Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. It’s why each February we celebrate American Heart Month by raising awareness about heart health. To better understand available heart treatments and how to keep your heart healthy, Morgan Saxton went behind-the-scenes inside a so-called “operating room for the heart” at MountainStar Healthcare’s St. Mark’s Hospital.
Dr. John Day – cardiologist and physician head over cardiovascular services for MountainStar Healthcare – showed Morgan where hearts are healed every day: inside the Electrophysiology Lab, or EP Lab.
“An EP Lab is a Cath Lab that does heart rhythm procedures for patients,” Dr. Day explained.
RELATED: St. Mark's Hospital first in Utah to use new AFib treatment
Dr. Day spends much of his time operating on patients who have Atrial Fibrillation, or AFib, in the EP Lab. However, it’s not the only procedure that is conducted there. Patients who have a pacemaker may receive care in the lab, and heart attack patients can receive stents in the Cath Lab, as well, when open heart surgery is not required.
“Sometimes you come into the Cath Lab from the ER because you have a blockage. You’re having a heart attack,” he added. “Other times, it’s because you noticed AFib and you’ve scheduled a surgery with me.”
Get Heart Healthy
Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can help you reduce the risk of heart disease and its risk factors. Take action to protect your heart by:
· Maintaining a healthy weight
· Getting enough quality sleep
· Eating better
· Being more active
· Controlling cholesterol and blood pressure
· Managing blood sugar and stress
If you smoke and you want to become heart healthy, you should quit. Any amount of smoking, even light or occasional smoking, damages your heart and blood vessels.
Dr. Day recommends the use of smart devices to monitor your heart health, so long as patients do not replace their physician with the tools; they should work together to achieve the best possible outcome for the patient.
“This is medical grade technology on your wrist,” Dr. Day said. “Your smart watch can monitor you, send you alerts if it suspects Atrial Fibrillation and then you can run an ECG to confirm. And the beautiful thing is then, when you see your doctor, you can show him or her your ECGs.”
Smart watches cannot diagnose heart failure or a heart attack.
It is crucial to know the warning signs of a heart attack. If you or a loved one experience symptoms, call 911 immediately. Symptoms include: chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body like your arms, back, neck, jaw and stomach, as well as shortness of breath. Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, get checked out by a medical professional. It’s important to remember that minutes matter in an emergency. When it comes to heart health, time is muscle.
Treating AFib with Pulsed Field Ablation
In treating AFib, the most common type of heart rhythm disorder, pulsed field ablation utilizes a controlled electric field to selectively ablate cardiac tissue that is causing irregular heartbeats. This new treatment method has been shown to minimize the risk of damage to surrounding tissues. This is because pulsed field ablation disables cardiac cells using electricity rather than extreme temperatures used in the traditional approaches. Further, the technology allows ablation procedures to be performed in less time.
“Pulsed field ablation represents the future of atrial fibrillation ablation procedures. The significantly shorter procedure times and notable safety benefits represent a substantial improvement over traditional methods,” said Dr. Day.
Ablation is one of several procedural and medical interventions used to control AFib symptoms and reduce stroke risk.
Cardiovascular Services
The Heart Center at St. Mark’s offers a variety of services for people with heart conditions. The center’s highly trained team of cardiologists are experts in treating coronary artery disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. The center provides this care as an accredited Chest Pain Center.
The Heart Center at St. Mark's offers cardiovascular consults within 24 hours. For immediate access for appointments and provider questions, call (801) 288-4400.
The Heart Center at St. Mark’s Hospital
1160 East 3900 South Suite 2000
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
For more information, visit StMarksHeart.com or call (801) 266-3418.
About Dr. John D. Day
Dr. John Day graduated from medical school at Johns Hopkins University. He did his residency in internal medicine, cardiology, and cardiac electrophysiology fellowship training at Stanford University. Dr. Day is board certified in cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology.
Dr. Day previously served as president of the Heart Rhythm Society and was the past president of the Utah chapter of the American College of Cardiology.
