When is it time to consider a pacemaker?
Having lived in Elgin, for 34 years, Peter and Dorkeo Sundara have had an easy access to health care because they live near Advocate Sherman Hospital and several Advocate Outpatient Centers.
Living near these health care facilities allow Peter and Dorkeo to receive immediate care within minutes. Last February, he was at his daughters' home having lunch, where he was found by Dorkeo passed out on the couch.
The ambulance took him to Advocate Sherman and he immediately received care. At the hospital, it was found that he had a mini-stroke. His mini-stroke was caused by an atrial fibrillation, according to Dr. Harshal Sheth, a cardiac electrophysiology physician at Advocate Sherman Hospital. Dr. Sheth realized that the atrial fibrillation had caused the stroke, so he gave Peter a heart rhythm monitor. Atrial fibrillations, or a-fib, are caused by irregular and rapid heartbeats, which will cause poor blood flow to the brain. Through the heart rhythm monitor, Dr. Sheth knew that a pacemaker was needed.
A pacemaker will not eliminate an atrial fibrillation and it is not permanent.
"A pacemaker simply provides a floor beneath your heart, like a safety net where you do not want to go under the floor or net," says Dr. Sheth. There are many different types of solutions regarding how to treat an atrial fibrillation.
There are medication and procedures, but not a single one technique. It is very rare for patients to discuss the need for a pacemaker as only a small percentage of people will need a pacemaker. According to Dr. Sheth, Peter needed a pacemaker because the heart rhythm monitor found a pause that lasted 5 seconds. In Peter's case, a pacemaker was needed.
For Peter, having Dr. Sheth notice and correct the atrial fibrillation, it saved his life. "I am very grateful for Dr. Sheth because he saved my life because I would not be sitting here today if it weren't for him," Peter says.
Having a pacemaker to correct his abnormal heartbeat, even influenced his wife to want a pacemaker as well. Even if she does not need one herself.
As for Dr. Sheth himself, being a cardiac electrophysiology physician is kind of like a puzzle and rewarding.
"Going through medical school, there were areas where I enjoyed such at the procedure level, critical thinking aspect, and the clinical situation" says Dr. Sheth. He found cardiac electrophysiology to have all these components, which made him focus in this area. Practicing cardiac electrophysiology allows Dr. Sheth to get to know his patients and their families. It is important that the patient and their family are engaged and understand the type of care that they are receiving and discussing.
Spending time with patients and not just popping in and out is something Dr. Sheth values, which Peter and his family noticed. "He made the transition from monitoring my heart rhythm to implanting a pacemaker go by easily," Peter says.
Diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea, blood pressure are some of the causes of having an a-fib. So, getting checked out by your primary care physician routinely is very important. This may help lower the chances of an atrial fibrillation.
Peter and Dorkeo are regular visitors at Advocate Sherman Hospital and the Complete Care Center. The Complete Care Center made it accessible for them to have all their checkups done in the same vicinity. This makes it much easier for them and other patients to receive care and the medical staff to receive the information in a timely matter.
A preventive measure that individuals should consider, to lower the risks of developing heart disease would be, is to take the healthy heart CT scan. At $49, you can take a heart scan that is noninvasive that lets you know if you are at risk for heart disease.
For more information on the healthy heart CT scan, you can go to heartscan.advocatehealth.com.