Georges Ghanem, MD

Clinical Professor
Division of Cardiology

Division Head, Cardiology

Dr. Georges Ghanem obtained his M.D. degree from St. Joseph University in Lebanon in 1985; he pursued his residency and fellowship in Cardiology in Paris under the mentorship of Professors Jean Acar and Alec Vahanian. With membership in a number of major international medical and scientific societies, Dr. Ghanem has been Associate Member of the French Society of Cardiology since 1989, Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology since 2006, and Fellow of the American College of Cardiology since 2007. He was elected President of the Lebanese Society of Cardiology (LSC) in 2005.

In his clinical practice, Dr. Ghanem has been a pioneer in introducing major interventional cardiology techniques in Lebanon since 1993: the first Percutaneous Mitral Commissurotomy, the first intra-coronary stenting, the first carotid stenting, in 2012 the first Trans-Catheter-Aortic-Valve-Implantation (TAVI), and in 2015 the first Mitral Clip intervention.

His name appears in more than 70 publications (manuscripts, editorials, abstracts and book chapters). He has organized, chaired, and lectured extensively in multiple local, regional and international cardiology meetings and symposiums. Dr. Ghanem is a permanent faculty member and abstract grader in major European and American courses (Euro-PCR, Gulf-PCR, ACC, TCT, C3).

Dr. Ghanem occupied major leadership positions at (then) Rizk Hospital during the last few decades as Head of Cardiology, Chairman of Internal Medicine, President of the Medical Committee, President of the Executive Committee and Member of the Board.

In September 2016, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer of the Lebanese American University Medical Center - Rizk Hospital.

In September 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Clinical Professor in Cardiology at the LAU Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine.

In parallel with his activities in the medical field, Dr. Ghanem is a Master of Martial Arts; he intensely pursues many sporting techniques and conducts counselling activities in the sports and health domains.

Selected Publications

• Braiteh N, Zgheib A, Kashou AH, Dimassi H, Ghanem G. Immediate and long-term results of percutaneous mitral commissurotomy: Up to 15 years. American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease (2019) 9(4):34-41
• Chamoun N, Ghanem H, Hachem A, Hariri E, Lteif C, Mansour H, Dimassi H, Zalloum R, Ghanem G. Evaluation of prophylactic dosages of Enoxaparin in non-surgical elderly patients with renal impairment. BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology (2019) 20(1):27
• Chamoun N, Ramia E, Lteif C, Salameh P, Zantout H, Ghanem G, Chatila R. Assessment of bleeding in chronic liver disease and coagulopathy using the IMPROVE bleeding criteria. Current Medical Research and Opinion (2019) 35(3):427-433
• Hammoudeh AJ, Echtay A, Ghanem GY, Haddad J. Achieving low-density lipoprotein cholesterol treatment goals among dyslipidemic individuals in the Levant: The CEntralized Pan-Levant Survey on tHE Undertreatment of hypercholeSterolemia (CEPHEUS) study. Current Medical Research and Opinion (2014) 30(10):1957-1965
• Sibai AM, Tohme RA, Saade GA, Ghanem G, Alam S. The appropriateness of use of coronary angiography in Lebanon: Implications for health policy. Health Policy and Planning (2008) 23(3):210-217
•  Chammas E, Dib C, Rahhal M, Helou T, Ghanem G, Tarsha W. Noninvasive assessment of coronary flow reserve in the left anterior descending artery by transthoracic echocardiography before and after stenting. Echocardiography (2007) 24(8):789-794
• Sarkis A, Maaliki S, Haddad A, Hatem J, Ghanem G. An unusual complication of coronary angiography: Bidirectional dissection of the right coronary artery and the ascending aorta. International Journal of Cardiology (2007) 132(1): e20-e22
• Chammas E, El-Khoury J, Barbari A, Kamel G, Karam A, Tarcha W, Ghanem G, Stephan A. Early and late effects of renal transplantation on cardiac functions (2001) Transplantation Proceedings 33(5): 2680-2682
• Vahanian A, Michel PL, Cormier B, Ghanem G, Acar J. Immediate and mid-term results of percutaneous mitral commissurotomy. European Heart Journal (1991) 12 (Suppl. B):84-89
• Michel PL, Houdart E, Ghanem G, Badaoui G, Hage A, Acar J. Combined aortic mitral and tricuspid surgery results in 78 patents. European Heart Journal (1987) 8(5): 457-463

Professional and Research Interests

• Cardiology
• Interventional Cardiology
• Structural Heart Disease

Education

• Lebanese Baccalaureate — College La Sagesse, Ashrafieh, Beirut, 1978
• M.D. degree, St. Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon, 1985

Post-Doctoral Diplomas

• Foreign Medical Graduate Examination in the Medical Sciences (FMGEMS) “Clinical Component”, 1987
• Diplôme Interuniversitaire de Spécialisation (DIS) in Cardiology (with distinction), University Paris V
• University Diploma in Cardiac Echo Doppler, University Paris VI, 1988
• University Diploma in Congenital Heart disease, University Paris XII, 1989

Other Relevant Diplomas

• Formation sur les Endoprotheses Coronaires, June 1992
• Course in Advanced Endovascular Therapies, Lenox Hill, New York, U.S.A., 1998
• Course on Finance and Markets, Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA), Beirut, Lebanon, 2000
• Course on Cardiovascular Radiation Therapy, Washington Hospital Center, U.S.A., 2001
• Certificate of Completion of the ACC Cath Self Assessment Program, 2011
• Certificate of Completion, Transcatheter Heart Valve Training Program, Edwards Lifesciences, Geneva-Nyon, Switzerland, June 2012

Professional Memberships and Organizations

• Associate Member, French Society of Cardiology, 1990
• Founding member, Pan-Arab Society of Interventional Cardiology, 1996
• Member, International Society of Cardiovascular Interventionists, 1997
• President of the Lebanese Society of Cardiology, 2005—2007
• Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology, 2006
• Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, 2007
• Established a permanent Lebanese Interventional Session at the Euro-PCR, 2007

Keywords

acute coronary syndrome, congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease, mitral valve disease, blocked stent, coronary angioplasty & stenting, rotablator, IVUS, FFR,trans-septal catheterization, balloon valvuloplasty, TAVR, mitraclip, TMVI, congenital heart disease interventions, heart attack, M.I., myocardial infarction, chest pain, heart failure, CAD, valve disease