KANSAS CITY, Mo. — St. Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute helped a groundbreaking clinical trial for patients with irregular heart rhythms take off this year.
Atrial fibrillation, or Afib, is the most common type of heart arrhythmia. Afib increases your risk of heart attack and stroke if left untreated.
Saint Luke’s cardiologists were the first in the region to participate in the trial and are already performing the treatment, known as pulsed field ablation, on patients.
“The big reason why we fear the reason why it's a big deal is it significantly increases your risk of developing stroke or congestive heart failure,” said Dr. Sanjaya Gupta, cardiologist with St. Luke’s.
After Denise Chambers was diagnosed with Afib in 2012, she wanted to look for a solution.
“I just felt like my heart was here, and I just wasn't breathing quite right,” she said of her experience with Afib. “And I thought I was just having some anxiety.”
Sometimes her episodes with Afib lasted days. That’s when she learned of what St. Luke’s was doing with pulsed field ablation.
“This catheter emits high-frequency pulses of electrical activity that specifically target just the disease heart tissue but nothing else,” Gupta said of the treatment. “So, literally, it causes absolutely no damage to the esophagus or the lungs or nerves or artery.”
Chambers’ results were profound, according to Gupta.
“I came home and I was awesome that day,” Chambers said. “I didn't feel like anything had happened to me physically at all.”
Since then, Chambers has taken it upon herself to share her experience with others in hopes they ask questions, learn more and give this treatment a try.
“Afterward, I thought, you know what, I was looking for answers before I did it. I'm going to give everybody my experience,” Chambers said.
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