网曝门事件

Retired church administrator Ron Smith has many things that make his heart quiver: photography, woodworking, his wife of 55 years, and his four kids, 11 grandkids and one great-grandbaby. But what started making him uncomfortable was an ever-increasing number of heart palpitations that made his heart literally quiver.

When that quivering became distracting, Ron checked in with his 网曝门事件 Health-Portland primary care physician, who listened to Ron鈥檚 heart carefully and ran some tests. It appeared Ron might have atrial fibrillation (AFib), a condition in which the upper chambers of the heart (the atria) beat irregularly. He was referred to cardiologist Dr. Mark Hart at Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular.

During Ron鈥檚 first visit, he had an electrocardiogram (also called an ECG or EKG). Dr. Hart could tell Ron had Afib. At best, the feeling can be unnerving; more concerning is the opportunity for blood to pool in the heart and cause a stroke.

This was a diagnosis Dr. Hart knew well. A leader in cardiology, Dr. Hart is medical director of the catheterization lab for Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular. He has also led or contributed to more than 30 clinical trials.

Under Dr. Hart鈥檚 guidance, Ron started a phased treatment protocol, beginning with a conservative approach that included a medication to help with AFib as well as a blood thinner to reduce his risk of stroke. The medication helped, but didn鈥檛 eliminate his irregular heartbeat.

Ron and his cardiac team decided to move to the next step in his treatment plan. Ron鈥檚 heart imaging showed he had no valve disease or clogged blood vessels. 鈥淢y heart was in great shape,鈥� Ron says. 鈥淚 think I have genetics in my favor that way. I was glad for that.鈥�

With this in mind, Dr. Hart scheduled Ron for cardioversion鈥攁n outpatient procedure during which electrical shocks are delivered to the heart to restore a normal rhythm. 鈥淚 was admitted to an outpatient room, and they administered anesthesia鈥攁 quick knock out for maybe five minutes,鈥� Ron explains. 鈥淭hen they shocked my heart and knocked it back into a sinus rhythm, which is what we wanted.鈥�

The effect lasted for about two weeks, but then Ron鈥檚 heart palpitations returned. Encouraged by the initial success of the cardioversion, Ron and Dr. Hart made several more attempts over the next year.

Ron鈥檚 cardiac stress test had revealed Ron had a competing heart problem: a left bundle branch block. This meant there was a blockage in the electrical pathway that carries impulses to the lower chambers (ventricles) of Ron鈥檚 heart. 鈥淭hat may have been caused by rheumatic fever I had when I was 14,鈥� Ron says.

With that in mind 鈥� and when it became clear cardioversion couldn鈥檛 offer Ron a permanent solution 鈥� Dr. Hart referred Ron to Dr. Fawaz Alhumaid, a heart rhythm specialist and director of arrhythmia services at 网曝门事件 Health-Portland.

The bundle branch block made Ron鈥檚 AFib harder to treat. Dr. Alhumaid explained that treatment for one condition tended to make the other worse. 鈥淏ig treatment for AFib would impact the bundle more 鈥� the latter being more dangerous because it could stop my heart,鈥� Ron says.

Dr. Alhumaid suggested Ron try cardiac ablation. He explained how, during the ablation procedure, he would follow the map of Ron鈥檚 heart signals to the exact nerve cells that were causing the chaotic signals. Using heat, Dr. Alhumaid would kill the problematic cells while keeping the proper nerve signals healthy.

鈥淚 was a little apprehensive about that one,鈥� Ron admits. 鈥淏ut I was encouraged by the fact they do so many of them. The doctor explained very carefully the pros and cons, the risk factors.鈥�

On the day of his ablation surgery, Ron鈥檚 concerns were eased again as he was wheeled into the special operating theater at Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular. 鈥淏eing a little bit of a techy, I was so impressed. There were huge monitors above and beside me so the doctor could see everything he was doing remotely,鈥� Ron recalls. 鈥淚t was amazing鈥攁bsolutely amazing. I felt confident just by the way they handled themselves and the obvious investment in equipment and technology.鈥�

His mind at ease, Ron went under anesthesia. The surgery went smoothly, and Ron spent one night at 网曝门事件 Health Portland for observation. As Ron headed home the next day, he only had a little discomfort in his groin where his heart team inserted his catheter during surgery.

The cardiac ablation was a success. Ron鈥檚 heart rhythm was steady as he came out of surgery, and the effect has lasted for years now.

Dr. Alhumaid hadn鈥檛 forgotten Ron鈥檚 bundle branch blockage. During a follow-up visit, he asked Ron to watch himself carefully. 鈥淗e said, 鈥業f you have any fainting spell, I want you to be in touch,鈥欌�� Ron says.

Ron remembered Dr. Hart鈥檚 concerns. One day he was driving to his regular check-up and, at a stop light, felt his heart just stop for a moment. 鈥淚 never blacked out, but I came close,鈥� Ron says. Shaken and pale, he finished his drive to Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular.

When Dr. Alhumaid heard about Ron鈥檚 episode, he left a standing order at the desk for Ron to have an EKG upon request anytime he felt he had an issue. 鈥淭hat was a comfort to know that,鈥� Ron says.

Ron was also comforted that Dr. Alhumaid was taking his issue serious. 鈥淗e really got serious about studying and thinking over my situation,鈥� Ron says. 鈥淚t was obvious he didn鈥檛 just think about me when I showed up for an appointment.鈥�

Knowing Ron鈥檚 episode could repeat anytime 鈥� and wanting to be careful not to trigger his AFib by treating the bundle branch block 鈥� Dr. Alhumaid broached the idea of inserting a pacemaker. 鈥淗e explained he was seeing a gradual increase in my bundle branch problems over time and warned me that, at some point, it would need a pacemaker anyway,鈥� Ron says. 鈥淗e explained the possibilities and recommended we go ahead with the pacemaker and eliminate the likelihood of my fainting and falling or crashing a car.鈥�

With Dr. Alhumaid鈥檚 explanation, Ron agreed and had the pacemaker implanted. It regulates his heart and transmits data that is monitored at Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular. 鈥淚n a nutshell, basically my day-to-day feeling with health and life and all that is back where it was 10 or 15 years ago,鈥� Ron says. 鈥淚 have virtually no noticeable odd things happening with my heart.鈥�

Now Ron sees Dr. Hart once a year for a checkup, as long as the pacemaker data continues to look good. Ron appreciates the phased protocol his doctors championed. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e really thought it through,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey have all these tools and procedures available, but they鈥檙e not going to subject you to them if they鈥檙e not necessary.鈥�

In addition to the confidence-building technology and expertise Ron encountered at Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular, he values obvious care and compassion the entire staff has for patients. 鈥淚鈥檝e been going to Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular for years now, and I have not met anyone who wasn鈥檛 cordial, good-natured and helpful,鈥� Ron says. 鈥淓ven the appointment schedulers are friendly, as well as the nurses on the floor during the night.鈥�

He also appreciates that all his care is coordinated through his 网曝门事件 Health primary care provider, Dr. Matthew Satcher. 鈥淎ll my records are available online in MyChart,鈥� Ron says. 鈥淚 love that.鈥�

Every step of his journey, from bringing his early concerns to his 网曝门事件 Health primary care provider to meeting with his cardiac team at Northwest Regional Heart & Vascular, Ron has appreciated the patient-centered care he鈥檚 received. 鈥淭hey made it comfortable and easy,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou can have confidence these doctors really know their stuff.鈥�