•  The Ornish Program enables people to avoid invasive procedures such as bypass surgery or angioplasty.

•  The Ornish Program requires participants to change their lifestyle to eliminate and modify self-destructive behaviors that often result in CAD.

•  The Ornish Program has four components: a low-fat, vegetarian nutrition plan; exercise; relaxation; and group support.

•  Participants undergo a 12-week, intensive Program that teaches them to eat properly, exercise safely, identify and control stress, and deal with feelings such as loneliness or isolation that may affect their health and well-being.

•  The Ornish Program is conducted by highly trained health care and behavior modification professionals, with the consent and support of each participant’s primary care physician or cardiac specialist.

•  Participants’ physicians receive regular progress updates on their patients.

•  The Ornish Program requires commitment, discipline, and willingness for each participant to assume responsibility for his or her health.

Benefits of the Ornish Program

The Program was introduced in May 2002.  Click here to view the results of the first cohort .  This group was the first group to complete the Ornish Program offered at West Virginia University Hospitals.

•  No participants have died or undergone a heart transplant, and none have suffered a heart attack, or undergone bypass surgery or angioplasty.

•  Participants achieved statistically significant reductions in key measurements of CAD risk including angina, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and weight and body fat.  View the results of cohort one.

•  Participants also showed improvement in key perceived measurements of stress, hostility, and depression.

•  Participants demonstrated marked improvement in both exercise and oxygen capacities. 

•  A significant number of participants now enjoy a variety of moderate physical activities.

•  In a separate study conducted by Dr. Dean Ornish, 78 percent of participating individuals were able to avoid revascularization (bypass or angioplasty) through lifestyle changes.

Cost Avoidance with the Ornish Program

In addition to enabling participants to regain control of their health and lives, the Ornish Program provides a number of cost benefits by helping individuals avoid invasive surgery.

•  The cost savings estimate is conservative, and does not include the costs of avoided heart attacks, medications, or cardiac rehabilitation.