It’s American Heart Month, and patients and physicians discuss treatments.
By JOSH NEWTON
Staff Writer
Cherokee County residents know all too well the devastation that can result from serious heart conditions.
Cardiovascular disease is the nation’s No. 1 killer. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed February as American Heart Month, and health experts say it’s a matter of life and death to know both the risks and prevention methods.
“As you know, heart disease is the No. 1 health burden in Northeast Oklahoma. At Northeast Oklahoma Heart Center, we are making a difference by providing local access to care and the results continue to be promising,” said Dr. George Cohlmia, a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon with Tahlequah City Hospital’s Northeast Oklahoma Heart Center.
Once a year, the American Heart Association and other agencies bring together all the information on heart disease and make a presentation inside the Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update.
The 2011 update is a source for monitoring cardiovascular health and disease in the population. It is a guideline for medical professionals, researchers and health care policy makers and is important in keeping every one up to date on the risk factors, causes and symptoms of heart disease, especially in women.
“Many women are aware of the risks of breast cancer and receive regular mammograms, but, we find that many women still don’t realize that heart disease, not breast cancer, is the No. 1 killer of American women,” said Cohlmia. “In fact, more women die from heart disease than from the next seven causes of death combined. Every year, heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer.”
Symptoms and warning signs of a heart attack for women can be different from men and far less apparent.
“Warning signs include pain in the chest, upper back, shoulders, neck or jaw; feeling breathless, often without chest pain of any kind; unexplained tiredness, weakness or dizziness and cold sweats, nausea or feelings of anxiety,” said Cohlmia.
According to the American Heart Association, nutrition, physical activity, weight management and stress management are crucial to keeping a healthy heart. High intakes of fats and oils should be avoided and smokers are at an even high risk of cardiovascular disease.
Just in her early 20s, Megan Tinsley has experienced a stroke. She’d been seeing spots and experiencing a loss of vision. Tinsley admits she initially dismissed the symptoms, thinking they were symptoms of a migraine.
“The pain never went completely away, so Deanna Wright, my nurse practitioner, sent me to Tahlequah City Hospital for a CT scan,” Tinsley told the Press during a recent interview.
Preliminary results indicated signs of a stroke. Tinsley was admitted and spent several days in the hospital, undergoing tests to determine what caused the stroke.
“While I was at Tahlequah City Hospital, the neurologist had my heart checked, and tests confirmed I had PFO [patent foramen ovale] with [atrial septal defect],” said Tinsley.
She began preparing for an operation to have her heart fixed. Eventually, an Amplatzer PFO occlude was put in Tinsley to close the holes in her heart. She was released last July from her cardiologist, who told her she should be able to live her life as anyone else can who doesn’t have the heart condition.
Now, she encourages others to talk and be open about conditions.
“The heart condition I had, I was born with, so I don’t know that I could have prevented it had I known,” said Tinsley.
Every Valentine’s Day, TCH hosts its Hearts of Gold Gala, a fundraiser for the hospital’s cardiac unit. The date is scheduled to coincide with American Heart Month.
“Each February we host more than 600 people from Tahlequah and surrounding communities,” said Ami Maddocks, communications coordinator at TCH. “An important part of the event is an update on the heart center by Dr. George Cohlmia. He does a great job of educating the audience on the cardiovascular and thoracic procedures performed at Tahlequah City Hospital. It is encouraging to know that we have one of the best heart centers in the nation right here in Cherokee County.”
source: tahlequahdailypress
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