Carolyn L. Lekavich, PhD, ANP-C
Nurse Practitioner - Cardiology
My Locations
About Me
I am a nurse practitioner who works with adults who have heart and blood vessel conditions. My PhD focused on finding early indicators of a specific type of heart failure. My favorite part of my job is connecting with patients and letting them know that we are here to listen and make them feel better. I like to know about patients’ home lives and other lifestyle factors, so we can build those factors into a medical plan that works for them.
- Assistant Professor in Medicine, Medicine, Cardiology 2021
- Assistant Research Professor in the School of Nursing, School of Nursing 2019
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Ratings and Reviews
The ratings and reviews are based on patient responses to the overall provider rating question from the survey. The question reads: “Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst provider possible and 10 is the best provider possible, what number would you use to rate this provider?” Responses are converted to a 5-point rating system and applied consistently to all providers. Learn more about our survey process. Patients who see some types of providers receive a different version of the patient satisfaction survey. Those results are not available on DukeHealth.org.
Training and Education
Clinical Focus and Research
My primary interest is in using echocardiograms to identify risk factors prior to the development of heart failure. My research goal is to identify biomarkers measured by echocardiogram that are therapeutic targets for intervention. I would like to design prospective trials that study the impact of stress on the development of heart failure along with interventions that prevent onset.
- Early Markers of HFpEF awarded by Heart Failure Society of America 2015 - 2017
- Khan, S. S., K. Breathett, L. T. Braun, S. L. Chow, D. K. Gupta, C. Lekavich, D. M. Lloyd-Jones, C. E. Ndumele, C. J. Rodriguez, and L. A. Allen. “Risk-Based Primary Prevention of Heart Failure: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.” Circulation, January 1, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001307.
- Goyal, Parag, Robert J. Didomenico, Susan J. Pressler, Chinwe Ibeh, Connie White-Williams, Larry A. Allen, Eiran Z. Gorodeski, and HFSA Scientific Statement Committee Members. “Cognitive Impairment in Heart Failure: A Heart Failure Society of America Scientific Statement.” J Card Fail 30, no. 3 (March 2024): 488–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2024.01.003.
- Ndumele, Chiadi E., Ian J. Neeland, Katherine R. Tuttle, Sheryl L. Chow, Roy O. Mathew, Sadiya S. Khan, Josef Coresh, et al. “A Synopsis of the Evidence for the Science and Clinical Management of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Syndrome: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.” Circulation 148, no. 20 (November 14, 2023): 1636–64. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001186.
- Lekavich, Carolyn L., and William E. Kraus. “Abstract P481: Early Recognition of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF): Ventricular Elastance as a Predictive Marker for Prevention and Treatment.” In Circulation, Vol. 141. Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2020. https://doi.org/10.1161/circ.141.suppl_1.p481.
- Lekavich, Carolyn L., Debra J. Barksdale, Jia-Rong Wu, Virginia Neelon, Jamie Crandell, and Eric J. Velazquez. “Measures of Ventricular-Arterial Coupling and Incident Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Matched Case-Control Analysis.” In J Card Fail, 23:659–65, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2017.07.395.
- Lekavich, Carolyn, Debra Barksdale, and Eric Velazquez. “The Identification of Biomarkers That Predict Impending Heart Failure Preserved Ejection Fraction: Time to Diagnosis Analysis.” In Journal of Cardiac Failure, 22:S6–S6. Elsevier BV, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cardfail.2016.06.029.
Insurance Accepted
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks, including the ones listed below.
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Aetna
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
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Ambetter
- Ambetter of North Carolina
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
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Cigna
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
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Duke Group Plans
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
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Experience Health
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Gateway Health Alliance
- Healthgram
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Humana
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- MedCost
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Medicare
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
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NC Medicaid
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- WellCare of North Carolina
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TRICARE
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)**
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
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**Duke Health does not participate in UHC plans on the Health Insurance Marketplace.
Before scheduling your appointment, we strongly recommend you contact your insurance company to verify that the Duke Health location or provider you plan to visit is included in your network. Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any co-payments, co–insurances, or deductibles that will be your responsibility. If you proceed in scheduling an appointment and your health insurance benefits do not participate with Duke, your out of pocket liability may be higher. We will contact you regarding your coverage and patient liability. If you are uninsured, learn more about our financial assistance policy.