New minimally invasive heart procedure in St. George reduces risk of stroke – The Spectrum

Amey Vance, Live Well Published 3:18 p.m. MT Feb. 21, 2020

More than 5 million Americans suffer from atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common supraventricular heart arrhythmia. Advances in treatment are transforming care for AFib patients, reducing the risk for stroke and other disabling health conditions that can result from this condition.(Photo: Getty Images)

February is National Heart Awareness month, a great time to focus on heart health. Today, were examining atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that affects nearly three million Americans.

Blake Gardner, MD, is an interventional cardiologist at Intermountain Southwest Cardiology.(Photo: Nate Kinzie)

The human heart is approximately the size of two hands clasped together and faithfully beats about 100,000 times each day. Arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), occur when the heartbeat becomes too fast, too slow, or irregular.

Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent heart issue. The risk for AFib increases with advancing age. Symptoms of AFib may include irregular heartbeat, rapid, fluttering, or pounding heart palpitations, lightheadedness, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest pain. AFib also significantly increases a persons risk for stroke.

The primary treatment for AFib is to take pharmaceutical blood-thinning medication, said Blake Gardner, MD, interventional cardiologist at Intermountain Southwest Cardiology. Some people with AFib cannot tolerate blood thinners well and need an alternative therapy to reduce their risk for stroke. There is a new minimally invasive option known as the Watchman procedure that we recently started offering at Intermountain Dixie Regional Medical Center.

A new large-scale study conducted by Korean researchers, the results of which were just published in the European Heart Journal, has established a significant link between the common cardiac arrhythmia called atrial fibrillation, or AFib, and the onset of dementia. The number of people who die from dementia in every state in America is constantly […](Photo: sudok1 / Getty Images)

The Watchman device is a small implant placed in the heart to close the left atrial appendage (LAA). The left atrial appendage is a small, ear-shaped sac in the top left chamber of the heart. In people with AFib, this sac quivers constantly, blood collects, and clots form. The clots then travel to the brain, causing strokes. AFib and left atrial appendage clots are major risk factors for ischemic stroke.

This procedure is going to benefit a lot of people in our community, said Dr. Gardner. The Watchman procedure to close the left atrial appendage is a very viable solution to reduce stroke risk for AFib patients who dont tolerate blood thinners. This minimally invasive procedure is performed through a vessel in the leg and has been demonstrated to be a very low-risk procedure.

Blood-thinning medications work well for many people with AFib, but may not be right for everyone. Left atrial appendage closure with a Watchman device, may provide an alternative therapy for reducing stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients.

(Photo: Apple)

This month, as we focus on our heart health, please show your heart some love and learn about new heart procedures, like Watchman, as well as how to care for your heart.

Please join us for a Heart Health Seminar, Wednesday, February 26 at the SelectHealth Auditorium (1424 E. Foremaster Drive, St. George), 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. This FREE Heart Health Seminar will answer questions about new heart procedures and care and Intermountain Dixie Regional Medical Center.

Topics include:

Registration is not required for this event. If you have questions, please contact Laura Bowles at 435-251-2159. We hope to see you there!

ThisLiVe Wellcolumn represents collaboration between healthcare professionals from the medical staffs of our not-for-profit Intermountain Healthcare hospitals andThe Spectrum & Daily News.

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New minimally invasive heart procedure in St. George reduces risk of stroke - The Spectrum