Walter
Walter had been raising cattle outside Asheville, N.C., for more than 35 years when he began to feel exhausted. As time progressed, he felt worse, experiencing dizziness when doing even the simplest of activities. Chopping wood, hunting, fishing and daily chores — all things he enjoyed prior to then — left him tired and out of breath.
“I couldn’t do anything around the ranch,” Walter explains. “I was always out of breath and feeling dizzy.” Eventually, he hired help to feed cattle and do daily chores.
When Walter visited his physician, he was referred to a cardiologist, who diagnosed his Atrial Fibrillation and a failing heart valve. He was placed on anticoagulant and antiarrhythmic medications for the conditions, but his health didn’t improve and eventually he had to give up his cattle business.
At a checkup, Water’s cardiologist recommended he undergo a concomitant procedure — procedures completed at the same time — to repair his heart valve and surgical cardiac ablation to address his arrhythmia. In early 2005, he underwent the procedure and returned home shortly after.
As part of his continuing evaluation, Walter wore a Holter monitor to determine whether his heart would resume the irregular rhythm. Despite having the condition for approximately 12 years, his heart remained in sinus rhythm and he was removed from his antiarrhythmic medications shortly after his follow up visit. After a six-month checkup, when the physician reconfirmed his sinus rhythm, he was allowed to discontinue taking some of the anticoagulants.
Today Walter is back to chopping wood, doing chores, hunting, spending time with his daughter and chasing his grandson around the house. His energy has increased and he takes minimal anticoagulant medication as required by his heart valve replacement.
As you read this please keep in mind that every patient is different. Not all treatment options are appropriate for every patient. All treatment results and outcomes are specific to the individual patient, and results may vary. All medical and surgical procedures have risks, and the procedures described may result in complications such as blood loss, infection, damage to the heart or valves, stroke, heart rhythm disturbances and heart attack. Please consult your physician for a complete list of indications, warnings, precautions, adverse events, clinical results, and other important medical information.
Published: January 1, 2007
