August 2012

OHI Performs First Minimally Invasive LAA Exclusion with LARIAT Device

Oklahoma Heart Institute First in Oklahoma to Perform Minimally Invasive LAA Exclusion to Reduce Risk of Stroke

    On Thursday, August 23, Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI) became the first hospital in Oklahoma to perform a new minimally invasive catheter-based procedure to close the left atrial appendage (LAA). The procedure, which uses the LARIAT® Suture Delivery Device, permanently closes the LAA which is a benefit for individuals with Atrial Fibrillation (A Fib) who cannot tolerate blood thinners.

Reducing the Risk of Diabetes

More than 25 million Americans have diabetes.  In 2010, nearly 2 million people were diagnosed in one year, a national record.  The numbers continue to soar as an estimated 79 million Americans have prediabetes, which can transition into diabetes.  With diabetes as a leading risk factor for heart disease and the seventh leading cause of death in the US, what can you do to reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes?

 

Oklahoma Heart Institute Performs 10th Successful TAVR

Oklahoma Heart Institute has successfully completed its tenth Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedure. The first and second TAVRs at OHI were performed May 2 and the tenth TAVR was completed July 26.

TAVR is a minimally invasive, life-saving procedure for patients with aortic stenosis who would be considered too high a risk for traditional open heart procedures.

 

Heart Attack: Silent Symptoms

Take a moment to imagine if this was your life.  You are a busy professional, physically fit and active.  Staying healthy is very much a part of your daily life and you’ve been given a clean bill of health year after year from your primary care physician.  However, in the back of your mind, you worry.  Your father had a heart attack in his 50s and so did your brother.  You are also a male in your 50s.