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Christopher W. Follansbee, MD

  • Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Christopher Follansbee is an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He is a pediatric cardiologist and electrophysiologist in the Heart and Vascular Institute at the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Follansbee earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola College in Maryland where he was inducted into the Tri Beta Biology Honor Society. He completed medical school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his residency in pediatrics at the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, receiving the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism and Excellence in Teaching award and A. Vincent Londino, Jr Pediatric Senior Resident Award for excellence in clinical care and teaching. He completed his pediatric cardiology fellowship at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh where he served as chief fellow and received the Claude R. Joyner, MD Endowed Fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology. He completed his pediatric electrophysiology fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor School of Medicine. Prior to returning to Pittsburgh in 2022, Follansbee was an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and served as Interim Director of Invasive Electrophysiology at Children’s Mercy Hospital Kansas City receiving the Golden Glove and Pediatric Cardiology Mentor of the Year awards.

Follansbee is a cardiologist and electrophysiologist with interests in invasive electrophysiology including mapping and ablation of arrhythmias as well as pacemaker, internal cardiac defibrillator, and implantable loop recorder implantation. His clinical interests include arrhythmia management, quality improvement in post ablation management, genetic arrhythmia syndromes, and implanted cardiac device management. His research interests have included reanalysis of variants in genetic arrhythmia syndromes, novel approaches to monitoring arrhythmia syndromes and improving medical education with integrated curriculums including simulation. Follansbee is a member of the Heart Rhythm Society and Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology Society where he served as a sub-chair in the Emerging Leaders Group.

Professional and Scientific Society Memberships

  • American Academy of Pediatrics, 2011
  • The Arnold P. Gold Froundation Honor Society, 2012 - Present
  • Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology Society, 2016 - Present
  • Heart Rhythm Society, 2016 - Present

Education & Training

  • BS, Loyola College, 2005
  • MD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 2011

Selected Publications

Karounos M, Follansbee C, Chang AM, Robey J, Sease K, McCusker C, Shofer F, Hollander J. TIMI risk score: does it work well in both males and females? Emerg Med J. Jul 2007;24 (7):471-4.

Mills AM, Rhodes KV, Follansbee CW, Shofer FS, Prusakowski M, Bernstein SL. Effect of having children in the household on adult ED smokers’ motivation to quit. Am J of Emerg Med. Sept 2008;26(7):757-62.

Campbell CF, Chang AM, Sease KL, Follansbee C, McCusker CM, Shofer FS, Hollander JE. Combining thrombolysis in myocardial infarction risk score and clear-cut alternative diagnosis for chest pain risk stratification. Am J Emerg Med. Jan 2009;27(1):37-42.

Pribis J, Follansbee C, Bryk J, Rominski S, Ochoa JB. Effect of ß-adrenergic blockade on myeloid derived suppressor cell response after trauma. J Surgical Research. Feb 2010;158(2):210-11. DOI 10.1016/j.jss.2009.11.116

Mohan S, Follansbee C, Nwankwo U, Hofkosh D, Sherman F, Hamilton M. Embedding patient simulation in a pedriatric cardiology rotation: an opportunity for improving resident education. Congenital Heart Disease. Nov 2014;10(1):88-94. DOI 10.111/chd. 12239

Beach C, Follansbee C, Beerman L, Mazzocco S, Winger D, Li W, Arora G. Adenosine-sensitive Wolff-Parkinson-White: Longer time across the atrioventricular groove. PACE. Jan 2018;41(1):35-41. DOI 10.1111/pace.13257

Follansbee C, Beerman L, Arora G. Automated QT analysis on holter monitors in pediatric patients can differentiate long QT syndrome from controls. PACE. Jan 2018;41(1):50-56. DOI 10.1111/pace.13244.

Follansbee C, Beerman L, Wu L, Bertolet M, Arora G. Utility and safety of adenosine challenge for subtle ventricular preexcitation in the pediatric population. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. Apr 2019. DOI 10.111/jce.13935.

 

Howard T, Niu M, Morris S, Valdes S, Follansbee C, Pignatelli R, Miyake C, Wang Y, Kim JJ. Right ventricular pacing after ventricular septal defect closure is associated with the development of cardiac dysfunction. J Am Coll Cardiol EP. March 2020;6(3): 348-350. DOI 10.1016/j.jacep.2020.01.005

Heching H, Goyal A, Harvey B, Malloy-Walton L, Follansbee C, McIntosh A, Forsha D. Electrocardiographic changes in non-hospitalized children with COVID-19. Cardiol Young. Jan 2022;6;1-7. DOI 10.1017/S1047951121005138


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