Body
POTS — or, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — is a chronic blood circulation disorder of the autonomic nervous system affecting an estimated 1-3 million — and growing — Americans. It is characterized by a rapid heart rate increase (tachycardia) and symptoms like dizziness, chronic fatigue and brain fog.
Tae Hwan Chung, MD, one of the world’s foremost experts on POTS and neuromuscular disorders, has been appointed to lead a comprehensive, multidisciplinary POTS and autonomic disorders program at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab — advancing understanding of this condition through research and comprehensive clinical treatment of this complex patient population.
Dr. Chung joins Shirley Ryan AbilityLab from Johns Hopkins Medicine, where — with Pablo Celnik, MD, in 2017 — he co-founded and subsequently directed the organization’s POTS Clinic. The program has grown into one of the largest in the country as Dr. Chung has developed novel clinical offerings while achieving grant-funding success researching POTS and the autonomic nervous system. In the process, he has fostered validation and awareness in support of the growing number of people who live with this condition.
While 80% of patients improve with appropriate treatment, obtaining an accurate diagnosis and specialized care for POTS remains challenging. The condition wasn’t formally defined until 1990 and, even today, many physicians are unfamiliar with it. At the same time, the need for awareness and treatment are growing: in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of POTS has increased with the condition affecting at least one-third of individuals with long COVID.
“POTS affects all dimensions of a patient’s life — at home, at work and in the community,” said Dr. Chung. “The field of physical medicine and rehabilitation is uniquely positioned to serve those with POTS and related disorders given its multidisciplinary, holistic approach, and I’m eager to begin my work at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to bring answers, care and hope to even more patients.”
“In joining our team, Dr. Chung is filling a critical role as our only scientist explicitly studying the autonomic nervous system,” said Richard L. Lieber, PhD, chief scientific officer and senior vice president, research. “His hire is not only a win for Shirley Ryan AbilityLab; it’s a win for the many patients who will benefit from his care and research.”
Dr. Chung completed medical school and a translational internship in his native South Korea. Then, he completed a surgical internship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine followed by his physical medicine and rehabilitation residency — and subsequent fellowships in neuromuscular medicine and spinal cord injury medicine — at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
