A few weeks ago, Franklin Wall was at work when he started experiencing chest pains. “I was on my way to a meeting and about half way down the hall, my chest started hurting,” explained Wall. “By the time I got to the meeting, I was still in pain. I sat down and was fidgeting…

For the first time in 14 years, a new set of blood pressure guidelines have been released by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. Previously, high blood pressure was defined with a reading of 140/90 or higher. Now, individuals with readings of 130 over 80 are considered to have high blood…

The holidays are a time of celebration, but for some, it can be very stressful. In the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, it’s easy to neglect our own self-care. For those with heart problems, it is an especially sensitive time of year. Research shows that deaths from heart attacks peak during December and January.…

A few months ago, Bill Trentham, a farmer in rural Oklahoma, experienced shortness of breath and immediately knew something wasn’t right. “During the first week of October, I felt like I couldn’t breathe, so I called and got an appointment with Oklahoma Heart Institute cardiologist, Dr. Alan Kaneshige,” said Trentham. “He explained that I had congestive…

Janet Emde spent most of her adult life working in the corporate world. During her career, she traveled the world seeing great things, but doing work that never truly fulfilled her. On the last trip with her former employer, she was sent to India. While she was there, Emde caught a glimpse of the native…

As a patient with diabetes, you are at an elevated risk of developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both of which are contributors to cardiovascular disease. Obesity and weight gain are common factors as well, although they can be controlled by following a healthy meal plan and exercise routine. Watching your fat intake is…

Oklahoma Heart Institute nurse manager Whitney Conley, BSN, RN, speaks humbly of her 21 years in nursing. Driven by always doing what is best for patients, Whitney has grown in her career on that singular focus, earning her team national recognition for excellence in patient care. “This is my mission,” she explains of her first job…

We recently installed brand new ContextMedia Digital Wallboards in all of our exam rooms throughout Oklahoma Heart Institute. These wallboards allow our providers to utilize media graphics in a dynamic presentation when they talk to their patients. Providers can now show their patients 3D images of problems they have with their heart and what procedures…

According to the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute (NHLBI), approximately one in six, or 40 million Americans, suffer from a sleep disorder.  Symptoms of certain sleep disorders can include:   ·      Persistent loud snoring ·      Trouble falling asleep ·      Daytime sleepiness ·      Hypertension ·      Restless sleep  ·      Gasping for breath during sleep Mary Willson, patient…

You’ve probably heard that diabetes is a trending epidemic with about one out of every 11 people in the United States diagnosed with diabetes. But let’s focus on our own state – Did you know that nearly one in every four seniors in Oklahoma has been diagnosed with diabetes? This ranks Oklahoma ninth for percentage…