Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
In Lyon County, approximately 139 people die of cardiovascular disease each year.
Dominic Mick Hurley, MD, a cardiologist at Newman Regional Health Cardiology, wants to reduce those numbers and improve quality of life for people in the area through education and intervention.
Its an exciting time for cardiovascular medicine because were seeing a huge change in quality of life and longevity, he said. Newman Regional Cardiology is equipped to provide life-changing and life-saving medications and procedures.
Advancements in treating heart disease
Newman Regional Cardiology offers multiple treatment options for cardiovascular conditions, ranging from coronary and peripheral artery diseases to high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure. In addition to helping patients with lifestyle modifications, the cardiology staff and physicians keep up to date on advancements in medications and procedures to treat heart conditions.
A new group of medications called PCSK9 inhibitors have been shown to dramatically reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and even cause regression of plaque in arteries in up to half of patients. Another class of medications recently developed to treat diabetes, called SGLT2 inhibitors, has been proven to reduce the risk of heart attack and heart failure by more than 30 percent. Both classes of medications are now clinically available and prescribed on an individual basis.
These medication advances are exciting and life-changing, Hurley said. Weve been using the PCSK9 inhibitors more and more during the last couple of years in addition to statin therapy, and the SGLT2 inhibitors during the past year, with a lot of success.
Hurley is board certified in Interventional Cardiology, in addition to Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Diseases, Vascular Medicine and Endovascular Medicine, meaning he is skilled to practice general cardiology as well as the insertion of stents, pacemakers, traditional defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D).
CRT-D is another major cardiovascular advancement that not only saves lives, but improves the quality of lives, Hurley said. Its an implantable device for patients with heart failure that involves insertion of three leads one into the right ventricle and one into the right atrium like a pacemaker, then a third lead onto the outside of the heart through a cardiac vein to the left ventricle. It helps the heart contract synchronously to restore proper cardiac output, plus it has a built-in defibrillator so if the heart does stop, it automatically shocks the heart to restore proper function.
Facilities and personnel make the difference in the quality of care available at Newman Regional Cardiology, Hurley said. The highly advanced Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (Cath Lab), the new Emergency Department and the Clinical Decision Unit (CDU) give patients access to the latest testing and interventions, coordinated in those adjacent units at NRH.
In addition to Dr. Hurley, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, the cardiology team includes skilled and caring nursing staff, respiratory therapists, radiology staff, ECG monitoring technicians and cardiac rehab staff.
Thanks to all of them, we have an excellent regional care center, Hurley said. Patients can have the majority of cardiac needs addressed and treated here, close to home.
However, like many communities our size, Newman does not have the resources for the Cath Lab to be available 24/7. If a patient arrives in the middle of the night with cardiac distress, the physicians and staff are experienced and trained to provide immediate care, and if necessary, to make the decision whether to provide ongoing care at NRH or to transfer the patient via helicopter.
Hurley spends three days a week at the hospital and two days at the clinic, where he provides consultations, testing and monitoring and focuses on developing relationships with patients to help prevent adverse cardiac events.
The clinic is a place where patients can come and feel welcome asking questions, he said. They might simply gain reassurance that their symptoms arent caused by a heart problem. They may need non-invasive testing. We work closely with the primary caregivers in the region to evaluate questions about blood pressure, lipids and cardiac rhythm management.
The hospital benefits from an important additional resource: The Emporia State University School of Nursing.
Hurley said the enthusiasm and energy from nursing students combined with the hospitals experienced staff makes for a better patient experience.
We are fortunate to have the School of Nursing right here, he said. We really have a hidden gem here in Emporia with the constant flow of nursing and allied health students and graduates who are coming into the program to blend with our experienced staff. We truly benefit from the evolution of nursing care, which grows from experience and established methods, infused with new energy, skills and education, which is a real plus for our patients.
Misconceptions about heart health
February is Heart Health Month, so we asked Hurley to dispel some common misconceptions about heart disease.
For example, someone might think that consistently high blood pressure is normal for them, and therefore nothing to worry about. Thats not the case, according to Hurley.
Someone may think My blood pressure always runs in the 150s, thats just me and its OK, but its not, he said. Elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, is a silent disease that can cause problems after being present for years, even decades.
Healthy blood pressure, with rare exceptions, is less than 120 over 80. However, occasional spikes in blood pressure are common, including those related to white coat syndrome, or elevated blood pressure due to anxiety about visiting the doctor.
A person coming to the office may be a little bit nervous about being there, maybe worried that the doctor will find something bad, so the blood pressure is higher than normal, Hurley said. There are ways of sorting out what is really white coat syndrome versus persistent elevated blood pressure.
Tools such as an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart), electrocardiogram (ECG) or home blood pressure monitoring help physicians determine if elevated blood pressure is persistent and dangerous. The danger comes from changes in heart function over time, such as the strength of the heartbeat and the relaxation of the heart muscle.
One of the first changes we see with elevated blood pressure is a problem with relaxation of the heart muscle, Hurley said. Over time, the heart muscle gets thicker and stiffer, which can lead to heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke.
Another misconception is that if someone has a history of heart disease in their family, then they are doomed to experience heart problems or heart failure.
That is not true, Hurley said. We now have interventions, including lifestyle modifications, medications and procedures which can dramatically change that outcome.
The important thing is to recognize your family history, identify risk factors, and know your numbers. They can all be addressed.
Some simple but effective changes people can make on their own to improve heart health include engaging in regular aerobic exercise, reducing salt intake, increasing water intake and losing weight if they are overweight.
If youre overweight, a reduction of weight by 10 percent can significantly reduce blood pressure, Hurley said. Not all of these modifications are easy, but they are simple and effective.
Continued here:
The heart of a hospital | Area News - Emporia Gazette
- Interventional Cardiology Fellowship - Massachusetts General Hospital ... - April 8th, 2018 [April 8th, 2018]
- Dr. Eric Lo - Daytona Beach FL, Interventional Cardiology - April 18th, 2018 [April 18th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Cardiology Associates of East ... - April 19th, 2018 [April 19th, 2018]
- ECU Interventional Cardiology Fellowship - May 26th, 2018 [May 26th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Knoxville Heart Group - June 6th, 2018 [June 6th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology Fellowship - Massachusetts ... - June 14th, 2018 [June 14th, 2018]
- Scottsdale Interventional Forum | Cardiology Conference ... - June 21st, 2018 [June 21st, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology - Terumo Europe - August 12th, 2018 [August 12th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology Fellowship | Cardiovascular Fellowship - September 20th, 2018 [September 20th, 2018]
- Interventional > Cardiovascular Medicine | Internal Medicine ... - September 20th, 2018 [September 20th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology Journal | Peer reviewed Journal - September 24th, 2018 [September 24th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | North Florida Regional Medical ... - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Department of Medicine ... - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Medical City Fort Worth - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Cardiology and Interventional Cardiology | Texas Tech ... - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Invasive & Interventional Cardiology Section | Cleveland Clinic - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology - Crozer-Keystone Health System - PA - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology - Florida Medical Clinic - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Heart Hospital of New Mexico - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | ColumbiaDoctors - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiologist Jobs | Glassdoor - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- What are Invasive, Non-Invasive, and Interventional Cardiology? - October 4th, 2018 [October 4th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology Fellowship | Internal Medicine - October 25th, 2018 [October 25th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Community Health Network - October 25th, 2018 [October 25th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Ohio State Medical Center - October 25th, 2018 [October 25th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | Stanford Health Care - October 25th, 2018 [October 25th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology - Montefiore Medical Center - November 10th, 2018 [November 10th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiologists near Brooklyn, NY - Healthgrades - November 10th, 2018 [November 10th, 2018]
- Cardiac Catheterization | Interventional Cardiology in New ... - November 20th, 2018 [November 20th, 2018]
- What are Invasive, Non-Invasive, and Interventional ... - November 27th, 2018 [November 27th, 2018]
- Dr. Jaffar A Raza - Secaucus NJ, Interventional Cardiology - November 30th, 2018 [November 30th, 2018]
- Interventional cardiology - Wikipedia - December 13th, 2018 [December 13th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology | St. Francis - December 21st, 2018 [December 21st, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiologists near Secaucus, NJ - Healthgrades - December 21st, 2018 [December 21st, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology Conferences & Meetings - December 25th, 2018 [December 25th, 2018]
- Interventional Cardiology - Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital - January 18th, 2019 [January 18th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology - nationwidechildrens.org - January 18th, 2019 [January 18th, 2019]
- General & Interventional Cardiology - WakeMed - January 18th, 2019 [January 18th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology - University of Mississippi Medical ... - January 18th, 2019 [January 18th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiologists in Austin, TX | Austin Heart - February 22nd, 2019 [February 22nd, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology | Sutter Health - February 22nd, 2019 [February 22nd, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology - St. Mary's Hospital and Health ... - February 22nd, 2019 [February 22nd, 2019]
- London & Milan - Cardiology Fellowships - February 22nd, 2019 [February 22nd, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology | Saint Luke's Health System - February 22nd, 2019 [February 22nd, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology | American Medical Association - February 22nd, 2019 [February 22nd, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology | Piedmont Heart Institute ... - March 12th, 2019 [March 12th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology | UCSF Cardiology - March 18th, 2019 [March 18th, 2019]
- If You Are Referred to an Interventional Cardiologist - April 1st, 2019 [April 1st, 2019]
- Cardiology and Interventional Medicine | Veterinary ... - April 5th, 2019 [April 5th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology | AdventHealth Cardiovascular ... - May 11th, 2019 [May 11th, 2019]
- APSIC - Asian Pacific Society of Interventional Cardiology - May 13th, 2019 [May 13th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology | UNC REX Healthcare | Raleigh ... - May 20th, 2019 [May 20th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology - montefiore.org - May 20th, 2019 [May 20th, 2019]
- Women and heart health: Heart attack signs and symptoms to know about - The Indian Express - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Tiara for Treatment of Mitral Regurgitation and Neovasc Reducer for Treatment of Refractory Angina to be Featured at TCT 2019 Conference - Canada... - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- TherOx to Present on SuperSaturated Oxygen (SSO2) at TCT2019 Next Week - BioSpace - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Too tired? it can indicate heart failure - The New Indian Express - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Blue Sail Medical and Biosensors International enter the Structural Heart market with the acquisition of Switzerland based NVT AG. content= - PR... - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Global Diagnostic Interventional Cardiology Instruments Market forecast by 2025 : Numerous tactics accepted by industry participants in a bid to... - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- UMA's Complete Conference Management Hosts "Full Spectrum of Heart Failure Therapy: Optimizing Outcomes" - Yahoo Finance - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Meet the best cardiologists at King's Interactive Heart Health Morning - Gulf News - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Lights, camera, action in Varnville - Bluffton Today - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Health Pro: Cardiologist takes pleasure in getting patients back on their feet - Florida Today - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- From Ceiling Suspension to Eye-Tracking: Innovation Continues for Cath Lab Radiation Protection - TCTMD - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- Robocath Successfully Carries Out Its First Robotic Coronary Angioplasties in Humans - TCTMD - September 26th, 2019 [September 26th, 2019]
- SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Pomerantz Law Firm Reminds Shareholders with Losses on their Investment in ABIOMED, Inc. of Class Action Lawsuit and Upcoming... - September 28th, 2019 [September 28th, 2019]
- Study links childhood obesity with screen time - The Hindu - September 28th, 2019 [September 28th, 2019]
- Tiara for Treatment of Mitral Regurgitation and Neovasc Reducer for Treatment of Refractory Angina to be Featured at TCT 2019 Conference - BioSpace - September 28th, 2019 [September 28th, 2019]
- Five Atlantic Health System Team Members Lauded by NJ American Heart Association for Life-Saving Measures - TAPinto.net - September 28th, 2019 [September 28th, 2019]
- World Heart Day 2019: Cardiovascular Disease Is The World's Biggest Killer And Claims More Than 17.5 Million Lives - Outlook India - September 28th, 2019 [September 28th, 2019]
- Consulting Cardiologists Brings Exceptional Care to Heart of WH - Patch.com - September 28th, 2019 [September 28th, 2019]
- Diagnostic Interventional Cardiology Devices Market 2019| Global Forecast to 2026 with Key Players- B. Braun Medical, Boston Scientific, Cook Medical,... - September 28th, 2019 [September 28th, 2019]
- Surmodics Inc. (SRDX) and Its Competitors Comparing side by side. - MS Wkly - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Global Price, Sales and Revenue Analysis of Diagnostic Interventional Cardiology Devices Market by Regions, Manufacturers, Types and Applications -... - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Global Interventional Cardiology Devices Market Study by Price, Type and Application, Statistical Forecast and Competitive Landscape Research upto... - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Global Interventional Cardiology Market Report, Trends, CAGR Standing, Analysis and Forecasts (2019-2025) | Key Companies BIOTRONIK SE & Co.... - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- Interventional Cardiology Market 2019 to Flourish with an Impressive CAGR of XX% in the year 2024, Predicts Market Research Future According to... - October 17th, 2019 [October 17th, 2019]
- FDA Approves Coronary ViperWire Advance With Flex Tip - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Teleflex Announces Third Quarter 2019 Earnings Conference Call Information Live Webcast is scheduled at 8:00 am (ET) on Thursday, October 31, 2019 -... - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]
- Global Interventional Cardiology Devices Market Analysis and CAGR during the Forecasting years of 2019-2025. - Air News Paper - October 23rd, 2019 [October 23rd, 2019]