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Back to previous page ¦ Heart stories ¦ Search stories
Listen to your heart
Innovative technology helps diagnose and treat
Guardsman’s heart pain
| Jeffrey Newton was no stranger to
heart problems, but this time felt
different. So different, in fact, that
Newton, 46, brushed off his symptoms at
first. But when they lingered for a week, he
called his doctor. It was definitely a good
move on his part.
Using the new IVUS (Intravascular
Ultrasound) technology at Sanford Health,
Dr. Karthik Reddy found a potentially fatal
blood clot in a blood vessel of Newton’s
heart as well as blockage in the heart’s
arteries.
IVUS improves doctors’ diagnostic
capabilities and enhances treatment
options, said Dr. Reddy, a Sanford Health
cardiologist. IVUS allows doctors to see
images inside the heart and peripheral
arteries. Essentially, this technology gives
doctors a 360-degree inside assessment of a
patient’s blood vessels.
“When we did Mr. Newton’s angiogram,
we found a hazy area,” Dr. Reddy said.
“In the past, we couldn’t be sure what those
areas were so we’d move ahead with
treatment based on our best judgment. With
IVUS, we are able to accurately diagnose
the condition.”
Dr. Reddy removed the blood clot and
placed three stents in Newton’s heart to
restore adequate blood flow.
“With IVUS technology, we can
actually measure the dimensions of the
vessel and that helps us get the precise
size and placement for the stent. That can help improve treatment outcomes,” Dr. Reddy said. |
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National Guardsman Jeffrey Newton is learning to pay closer attention
to his heart disease. His cardiologist recently diagnosed and treated a
potentially fatal blood clot and blockage in Newton’s arteries using
Sanford Health’s new IVUS imaging technology. |
Doctors using IVUS technology begin by threading a tiny catheter into the patient’s coronary arteries. High frequency sound waves reflect off tissue or
vessel walls, creating a cross-sectional image that supports precise
measurements of the vessel dimensions. Doctors can see plaque, calcified
lesions or deposits that may have built up inside the heart vessel. IVUS helps
doctors assess the composition of the blockage and thus can help them
design treatment options more definitively.
Karthik
Reddy, MD
Cardiology
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Newton, who has a strong family history of heart disease, said he’s thankful
Sanford Health—with its board-certified cardiologists and advanced
technologies—is there for him. Newton, who serves as personnel manager for
the Army National Guard, endured his first heart attack at age 38 and a
second one at 44.
He says he should have responded to his body’s warnings earlier. But his
first two heart attacks were definitive. These symptoms were more elusive.
“Both those times, I was under exertion and I had terrible chest pain,”
he said. “I was sweating, I couldn’t breathe, my face and arm hurt, all
common symptoms.
“The first heart attack caught me by surprise because I was so young.
But the second time, I recognized it right away. Then this time, it was more of
a burning sensation and it usually
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came on when I was resting or sleeping
during the night. I had some pain in my biceps area but I had full motion in
the arm. I knew something wasn’t right but I just didn’t know what it was.”
IVUS helped pinpoint the problem quickly. Thanks to Dr. Reddy’s expertise
and the care Newton received at Sanford Health, Newton is feeling good
and is back on the job for the Army National Guard. Stress is a given in his
job, he said, but he’s learned to incorporate stress management techniques
into his workday.
“I thought I was invincible, too young for this to control my life,” he said.
“I’ve learned differently and have had to change the way I’ve been living my
life, such as eating healthier and exercising.”
Newton’s lifestyle changes should help him avoid future emergency room
visits, but he knows, too, how important it is to trust what his body is telling
him. And then to reach out for help—before it’s too late.
Click here for more information on Sanford Cardiology or call (701) 323-5202.
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