News

ST. LOUIS (September 18, 2025) – Plaza West Tower, the new 16-story patient care tower at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, will welcome patients beginning in October. The tower will provide private rooms for heart and vascular patients, advanced imaging, and the latest in surgical preparation and recovery. Plaza West Tower is designed to enhance the experience for patients and their families under the expert care of WashU Medicine physicians and BJC HealthCare clinical teams.

For more than two years, the pain in Bruce Pulley’s left hip slowed him down and kept him from doing the things he loved, especially fishing. His BJC Medical Group orthopedic surgeon, Jesse Beard, DO, recommended a hip replacement as treatment to help relieve his pain, but the thought of surgery made Bruce nervous, so he put off scheduling it.

An epidemic of chronic diseases continues to grow in the United States; half the population — an estimated 129 million Americans — have lifelong health conditions that need continuous medical attention and limit certain daily activities.

What is the difference between cardiovascular disease and heart disease?

These two terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term that encompasses several heart conditions, including heart disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure and peripheral artery disease.

At least 2.7 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, or a-fib, the most common kind of irregular heartbeat, also known as arrhythmia. A-fib is caused when the heart’s upper chambers beat erratically or quiver and don’t sync with the heart’s lower chambers. Learn more about how a-fib occurs.