When some of the world’s leading heart and vascular specialists convened at the Annual VEITH Symposium in New York City this month, Dr. Hernan Bazan represented the Sutter Health system among an elite group of physicians and researchers from around the world shaping the future of cardiovascular care. Dr. Bazan is chief of vascular surgery for Sutter West Bay Medical Group who practices at Sutter’s California Pacific Medical Center.
VEITH, short for Vascular and Endovascular Issues, Techniques and Horizons, is the premier international meeting for vascular, cardiac and neurovascular medicine. Dr. Bazan presented research findings from two studies that could transform how physicians treat and ultimately help prevent strokes and heart attacks in at-risk individuals.
Predicting Stroke Recovery Using Frailty Scores
Dr. Hernan Bazan presented research findings from two studies during the VEITH Symposium, the premier international meeting for vascular, cardiac and neurovascular care.
In his first presentation, Dr. Bazan shared insights from a study on urgent procedures used to open blocked neck, or carotid, arteries in stroke patients. His team found that four factors can predict with 93% accuracy whether the patient will be able to live independently after surgery or stenting. They are: how severe the stroke is, the patient’s overall health and frailty, how quickly the procedure is done, and whether clot-busting drugs were used beforehand.
A frailty score is a measure of a patient’s “physiologic reserve,” or physical weakness or vulnerability, before treatment. Like a “resilience rating,” it looks at strength, mobility, energy level and overall health. Patients with higher frailty scores are more fragile and are less able to recover from major procedures.
“Frailty has emerged as a powerful, independent predictor of outcomes, particularly in patients with moderate strokes,” Dr. Bazan said. “This model gives us a data-driven tool to enhance clinical judgment, optimize patient selection and have objective, transparent conversations with patients and their families about prognosis. This guidance is particularly important right after a stroke.”
Dr. Bazan added, “The U.S. population is aging: in 2022, 17% was over 65 years of age; by 2040, 22% of Americans will be aged over 65. As people age, their bodies have less ‘backup strength.’ This means they don’t bounce back as easily from stress, illness or medical procedures. Because of this, older adults are more likely to have complications around the time of surgeries or medical treatments. These complications are linked to frailty, which is when the body becomes weaker and less resilient.”
Dr. Bazan’s research, published earlier this year in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, is already helping shape Sutter’s acute stroke protocols.
“By using this predictive model, physicians and care teams can make faster, more informed decisions and ensure evidence-based, innovative treatments are swiftly delivered to patients most likely to benefit,” he said.
From Treatment to Prevention: The Molecular Frontier
Dr. Bazan’s second presentation tackled a critical question in heart and vascular medicine: Why do plaques rupture inside arteries, and can the process be stopped? Plaque, a buildup of cholesterol, calcium and other substances, can over time silently narrow arteries. When it ruptures, it often triggers a clot that blocks blood flow, causing a heart attack or stroke.
His research focuses on the molecular “switches” that destabilize plaque. By mapping these triggers, Dr. Bazan and his team aim to identify targets for future drugs that could strengthen plaque and help prevent heart attack and stroke.
“This research pushes the entire field from treatment toward prevention,” Dr. Bazan said. “It lays the groundwork for therapies that could one day prevent heart attacks and strokes for millions of patients, which is a core part of our mission at Sutter.”
The implications are profound. Dr. Bazan added, “Instead of reactive surgical and other interventional treatments, this helps shape proactive future therapies to stabilize plaques.” Physicians and care teams could intervene earlier with medications that keep arteries stable, a shift that could save countless lives and reduce the global burden of heart disease and stroke.
Advancing Care Through Leadership and Innovation
In addition to his research presentations, Dr. Bazan served as a session moderator for two high-profile discussions on advanced stroke interventions and abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Dr. Michael Pham, chair of Sutter’s Advanced Heart & Vascular Service Line, said Dr. Bazan’s participation reinforces Sutter’s commitment to research and innovation and Sutter’s standing as a national leader in cardiovascular medicine.
“Dr. Bazan’s work exemplifies how we’re pushing boundaries through research to improve care outcomes,” Dr. Pham said. “By translating science into real-world solutions, we’re creating a future where preventing strokes and heart attacks becomes as routine as treating them.”
