Introduction:

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Dr John Ormiston (MBChB (Otago), FRACP, FRACR, FCSANZ, ONZM)

John Ormiston, New Zealand's most experienced interventional cardiologist, has introduced many new technologies to New Zealand, including TAVI (transcather aortic valve implantation). His international reputation is founded on bench testing and clinical trials of new cardiac devices, areas in which he is widely published. He is an invited speaker at interventional meetings worldwide, a past president of the Asia Pacific Society for Interventional Cardiology, a member of the Interventional Scientific Council of the American College of Cardiology, and an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London). In addition, John sits on the scientific advisory board of two cardiology device companies, and helps to organise the three major international interventional meetings annually. He was instrumental in developing Mercy Angiography, the country's busiest private cardiac facility, where he is Medical Director.

In the 2011 New Year's honours list John became an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to medicine.

Dr Peter Ruygrok (BSc, MBChB, MD (Auckland), FRACP, FESC, FCSANZ)

Peter Ruygrok graduated Bachelor of Science in mathematics in 1979, Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery in 1986 and more recently Doctor of Medicine, from the University of Auckland. He trained in cardiology at Green Lane Hospital, gaining his fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Physicians and then completed an interventional fellowship at the Thoraxcenter in Rotterdam.

He works as a consultant cardiologist and has recently been appointed the Director of Cardiovascular Services at Auckland City Hospital. His special interests include interventional cardiology, cardiac transplantation and research, with over 130 publications. He is an Honorary Professor of the University of Auckland and works part-time at the Auckland Heart Group.

Dr Jim Stewart (MBChB, MD, FRCP, FRACP, FESC, FACC, FSCAI, FCSANZ)

Dr Stewart did his undergraduate training in New Zealand (Otago University), and his postgraduate specialist training, including a doctoral thesis, in the United Kingdom. He worked successively at St George's Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospital and St Thomas' Hospital, all in London, as a cardiology trainee from 1986 to 1993. He spent one year (1994) at the Montreal Heart Institute, before returning to New Zealand to a consultant post in interventional cardiology at Green Lane Hospital, Auckland in 1995. He has been based at the new Auckland City Hospital since it opened at the end of 2003; all inpatient work in central Auckland is now concentrated at this site.

In addition to his public hospital commitment Dr Stewart has been in private practice in Auckland since 1998. Initially this was as a solo practitioner, but he is delighted now to be able to combine his interests with those of Auckland Heart Group.

His main interests, in addition to general cardiology, reflect the areas of cardiology where he has spent most time in training and where he has been active in research i.e. interventional cardiology, the acute coronary syndromes, and cardiac pacing. He has taken a lead role in the development of carotid stenting as an alternative to carotid endarterectomy locally, particularly in patients with established cardiac disease who are at high risk for traditional carotid surgery. Currently Dr Stewart is the local principal investigator in a multicentre international trial comparing carotid stenting with carotid endarterectomy.

Given the impact of coronary disease on our society though, he is also a firm believer in the importance of preventive medicine, and the control of risk factors for myocardial infarction such as dyslipidaemia and hypertension.