When James Wilson, RN, arrived in Tulsa, he had worked out the logistics of a cross-country move, job transfer to the Oklahoma Wonder Bread division and began a new role as caregiver. The route salesman of seven years had a new territory to learn and new drivers to train. He also had the added responsibility, as one of an increasing number of adult children in the U.S. experiencing role reversal, of caring for his aging parents and managing their health needs. Then the unexpected happened. “Here I am at 48-years-old and out of a job,” he says of Wonder Bread’s sudden closing. “What am I... Read More »
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New research on transcaval TAVR was presented today which demonstrated a new approach to performing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to be safe and effective for patients who may otherwise have very limited options. Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI) was one of three top medical centers in the U.S. who enrolled patients in the study.
“We continue to strive to bring the latest techniques and cutting edge technologies in cardiovascular care to our patients at OHI so that they receive the best and most comprehensive care.” says Dr. Kamran Muhammad, an Oklahoma Heart Institute... Read More »
When Charlotte Wells went to see her primary care doctor for heart-related issues, she thought she had a heart arrhythmia. But when Charlotte continued to get worse, she knew something wasn’t right. Her doctor then requested she come in for an EKG the next time her heart monitor went off. Once her doctor performed an EKG and gave Charlotte the results, she explained to her that she had sent them to Oklahoma Heart Institute cardiologist, Dr. David Sandler, because Charlotte didn’t have arrhythmia - she had atrial fibrillation.
No one in Charlotte’s family had ever had heart... Read More »
Coneil Lafarlette has remained active and healthy throughout her life, so she was surprised when she suddenly felt like she had the flu with aches all over her body and trouble breathing. After these symptoms persisted for almost a week, she tried to take her pulse but couldn’t find it. She then asked her daughter to take her blood pressure, but her daughter was unable to as well. She then called her doctor, Utica Park Clinic physician, Dr. Donald Cooper, and he told her to come immediately to the office to be examined. After performing an EKG, Dr. Cooper realized Coneil had atrial... Read More »
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the TAVR (Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement) procedure for intermediate risk patients. This minimally invasive, life-saving procedure can now be performed on patients with aortic stenosis who are considered intermediate risk for traditional heart surgery. This is very exciting news for our team at Oklahoma Heart Institute considering the fact that this procedure was originally approved for high-risk patients only. Watch our video below to learn more from our structural heart and TAVR team as to why this recent approval is so... Read More »
Atrial fibrillation is a type of irregular heartbeat and is one of the leading risk factors for stroke. Irregular heartbeat can cause blood to collect in the left atrial appendage and potentially form a clot, which can travel to a person’s brain and cause a stroke. The left atrial appendage is the part of the heart where most blood clots that cause strokes originate in patients with atrial fibrillation. The WATCHMAN™ Device is a new technology that allows patients an alternative way to prevent strokes if they have atrial fibrillation and are unable to tolerate long-term use of blood... Read More »
February is Heart Month, and it gives us the opportunity to not only talk about heart health, but hear other people’s own stories. On National Wear Red Day, the Rogers County Sherriff’s Office shared a story that told the side of living with heart disease from a spouse’s perspective. It begins, “The following is a fairy tale.” Told through the lens of Major Coy Jenkins, it is a story that sheds light on the reality that heart disease can strike when you least expect it. Major Jenkins’ wife, Marti, has had six heart catheterizations, two stents and one angioplasty since the day of her heart... Read More »
“I was just sitting here one morning and felt a little funny,” Vernon Sander, 71, recalls of a day in the spring of 2010 that didn’t begin like most. Enjoying retirement, Vernon and his wife were just a few weeks away from an anticipated trip to Europe. When he became nauseous, Vernon says a strong feeling came over him. “I told my wife, ‘I’m having a heart attack.’ Why I knew, I don’t know.”
They immediately drove to Hillcrest South, and not as you may expect a heart attack patient to arrive; Vernon walked into the hospital and told the staff he was having a heart attack. “I was... Read More »
Heart disease doesn’t have a “look.” If it did, Master Sergeant Chris Clifton, 42, certainly wouldn’t fit the description. Last October, his unit – the 219th Engineering Installation Squadron with the 138th Fighter Wing of the Tulsa Air National Guard – was scheduled to deploy to Japan. Clifton had given up his spot, so that a younger airman could gain that experience. That meant he was home to complete his upcoming annual physical training test required by the Air Force. “I was feeling good that morning,” he recalls. “No indication of anything odd that would have led me to think a heart-... Read More »
As a busy, working mother and wife, Gail Elliott found her health had taken a back seat to caring for others and juggling priorities. "I’m your average, middle aged, working mom,” she adds. “I always put my children and husband before myself. I justified my weight by all the responsibilities that I had and was always ‘waiting for the right time.’” The truth is no one was waiting to tap Gail on the shoulder to let her know now is the time. “I finally realized in May of 2015 that there will never be a ‘right time’ and that it will only get worse as time goes on. I had finally had enough and... Read More »