Presence Saint Joes to Host Free Heart Rhythm Screenings, Atrial Fibrillation Presentation Oct. 23

Irregular heartbeats can be a sign of a serious heart rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation.

If you’ve ever felt like your heart skips a beat, or beats too slow or too fast, take advantage of Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center’s free heart rhythm screenings and presentation on atrial fibrillation Tuesday, Oct. 23, at the Presence Healing Arts Pavilion in New Lenox.

Board-certified cardiologist and electrophysiologist Ahmad Abdul-Karim, M.D., will discuss this serious condition that affects more than three million Americans and is a leading risk factor for stroke. He will also discuss a highly advanced treatment for atrial fibrillation – available only at Presence Saint Joes – called the “lariat” procedure.

“In people who have atrial fibrillation, the heart beats irregularly, either too fast or too slow,” Dr. Abdul-Karim explained. “This disruption makes it harder for the heart’s upper and lower chambers to work together, leading to an increased likelihood that blood will pool and dangerous clots will form.”

Episodes can come and go, or an individual may have chronic atrial fibrillation. And while the condition itself usually isn’t life-threatening, patients with atrial fibrillation are five times more likely to have a stroke.

Risk factors include advancing age, heart disease, high blood pressure, family history, excessive alcohol consumption, and other chronic conditions, such as sleep apnea and thyroid disease.

“When a patient has an irregular heartbeat, he or she may have blood pool in the left atrial appendage (LAA) of the heart, which is where up to 95% of clots form during fibrillations,” he explained.

Blood-thinning medications, such as Coumadin, to prevent blood clots are the most common treatment for atrial fibrillation.

Until recently, patients unable to tolerate blood thinners faced major open-heart surgery to tie off the appendage and reduce the risk of stroke.

But with the recent introduction of the lariat procedure at Presence Saint Joes, Dr. Abdul-Karim now offers a minimally invasive alternative.

During the procedure, Dr. Abdul-Karim makes a small incision in the groin, threads the special lariat device up to the heart, and then “lassos” the left atrial appendage.

“The loop is then tightened to close off the LAA permanently from the rest of the heart,” he said. “The LAA then shrinks and disappears in six months to a year, eliminating the risk of stroke in up to 90% of patients.”

The entire procedure takes up to three hours and involves only an overnight stay.

For more information or to register for the free Oct. 23 atrial fibrillation program and heart rhythm test, call 877.737.4636. The program begins at 6 p.m.; light refreshments will be served.

The Presence Healing Arts Pavilion is located at 410 E. Lincoln Highway in New Lenox.