Blog

Better Than Ever: Oklahoma Woman's Transformation in New Diabetes Program

Deciding to change is hard. It’s even harder to make that decision, stick with it and improve your life.

Oklahoma native Wanda Vogel, 68, knew how hard it can be to change your path. She had the warning of prediabetes and a registered dietitian daughter pushing her to change, but none of that was enough to break the cycle of failed attempts to enact positive change. It wasn’t until a referral to an Oklahoma Heart Institute endocrinologist and a call from the comprehensive diabetes program staff that Vogel decided this was her chance.

“It was the first day they were open and I... Read More »

Bartlesville Woman Recommends Diabetes Education Program offered by Oklahoma Heart Institute, Hillcrest Medical Center

Sandra Tinker was in her mid-40s when she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

“It was a surprise, although I knew it ran on both sides of my family,” Tinker said. “I just never thought about it.”

Prior to her diagnosis, Tinker was always tired and had little energy.

“I wanted to sleep all of the time,” Tinker said. “My doctor took a blood sugar test and that’s when I learned I was diabetic.”

Following her diagnosis, Tinker continued to receive care from her primary care provider, until she sought out an endocrinologist in the Tulsa area.

Tinker felt the... Read More »

Processed Foods: Are They Unhealthy?

Not all, but most.   Highly processed foods can be manufactured with ingredients that are not typically used in cooking. Packaged foods can also be loaded with high amounts of sodium, sugar and fat.   Susannah McCabe, registered dietitian with Oklahoma Heart Institute, speaks to the negative impact packaged or processed foods have on our bodies.   “Processed foods can contain high contents of added sodium, sugars and some may contain partially hydrogenated oils,” McCabe said.    Hydrogenation is a process in which a liquid unsaturated fat is turned into a solid fat by adding hydrogen. The... Read More »

Mother of bride with AFib finds success after ablation procedure

Kathleen Marshall is always on the go.

“I get up in the morning, hit the ground running and I go all day long,” Marshall said.

The 68-year-old stays busy navigating life with her three children, five grandchildren and a booming business, Kathleen’s Kids, to run.

Marshall also regularly attends ballroom dance and tai chi classes.

Even the busiest of days have never fully masked Marshall’s underlying condition of atrial fibrillation (AFib), a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).

“I had a heart cath years ago when they discovered I had AFib,”... Read More »

Preventing AFib: Change your life, protect your heart.

It’s that simple. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib). Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

We know that older age increases the risk of developing atrial fibrillation — but that’s not all. Other major contributing factors include heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and heavy drinking.

Adopting the following healthy habits can help lower your risk for not only AFib, but also for all types of heart... Read More »

Is atrial fibrillation genetic? It can be.

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, can happen to anyone. But can it be passed down from a family member? The answer is yes.

Having a family member with AFib increases your chances of being diagnosed. Atrial fibrillation that is inherited is called familial atrial fibrillation.

Although the exact incidence of an inherited abnormality of the heart’s normal rhythm is unknown, recent studies suggest that up to 30 percent of people with AFib have a relative with the condition.

The likelihood of AFib increases with age, as well as for individuals with heart disease,... Read More »

Is aspirin enough to protect me from stroke if I have atrial fibrillation?

The answer is no, but let’s start by explaining the connection between atrial fibrillation and stroke.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is generally not a life-threatening condition, but it can lead to serious medical complications, such as stroke. An irregular heart rhythm allows blood to pool in the heart, which can cause clots to form.

According to experts, AFib patients are nearly five times more likely to suffer a stroke than those without the condition.

Back to aspirin — based on several large studies and the 2014 American Heart Association guidelines, staff at... Read More »

HMR Program Brings Great Success for Oklahoma Woman

Tammy Anderson’s husband started experiencing heart problems in the winter of 2018. During this time, her blood pressure became alarmingly high.

“Whenever my husband went in for his heart cath, his cardiologist, Dr. Arash Karnama, checked my blood pressure and after seeing the numbers, told me he wanted to see me the following week,” said Anderson.

At that time, Anderson’s blood pressure was 189/120 and she weighed 291 pounds.

“Dr. Karnama told me my blood pressure could be controlled with medication, but since I was only 53 he wanted me to lose 100 pounds,” said... Read More »

Family History Leads Claremore Man to Oklahoma Heart Institute

Vernon Anderson’s father passed away at age 54 after suffering a heart attack. Upon turning 54, Anderson wanted to take the preventative steps to make sure he didn’t end up in the same situation as his father.

“I went in to see my cardiologist, Dr. Arash Karnama, and had an EKG done,” said Anderson. “The results came back fine, but I insisted that I have a stress test done because of my family history. They didn’t think it was necessary but they were respectful of my wish to have one done.”

The day after his stress test, Anderson received a call from Dr. Karnama’s office. He... Read More »

Oklahoma Heart Institutes Celebrates 30 Years of Innovation

March 2019 marked 30 years since the beginning of Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI). In celebration of this milestone, Dr. Wayne Leimbach, one of the founders of OHI and current medical director, shared what technologies he has been most impressed with during this time and what’s he’s most excited to see in the future at OHI.

“When it comes to technology, there are many things that stand out to me,” said Leimbach. “Top of mind would be the interruption of heart attacks (myocardial infarction) with emergency opening of blocked blood vessels.”

Transcatheter aortic valve... Read More »