Tag: atrial fibrillation

Does your hospital have a Women’s Heart Clinic yet? If not, why not?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 13 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥   @HeartSisters

teacup-heartFocused Cardiovascular Care for Women is the name of an important report about women’s heart health published in February of this year. One of the report’s highlights (or lowlights!) was that very few if any hospitals actually offered focused cardiac care specifically for women before the year 2000.(1) One reason for this may have been that, as the report’s authors explained, “the concept of Women’s Heart Clinics was met with hesitation from many cardiologists.”

Yes, you read that right, ladies. Until recently, even the very idea of establishing a heart clinic devoted to the unique realities of the female body was not warmly welcomed by the very physicians you’d think would be most supportive.  Continue reading “Does your hospital have a Women’s Heart Clinic yet? If not, why not?” →

Dr. John Mandrola: “AFib is your body talking to you”

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 33 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

If you or somebody you care about has been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation (AF),  you likely already know this about the diagnosis: it’s an irregular heart rhythm affecting the heart’s upper chambers (the right and left atria) – and it’s also the most common heart-related reason for hospital admission. As Kentucky cardiologist Dr. John Mandrola likes to describe the disorder:

“AF is both a disease and a consequence of actions. It’s your body talking to you.”

Dr. John is a bike racer and one of my favourite writers in cardiology. As my heart sister Jaynie Martz once sized up his writing: “concise, charming, compassionately light, adult-to-adult, uber-digestible with nary a whiff of condescension or pomposity.” Amen, Jaynie.  His particular cardiac specialty is electrophysiology, the diagnosis and treatment of heart rhythm disorders. Here’s his overall take on the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, as delivered to a Utah conference of his fellow electrophysiologists recently: Continue reading “Dr. John Mandrola: “AFib is your body talking to you”” →

A rock drummer’s take on atrial fibrillation

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments

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The incidence of atrial fibrillation increases as we age, so be on notice, you Baby Boomers. It’s the most common heart rhythm condition, and it’s also the most common heart-related reason for hospital admission. And as shown in this 90-second Heart and Stroke Foundation film (featuring Toronto musician and former Our Lady Peace drummer Jeremy Taggart, author of Canadianity: Tales from the True North Strong and Freezing), we should all know more about this heart rhythm condition which can triple our risk of stroke.  Continue reading “A rock drummer’s take on atrial fibrillation” →

‘Holiday Heart’ in women

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 6 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

Here’s something to keep in mind as you ponder your party planner this season.  Some people are apparently so extremely sensitive to alcohol that even moderate amounts – sometimes just a single drink – can trigger episodes of the heart arrhythmia known as paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. This unusual syndrome is also what doctors sometimes call “Holiday Heart“.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disturbance that can produce significant symptoms. It is a rapid and irregular heart arrhythmia, caused by chaotic electrical impulses in the atria of the heart (the two upper chambers). In many cases, AF is caused by underlying heart disease or by aging. But often, it seems to have no identifiable cause. In cases of Holiday Heart, however, the possible cause may be an unusual sensitivity to alcohol consumption.  And in women, some Holiday Heart symptoms can look significantly different than those observed in our male counterparts.     Continue reading “‘Holiday Heart’ in women” →