Various techniques help heal ailing heart
Atrial Fibrillation Friday, February 10th, 2012Wisconsin Rapids Tribune: EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WTW) — After Debra Gregory passed out twice the same day at her home in 2008, a friend took her to Mayo Clinic Health System-Oakridge in Osseo.
Once there, medical professionals discovered the Osseo woman had an irregular heart rhythm.
Before fainting, the longtime elementary art teacher in the Osseo-Fairchild school district had been tired, but she hadn’t thought much about it. She had no history of heart problems.
Referred to the Cardiac Center at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Gregory saw Dr. John Rozich, a cardiologist, and nurse practitioner Mona Howard. Rozich implanted a loop recorder monitor under Gregory’s skin to capture information about her abnormal heart rhythm.
Gregory was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, an irregular and often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow to the body.
During atrial fibrillation, the heart’s two upper chambers — the atria — beat chaotically and irregularly, out of coordination with the two lower chambers — the ventricles —of the heart.
Left untreated, atrial fibrillation can lead to stroke or heart failure.
“It’s a debilitating disease that significantly can affect the quality of life,” said Dr. Arturo Valverde, an electrophysiologist at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire.
Electrophysiologists are cardiologists with additional training in the diagnosis and treatment of abnormal heart rhythms.
About 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, according to WebMD.com. Dr. Mahmoud Sharaf, an interventional cardiologist with the Eau Claire Heart Institute, expects to see the prevalence of the condition increase as the population ages. Read Full Article
