The patient journey with Centra

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – It’s a serious health problem. Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that is a leading cause of strokes, the symptoms of which often go undetected.

WDBJ7 spoke with a team of doctors at Central Heart and Vascular Institute in Lynchburg and a patient with atrial fibrillation about the importance of checking your health.

In the spring of 2023, Sharon Ashley noticed that she was feeling out of breath and losing energy at work. At first she thought it was signs of aging, but earlier this year she was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

“I was in a position where I thought, ‘Wow, I’m healthy, I’m strong, and this job is going to help me stay where I am.’ But it was a different turnout,” Ashley said.

Atrial fibrillation, also known as AF, is when the heart beats irregularly in the upper chambers of the heart. This can lead to stroke, heart failure and dementia.

“The chances of having risk factors after age 55 are one in three, just because of aging, so the most common risk factors these patients have are high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, heart failure, heart blockage. ” said Central Heart and Vascular Institute cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Chinmaya Mareddy.

Ashley was referred to the Center in Lynchburg, where Dr. Sackett helped develop an atrial fibrillation program that evolved into a specialty AF clinic, the Center’s Heart and Vascular Institute, offering specialized care to patients.

“Atrial fibrillation is an incredibly large patient population and it is growing. These patients need to be evaluated promptly to reduce the risk of stroke and reduce symptom burden. So, developing this program allowed us to see these patients more quickly. Try to keep them out of the hospital, try to keep them out of the emergency room and refer patients to our office where we can see them the same day or the next day,” said Central Heart and Vascular Institute cardiac electrophysiologist Dr. Matthew Sackett. .

Once patients are referred and enroll in the program, Centra’s atrial fibrillation team supports them throughout their journey. Doctors say most people don’t even realize they have atrial fibrillation, so people shouldn’t ignore symptoms such as shortness of breath and long periods of elevated heart rate.

“The sooner we can diagnose A-fib and begin treating it, the better for the patient. This leads to better results: the patient not only feels better, but also helps in the disease process, rather than waiting several months or years. This can sometimes make it more difficult to treat the condition, said Haley Russell, a nurse practitioner at the Heart and Vascular Institute.

There are many options for treating and controlling atrial fibrillation, including medications, cardiac devices, and various procedures. Ashley has undergone several of these procedures and said she is grateful for the support she received from the Centra team.

“It’s very nice to be under their care. You won’t go through this alone. I can’t go and do boom-boom-boom like I did all day, but I’m still enjoying life, but it’s just a new normal that I’m trying to find and adapt to,” Ashley said.

Doctors say eating a healthy diet, regular exercise and reducing alcohol consumption, as well as quitting smoking, can help reduce the risk of developing atrial fibrillation.