Agnesian HealthCare Expands Vascular Services

Agnesian HealthCare has expanded its vascular services by welcoming Jennifer Burgess, APNP, to the Fond du Lac Regional Clinic, 420 E. Division Street. She is available by calling 926-8540 and is located on the third floor in the Cardiology Services department.

Burgess has worked for St. Agnes Hospital for 15 years, the past 12 years in critical care and has served as the nursing director for the Intensive Care Unit and Cardiopulmonary Services for the past two years.

As a vascular nurse practitioner, Burgess will be collaborating with vascular interventionists and surgeons that specialize in procedures and surgeries of the arteries and veins, and treat disease of the peripheral vascular system (diseases of blood vessels beyond the heart and brain). 

Common conditions are peripheral artery disease (PAD) of the carotid arteries, lower extremity arteries and abdominal arteries. Also aneurysm surveillance and treatment can be monitored and arranged – including EVAR – which is a less invasive therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair versus an open surgical repair.   

There are many different causes of the various types of vascular conditions and diseases. However, coronary artery disease (heart attack), cerebrovascular disease (stroke) and peripheral arterial disease (loss of limb or use of limb) are some of the leading causes of illness and death in the U.S. These three vascular disease conditions (heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease) can be associated with the same cause, atherosclerosis (a build-up of plaque, which is a deposit of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin in the inner lining of an artery), and are all linked to the same risk factors.

Atherosclerosis is a systemic, progressive, chronic vascular disease process that particularly affects the carotid arteries (major blood supply to the brain), coronary arteries (blood supply to the heart), and the peripheral arteries in the same manner. As a result, long-term management and surveillance of vascular disease is important and can be facilitated through vascular services at Agnesian HealthCare.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call (920) 926-8540.