UCSF launches new Asian Heart and

UCSF LAUNCHES NEW ASIAN HEART AND VASCULAR CENTER

WHAT: Grand opening of the UCSF Asian Heart & Vascular Center

WHY: The Center is the first in the country to focus on specifically meeting the cardiovascular care needs of the Asian community, one of the fastest growing segments of the San Francisco population.  While Asian Americans share the same risk factors as the general population—such as high rates of hypertension, obesity, diabetes and smoking—studies have shown the relationship between risk factors and cardiovascular disease can differ in Asian and Western populations.  These findings indicate a need to create prevention and treatment strategies designed for Asian populations.

The Center will serve as an identified leadership institution to coordinate and plan clinical research efforts.  It will feature interpreters who can communicate with patients in their native language, patient advocates, and an education and research center with language-specific education materials available to the public.

ALL MEDIA ARE INVITED TO COVER THE EVENT

DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

LOCATION: UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion
  Herbst Hall
  1600 Divisadero Street, Second Floor
  San Francisco

SPECIAL GUESTS:
* Assemblyman Leland Yee
* Other elected officials

FEATURED SPEAKERS:
* Mark Laret, CEO, UCSF Medical Center
* Gordon Fung, MD, Director, UCSF Asian Heart & Vascular Center
* Keynote address by Liu Xiaocheng, MD, cardiovascular surgeon and CEO, TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital, Tianjin, China

OTHER ACTIVITIES:
* Reading of a mayoral proclamation in honor of the new Center by a representative of the office of Mayor Gavin Newsom.
* Unveiling and dedication of art work specifically created for the Center by local artist Ke Zhang Cheng.

Media interested in covering the event, touring the facility, or arranging interviews should contact Vanessa deGier at (415) 476-2557.