Joel A. Wirth, M.D.

Department of Critical Care
Director, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program
Clinical Associate Professor, University of Vermont College of Medicine
Maine Medical Center
22 Bramhall St.
Portland, ME 04102
(207) 662-2770 Office
(207) 662-4691 Fax
wirthj@mmc.org

Biosketch

Dr. Wirth received his medical degree from McGill University in 1986.  He received his Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine training at Yale University and came to Maine Medical Center in 1997.  He is presently the Director of the Maine Pulmonary Hypertension Program at Maine Medical Center. Dr. Wirth is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Vermont College of Medicine, and is the Program Director of the MMC Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship program.  He is a member of the American Thoracic Society and a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Research Interests

Dr. Wirth’s research interests involve pulmonary vascular disease, with an emphasis on pulmonary hypertension and venous thromboembolic disease.  Dr. Wirth has also served as Primary Investigator on a number of clinical trials of new therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Selected Publications

S.A. Mette, H.I. Palevsky, G.G. Pietra, T.M. Williams, E. Bruder, A.J. Prestipino, A.M. Patrick and J.A. Wirth.  Primary Pulmonary Hypertension in Association with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection. A Possible Viral Etiology for some forms of Hypertensive Pulmonary Arteriopathy.  Am Rev Respir Dis 1992 145:1196-1200.

J.A. Wirth, J.S. Pollak, and R.I. White. Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations. Current Pulmonology 1996 17:261-98.

R.I. White, J.S. Pollak, and J.A. Wirth.  State of the Art:  Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations. J Vasc Intervent Radiol  1996 7:787-804.

M.E. Kruger, J.A. Wirth, B. Vogel, and E.J. Caldwell.  Adverse Effects of Long-Term Prostacyclin (Flolan) Continuous Infusion for Pulmonary Hypertension.  Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1999, 159(3) A67.

S. Farrell, J.H. Burton, E. Pietras, P.M. Cox, and J.A. Wirth.  A Retrospective   Evaluation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis using an Established Diagnostic Algorithm -- Is the Emperor still Undressed?  Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1999, 159(3) A360.

I.A. Nakchbandi, J.A. Wirth, and S.E. Inzucchi.  Normal Pulmonary     Hemodynamics Restored by Treatment of Graves' Hyperthyroidism in a Woman with Pulmonary Hypertension. Chest  1999; 116(5):1483-5.

M.E. Kruger, K.E. Jarosz, and J.A. Wirth.  Epoprostenol Weaning in Selected Patients with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension:  Hemodynamic and Functional Assessments. Chest 2000 118:249S

M.E. Faughnan, Y.W. Lui, J.A. Wirth, R.A. Puglash, D.A. Redelmeier, R.H.   Hyland, and R.I. White, Jr.  Diffuse Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations: Characteristics and Prognosis. Chest 2000 117(1):31-38.

R.J. Schilz, J.A. Wirth.  Vena Cava Filters: Expanding Indications and Practices.  Clinical Pulmonary Medicine 2000 7(1):41-47.