A massive heart attack called a “widowmaker” that struck filmmaker and actor Kevin Smith can happen quickly and fatally. Taking steps to protect your heart while young, as well as knowing your critical numbers, can be the key to surviving such a devastating blockage. “This type of heart attack refers to a blockage in a…
If someone is having a stroke, the chance of survival when taken to a Comprehensive Stroke Center versus another hospital can be significant. So significant, in fact, that the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA) recommend emergency medical services (EMS) go out of their way if necessary to take stroke patients to one…
In honor of American Heart Month, Paula Beickman shares why she wears red to raise awareness each February: Because knowledge is power, and it can save a life. For the past 25 years, I have worked at Norton Heart Specialists. It’s my career, yes, but it is so much more. It has become part…
In honor of American Heart Month, Tara Mudd, APRN, shares why she wears red to raise awareness each February: to remember her own journey, a grandmother lost and the importance of heart health for women today. Most 9-year-olds are busy playing sports, making new friends and navigating increased independence from their parents. At age 9,…
The long-awaited question as to how Jack Pearson died on the hit NBC show “This Is Us” was finally answered. Viewers had expected Pearson (played by Milo Ventimiglia) to die in a house fire. As it turned out, the fire was only part of the story. Viewers learned Pearson suffered a type of heart attack…
Norton Healthcare’s newest vascular surgeon is Hanna Davis, D.O. What’s a D.O.? It stands for doctor of osteopathy. Her medical degree requires the same type of training as an M.D., but her training focused on working with the body’s ability to heal itself. As a child, Dr. Davis liked to take things apart and put…
In honor of American Heart Month, Theresa Byrd, coordinator for the Norton Heart & Vascular Institute Women’s Heart Program, shares why she wears red to raise awareness each February. I wear red for my brother, Michael Brown, who at the young age of 40 experienced a severe hemorrhagic stroke. We were driving to Michael’s home…
Tara Mudd, APRN, with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute’s Heart Rhythm Center, answers questions about atrial fibrillation medications, their risks, side effects and what happens if they don’t work. Q: How often and for how long do people have to take atrial fibrillation drugs? Anti-arrhythmic medications can be taken anywhere from once daily to three times…
Cardiology and neurology specialists at Norton Healthcare knew there was a growing body of evidence suggesting that the underlying cause for many cryptogenic strokes is atrial fibrillation (A-fib). However, many A-fib patients do not receive additional cardiac monitoring, leaving them at risk for a recurrent stroke. To address this issue, a new multidisciplinary cryptogenic stroke…
The big game is this weekend! Anything could happen, from halftime show hijinks to breathtaking finishes. Could all the excitement give you a heart attack? During the National Football Conference (NFC) divisional playoffs, the Minnesota Vikings secured a last-minute, nail-biting win over the New Orleans Saints. Some fans were so excited their Apple Watches thought…
Patients with severe strokes caused by occlusion of large vessels or bleeding are more likely to survive when they’re taken to a Comprehensive Stroke Center (CSC). That’s why the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association recommend emergency medical services (EMS) take these stroke patients to a Comprehensive Stroke Center, even if it means traveling…
Emergency physician Jeff A. Spain, M.D., has seen firsthand what a difference tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can make in the treatment of ischemic strokes. Spain witnessed a stroke patient suffering from hemiplegia able to regain the use of his limbs before leaving the emergency department. “The main thing is rapid assessment,” Dr. Spain said. “The…