Heart Blogs

I started searching for other heart blogs.  The next couple days I want to check some out!  Here is the first one - The Heart Scan Blog

This is the intro that caught my eye!

Plaque is the stuff of coronary heart disease. It is CONTROLLABLE, it is STOPPABLE, it is REVERSIBLE. But you must be equipped with the right information on diet, nutritional supplements, and hopefully the avoidance of medication. This is the blog that accompanies theTrack Your Plaque program. Nothing here should be construed as medical advice, but only topics for further discussion with your doctor. I practice cardiology in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

This is one I need to follow!

Heart Valve Surgery

Since my open heart surgery more than a year and a half ago, I have followed other heart issues.  During my cardiac rehab, I met a few guys that had valve surgery.  My Uncle Paul may be undergoing this procedure and I thought it would be a good time to research for his benefit.

Here is my first website to begin my research - Medline Plus - Heart Valve Surgery

This procedure has some similarities with my Open Heart Surgery that by-passed my blockages (5 of them)  But, there are also new procedures to be aware of to repair a bad valve:

First, what valve?

There are four valves in your heart:

• Aortic valve
• Mitral valve
• Tricuspid valve
• Pulmonary valve

Next, what kind of repair?

If your valve is too damaged, you will need a new valve. This is called valve replacement surgery. Your surgeon will remove your valve and put a new one in place. The main types of new valves are:

• Mechanical -- made of man-made materials, such as metal (stainless steel or titanium) or ceramic. These valves last the longest, but you will need to take blood-thinning medicine, such as warfarin (Coumadin) or aspirin, for the rest of your life.
• Biological -- made of human or animal tissue. These valves last 12 - 15 years, but you may not need to take blood thinners for life.
• In some cases, surgeons can use your own pulmonary valve to replace the damaged aortic valve. The pulmonary valve is then replaced with an artificial valve (this is called the Ross Procedure). This procedure is ideal for people who do not want to take blood thinners for the rest of their life.

And last, what type of surgery?

In open surgery, the surgeon makes a large surgical cut in your breastbone to reach the heart and aorta. Most people are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine or bypass pump. Your heart is stopped while you are connected to this machine. This machine does the work of your heart while your heart is stopped.

Minimally invasive valve surgery is done through much smaller cuts than open surgery. Several different techniques are used:

• Laparoscopy or endoscopy
• Percutaneous surgery (through the skin)
• Robot-assisted surgery

Let the research begin!

Coronary Artery Disease

Found a great website discussing coronary artery disease.  Take a look!

Coronary Artery Disease

One of my goals when I discovered I needed open heart surgery was to educate myself & others!  Here are some interesting details:


The three major coronary arteries (Left Anterior Descending (LAD), Circumflex (Circ) and Right Coronary Artery (RCA)) and their respective branches each supply a designated portion of the heart, as follows: The LAD supplies blood to the front (anterior) portion of the heart and the septum (muscle partition that separates the Left Ventricle (LV) and Right Ventricle (RV)). The Circ supplies the back (posterior) portion of the LV. The RCA supplies the bottom (inferior) portion of the ventricle and also the RV in 90% of cases. In the other 10%, the Circ sends a branch to the inferior wall of the LV.

It was about 40 years since my health class in high school & my memory of the heart details had faded into other subjects like chemistry, English Lit, & Sociology!  The only heart concerns I had is when several girls broke my heart!  The LAD, which was 60% blocked, Circ was 50% and the RCA was 99% blocked!!!

Why me?  Here are the risk factors!

Major risk factors for developing CAD include:

• Hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol level, particularly the "bad" component known as Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL))
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Cigarette smoking
• Strong family history of CAD
• Male gender, obesity, age above 50 years, lack of exercise, stress and tension can also predispose to the development of atherosclerosis

Which ones got me?  #1 - high cholesterol, #5 - family history, & #6 - stress & tension!

So, take a look!  And keep learning!

Tips for Picking a Cardiologist

How did you pick your cardiologist?

Finding a doctor is always a interesting experience.  This article I found has a few suggestions:

5 Tips for Finding the Best Cardiologist for You

Here was my experience.  When I found out I needed a cadiologist, the first  advice was from my family doctor.  I have been with this practice for over 30 years - so I trust their judgement!  So, my first cardiologist seemed great and the first meeting was great.

Problem was, my decision to go to another hospital prevented me from keeping her!  Doctors are aligned with certain hospitals and this can cause some logistical issues!

Second, I wanted the BEST!  The only issue with this was I had to wait three weeks for my surgery!  I was not in immediate danger, but I would not suggest a long wait!

Here are some ideas from the article:

1 - credentials
2 - location
3 - experience
4 - gender

So, do the research - talk to family & friends!  Talk to people in the medical field!  Fight for yourself!!!!!