Dr. Yasir Akhtar

Dr. Keith Bruce is a native of Cleveland, Tennessee. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular, and clinical cardiac electrophysiology.Dr. Bruce specializes in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, ablation, heart rhythm disorders, and implantable cardiac devices. He is currently participating in a national trial on atrial fibrillation and has previously participated in multiple preclinical trials for implantable devices and preclinical drug trials.Dr. Bruce is the recipient of numerous significant awards including the Mayo Clinic’s Cardiovascular Diseases Outstanding Achievement Award in 2005. He has made numerous national and international presentations on cardiac topics. Dr. Bruce is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). His top areas of expertise are Arrhythmias, Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), Atrial Fibrillation, Pacemaker Implantation, and Cardiac Ablation.

Dr. Andrew Fowler is a cardiologist at The Chattanooga Heart Institute. He is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases, and interventional cardiology. Dr. Fowler completed his fellowship in cardiology at the Medical University of South Carolina, where he also pursued advanced training in interventional cardiology. Prior to that, he completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He graduated magna cum laude from Furman University with a B.S. in chemistry and a B.A. in music. With a patient-centered approach, Dr. Fowler believes in a shared decision-making process with his patients. His goal is to help patients achieve longer lives and allow for a better quality of life. He was inspired to become a physician so that he could be with others in their time of need and finds great fulfillment in fostering meaningful relationships with his patients.He is particularly drawn to the anatomy, physiology, and hemodynamics of cardiology, and is excited about the advancements in the field that help patients feel better and live longer. Dr. Fowler was instrumental in integrating fractional flow reserve, a technique which improves the ability to see the significance of a blockage, into catheterizations in Chattanooga. He views advancements in imaging technology as a significant evolution in his field, which makes for better decision-making and allows patients to avoid unnecessary procedures.Outside of work, Dr. Fowler enjoys spending time with his wife, creating music with loved ones, and playing pickleball. Dr. Fowler is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). His top areas of expertise are Coronary Heart Disease, Atherosclerosis, Angina, Atrial Fibrillation, and Heart Bypass Surgery.

Dr. Gregg Shander’s research on the heart’s electrical functions adds a new dimension to The Chattanooga Heart Institute’s renowned electrophysiology expertise. Dr. Shander has been interested in heart rhythm disturbances since he was in medical school. He received the Stanley J. Sarnoff award for cardiovascular research through which he studied rhythm disturbances. He transferred this interest from research into the care of his patients.Dr. Shander earned his doctor of medicine degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and completed his internal medicine internship and residency at the University of Chicago Hospital. He performed research involving arrhythmias at the University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and the University of Chicago. He completed his general cardiology and electrophysiology fellowships at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, where he received further training in cardiac pacing and clinical electrophysiology including radiofrequency ablation.Dr. Shander received the American Heart Association Basic Sciences Research Award from the Chicago Chapter. He has also presented before the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions and at numerous other cardiovascular research symposiums. He has been published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, the Journal of American Physiology, the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, and the supplement to the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation.|Dr. Shander, his wife, and two children enjoy spending time doing activities as a family. Dr. Shander is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). His top areas of expertise are Atrial Fibrillation, Arrhythmias, Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), Pacemaker Implantation, and Cardiac Ablation.