing that our social vulnerability index in that neighborhood is much higher than other areas, that’s why we try to promote healthy equity in the North Side,” Radhakrishnan told 

. “We found a significant number of hospitalizations over the last few years, specifically for these diagnoses, so we provided these kits and a nurse navigator who is a direct contact to our patients. We are seeing positive responses in how they view their health in terms of reductions in hospitalizations, and try to meet some of these biomarkers and risk calculations.”

Preliminary outcomes were encouraging, showing reductions in emergency room visits and improvements in New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure classification class, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) 10-year risk scores, and blood pressure levels. Patient-reported wellness also improved along with key lab values like pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (proBNP) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C).

Radhakrishnan noted that sustainability remains a challenge. Early recruitment efforts included all eligible patients, some of whom lacked housing or struggled with substance use, leading to attrition. Midway through, the team adjusted enrollment criteria to prioritize patients more likely to engage with follow-up care.

Staffing also proved a limiting factor, with funding only allowing for a single nurse navigator for nearly 500 patients. Despite these challenges, Radhakrishnan suggested the initiative offers a scalable blueprint for addressing health disparities. With the full dataset expected to be available by late 2025, similar programs could be replicated nationwide to bridge gaps in cardiac care.

“It’s about making sure we target the right population, looking at vulnerable zip codes with increased heart failure admissions. There are a lot of electronic health record (EHR) indexes that allow us to identify patients that fall in that category if we utilize them the right way,” Radhakrishnan told 

. “If we utilize it the right way, and you have a champion to run with it, it’s a very scalable program. It’s really something that could easily be replicated in any part of the country.”

Alnaimat S, Maharjan S, Jafry A, et al. The Northside Heart to Heart Project: A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Initiative. Presented at: American College of Cardiology (ACC.25) Annual Scientific Session. March 29 – 31, 2025. Chicago, Il.

Radhakrishnan describes a unique initiative in Pittsburgh promoting health equity and closing the gap in cardiovascular health disparities.

Anita Radhakrishnan, MD

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