The death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham from an aortic dissection has brought renewed attention to a rare but life-threatening medical emergency that doctors say requires immediate diagnosis and treatment to improve the chance of survival.

An aortic dissection occurs when a tear develops in the wall of the aorta, the body's largest artery, allowing blood to separate the layers of the vessel wall. Bill Novak, MD, a cardiologist at OSF HealthCare, says it’s like a crack in a pipe and it can get bigger and create a tear with increased pressure, including from high blood pressure. Although uncommon, with it occurring in about 3 to 3.5 per 100,0000 people, aortic dissection can quickly become fatal if it is not recognized and treated.

“The aorta is the main artery that leaves your heart, and if you have a tear in the aorta, it can be potentially life-threatening. It can cause a heart attack. It can cause stroke. It can cause heart failure, rupture of the aorta, and sudden death.”

Many aortic dissection symptoms overlap with other medical emergencies. Actor John Ritter died after his aortic dissection was misdiagnosed and it was treated as a heart attack.

Challenge to diagnose

"It's dangerous because it's relatively uncommon," says Dr. Novak. "It can sometimes be a challenge to diagnose since a lot of the symptoms overlap with heart attack and other conditions such as pulmonary embolism, and it's obviously a potentially life-threatening type of a problem."

Diagnosis requires immediate emergency imaging such as an MRI or an echocardiogram.

Anyone experiencing sudden, excruciating pain or other unexplained symptoms to seek emergency care immediately. Dr. Novak says while severe chest or back pain is often considered the hallmark symptom, people can also experience shortness of breath, fainting, heart failure or reduced blood flow to the arms or legs.

Treatment varies depending on the location and severity of the tear. Some patients require emergency surgery, either through an open surgical procedure or an endovascular approach, while others can be managed with medications (like beta-blockers) to strictly lower blood pressure and reduce the force of heart contractions. Surgery or stent placement may be needed if complications arise.

Dr. Novak says people at the greatest risk include older adults.

Know the risks

“How old you are is important. That increases your risk. If you smoke, that’s going to increase your risk and obviously treating your cholesterol is going to reduce the chance you’re going to develop certain types of plaque in your arteries which can also put you at a higher risk for having this problem.”

Senator Graham had a history of atherosclerosis (plaque build-up), also known as hardening of the arteries.

There are other people Dr. Novak points out who need to be monitored regularly, including those with conditions such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and Loeys-Dietz syndrome which weaken blood vessel walls and are the primary cause of aortic dissection in younger individuals.

“If you do have some risk factors such as a bicuspid valve, connective tissue disease, or an aneurysm, those things do have to be monitored on a regular basis."

An aneurysm is a bulging, weak area in the wall of a blood vessel. While it can occur in any blood vessel, it most often develops in an artery rather than a vein. An aortic aneurysm is the most common type.

While aortic dissection remains relatively rare, physicians say the national attention surrounding Graham's death serves as a reminder that recognizing warning signs and seeking emergency medical care without delay can save lives. Also, family history is important. If you have a close relative who has suffered from an aortic aneurysm or sudden arterial dissection, early testing and genetic counseling can be lifesaving.

Dr. Bill Novak is a cardiologist at OSF Cardiovascular Institute in Bloomington.

Video clips with Dr. Bill Novak

The American Heart Association and 10 other leading health organizations say it’s time to start checking cholesterol sooner and treating it more aggressively. New, lower low density lipoprotein LDL cholesterol targets are aimed at preventing heart attacks and strokes before symptoms ever appear.

Jason Trager, DO, a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare, says people at risk of heart disease should start trying to lower their cholesterol as early as age 30 and continue into old age. They should also be getting their cholesterol levels lower than many doctors had previously recommended.

Some large clinical studies found that about 72% of high‑risk patients fail to reach guideline‑recommended LDL cholesterol levels, and many are either undertreated or not on medication at all. Recent guideline updates have significantly lowered cholesterol targets, especially for people with heart disease or multiple risk factors.

New LDL cholesterol goals based on risk level

Under the new recommendations, people who have already experienced a heart attack or have symptomatic coronary artery disease should aim for LDL levels below 55. People with underlying but less severe coronary disease or diabetes are encouraged to keep LDL below 70, while the general population should aim for levels under 100.

Dr. Trager says clinical studies show the benefits of lowering cholesterol levels for everyone.

“Lower is better as far as your bad cholesterol level, and it means that a lot of patients who were not taking cholesterol medicines should now be on cholesterol medicines. But the cost-benefit analysis is definitely there. Fortunately, with these new medications, people are living longer.”

Taking a pill every day to lower LDL cholesterol can reduce a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke by 20 to 30%, according to Dr. Trager, and by even more in people with multiple risk factors. He says the benefits are really significant.

New medications improve outcomes and reduce side effects

Advances in cholesterol‑lowering drugs, including combination therapies and injectable medications, have made cholesterol goals more achievable.

“In the past, we were not able to get to these targets without very high doses of medications. So now with some of these newer medications, we can get that. We can get these goals, and that really helps reduce future risk of heart attack and strokes, especially for somebody who already had an event.”

Newer options can also minimize side effects – an issue that often leads people to stop treatment.

High LDL is frequently described as a “silent risk” because people can live for decades without symptoms while damage accumulates inside their arteries. Dr. Trager says this delayed impact makes it harder to convince people to stay on medications. But he tries to help people understand by using an analogy.

“You’re going to replace that tire on your car or you’re going to wait until the big blow out … well, most people would rather replace the tire instead of getting into that big accident,” he explains. “It’s the same analogy. Where your heart is concerned, being proactive and being your own advocate can really reduce future heart attack and risk.”

Other testing to know your risk

Dr. Trager also points to coronary calcium scoring, a specialized CT scan that measures plaque buildup in the heart’s arteries, as a valuable screening tool. While not always covered by insurance, Dr. Trager says the scan can help doctors identify people who would benefit from more aggressive treatment before symptoms appear.

Dr. Trager also recommends that adults have their lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), measured at least once in their lifetime. High levels of this cholesterol-related particle, largely determined by genetics, are linked to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

Dr. Trager stresses the importance of diet and exercise. But for many high‑risk patients, he points out lifestyle changes alone are no longer enough to meet today’s lower cholesterol targets.

“Somebody’s not going to be able to reach those goals with diet and exercise unfortunately,” Dr. Trager shares. “You can go on a straight vegan-type diet and cut out the red meat. You can get the cholesterol level down, but you’re not going to reach those exact goals.”

Dr. Trager encourages people to talk with their medical providers if they struggle with cholesterol medications, rather than stopping treatment entirely. With multiple drug options now available, he says most people can find a regimen that works. He suggests that commitment to taking cholesterol-lowering medication can make the difference between preventing a heart attack and reacting to one.

As new evidence continues to shape clinical practice, Dr. Trager believes the message is clear: knowing your numbers, staying engaged in your care and treating cholesterol early can save lives.

Dr. Trager practices in Bloomington, Illinois but you can talk to your primary care provider to learn more. Don't have one? Here are options. 

Dr. Jason Trager

On one hand, you're gaining an extra hour of sleep. On the flip side, the days get shorter and we say “hello darkness my old friend.”

In March 2023, health experts issued a wake-up call to Congress to make the change permanent.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) says public health and safety would benefit from eliminating Daylight Saving Time in favor of standard time. The AASM says the switch to permanent standard time would more closely align with the body’s internal clock – our circadian sleep-wake cycle – instead of disrupting the body’s natural rhythm.

There is also evidence that Daylight Saving Time can take a toll on your heart, specifically increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.

The AASM recommends getting at least seven hours of sleep before and after Daylight Saving Time begins while shifting your bedtime 15-20 minutes earlier each night before the change.

Dr. Frank Han is a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare who specializes in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease. He says poor sleeping habits can impact you negatively later in life.

“The act of waking up earlier without gradually changing your schedule can increase your stress hormones,” Dr. Han says. “If added on with unusual sleep schedules, night-shift work, then years down the road it can result in different kinds of cardiovascular diseases.”

Dr. Han adds it’s not just your sleeping habits that can put pressure on your heart. He recommends being aware of any hereditary heart issues that run in your family, and pay attention to lifestyle choices that can impact heart health.

“If that’s added on to less than optimal lifestyle habits, disturbed sleep schedule, disturbed circadian rhythm and other stressors in the lifestyle like tobacco. All of those factors added together can contribute to the hardening of the heart arteries and heart artery blockages as an adult,” Dr. Han says.

Video Interview Clips

Heart-wrenching data to consider for marijuana users was recently released in two separate studies.

In the journal JACC Advances, researchers found that cannabis users under 50 were in grave risk of severe cardiovascular events, even though these participants were relatively healthy individuals.

This is on par with what Michael Grzeskowiak, MD, a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute, has seen in recent years. Dr. Grzeskowiak says he’s seen more young people having heart attacks.

"They found that those that use marijuana had a six-time increase of heart attack. They had a four-time increased risk of stroke, and in general, they had a three-time increased risk of dying from heart attack, stroke or any cardiovascular disease," Dr. Grzeskowiak says.

To add to the startling news, JAMA Cardiology released findings at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session that chronic marijuana smoking and THC-edible use is associated with endothelial dysfunction. This means the cells in the endothelium, the thin layer of cells inside our blood vessels, don’t work properly. In turn, this can block blood flow to your heart, causing a heart attack.

This meta-analysis took 12 previously published studies that collected data from over 75 million people, with an average age of 41.

Add inflammation from marijuana use to inflammation built up from ultra-processed foods, alcohol and a sedentary lifestyle; it’s a recipe for disaster.

"Inflammation, in general, in our current Western diet affects us a lot. A lot of the things I see in cardiology are due to that and if we fixed a lot of things in our diet and lifestyle, heart disease would go down," Dr. Grzeskowiak says. "Unfortunately, it's been the leading cause of death for 100 years."

Outside of work, more than 25% of the U.S. population live sedentary lifestyles, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Additionally, roughly half of the American diet is made up of ultra-processed foods.

This comes as 48 states plus Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana for medicinal use, and 24 states allow cannabis for recreational use, and nearly 200 million people worldwide are regular marijuana users, according to a United Nations report in 2018.

"It's concerning. A lot of people have the perception that marijuana is safe. It's natural and it's being legalized in many states for either recreational or medicinal use," Dr. Grzeskowiak says. "The common perception is that marijuana is better than tobacco and alcohol and is safer. But more studies are coming out that are making us take a pause on that thought and show that maybe there are some risks involved."

With this clear data on the risks that marijuana use brings, it adds another important topic for doctors and patients to discuss. He encourages patients to be upfront and honest about their marijuana usage with their doctors.

For overall heart health, Dr. Grzeskowiak says it's important to make healthier choices in terms of diet, exercise and lifestyle. 

He calls sodas and most juices "liquid sugar," and says if you just cut out one drink a day, in one year you'll lose up to 12 pounds. 

Aside from commitments to 150 minutes of exercise per week (which is recommended by the American Heart Association), focus on the "little things." If you're on the second floor for work, take the stairs more often. 

To learn about the services offered at OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute, or to get in touch with the OSF cardiology team, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Video Interview Clips

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Hello darkness, my old friend

Parental instincts and quick reaction time led to two central Illinois parents saving their child’s life.

It started at home when the parents noticed something was extremely wrong with their 2-year-old son. They performed CPR and resuscitated him. He was transported to OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria where it was determined he had suffered sudden cardiac arrest and had a malignant heart condition known as Brugada syndrome.

What is Brugada syndrome?

Brugada syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes heart arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.

“Most kids that go through that, unfortunately, don’t survive,” says Harma Turbendian, MD, a pediatric cardiac surgeon with OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois. “So, this was fast-acting parents who knew what they were doing, then EMS, followed by our team here in the ICU.”

Meet the team

The medical team at OSF Children’s Hospital who treated the toddler was led by Sunita Ferns, MD, the director of Pediatric and Adult Congenital Electrophysiology, Mark Plunkett, MD, the chief of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery, and Dr. Turbendian, who was the primary surgeon in the procedure.

OSF HealthCare surgical teams have been using a device known as the EV-ICD, or extravascular implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, made by Medtronic, since spring 2024. But the new technology had only ever been used on adults or much older teenagers. The purpose of the device is that if or when a malignant heart arrhythmia occurs in the person, it will shock the heart back into rhythm.

By analyzing the 2-year-old’s response to a trial of antiarrhythmic medications in the ICU and incorporating insights from his preliminary genetic results, Dr. Ferns made the diagnosis of Brugada syndrome and brought together a team of specialists.

“We needed buy-in to trial a new device for the first time ever in a patient his size from the surgeons and good technical support. Medtronic was excellent. We called our field engineers and had a whole team here,” Dr. Ferns says.

Time to start the procedure

Sudden cardiac arrest is quite rare in kids, only happening in approximately one out of 100,000 children each year. However, the survival rate after one of these events is very low as well, with only 5% of pediatric patients surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Dr. Turbendian explains how the device is inserted.

"They're fairly small incisions that are required for implantation of the device. You actually don't have to access the heart in order to place this thing," Dr. Turbendian says. "You can make a small incision under the breastbone and one part of the device just slides through that small incision to sit under the sternum."

The possibility of implanting an EV-ICD takes away the need for open heart surgery to select patients.

Traditionally, a transvenous pacemaker has been used for older kids and adults. It was determined by Dr. Ferns and her team that the transvenous device was too large for the 2-year-old patient, and the EV-ICD was the better option. The EV-ICD incisions are much smaller, making this the more minimally invasive option.

"The lead was inserted, and the device was implanted outside of his rib cage," Dr. Ferns says. "Given that a 2-year-old is going to grow leaps and bounds over the next decade or two, it's an excellent choice for him. When we tried this, it was the first time in the world that someone trialed it on someone this small.”

Dr. Plunkett calls the device a game changer. One that will send shock waves across the globe in the world of medicine.

“Children in the past had to undergo much larger procedures, oftentimes a sternotomy or thoracotomy. The devices were often bigger, and we were sewing patches on the heart or implanting coils," Dr. Plunkett says. "And some of those devices were not as effective as this new technology." 

History-making procedure

"It’s the first of its kind. This implantation is the smallest and youngest child ever to have this device," Dr. Plunkett says. "So that has expanded its application and market in a huge way. Its design initially was for adults or adult-sized patients. The fact we've proven it to be effective and safely implantable in a child this size really expands its application immensely."

Dr. Ferns agrees, hoping the team’s work will get published soon, which helps medical centers across the world learn when and how to perform this procedure.

"It tells the world that we can now use (the EV-ICD) in a smaller child. That's how a lot of pediatric implants or newer technologies happen. It's one or two centers that do it and they publish their results," Dr. Ferns says. "We expect that to be published shortly. There are kids all around the world who sustain cardiac arrests, and they now have this option." 

EV-ICDs are just a “safety net”

“We don't want it to keep shocking a child, because that's no way to grow up. To keep worrying about when your next shock is going to happen," Dr. Ferns says. "So, we monitor these devices constantly. If we see any arrhythmias in the background, despite the medication he's on, we are able to offer him other technologies. Ablative technologies can help modify the substrate, which is the tissue that's responsible for the bad rhythm.” 

Dr. Ferns is in charge of the child’s post-surgery care moving forward. She says Quinidine, a drug that was initially made to treat malaria and now treats irregular heart arrhythmias, was the perfect match for the patient’s condition.

“He has responded exceptionally well to this treatment,” Dr. Ferns adds.

This decision was made after the child’s EV-ICD did its job and went off while at home. His parents had to bring him back to the team at OSF HealthCare, who then had to ensure everything was meshing correctly.

While Dr. Ferns says the patient will forever be “married” to cardiology, she’s confident in the techniques and technology the Electrophysiology (EP) Lab at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center has to treat these patients. The EP Lab manages arrhythmias from unborn fetuses all the way to patients in their 70s with complex congenital heart disease. Technology like contact force sensing and high-density mapping are available, along with many other resources.

If the patient’s symptoms were to worsen as time goes on, Dr. Ferns and her team in the EP Lab have the ability to perform ablations which target any abnormal heart tissue causing the arrhythmia, suppressing the abnormal electrical focus.

The generator of the device is in the axillary region, or the armpit. So as the child gets older and bigger, the strain sometimes found on conventional epicardial leads as a child gets taller is eliminated. The battery of the ICD should last 10-12 years.

Saving the patient’s life started at home

All three doctors say they can’t overemphasize the importance of the parents’ actions at home.

“When we look at the magnitude of this, first we have to go back to the fact this child survived an arrest at home, was successfully resuscitated, was neurologically intact and presented to our hospital," Dr. Plunkett says. 

This leads Dr. Ferns to say learning CPR is one of the most important things someone can do. Especially as kids enter middle and high school age and are involved with high intensity sports.

Another benefit of an EV-ICD is that if/when a patient experiences an arrhythmia, it will notify the congenital heart team in the EP Device Clinic.

"Most arrhythmia syndromes tend to happen at higher levels of activity. Many abnormalities can be detected by a simple noninvasive test such as an electrocardiogram (ECG)," Dr. Ferns says. "Universal screening is not yet common in the United States, but it is a part of the health care system in many European countries." 

Strong family history is a sign to get checked out

Strong family history of sudden cardiac arrest or heart disease is a sign to get seen by a cardiologist. Dr. Ferns recommends starting off with an ECG which she advises doing before kids participate in high intensity athletics. 

To learn more about the Electrophysiology Lab at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, visit the OSF HealthCare website.

Dr. Sunita Ferns Video Interview Clips

Dr. Mark Plunkett Video Interview Clips

Dr. Harma Turbendian Video Interview Clips

If you've ever felt your heart flip flop, skip a beat or feel like it's banging against your chest wall, it could be signs of atrial fibrillation. 

NFL coach Jim Harbaugh knows the feeling all too well. Coaching his San Diego Chargers on October 13, Harbaugh left the sidelines during the first quarter of the Chargers win against the Denver Broncos with arrhythmia, also known as an irregular heartbeat.  An arrhythmia is when the heart beats too fast, too slowly, or is out of sync. Symptoms include palpitations, low blood pressure, shortness of breath and fatigue.

Harbaugh has had similar episodes in the past. He's had a cardiac ablation procedure and says he may need another one for his current situation. 

Cardiac ablation is a procedure where thin wires called catheters are threaded into a blood vessel from the groin and guided to the heart. Radiofrequency (heat) or cryotherapy (cold) treatment is used to destroy the cells causing the arrhythmia. Once the abnormal electrical signals are interrupted the normal heart rhythm can take over again.

Farhad Farokhi, DO, is an adult cardiac electrophysiologist with the OSF Cardiovascular Institute, who treats patients with Afib on a daily basis. He says medication can be the first line of defense when it comes to treating Afib, but sometimes medication doesn’t work or cardiac ablation may be deemed the most effective method of treatment.

Dr. Farokhi says the procedure has become more common among both men and women, even children who experience Afib.

“The first thing we do is talk to the patient, get a history and see what kind of symptoms the patient experiences, and then document the abnormal rhythm with an EKG or longer-term heart rhythm monitors," says Dr. Farokhi. "We look at 24 hours, 48 hours to one week, two weeks or a month to document what kind of rhythm the patient has, and then we can correlate the rhythm with their symptoms. Then we can prescribe medications, or we can discuss and consider the option of cardiac ablation.”

A successful outcome depends on the type of arrhythmia, any abnormality within the heart chamber, the patient’s age and other irregularities the patient may have such as congestive heart failure or high blood pressure.

Within a few weeks after surgery, the patient should experience significant improvement.

“The patient will feel better, they won’t have as much palpitation or fatigue, or shortness of breath," says Dr. Farokhi. "The heart will function more efficiently and long term the patient is going to feel better and have less chance of having heart rhythm issues or other heart complications. There is a significant benefit in terms of a patient’s ability to exercise, having a better lifestyle and being on fewer medications.”

The procedure takes anywhere from one to three hours. With any procedure there are potential risks including bleeding, infection and blood clots.

According to Dr. Farokhi, advancement in technology has also helped improve the cardiac ablation procedure.

“Technology has significantly changed. We now have very sophisticated mapping systems and ablations to treat abnormal rhythms. And it is very promising that in the near future, we can do very complex, abnormal rhythms with almost no risk of complications.”

Dr. Farokhi adds that if you experience any heart-related symptoms, do not delay and seek help immediately. That's what Harbaugh did. He left the sidelines and was checked out by medical staff before returning to the game. Now, he will wear a heart monitor for the next two weeks. 

“When patients experience palpitations or abnormal sensations in their chest they should seek medical attention, talk to a doctor and do not minimize their symptoms because with any abnormal rhythm if they're diagnosed earlier, and treated earlier, you have a higher success rate with less chance of complications," adds Dr. Farokhi. 

For more information, visit OSF HealthCare. 


 

Interview Clips 

“He wasn’t able to do this before,” Burk’s wife Gloria whispers as Michael walked unassisted into OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois, to talk about the most recent heart procedure that changed his life: a dual leadless pacemaker.

Old vs. new

Pacemakers work to pace a slow heartbeat, which left unchecked can cause fatigue, shortness of breath and fainting. A typical pacemaker includes the battery and circuitry in a device about the size of a Post-it note that’s implanted in the upper chest. Two wires – called leads – wind their way to the heart. One is typically in the right atrium, and the other ends in the right ventricle.

“That type of pacemaker works very well, but there are limitations,” says Michael Broman, PhD, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at OSF Heart of Mary who performed Burk’s procedure. “You have a bump here [on the chest]. There’s a scar involved with having the battery placed. Having leads in veins can also cause problems. You can get vein obstructions. Infections can occur.”

Luckily, Dr. Broman says pacemaker technology is evolving yearly. Dual leadless pacemakers, using technology from Abbott, can be an answer to some of the challenges of a traditional pacemaker. It means another option for patients, too. In downstate Illinois, OSF Heart of Mary is the only hospital implanting dual leadless pacemakers outside of a medical trial.

“No battery in the chest. No scar on the chest,” Dr. Broman explains. “Instead, we deploy the system into the leg veins. We use a catheter to deliver very small batteries – about the size of pen caps. One of them sits inside the heart in the right ventricle. The other sits in the right atrium.”

“I was positive about it,” Burk says, recalling when Dr. Broman suggested he try this new option.

Dr. Broman says the devices last 15 to 20 years, longer than the traditional option (also called a transvenous pacemaker). Infection risk is lower, and the devices can communicate with each other within the person and an outside computer that programs the pacemakers.

“The top device says ‘I’m pacing now, and I want you to pace 30 or 40 milliseconds later’ or whatever the interval is,” Dr. Broman says. “They talk to each other and tell each other what to do.”

Dual leadless pacemaker patients typically have to spend the night in the hospital to allow things to heal. But afterward, they have less post-surgery restrictions. No running, jumping or heavy lifting for a couple days instead of weeks.

On the horizon

Dr. Broman says someone who simply has a slow heartbeat can be a candidate for a dual leadless pacemaker. If you have a slow heartbeat and your weak heart can’t pump blood properly, you’d likely need a traditional system.

Still, Dr. Broman recognizes that this is a major advancement in heart care. It’s technology he says electrophysiologists have been waiting for for decades.

“This is just the beginning,” he says. “We’re going to have more cardiac technologies that involve this type of wireless and small devices that fit inside the heart instead of big, bulky devices outside the heart. I’m very excited to see what the future brings.”

It's a problem worth solving, adds Dr. Broman, who notes he does at least two or three pacemaker procedures a week. Americans are living longer, exposing more of them to age-related heart disturbances. There’s not much to do about it aside from daily healthy habits. This leads to medical intervention.

Burk today

After taking part in cardiac rehabilitation at OSF Heart of Mary, Burk now continues his recovery at home.

“It cleared up my balance. I wouldn’t stand up and feel faint,” Burk says. “As it was explained to me, these pacemaker [devices] stimulated the bottom of my heart and increased oxygen flow. That makes me capable of walking a lot better. It’ll improve as time goes on.”

Burk worked for a quarter-century as a railroad car inspector before slowing down in retirement. What’s he looking forward to now with his new lease on life? Taking a train to Portland, Oregon, where he lived for a few years as a child.

“I’ll take what comes in life,” he says with a smile.

Learn more

Read more about keeping your heart healthy on the OSF HealthCare website.

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Heart valve disease, which happens when one or more of your heart valves don’t work properly, is becoming an increasing problem among older adults.

According to the American College of Cardiology, every year about five million people in the country are diagnosed with valvular heart disease (VHD), with nearly 25,000 people dying from it.

February 22 is National Heart Valve Disease Awareness Day, a day during American Heart Month to raise awareness of the risks, symptoms and treatment options available for patients.

“Valvular heart disease is an important issue to recognize and treat, given the repercussions they may have for patients’ health," says Dr. Alejandro Aquino, a structural heart specialist with OSF Cardiovascular Institute. "We currently estimate more than 2% of patients have some degree of valvular heart disease, and it’s a growing problem and a problem that we understand is unrecognized and undertreated.”

Anyone can experience a heart valve issue and the risk increases as you get older. You may be at a greater risk if you’ve had a heart attack or heart failure, or have a risk for coronary heart disease.

“There are four valves in the heart," says Dr. Aquino. "The tricuspid valve, pulmonic valve, mitral valve, and aortic valve. And they function as one way doors keeping the blood going from chamber to chamber as it returns from the body, travels to the lungs to exchange for oxygen, and then returns to the heart and then ultimately is pumped to the body to deliver oxygen to all the tissues.”
 

HVD can develop quickly or over a long time. Symptoms may include:

·         Shortness of breath

·         Chest pain

·         Fatigue

·         Dizziness or fainting

·         Fever

·         Rapid weight gain

·         Irregular heartbeat

“Oftentimes, these changes are subtle, and the first people to notice are actually the patients' families," says Dr. Aquino.  "And when they come to visit they might be the person to say ‘hey, you know my dad or mom is not quite moving as well as they did six months ago, or last time I saw them. They were doing a lot more around the house or a lot more for fun or going out of the house for hobbies.’ So, again, it’s important to recognize that some of these symptoms can be quite subtle. Often a lot of my patients come and they say ‘well, I thought I was just getting older.’ When in reality it is their valve encroaching on their ability to do certain activities.”

HVD is treated either by medication or if it’s causing severe symptoms, surgery may be the better option. Dr. Aquino says recent advancements have given patients the option of replacing a valve by catheter instead of surgery. He adds that it’s best to be seen by a cardiologist to make those determinations.

"From my personal perspective, I think the earlier is better," says Dr. Aquino. "Most of my patients or a lot of patients that are referred to me have only mild or moderate forms of valvular heart disease. However, it's important for them to recognize exactly what's going on with their heart. And it's important for us to establish a surveillance plan so that when the time comes for there to be a fix, the patient is fully engaged and understands the process.”

The bottom line is to listen to your body. If you notice or experience any abnormal symptoms, contact your physician as soon as possible.

“The most important message is awareness," says Dr. Aquino. "Awareness of the prevalence of valvular heart disease, awareness of the important repercussions they may have to your health, of the importance of being tied into a cardiovascular specialist to perform initial evaluation and determine an appropriate surveillance or treatment plan. If you have any concerns, please contact your primary care provider.”

For more information on heart care, visit OSF HealthCare. 


 

Interview Clips 

A new era of advanced cardiology care is on the horizon for patients at OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, Ill.

"As a cornerstone of this community for the past 90 years, we recognize the profound importance of providing comprehensive care to our heart and vascular patients. Collaborating closely with the esteemed team at Consultants in Cardiology & Electrophysiology, we've observed a growing demand for specialized treatment addressing electrical heart concerns," remarked Kathleen Kinsella, President of OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center. "In alignment with our unwavering commitment to serving our community, we have embarked on the development of a cutting-edge facility tailored specifically to address these evolving needs in cardiology."

Within our state-of-the-art electrophysiology (EP) lab, our expert physicians will harness precision equipment to diagnose and treat a spectrum of heart rhythm disorders. This dedicated space will feature top-tier technology from industry leaders such as Phillips, Biosense Webster, and Boston Scientific. Among the offerings will be the world's most advanced cardiac mapping systems, empowering our specialists to effectively manage complex heart arrhythmias, including Atrial Fibrillation and Ventricular Tachycardia.

"We are proud to unveil a world-class facility designed to address heart rhythm disorders with unparalleled precision and care," affirmed Dr. William Spear, lead electrophysiologist at OSF Little Company of Mary. "The introduction of advanced technology and equipment within this dedicated EP lab marks a transformative milestone in how we deliver care to our patients in the south suburbs."

These resources are indispensable to our community, as individuals experiencing abnormal heart rhythms may require timely intervention to mitigate risks and improve outcomes.

"In addition to the EP lab, we have established a dedicated prep and recovery area adjacent to the lab, ensuring seamless transition and immediate post-procedure care for our patients," noted Tracy Jendruczek, Vice President of Surgical and Procedural Services. “Depending on the procedure being performed and the patient’s overall status, a patient may have an overnight stay but our goal is to discharge patients the same day whenever possible."

This specialized lab will offer a comprehensive range of procedures, including ablation techniques and device interventions, all tailored to optimize heart rhythm management and enhance patient well-being.

Kathleen Kinsella Video Interview Clips

Tracy Jendruczek Video Interview Clips

Electrophysiology Lab B-Roll

Electrophysiology Lab images

It’s no secret that walking is good for you. In fact, medical experts say it’s better than running. Walking improves fitness, reduces pain, eases depression and fatigue, and helps with circulation and posture, and more.

It’s especially good for older adults.

According to a study published in the journal Circulation, older adults who walk three to four miles a day — 6,000 to 9,000 steps — are 40 to 50% less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke than those who walk a mile (2,000 steps) a day.

This study focused on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and the findings were the result of eight studies using data from 20,000 people in the United States and 42 other countries. Their average age was 63 with 52% being women.

For years, the targeted goal was 10,000 steps, which originated in the 1960s from a marketing campaign to promote the Tokyo Olympics. While the American Heart Association still recommends 10,000 steps a day, the organization says that just a mile of walking can also provide health benefits.

For people 60 and older, the more steps taken, the lower their risk for CVD. The study found no connection between steps taken and the risk of CVD in younger adults.

“Heart health or cardiovascular risk increases as we age," says Nancy Dagefoerde, a nurse practitioner with OSF Cardiovascular Institute. "So, if a person is sedentary, they're adding to that risk, and it's also important for balance and movement in general and just overall health and reduction of health problems. That's why it is especially important for older people.”

If 6,000 steps still seems like a lot, don’t worry. Dagefoerde says the important thing is to get started and work your way up gradually. 

“If you start at 2,000, and you just start adding on 1,000 steps, you're showing health benefit, which I think is really important because many people can’t do that many steps in a day for several reasons," says Dagefoerde. 

You can choose between a slow walk and a more brisk pace. Dagefoerde says the benefit of walking slowly is it burns more calories and is easier on the joints. Brisk walking helps fight developing heart disease, cancer and dementia.

And if walking isn’t your thing, don't sweat it. Dagefoerde recommends other exercises that are just as helpful including water programs, dance classes, chair exercises, using a recumbent bike or try walking in place indoors.

“During an hour-long TV show, there's 20 minutes of commercials, and they're three to four minutes at a time," says Dagefoerde. "So, if you can't do a lot of walking at once, get up and walk for those three-to-four-minute intervals, then you’re getting some activity in.”

The bottom line is to get moving. Start by having a conversation with your doctor about the best way to begin any type of walking program. 

“Do small amounts. It doesn't have to be a great deal," says Dagefoerde. "Many people think if they can't do a half hours or 45 minutes at once, they might as well not exercise, but you can actually break it up into three 15-minute workouts or three 15-minute walks. Even if you're working, you can take a 15- minute break and do a little now and a little more later. Something is better than nothing.”

For more information about leading a healthier lifestyle, visit OSF HealthCare. 


 

Interview Clips 

B-Roll

The National Institute on Aging says people age 65 and older are at a higher risk for heart attack, stroke, coronary artery disease and heart failure. Now is the perfect time for people 65+ and their caregivers to arm themselves with the information and supplies needed to keep their heart healthy.

Karen Whitehorn, MD, is an internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare. Of the many risk factors for heart issues in older people, she points to blood pressure as a big one to watch. Dr. Whitehorn says a healthy blood pressure reading is 130/80 and below.

“If you’re on medication, take your medicine every day,” to keep your blood pressure normal, Dr. Whitehorn says. “Exercise and eat healthy. You want a diet that’s low in sodium and processed food. You want fruits, vegetables, fresh whole grains and lean proteins like turkey, chicken and lean pork.”

An annual physical exam is critical, too.

On exercise, Dr. Whitehorn admits mobility may be an issue for older people. She recommends checking with a health care provider like a physical therapist to see what exercises are right for you. Some workouts can be done sitting down. Low-impact cardio like walking is an option.

“But if any exercises hurt, don’t do them,” Dr. Whitehorn warns. “If you walk too far and you’re having pain, stop walking. You might not want to walk every single day.”

Dr. Whitehorn says if you have high blood pressure, check it at least once a day at home. Ask your health care provider what type of home blood pressure kit is best. If you don’t have high blood pressure, check it every six months. Your provider should also check your blood pressure when you have an appointment. But Dr. Whitehorn says don’t worry if that reading is a little high.

“People get nervous just seeing the doctor. They’re already a little upset because they have to come to the doctor,” Dr. Whitehorn says of the phenomenon known as white coat syndrome. “So when you take their blood pressure, it goes up. Normally, the nurse takes the blood pressure first. Then, after the person has been resting for a while, the doctor takes it again. It usually comes down.”

Other symptoms of heart issues include shortness of breath, chest pain and dizziness. Someone experiencing a heart attack might suffer nausea and neck, arm or shoulder pain. If you experience these symptoms, call 9-1-1 right away.

Your doctor may order a stress test to get a better idea if your symptoms are indeed due to a heart problem. Dr. Whitehorn says one type of stress test puts you on a treadmill while your heart rhythm is monitored.

“If the rhythm is abnormal, it might indicate there’s a problem with your heart,” Dr. Whitehorn says.

For people who can’t tolerate walking or jogging on a treadmill, there is medicine to safely increase their heart rate while a health care provider monitors.

If the results of the stress test warrant further examination, a doctor will perform a cardiac catheterization. They will insert a catheter, usually through the groin, and send it up to your heart to take images using contrast dye. This will show if any of your arteries are narrow and what steps the provider will take next, short term and long term.

Learn more about heart care on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips

B-roll

A survivor of a 2019 heart attack, Randy Isham was already on notice.

But Randy and his wife Dawn, retirees in Mansfield, Illinois, couldn’t predict the chaotic events of May 24, 2023. An ambulance took Randy to OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in nearby Urbana, and the man was soon fighting for his life due to a second heart attack.

“I’m glad to be alive,” Randy puts it plainly.

The Ishams and their OSF care team have now joined the chorus of heart health advocates, urging others to know when everyday exhaustion or dehydration is something more serious, especially if you have a history of heart issues.

From garage to gurney

On May 24, Randy was assembling a table in the garage when he began to feel weak but had no pain.

“When I touched his arm, it was a cold sweat,” Dawn recalls. “That’s when I got concerned that this didn’t seem right. Let’s call 9-1-1.”

It was in the ambulance that first responders determined Randy was having a heart attack. That’s when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart is narrowed or blocked. Heart cells begin to suffer damage and die, and the heart no longer works how it should. Serious, life-long health issues or even death can result.

Randy coded at the hospital, adding to the urgency.

“It means there is no pulse. The heart stops. There is no blood reaching the brain and the whole body,” explains Tariq Enezate, MD, one of Randy’s OSF cardiologists. “When that happens, you need to know why and act fast.”

As the hospital pastoral care team and other Mission Partners (employees) kept Dawn informed, Randy was fighting for his life. He was without a pulse for 20 minutes, Dawn says, before Dr. Enezate’s team was able to revive him. Along the way, they removed a blood clot stemming from plaque buildup that they believe was the source of the heart attack. They then put in a stent. Randy is up to three stents, he points out, after his 2019 heart attack. It’s something he can speak about with relative ease now, but the nine-day hospital stay was no laughing matter.

“It could have gone either way,” Dawn says. “They wanted me to call the family in.”

Dr. Enezate describes the scene: “I had to go inside his heart while they were doing chest compressions. I was able to open [the blocked area in] his heart. At that moment, blood flow started back to the heart, and his pulse came back.

“Minutes mean muscle,” during heart attacks, Dr. Enezate adds. “The faster you restore flow in the artery and put a stent in, it’s better for the patient. It relieves their pain. It decreases the risk of complications.”

Lessons learned

Dr. Enezate calls Randy his miracle patient, and the Ishams agree.

“It was lucky he made it,” Dr. Enezate says. “I think the fact he came in early helped him.

“When we saw him coming back, that moment I can’t describe. It’s worth the world for all of us,” he adds.

Dr. Enezate’s affirmations “just gave me a nice warm feeling,” Randy says.

“Everybody there treated me like I was the only patient they had,” he adds, noting daily visits from Pastor Dave Jassman gave the couple strength.

Randy is back at home, doing well and receiving care typical for people who have suffered a major heart event, like therapy through OSF Home Care and cardiac rehabilitation. And he and Dawn are back at the healthy lifestyles that became the norm after Randy’s 2019 heart attack. Exercise is good, but no long work periods in the summer heat, for example. You’ll find Dawn cooking fish instead of steak. A tough, but necessary adjustment, Randy chuckles. Recipes from the American Heart Association also help.

“I used to think I was invincible, but I realize I’m not anymore,” Randy says.

The Ishams are also urging others to research trusted sources and learn not just the signs of a heart attack, but how to tell the difference between those signs and everyday pain like Randy thought he had on May 24. And don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1 when something is wrong.

“It could save your life,” Dawn says.

Dr. Enezate says the classic symptom of a heart attack is chest pain. Some people describe it as an elephant weighing on their chest. You may also be short of breath, sweat, feel anxious or feel like you’re going to pass out. Or you may have no warning signs, and suddenly you’ve collapsed.

“If you have symptoms and you’re not sure why, call [a health care provider] for advice,” Dr. Enezate advises.

What about prevention for people who’ve had a heart attack?

Practice healthy habits, Dr. Enezate says. Don’t smoke. Take medication as directed by your provider. Control risk factors like diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol. Exercise and eat right.

Learn more

Read more about how to care for your heart on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips - Dawn and Randy Isham

B-roll

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Según un estudio publicado en Journal Pediatrics, la obesidad precoz puede provocar problemas de salud física y mental a lo largo de toda la vida.

Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), la obesidad infantil se ha más que triplicado desde los años setenta debido a una alimentación poco saludable y a la escasa actividad física. Este aumento debe servir también como recordatorio a los padres de realizar controles de colesterol a sus hijos. Los CDC recomiendan que los niños y los adolescentes se realicen un control del colesterol al menos una vez entre los 9 y los 11 años, y de nuevo entre los 17 y los 21 años.

¿Qué es el colesterol?

"El colesterol es una de las moléculas que, en cantidades limitadas, es esencial para que el cuerpo humano produzca células", explica el Dr. Frank Han, pediatra cardiólogo de OSF HealthCare. "En cantidades mayores a las necesarias, podría aumentar el riesgo futuro de enfermedad de las arterias coronarias o cardiopatía isquémica en niños y futuros adultos".

Comparación entre colesterol bueno y colesterol malo

"Existe cierta influencia de lo que comemos en nuestras cifras de colesterol", afirma el Dr. Han. "La idea general de lo que es colesterol bueno y colesterol malo es la siguiente: HDL se considera el colesterol bueno y LDL, el malo o no saludable. La idea general a la que podemos llegar es que hay que seguir una dieta sana para el corazón".

Una dieta sana para el corazón consiste en comer frutas y verduras variadas todos los días. Elija alimentos que contengan principalmente cereales integrales en lugar de refinados. Reduzca el consumo de alimentos ricos en grasas y procesados, y consuma más alimentos preparados por usted mismo y que contengan grasas más saludables.  Puede leer más sobre cómo mantener una dieta sana para el corazón aquí. 

El Grupo de Trabajo de Servicios Preventivos de Estados Unidos (USPSTF) publica directrices sobre el colesterol para la atención preventiva. Los resultados más recientes se publicaron en julio de 2023, y los anteriores, en 2016.

"Comentaron que necesitaban más investigaciones para determinar si los controles rutinarios del colesterol en niños aportan beneficios a largo plazo", afirma el Dr. Han.

Según las orientaciones del USPSTF, los controles de colesterol son beneficiosos para los niños que tienen otras afecciones médicas, como colesterol alto hereditario, señala el Dr. Han.

¿Cuándo es el momento de consultar a un cardiólogo acerca de su colesterol?

El Dr. Han comenta que el médico de cabecera deriva a los niños al cardiólogo.

"Cuando esos pacientes están en nuestro consultorio, nos aseguramos de que estén bien informados sobre lo que implica una dieta saludable y ejercicio", indica el Dr. Han. "Luego, si el niño lo necesita, con o sin la ayuda de nuestros colegas de la oficina de Healthy Kids University, o de un nutricionista, podemos trabajar para mejorar sus hábitos de estilo de vida".

Además de mantener una dieta sana para el corazón, el Dr. Han recomienda que los niños adopten el ejercicio físico como hábito diario con una actividad que les guste.

Vídeos de entrevistas

Con la vuelta a la escuela, los consultorios médicos se llenan de niños que necesitan chequeos, vacunas y, en algunos casos, chequeos cardíacos.  

Esto se da especialmente en el caso de los deportistas, según el Dr. Frank Han, pediatra cardiólogo de OSF HealthCare.  

"Cada vez que los estudiantes regresan a la escuela, es necesario realizar chequeos cardíacos para ayudar a detectar problemas cardíacos en los niños", afirma el Dr. Han.   

Los Institutos Nacionales de la Salud (NIH) efectuaron una evaluación de 10 años sobre la muerte súbita durante actividades deportivas.  El objetivo era caracterizar los datos demográficos y las causas de la muerte súbita cardíaca durante la práctica deportiva en Australia.  Se realizaron casi 20 000 autopsias entre 2006 y 2015.  La mayoría de las muertes fueron de adultos.  

Los resultados mostraron que la reducida cifra de niños que murieron por afecciones cardíacas eran arritmogénicos o presuntamente arritmogénicos, es decir, que producían o eran propensos a producir arritmia cardíaca.  O bien los niños padecían cardiomiopatías hereditarias, una enfermedad adquirida o hereditaria del músculo cardíaco.  

Por eso, el Dr. Han recomienda a los padres que hablen con los pediatras de sus hijos para asegurarse de que están al tanto de si sus hijos padecen alguna cardiopatía.  Si el pediatra intuye que el niño quizá tenga un problema, le recomendará que lo examine un cardiólogo para una evaluación más exhaustiva.  

"La evaluación general para empezar es un electrocardiograma en el consultorio de atención primaria.  Después de eso, junto con una revisión de los antecedentes familiares, se puede recomendar un ecocardiograma o una prueba de esfuerzo para determinar si hay algún problema en las válvulas cardíacas o si el músculo cardíaco es demasiado grueso", explica el Dr. Han.  "Uno de los principales fines de la prueba de esfuerzo es intentar simular el ejercicio más intenso que podría hacer esa persona.  Posteriormente, reuniremos toda la información en nuestra visita para averiguar si hay algún problema."   

Aunque puede ser difícil, sobre todo para los niños más pequeños, conocer los signos de una afección cardíaca, es importante prestar atención si creen que algo no es normal.   

"Pueden decir cosas como que les 'pita el pecho' o que les 'late con fuerza el pecho'. En el caso de los niños mayores, pueden dar descripciones muy variadas; por ejemplo, que les cuesta hacer ejercicio. Esto puede manifestarse como dolor de pecho, dificultad para respirar o fuertes palpitaciones, sobre todo al hacer ejercicio", explica el Dr. Han.  

El Dr. Han señala que no todas las cardiopatías se detectan cuando la persona es joven.   

"Algunas cardiopatías congénitas no se manifiestan de niño, como las cardiopatías genéticas, que pueden aparecer a una edad más avanzada", afirma.  "El electrocardiograma y la ecografía del corazón están diseñados para detectarlas si aparecen a una edad más avanzada".  

El Dr. Han agrega que es muy importante conocer los antecedentes médicos de la familia.  Si en su familia hay antecedentes de afecciones cardíacas, él recomienda hablar con su médico de cabecera y, en caso necesario, someterse a un chequeo cardiológico. 

Vídeos de entrevistas

Obesity early in life can lead to life-long physical and mental health challenges, according to a study in Journal Pediatrics.

This comes as childhood obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s, due to unhealthy eating and low amounts of physical activity, says the World Health Organization (WHO). This increase should also serve as a reminder for parents to get their children’s cholesterol checked. The CDC recommends children and adolescents should have their cholesterol checked at least once between ages nine and 11 and again between ages 17 and 21.

What is Cholesterol?

“Cholesterol is one of the molecules that, in limited quantities, is essential for the human body to make cells,” says Frank Han, MD, a pediatric cardiologist with OSF HealthCare. “In larger quantities it has the potential to increase the future risk of heart artery disease or coronary artery disease in kids and future adults.”

Healthy cholesterol vs. unhealthy cholesterol

“There is some influence on your cholesterol numbers from what you eat,” Dr. Han says. “The general idea of what’s healthy cholesterol and what’s bad cholesterol is: HDL is considered the healthy cholesterol and LDL is considered the unhealthy or bad cholesterol. The general idea that people can take home is to have a heart-healthy diet.”

A few things a heart-healthy diet consists of eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Choose foods with mostly whole grains rather than refined grains. Cut back on high fat and processed foods and eat more foods you prepared yourself, and foods containing healthier fats.  You can read more about maintaining a heart-healthy diet here. 

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) releases cholesterol guidelines for preventive care. The most recent results were released in July 2023, and 2016 before that.

“They commented on how they need more research to determine if routine cholesterol screenings for kids derive benefits in the long-term,” Dr. Han says.

Guidance from the USPSTF has suggested cholesterol screenings are beneficial for kids who have other medical conditions like family-inherited high cholesterol, Dr. Han says.

When is it time to see a cardiologist about your cholesterol?

Dr. Han says kids are referred to cardiologists by their primary care provider.

“When we have those patients in our office, we’ll make sure they’re well-informed about what a healthy diet and exercise looks like,” Dr. Han says. “Then, should the child need it, with or without the assistance of our colleagues in the Healthy Kids University office, or a dietitian, we can work on improving their lifestyle habits.”

Along with maintaining a heart-healthy diet, Dr. Han recommends kids make physical activity a daily habit with an activity they enjoy.

Video Interview Clips

As children go back to school, doctors’ offices are filled with kids needing check-ups, immunizations, and in some cases, heart screenings.

This is particularly the case for athletes, according to Frank Han, MD, pediatric cardiologist with OSF HealthCare.

“Every time people go back to school, there is a need for heart screenings to help look for heart problems in children,” Dr. Han says.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted a 10-year review of sudden death during sporting activities. The objective was to characterize the demographics and causes of sudden cardiac death during sports played in Australia. Nearly 20,000 autopsies were conducted between 2006 and 2015. Most deaths were from adults.

The findings showed the small number of children who died from heart conditions either were arrhythmogenic or presumed arrhythmogenic, producing or tending to produce cardiac arrhythmia. Or the kids had inherited cardiomyopathies, an acquired or hereditary disease of the heart muscle.

That’s why Dr. Han recommends parents speak to their children’s pediatricians to make sure they’re aware if their child has a heart condition. If the pediatrician senses the child may have a problem, they’ll recommend they be seen by a cardiologist for further evaluation.

“The general screening to start off is an EKG in the primary care office. After that, along with an assessment of family history, that person may be referred for an echocardiogram or a stress test to see if there’s any issues in the heart valves, or if the heart muscle is too thick,” Dr. Han says. “One of the major uses of the exercise stress test is to try and simulate the hardest possible exercise that person might do. Then we will put all the information together in our visit to figure out if there is an issue.”

While it can be hard, especially for younger children, to know the signs of a heart condition, it’s important to listen if they think something feels unusual.

“They may say things like their chest is ‘beeping,’ or their chest is ‘pounding.’ In older children, they may give you a variety of descriptions, that there’s some difficulty with exercise. This can be chest pain, shortness of breath, or their heart is pounding, particularly when they exercise,” Dr. Han says.

Dr. Han says all heart conditions aren’t caught when the person is younger.

“Some heart conditions that you’re born with don’t really show up as a kid, like genetic conditions of the heart that may show up at a later age,” he says. “The electrocardiogram and ultrasound of the heart are designed to pick that up if it shows up later in age.”

Dr. Han adds it’s very important to know your family health history. If your family has a history of heart conditions, he recommends speaking with your primary care provider and potentially being screened by a cardiologist.

Spanish version here: 

Video Interview Clips

Starting this year, OSF began offering the Alterra Pre Stent to patients in Peoria. The FDA-approved valve consists of a catheter-based stent (called Alterra), an artificial heart valve (SAPIEN 3) and the opportunity to implant the stent and valve without the need for open-heart surgery.

Priti Patel, MD, is the director of the Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory for OSF HealthCare. She says this new technology will expand peoples’ lives and enhance their quality of life.

“The advantage of the procedure is that the patient is up and awake, walking around after six hours. They get to go home the next day,” Dr. Patel says. “With open-heart surgery, they are in the hospital for a longer period of time, and they have to recover from the sternotomy. Here, there is no recovery. There are no stitches in the groin, and they are going back to school or work the following day.”

The abovementioned sternotomy is a procedure where a surgical incision is made through the breastbone (sternum) to access the thoracic cavity for open-heart surgery.

“The goal is to prevent repeated open-heart surgeries. The more sternotomies and open-heart surgeries they have, the more risk they have each time. With this, you can prevent that from happening,” Dr. Patel adds. “You can do the procedure and see the results right away. The patients feel good when they wake up, because it is easy to breathe.”

Dr. Patel says the new pulmonary valve is supposed to last 10 years. This current pulmonary valve that is in place allows you to be ready for another less-invasive procedure when the time comes.

“Now when it’s needed, you can put multiple valves inside it. So, you can get these 40-50 years out without needing any open-heart surgeries,” Dr. Patel says.

Dr. Patel and her team administered four pulmonary valves in patients this spring, with two more procedures planned in August. These procedures happen at the OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois Congenital Heart Center located at OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center. Dr. Patel says these patients come from all across the State of Illinois and can continue their health journey with their care team at OSF. They can perform the procedures on people of all ages.

If you or someone you know could benefit from speaking to a cardiologist, you can find more information here: https://www.osfhealthcare.org/childrens/services/heart/

Pulmonary Valve Photos

Video Interview Clips

B-Roll

Sleep is the “keystone of life.”

That’s how Sarah Zallek, MD, medical director of OSF Sleep in Peoria, Illinois sees it.

“Sleep has to be enough and good quality,” Dr. Zallek says. “For an adult, enough sleep is 7-8 hours. Eight is biological, that’s how we’re programmed. Getting six and fewer hours of sleep has significant risk.”

For kids, Dr. Zallek says the amount of sleep needed changes by age.

“Babies need 16-17 hours a day. Toddlers need 14 hours, but by the time they’re 6 years old and out of kindergarten, kids shouldn’t be sleepy at all during the daytime. They should be exquisitely awake and sleep 12 hours a night,” Dr. Zallek says. “A 10-year-old needs about 10 hours of sleep. Teenagers need between 8-10 hours of sleep a night.”

Consistently failing to sleep enough can lead to a variety of health problems. One in particular is heart disease. Frank Han, MD, a cardiologist with OSF HealthCare who specializes in pediatric and adult congenital heart disease says heart disease isn’t something that happens overnight, but over time.

“The link mainly comes in when you don’t have enough sleep. It then triggers some of the stress hormones of the body,” Dr. Han says. “If you’re changing your sleep schedule a lot, that can mess around with your circadian rhythm.”

Another problem is an increase in inflammation in the body.

“Inflammation causes all sorts of things, including heart disease,” Dr. Zallek says.

The plethora of health problems can be caused by a wide variety of daily choices we make. Dr. Zallek says caffeine can keep you from sleeping. Both Dr. Zallek and Dr. Han say screen time before bed needs to be avoided.

“Don’t play your computer games right before you go to sleep. Don’t have a TV inside your room,” Dr. Han says.

Some people use alcohol to help put them to sleep. Dr. Zallek says while an alcoholic drink can make you sleepy, there are negative consequences to your sleep schedule as well.

“The trick with alcohol is that it wakes you up in the second half of the night. Even if you’re not aware of it, you’ll have less good-quality sleep with alcohol on board,” Dr. Zallek says.

Getting a bad night’s sleep isn’t just sleeping too little, it can also be sleeping too much. But if you are sleeping less than six hours a night, you’re at a greater risk for heart disease, Dr. Zallek says.

“I like to think of six as the magic number,” Dr. Zallek says. “And fewer than five hours of sleep almost doubles the risk of coronary artery disease.”

For some people who work the night shift, sleeping eight hours straight is extremely difficult. Dr. Zallek says if you do need to work on a “split sleep” schedule, that’s still better than only sleeping a few hours a night.

“If you’re awake at night, all sorts of systems in your body expect you to be sleeping and feel funny because you’re awake,” Dr. Zallek says. “So when you’re working a night-shift and your stomach feels funny, you’re hungry when you shouldn’t be, not hungry when you should be or even hungry for the wrong foods, that’s very biological.”

OSF HealthCare providers work hand-in-hand to help people develop good sleeping habits, while focusing on good-quality overall health. If you need to see a health care provider for sleep challenges, visit the OSF Sleep website.

You can also find locations and resources for heart care OSF provides.

Video Interview Clips

TV Package

Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year.

Strokes can have life-altering consequences like vision, walking and swallowing difficulties. They also rank in the top five killers of Americans. For each minute a stroke goes untreated, the brain loses around 2 million cells it cannot recover.

“Getting to the hospital quickly – within four and a half hours of your onset of symptoms – is important,” says Leslie Ingold, a registered nurse and stroke coordinator with OSF HealthCare.

A cutting-edge stroke drug rolled out at OSF HealthCare is already turning the tide for people.

Tenecteplase (TNKase ®) can be used in people experiencing a stroke and who meet certain criteria, such as a specific blood pressure, history of brain bleeds, medications taken at home and how quickly they arrived at the emergency department. TNKase is a clot-busting agent that stands to become the gold standard of this type of care, Ingold says.

“It has a lower cost. It’s something providers can mix much, much quicker,” Ingold says. “And it’s given quickly in an IV push over five to 10 seconds, and we’re done.”

TNKase also does a better job than its predecessor at finding and breaking up clots, and there’s a lower risk of bleeding.

“The quicker we can get oxygen flowing back into that brain tissue, the better recovery the person is going to have,” Ingold says.

Why it’s important

The most common type of stroke, an ischemic stroke (also sometimes called an embolic stroke), is when a clot forms and travels to the brain. When watching for one, remember the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T.

• B is for balance: Watch for sudden loss of balance.
• E is for eyes: Check for vision loss or eyes looking askew.
• F is for face: Look for droopiness or an uneven smile.
• A is for arm: Is one arm weak or numb?
• S is for speech: Watch for slurred, slow speech or no speech. Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.
• T is for time. It’s the conclusion to the checklist. Time to call 9-1-1 if someone has these symptoms, even if they go away.

Another type of stroke, a hemorrhagic stroke, is when a blood vessel breaks and blood seeps into brain tissue. Ingold says hemorrhagic strokes are typically caused by a traumatic injury, like falling and hitting your head. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is also a cause.

For either type, when you arrive at the hospital, a provider will take some pictures of your brain and decide the best treatment option.

Prevention

Up to 80% of strokes are preventable, Ingold says. Prevention goes back to what any doctor will tell you is key for a healthy life: control your blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes through diet and exercise. Avoid tobacco, alcohol and drugs. If you have an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation, see your cardiologist regularly and follow their instructions. And get established with a primary care provider, too.

Ingold says a stroke takes 3.75 years off a person’s life, on average. And if you have a stroke, you have a 25% chance of having another one.

“We always tell people they really need to be on top of their treatment,” Ingold says. “The signs and symptoms of a possible second stroke may not be the same as the first. In fact, they could be completely different. It just depends on what part of the brain the stroke affects.”

Learn more

Read about stroke care on the OSF HealthCare website.

Previous coverage

OSF HealthCare Newsroom stroke stories
OSF HealthCare stroke blogs

Mark Pohl never gets sick. That’s why when he suffered a massive heart attack last year he went into a funk.

“I was depressed and kept thinking, ‘Why me?’ It was an emotional roller coaster.”

But Pohl survived that turbulent time, and thanks to excellent care from his medical team at OSF HealthCare and life-saving technology, he’s getting a second chance at life.

Pohl, who lives in Mendota, Ill., was honored April 25 during a special luncheon hosted by OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and Abiomed, Inc., at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.

A Navy veteran, Pohl was marching in a parade for the VFW in August of 2022, when he began to feel ill and went home. Later, he became unresponsive and his wife, Melody, called 911. Paramedics arrived and performed CPR before rushing Pohl to OSF Saint Paul Medical Center in Mendota. He was then transferred to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford.

“I really don’t remember much,” Pohl says. “Four days later, I woke up at OSF.”  

Pohl’s medical team determined his left anterior descending artery (nicknamed the widowmaker) was 100% blocked. A stent was placed but Pohl needed additional CPR. Once he was stabilized, Dr. Samer Mowakeaa, a cardiologist with OSF Cardiovascular Institute, implanted an Impella CP to allow Pohl’s heart to rest.

“He would not have survived without the support of these technologies that we used,” says Dr. Mowakeaa. “This was a life-threatening condition.”

Developed and manufactured by Abiomed, Impella heart pumps allow the heart to rest and recover by temporarily assisting the pumping function of the heart to efficiently deliver blood and oxygen to the entire body. The Impella has been helping patients in the United States since 2008.

Additional testing revealed that Pohl was also experiencing right heart failure, so Dr. Mowakeaa implanted an Impella RP to provide biventricular support. Two days later, Pohl’s heart function began to improve and eventually the Impella RP and Impella CP were removed.

Pohl spent 11 days in the hospital before he was released. He has returned to work where he manages an office supply company. He also works out several times a week and enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men in the United States. Dr. Mowakeaa says situation’s like Pohl’s should serve as a wakeup call to others.

And Pohl agrees, saying there’s a lesson in the journey he’s traveled. “Don’t give up. Grab the bull by the horn as they say and plow through it.”

Interview Clips 

B-Roll

Christina Reifsteck knows the statistics all too well.

Law enforcement officers may not live as long as people in other professions. The job requires you to be in a constant state of hypervigilance for up to a 12-hour shift. The resulting stress may lead to serious heart issues.

But Reifsteck, a sergeant with the Rantoul, Illinois, police department, her colleagues and OSF HealthCare are trying to change that.

Rantoul police have partnered with OSF HealthCare Occupational Health and OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute to have OSF provide heart screenings and the necessary follow-up appointments for officers.

“We wanted to make sure our officers have a better knowledge of what is going on inside their body,” Reifsteck says. “Sometimes you can’t see the problems.”

For Reifsteck, that need for knowledge played out on a gray February morning at OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois. With monitors attached to her body, she walked, then ran on a treadmill while OSF Mission Partners (employees) observed her heart rate on a screen. It’s known as a stress test.

“The treadmill started out slow, and every couple minutes it got faster, and the incline raised higher,” Reifsteck recalls. “You did feel like at the end you were getting a workout. But it felt fine.”

“With the stress test, we try to identify someone’s functional capacity and if they demonstrate any evidence of impairment of blood flow to the heart,” says Alaa Ujayli, MD, an interventional cardiologist at OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute in Urbana.

Down the hall, Reifsteck got pictures taken of her heart.

“We look at calcification of the coronary arteries, which is the beginning of plaque disease,” Dr. Ujayli says.

Reifsteck got reassuring news that her test results looked good. But a follow-up appointment with a cardiology provider was on her calendar for two days later.

“See where we are and if I need to make some lifestyle changes,” Reifsteck says. “First responders function better when they’re healthy.”

Dr. Ujayli agrees.

“Cardiovascular disease is a preventable illness,” he says. “If we establish preventive measures, we have a significant impact on the progression of the disease.”

Those measures include medication, talking with a dietitian to change eating habits, consistent exercise, better sleep habits and avoiding smoking and alcohol. Mental health care like meditation and visiting a counselor are also helpful for everyone, but especially first responders. More serious heart issues may require a procedure in the hospital.

Learn more about heart care on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips - Sgt. Christina Reifsteck

B-roll

As registered nurses who work with heart patients at OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center, Amy Kumlien and Bridget Penwell are no strangers to sudden cardiac events.

For people on the mend from a heart attack, the likelihood of experiencing a ventricular arrhythmia that could turn into cardiac arrest is greatest in the weeks right after the heart attack.

While cardiac rehabilitation and lifestyle changes lower the risk of a cardiac event, another tool in the arsenal is a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) called LifeVest®, which is manufactured by ZOLL.

“A LifeVest is a wearable defibrillator that people can use to prevent sudden cardiac death," says Kumlien. "They typically have a decreased heart function that puts them at higher risk for this and it will monitor them and if they experienced arrhythmias, it will give them a shock that could save their life.”

A 2019 study of more than 11,000 individuals who were recent heart attack survivors found that in the first year following a heart attack, the death rate was lower among those who wore a WCD compared to those who did not.

“The ideal candidate to wear this vest is any person that has a decreased heart muscle function," says Kumlien.  "So typically, a decreased heart  muscle function is considered anything less than 55% capacity. And these people typically are less than 35% and have experienced near sudden cardiac death. If they have lost consciousness at their home, and survived a lethal rhythm, they would be someone who would also be someone who would be a candidate for it.”

A patient wears a LifeVest 24 hours a day. It includes a garment, an electrode belt, and a monitor that is worn under a patient’s clothes and is only removed when taking a shower. Timing is key. A treatment shock must be delivered within minutes after an event to be effective.  After the shock, if the heartbeat returns to normal, the alarms stop and the LifeVest returns to its normal monitoring mode.

“It's kind of like wearing a seatbelt," says Penwell. "You know you may never use the seatbelt, but it's there for protection in case you need it. If somebody does have a sudden cardiac event, arrhythmia, this life vest will deliver a shock treatment. Just like you see on TV, a defibrillator shocks them out of the lethal rhythm and can save their life.”

Before a patient is fitted with a vest, an echocardiogram will be ordered to assess any decreased heart muscle function. According to Kumlien, if the results are still less than favorable after three months then a permanent defibrillator will be considered. 

While wearing the vest takes some getting used to, especially while sleeping, experts agree the payoff could be immeasurable.

“The vest can save your life," says Penwell. "It may never go off, but all it takes is that one time. If you don't have it on that one time, you may miss out on watching your grandkids grow up.  If it's a little uncomfortable for three months, hang in there, because it’s well worth it.”

Interview Clips 

B-Roll

This collaboration will better serve patients in the community by bringing exceptional medical and surgical specialties closer to home. The affiliation combines a commitment to exceptional care and an expanded, comprehensive network of expert specialty and subspecialty physicians for patients in the area.

The latest collaboration will see Ameera Nauman, MD, a pediatrician at OSF Saint Anthony’s, move into the SSM Health network while continuing to see patients at the OSF Medical Group office in Godfrey. The Godfrey office offers primary care for adults as well as pediatric care. Dr. Nauman will have access to SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, a world-class facility in St. Louis, for emergency and specialty care, such as advanced pediatric diagnostic testing, surgical services and sports care.

“I’m excited to be part of this collaboration that will allow my patients greater access to timely and exceptional care from pediatric specialists who are at the top of their field,” said Dr. Nauman. “Parents can know all of their child’s medical needs are in the hands of well-equipped, premier health professionals.”

“Hospital and health care providers can no longer operate in silos and must be willing to embrace meaningful collaboration that will result in availability of high quality, sustainable health care across their communities,” said Jerry Rumph, president of OSF Saint Anthony’s. “Dr. Nauman will be supported by pediatric specialists in areas including cardiology, oncology, neurology and gastroenterology. This team will have access to the NICU [Neonatal Intensive Care Unit] and a Level I [One] Pediatric Trauma Center at Cardinal Glennon Hospital, where providers are equipped to handle the most complicated and complex cases.”

Jeremy Fotheringham, region president of SSM Health St. Louis and Academics, said, “This collaboration will allow us to better meet the needs of this community while providing value and convenience to our patients. By working together, we further our Mission and Vision to ensure all people have access to the high-quality, personalized care they need.”

OSF Saint Anthony’s and SSM Health are excited about the new affiliation and are currently developing additional opportunities to bring more medical specialties to the greater Riverbend community to enhance and improve the health and wellness of residents. In April, the health systems announced enhanced heart care close to home through the addition of Sridhar Kumar, MD, a cardiologist at SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, who became chief of Cardiology Services at OSF Saint Anthony’s.

B-Roll

As the old adage goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. But the apple may not be alone. A recent study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session indicates two to three cups of coffee could also do the trick.

Researchers compiled ten years of survey data from nearly half a million coffee drinkers, and discovered that drinking coffee – specifically two to three cups a day – is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, heart arrhythmia and also with living longer. This data held true for both people with and without preexisting cardiovascular disease.

“What they found is that for people who drink two to three cups of coffee a day, it either had a neutral effect – meaning it did not cause harm – or 10 to 20% improvement in cardiovascular health: less risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart failure,” explains Dr. Sudhir Mungee, an interventional cardiologist with OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute. 

Dr. Mungee thinks the reason behind these finding lies in the power of the coffee bean. Coffee beans have multiple biologically active compounds, including some that can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which can play a role in cardiovascular health.

“A decrease in inflammation in the body and cardiovascular disease or stroke or heart failure or heart attacks are all related to a state of inflammation. So if there is a biologically active product in coffee beans that reduces oxidative stress, oxidative injury, or reduces inflammation in your body, it probably will have an impact on positive heart health,” Dr. Mungee says.

No matter the coffee type consumed – instant, regular or decaf – the benefits were seen across the board in study participants.

While this data is good news for coffee drinkers, Dr. Mungee says it isn’t a sole reason to start a java habit. He says anyone who gets anxiety, palpitations or insomnia from coffee shouldn’t start drinking it for the sole reason of decreasing their heart disease risk.

“What the study is saying is that if you're a coffee drinker, and if you drink two to three cups of coffee a day, you don't have to stop. Even if you had a heart problem, because they actually looked at people who didn't have a heart problem, it benefited those, and people who had heart problems didn't worsen if they were to take coffee. So I think it's an important message that - okay, don't start it for the wrong reason, but if you're taking it, feel good about it. It's not going to hurt you.”

On top of the natural coffee bean benefits, Dr. Mungee believes there is another factor in the study’s findings. People who drink a moderate amount of two to three cups of coffee a day might have tendencies to do other things in moderation as well.

“Coffee in moderation means you're also doing other things in moderation,” he says. “Moderation in exercise, moderation in how much you eat. So I think there is a subtle message about that lifestyle - how you're taking care of yourself.”

If you have questions about your habits and how they relate to heart health you should speak with your primary care physician, or take the free heart risk assessment at osfhealthcare.org/heart.

Interview Clips - Dr. Sudhir Mungee, Interventional Cardiologist, OSF HealthCare

B-Roll - Dr. Sudhir Mungee