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Blog

Managing Diabetes

American Diabetes Month is celebrated each November to raise awareness for those living with diabetes and pre-diabetes, something impacting nearly 1 in 10 Americans. Providers from Oklahoma Heart Institute's endocrinology team came together to provide insight on blood sugar levels, diabetes-related kidney disease, contracting COVID-19 as a diabetic and ways you can work to prevent and control diabetes.

Blood sugar levels can depend on several factors.

“Fasting blood sugar levels should be below 130 mg/dl,” said Christian Hanson, D.O. Two hours post meal, blood sugar levels... Read More »

Inari FlowTriever Procedure Saves Man’s Life

Mark Milton, a retired educator of 37 years, has enjoyed an active lifestyle. Originally from Southern California and now residing in Arkansas, he enjoys the outdoors — fishing, golfing, wine tasting and traveling with his wife.

Milton’s health took a dramatic turn in December 2019 when he suffered a stroke. He made a full recovery, but lived a sedentary lifestyle that caused several health-related issues. When Milton began struggling with sleep apnea, he decided to have a sleep study performed in February 2020.

His wife picked him up from the sleep study the next morning,... Read More »

Michael Newnam talks with Ch. 2 about another pandemic byproduct, 'coronasomia'

The pandemic has altered many elements of everyday life including sleep patterns, according to Michael Newnam, M.D., co-director of sleep medicine at Oklahoma Heart Institute.

Dr. Newnam described the condition as coronasomnia. Because of the pandemic, some have lost their boundaries between work and home environments.

"Many people are doing school and work in the home environment, so there’s no separation,” Dr. Newnam said. So you’re never really leaving work because that’s where you live.”

Learn his sleep tips in this KJRH interview here.

Adam Betz speaks with Ch. 6 about increase of younger ECMO patients during COVID

Adam Betz, M.D., director of pulmonary ECMO at OklahomaHeart, talks about the rise in ECMO treatments with young COVID patients.

"If you are that sick, this is a life-changing experience from there forward," Betz said. "They're going to remember the physical scars, they're going to remember the shortness of breath. We get a lot of them back to their families but it's difficult to ever go back to normal."

See his entire interview with KOTV – News on 6 here.

OHI patient among youngest in state to under go his-bundle pacing procedure

Teenager Hunter Parrick is one of the youngest in the state to undergo his-bundle pacing surgery from Oklahoma Heart Institute.

Traditional pacemaker leads, or wires, pace the muscle of the bottom chambers, leading to an unnatural squeeze. His-bundle leads are placed within the natural conduction system of the heart, allowing for a normal and natural squeeze.

Watch the News On 6 story here.

High blood pressure patients may be at greater risk to COVID-19 symptoms

Individuals dealing with high blood pressure could be among those at greater risk to COVID-19.

Ankit Chothani, M.D., a specialist in interventional and peripheral endovascular cardiology with Oklahoma Heart Institute, said people impacted by high blood pressure can be more suspectable to contracting the virus and possibly suffering longer-term symptoms.

“These changes can make patients with uncontrolled hypertension more susceptible to acquire the COVID-19 virus,” Chothani said. “In some scenarios, it can also lead to a dangerous overreaction of the immune system. Close... Read More »

Tragedy Sparks a Miracle for Brother-In-Law of Heart Attack Victim

Larrita Nichols commonly prefaces her family’s story with the notion: “As life would have it, miracles often happen out of tragedy.”

Nichols lost her brother, Weston Siglin, due to a massive heart attack on Nov. 2, 2019.

Her family has a very prevalent history of heart disease, but her brother had only recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure and exhibited no additional signs of heart disease. Needless to say, at 52 years old, Siglin’s death was a shock to the family.

This incident was devastating to the entire family, but Nichols took it particularly hard.... Read More »

In the News: Adam Betz, M.D., discusses impact ECMO treatment during the pandemic

TULSA, Okla. — In celebration of National Doctors’ Day, Green Country is home to some of the nation's best physicians.

When it comes to top-of-the-line treatments, the Oklahoma Heart Institute is becoming known for its life-saving measures by providing a machine used in only three centers in the state.

"So, it's a pretty rare thing,” Dr. Adam Betz, medical director of pulmonary ECMO at the Oklahoma Heart Institute, said.

See the entire interview, from KJRH, with Dr. Betz here.

Doctors' Day profile: Frank Gaffney, M.D. goes from selling furniture to healing hearts

(March 30 is National Doctors’ Day. Oklahoma Heart Institute would like to thank our physicians for the dedication and passion they show for their patients. In honor of National Doctors’ Day, we would like to noninvasive cardiologist Frank Gaffney, D.O.)

Frank Gaffney, M.D., has established himself as a noninvasive cardiologist at Oklahoma Heart Institute for the past 16 years. But his journey into the medical field is anything but typical for the New York native who began his professional career in the retail industry.

“When I first became a physician, I didn’t know if I had... Read More »

Tips for helping children adjust to daylight saving time

Ready or not, daylight saving time is coming up on Sunday, March 14.

Setting those clocks forward to “spring” up an hour can be an adjustment in sleep schedules for adults, much less children. Michael Newnam, M.D., is a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders with Oklahoma Heart Institute and director of sleep medicine at Hillcrest Medical Center and Hillcrest Hospital Cushing. Newnam said the most important element in adjusting to an altered sleep schedule comes down to one principle.

“The first thing is consistency,” Newnam said. “Sometimes we forget to... Read More »