The heart of a hospital | Area News – Emporia Gazette

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

In Lyon County, approximately 139 people die of cardiovascular disease each year.

Dominic Mick Hurley, MD, a cardiologist at Newman Regional Health Cardiology, wants to reduce those numbers and improve quality of life for people in the area through education and intervention.

Its an exciting time for cardiovascular medicine because were seeing a huge change in quality of life and longevity, he said. Newman Regional Cardiology is equipped to provide life-changing and life-saving medications and procedures.

Advancements in treating heart disease

Newman Regional Cardiology offers multiple treatment options for cardiovascular conditions, ranging from coronary and peripheral artery diseases to high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure. In addition to helping patients with lifestyle modifications, the cardiology staff and physicians keep up to date on advancements in medications and procedures to treat heart conditions.

A new group of medications called PCSK9 inhibitors have been shown to dramatically reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and even cause regression of plaque in arteries in up to half of patients. Another class of medications recently developed to treat diabetes, called SGLT2 inhibitors, has been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and heart failure by more than 30 percent. Both classes of medications are now clinically available and prescribed on an individual basis.

These medication advances are exciting and life-changing, Hurley said. Weve been using the PCSK9 inhibitors more and more during the last couple of years in addition to statin therapy, and the SGLT2 inhibitors during the past year, with a lot of success.

Hurley is board certified in Interventional Cardiology, in addition to Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, Vascular Medicine and Endovascular Medicine, meaning he is skilled to practice general cardiology as well as the insertion of stents, pacemakers, traditional defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D).

CRT-D is another major cardiovascular advancement that not only saves lives, but improves the quality of lives, Hurley said. Its an implantable device for patients with heart failure that involves insertion of three leads one into the right ventricle and one into the right atrium like a pacemaker, then a third lead onto the outside of the heart through a cardiac vein to the left ventricle. It helps the heart contract synchronously to restore proper cardiac output, plus it has a built-in defibrillator so if the heart does stop, it automatically shocks the heart to restore proper function.

Facilities and personnel make the difference in the quality of care available at Newman Regional Cardiology, Hurley said. The highly advanced Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab), the new Emergency Department and the Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) give patients access to the latest testing and interventions, coordinated in those adjacent units at NRH.

In addition to Dr. Hurley, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, the cardiology team includes skilled and caring nursing staff, respiratory therapists, radiology staff, ECG monitoring technicians and cardiac rehab staff.

Thanks to all of them, we have an excellent regional care center, Hurley said. Patients can have the majority of cardiac needs addressed and treated here, close to home.

However, like many communities our size, Newman does not have the resources for the Cath Lab to be available 24/7. If a patient arrives in the middle of the night with cardiac distress, the physicians and staff are experienced and trained to provide immediate care, and if necessary, to make the decision whether to provide ongoing care at NRH or to transfer the patient via helicopter.

Hurley spends three days a week at the hospital and two days at the clinic, where he provides consultations, testing and monitoring and focuses on developing relationships with patients to help prevent adverse cardiac events.

The clinic is a place where patients can come and feel welcome asking questions, he said. They might simply gain reassurance that their symptoms arent caused by a heart problem. They may need non-invasive testing. We work closely with the primary caregivers in the region to evaluate questions about blood pressure, lipids and cardiac rhythm management.

The hospital benefits from an important additional resource: The Emporia State University School of Nursing.

Hurley said the enthusiasm and energy from nursing students combined with the hospitals experienced staff makes for a better patient experience.

We are fortunate to have the School of Nursing right here, he said. We really have a hidden gem here in Emporia with the constant flow of nursing and allied health students and graduates who are coming into the program to blend with our experienced staff. We truly benefit from the evolution of nursing care, which grows from experience and established methods, infused with new energy, skills and education, which is a real plus for our patients.

Misconceptions about heart health

February is Heart Health Month, so we asked Hurley to dispel some common misconceptions about heart disease.

For example, someone might think that consistently high blood pressure is normal for them, and therefore nothing to worry about. Thats not the case, according to Hurley.

Someone may think My blood pressure always runs in the 150s, thats just me and its OK, but its not, he said. Elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, is a silent disease that can cause problems after being present for years, even decades.

Healthy blood pressure, with rare exceptions, is less than 120 over 80. However, occasional spikes in blood pressure are common, including those related to white coat syndrome, or elevated blood pressure due to anxiety about visiting the doctor.

A person coming to the office may be a little bit nervous about being there, maybe worried that the doctor will find something bad, so the blood pressure is higher than normal, Hurley said. There are ways of sorting out what is really white coat syndrome versus persistent elevated blood pressure.

Tools such as an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart), electrocardiogram (ECG) or home blood pressure monitoring help physicians determine if elevated blood pressure is persistent and dangerous. The danger comes from changes in heart function over time, such as the strength of the heartbeat and the relaxation of the heart muscle.

One of the first changes we see with elevated blood pressure is a problem with relaxation of the heart muscle, Hurley said. Over time, the heart muscle gets thicker and stiffer, which can lead to heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke.

Another misconception is that if someone has a history of heart disease in their family, then they are doomed to experience heart problems or heart failure.

That is not true, Hurley said. We now have interventions, including lifestyle modifications, medications and procedures which can dramatically change that outcome.

The important thing is to recognize your family history, identify risk factors, and know your numbers. They can all be addressed.

Some simple but effective changes people can make on their own to improve heart health include engaging in regular aerobic exercise, reducing salt intake, increasing water intake and losing weight if they are overweight.

If youre overweight, a reduction of weight by 10 percent can significantly reduce blood pressure, Hurley said. Not all of these modifications are easy, but they are simple and effective.

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The heart of a hospital | Area News - Emporia Gazette