2014 Winter Live Younger Longer

LIVEW I N T E R 2 0 1 3

B R O U G H T T O Y O U B Y A D V E N T I S T H E A L T H N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A N E T W O R K

YOUNGER LONGER

Women vs. Men Heart Disease:

Obesity & Heart Disease – Steps

You Can Take

New Hybrid Maze Procedure: An Innovative Treatment

for Atrial Fibrillation

Could You Have Metabolic Syndrome?

Cardiac Catheterizations: Accessing Your Heart

Through Your Wrist

Aortic Aneurysms - Are You at Risk?

2 | L i v e Yo u n g e r L o n g e r

The St. Helena Region of Hospitals, which includes St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley, St. Helena Hospital

Clear Lake and St. Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health, has combined with Ukiah Valley Medical Center and

Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital in Willits to form the Northern California Network of Adventist Health.

Live Younger Longer is published as a community service for the friends and patrons of Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital, 1 Madrone St., Willits, CA 94590, telephone 707.459.6801,

website www.howardhospital.org, and Ukiah Valley Medical Center, 275 Hospital Drive, Ukiah, CA 95482,

telephone 707.462.3111, website www.uvmc.org.

Gwen Mattews | CEO, Ukiah Valley Medical Center Rick Bockmann | CEO, Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital Joshua Cowan | Vice President, Corporate Development

Jill Kinney | Executive Director Corporate Development Strategy Nicole Britain | Digital and Interactive Media Manager

Information in Live Younger Longer comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about

specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider.

Models may be used in photos and illustrations.

© Coffey Communications, Inc. CUM29525

in this issue

We strive to be the destination of choice for all who seek to live younger longer. Being a destination of choice means patients from across the country seek out our providers when they need care.

We’re incredibly fortunate to have talented specialists and the most sophisticated techniques available right here, close to home. You can have peace of mind knowing if you need medical care, you don’t have to go anywhere else.

This issue is dedicated to the Adventist Heart Institute. You’ll read how physicians in our network of care are providing breakthrough approaches to cardiac care, for example:

• Ourelectrophysiologistsandcardiacsurgeonshavejoinedforcestotreatatrial fibrillation with the revolutionary hybrid maze procedure. Together, thesespecialists strategically “scar” the inside and outside of the heart to treatpersistent atrial fibrillation.

• We’reoneoffewlocationsintheareathatcantreataorticaneurysms.You will learn more about how they are diagnosed and treated.

• Ourinterventionalcardiologistsareofferingtransradial(throughthearm)catheterization. Traditionally, catheterization tubes are inserted into the groin.With this new approach, the catheter is placed in the wrist, which results in fewercomplications for patients who are already under stress.

• Lastly,weareproudtoannouncetheopeningofaWomen’sHeartCenter,featuring a dedicated team of specialists who not only understand the nuancesof diagnosing women’s heart disease, but also understand the most effectiveways of treating it. This team of specialists is available throughout Napa, Lakeand Mendocino counties.

Adventist Heart Institute is committed to helping those with heart disease improve their health. Live Younger Longer is one way we extend that caring to you.

An Innovative Approach to a Healthier Heart

Adventist Heart Institute

Resolutions for a Healthier Heart 3

Obesity and Heart Disease 4

Heart Disease: Men vs. Women 6

Hybrid Maze Procedure: 8 New Treatment for Atrial Fibrillation

Silent Threat: Do You 10 Have Metabolic Syndrome?

Cardiac Catheterization: 12 Transradial Approach

Aortic Aneurysms – 14 Are You at Risk?

Join Us for Classes and Events 15

LIVEW I N T E R 2 0 1 3

B R O U G H T T O Y O U B Y A D V E N T I S T H E A L T H N O R T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A N E T W O R K

Obesity & Heart Disease – Steps

You Can Take

New Hybrid Maze Procedure: An Innovative Treatment

for Atrial Fibrillation

Could You Have Metabolic Syndrome?

Cardiac Catheterizations: Accessing Your Heart

Through Your Wrist

Aortic Aneurysms - Are You at Risk?

YOUNGER LONGER

Women vs. Men Heart Disease:

w w w . a d v e n t i s t h e a r t . o r g | 3

To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call 888.529.9018.

7 HEART IN 2014

RESOLUTIONSFOR A HEALTHIER

In 2014, take steps to make your heart health a priority. According to John Minotti, MD, cardiologist

in Lakeport, CA, small changes can have a huge impact. “With any resolution, it’s important to set

reasonable goals,” says Dr. Minotti. “I like to set small goals that I know are attainable. It’s amazing how

much of an impact small changes can have on your health in a relatively short period of time.”

Quit Smoking. Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of premature death. For one, it increases the risk for heart disease. In addition, when you stop smoking, you help lower your blood pressure andloweryourLDL(bad)cholesterol.“Ifyouwanttolive longer, stop smoking,” says Dr. Minotti.

Know Your Numbers. Find out your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight and discuss those numbers with your physician. With his or her help, you can make more informed decisions and monitor any changes.

Eliminate High-Fat, High-Sodium Foods. Tryswitchingoutjustonehigh-fat,high-sodiumfoodfor a healthier alternative. By lowering your calories and sodium, you can make a big difference in your blood pressure and your overall health.

Drink Water. You can vastly improve your health by justdrinkingeightglassesofwaterperday.Withalloftoday’schoicesforinfusedwater,itcanbejustassatisfying as soft drinks but without all of the calories.

Park and Walk. Get in additional steps by parking away from the door. Try taking a walk after lunch or standing up every hour to stretch. If you have a pedometer, aim for 10,000 steps a day. If not, try to get in 20 to 30 minutes of moderate activity a day.

Take the Stairs. The elevator may go up – but it doesn’t make your heart rate climb. Take the stairs instead. You may huff and puff at first, but over time, your body will thank you.

Pick an Activity You Love & Do It With Friends. Pick an activity you love to do and ask somefriendstojoinyou.Itimprovesyourfriendshipsand it keeps you motivated and accountable.

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John Minotti, MD Cardiologist


Our bodies are made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. And if you have too much fat – especially if you’re carrying it primarily in the waist – your risk for heart disease goes up. That’s why it’s important to know your body mass index (BMI), a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height.

Weigh Your Options. Take Stress Off Your Heart.

The truth is that most of us consider ourselves overweight. The problem is that

it isn’t justaboutour sizeorhowwe look. It’saboutcarryingexcessweight

to the point of straining our hearts and raising our blood pressure. High LDL

(bad)cholesterolandtriglyceridelevelsandlowHDL(good)cholesterollevels

increase our risk for diabetes and heart disease.

HeartObesity

Disease&

Your BMI is a good indicator of whether you’re at a healthy or unhealthy weight. Here’s how it breaks down:

Underweight: Less than 18.5

Healthy Weight: Between 18.5 and 25

Overweight: Between 25 and 29.9

Obese: 30 or higher is considered obese

How to Calculate Your BMI

To calculate your exact BMI value, multiply your weight in pounds by 703, divide by your height in inches, then divide again by the same number (height in inches). The good news is that losing as few as 10 pounds can lower your heart disease risk.


Don’t Let a Diet Weigh You Down

Think about planning a healthy diet as a number of small steps rather than a drastic change. If you approach changes gradually, you will have a healthy diet sooner than you think.

Simplify. Instead of being concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of color, variety and freshness. Focus on finding foods you love and easy recipes that incorporate a few fresh ingredients.

Start slow and make changes to your eating habits over time. Trying to make your diet healthy overnight isn’t realistic or smart. Changing everything at once usually leads to cheating or giving up. Make small steps, like adding a salad (full of different colored vegetables) to your diet once a day or switching from butter to olive oil when cooking. As your small changes become habit, add more healthy choices to your diet.

Every change you make to improve your diet matters. You don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to completely eliminate food you enjoy. The goal is to feel good, have more energy, and reduce the risk of disease. Don’t let your missteps derail you. Every healthy food choice you make counts.

To explore a weight-loss plan that will help make your heart healthier, call 888.529.9018.

• Don’t tempt yourself. When you’re offered calorie-richfoods, turn them down. And try to dine at places where thereare healthy options.

• Be mindful of serving sizes. Eat slowly, take smallerportions and avoid seconds.

• Avoid fried food. Try baking, boiling, broiling, grilling,roasting or stewing instead.

• Decode nutrition labels. Avoid foods that are high insugar, sodium, saturated fat, trans fat and calories.

• Drink lots of water. And try to limit alcohol and otherhigh-calorie drinks.

Get Started With a Few Simple Steps:


There might still be inequality between

men and women, but one area where

women are leading in record numbers:

heart disease. It’s the No. 1 killer

of women and is more deadly

than all forms of cancer.

Heart Disease: Men vs.

Women

Women’s Hearts Are Different From Men’s

The fact is women have smaller hearts and smaller arteries than men. Researchers believe that women also have a different intrinsic rhythm to the pace of their hearts, which causes them to beat faster. Some surgeons also hypothesize that the fact that women have a 50 percent greater chance of dying during heart surgery than men could be related to some fundamental difference in the way women’s hearts work.

Heart Attack Symptoms Are Different in Women

Many women don’t experience the crushing chest pain that is a classic symptom of a heart attack in men. Sweating. Pressure. Nausea. Jaw pain. Believe it or not, these are the symptoms of a heart attack in women. Other symptoms include:

Monica Divakaruni, MD

Interventional Cardiologist and Medical

Director, St. Helena Women’s Heart Center

Awareness about heart health among women is sorely lacking, and women die every day because of this oversight.

“ “

• Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing,fullness or pain in the center of yourchest that lasts more than a fewminutes or goes away and comes back.

• Pain or discomfort in one or both arms,the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

• Shortness of breath, with or withoutchest discomfort.

• Nausea, lightheadedness, or breakingout in a cold sweat.


Adventist Heart Institute Provides Gender-Specific Cardiac Care With New Women’s Heart Center

Monica Divakaruni, MDInterventional

Cardiologist

To learn more about the treatment of women’s heart disease, call 888.529.9018.

Differences between women and men have been identified through the entire spectrum of cardiovascular disease, from risk factors and symptoms to diagnosis and treatment. Fortunately, we’ve assembled a comprehensive, gender-specific team of cardiac care specialists. Led by Monica Divakaruni, MD, our team focuses on the entire spectrum of women’s cardiac care, including:

Diagnosis and Treatment Are Different for Women

Women have smaller coronary arteries than men do. This makes angiography, angioplasty, and coronary bypass surgery more difficult to do, thereby reducing a woman’s chance of receiving a proper diagnosis and having a good outcome. Women tend to have more complications following surgery. And they’re twice as likely to continue having symptoms several years after coronary angioplasty. Women’s responses to standard exercise stress tests are also different from men, so it’s more difficult to interpret the results.

Other Differences in Women and Heart Disease

Diabetes. Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease in women more than it does in men, perhaps because women with diabetes more often have added risk factors, such as obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol.

Metabolic syndrome. This is a group of health risks – large waist size, elevated blood pressure, glucose

intolerance, low HDL cholesterol, and high triglycerides – that increases your chance of developing heart disease, stroke and diabetes. According to research, for women, metabolic syndrome is the most important risk factor for having a heart attack at an unusually early age.

Smoking. Women who smoke are twice as likely to

have a heart attack as male smokers.

Risk AssessmentOur team starts with a thorough evaluation of your risk for cardiovascular disease. This becomes the basis for your treatment plan and may include additional tests, such as labs or imaging studies.

Diagnostic EvaluationWomen with symptoms of cardiovascular disease may require further diagnostic testing, ranging from non-invasive stress testing to a cardiac catheterization. This may also involve testing for other forms of heart disease including microvascular disease (disease of the small vessels of the heart) or endothelial dysfunction (abnormalities of the cell layer in the arteries).

Managing Risks Managing risk factors is of utmost importance to prevent the progression of heart disease or cardiovascular events. Our team of experts will guide you in making healthy lifestyle changes and becoming an active participant in your own cardiovascular health.

Treatment of Cardiovascular DiseaseWe have technology as well as skilled clinicians who are specially trained in diagnosing and treating women’s heart disease.

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How Can You Make Sure You Are Receiving the Best Care?

Fortunately, these problems are diminishing thanks to advances in technology and better understanding of heart disease in women. The best advice is to seek out doctors who are specifically trained on gender differences. If you feel strongly that something is wrong, but your doctor cannot find a problem, get a second opinion.


Hybrid Maze Procedure: A New Path to Treat

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (a-fib) is the most common type of arrhythmia, affecting more than 2.7 million Americans. The condition can be caused by high blood pressure or abnormal heart valves, while other patients develop it with no apparent cause. Symptoms of a-fib include heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and weakness or fatigue. The irregular and often rapid heart rate associated with a-fib commonly causes poor blood flow to the body. If left untreated, a-fib can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart attack, heart failure, chronic fatigue and even death.

Are You at Risk for A-Fib?Anyone can develop a-fib, but it is most common in people over age 50 or those with underlying heart disease. If you have long-standing uncontrolled high blood pressure or participate in binge drinking, you are at a higher risk for developing a-fib. Additionally, studies have shown a direct link between a-fib and sleep apnea. Often diagnosing and treating your sleep apnea will improve your atrial fibrillation.

Many heart arrhythmias are harmless. We all occasionally experience irregular heartbeats, which may feel like a racing or fluttering heart. Some arrhythmias, however – especially if they veer too far from a normal heartbeat or result from

The St. Helena Arrhythmia Center is one of few locations in the western U.S. to offer the new

hybrid maze procedure. The maze of scars created by the surgeon and electrophysiologist can

reroute the heart’s abnormal electrical activity to restore proper rhythm.

Gan Dunnington, MD Cardiothoracic Surgeon

St. Helena

Hospital

has been

instrumental

in providing

this procedure

to patients.

With advanced technology and a

phenomenal operating room team

in place, patients are flooding

in from all over to have this

groundbreaking procedure.

“

“


A New Path to Treat

To learn more about the hybrid maze procedure or other solutions for arrhythmia, contact 855.222.AFIB (2342) or visit www.adventistheart.org/arrhythmia/.

How Electrical Impulses Play a Role in Your HeartThe heart has four areas, or chambers. During each heartbeat, the two upper chambers (atria) contract, followed by the two lower chambers (ventricles). This is directed by the heart’s electrical system.

The electrical impulse begins in an area called the sinus node, located in the right atrium. When the sinus node fires, an impulse of electrical activity spreads through the right and left atria, causing them to contract and force blood into the ventricles.

A normal heart beats in a constant rhythm – about 60 to 100 times per minute at rest. During atrial fibrillation, the heart’s two upper chambers (the atria) beat chaotically and irregularly – out of coordination with the two lower chambers (the ventricles) of the heart.

a weak or damaged heart – may cause potentially fatal symptoms requiring treatment.

New Hybrid Maze Procedure - Success Rates as High as 90 PercentTreatments for a-fib may include medications and other interventions to try to alter the heart’s electrical system. St. Helena Arrhythmia Center, part of Adventist Heart Institute located at St. Helena Hospital, offers the most advanced options for treatment of persistent a-fib including long-standing persistent a-fib. “We are at the forefront of instituting a multidisciplinary approach of both cardiac electrophysiology and surgery to dramatically improve results for our patients,” says Gan Dunnington, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon.

The groundbreaking hybrid maze procedure is an example of this

collaborative approach to treating patients with a-fib. Available at only a handful of U.S. locations, this procedure involves the use of radio-frequency waves (modified electrical energy) to create precise scar lines on the inside and outside of the heart’s surface. These scars redirect the erratic electrical impulses of atrial fibrillation to follow a normal electrical pathway through the heart.

Dr. Dunnington is one of only a few surgeons on the West Coast to perform the hybrid maze.

By combining

two different

approaches,

we’re able to

treat the heart

in new ways,

from the inside and outside.

Patients benefit from better

outcomes than with either

approach alone.

Peter Chang Sing, MD Cardiac Electrophysiologist

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1 0 | L i v e Yo u n g e r L o n g e r

Metabolic Syndrome

Dr. Portnoff says his heart disease patients often comment that they wish they’d taken steps to improve their health a decade earlier. “As you age, it can be more difficult to make changes and for your body to respond to your efforts. It’s always preferable to make changes before irreversible damage occurs in your body.”

A Silent ConditionThat Could Harm Your Heart

Do You Fit the Criteria?How do you know if you have metabolic syndrome? The condition is defined as meeting three or more of these criteria:

• Abdominal obesity: A waistcircumference of 40 inches ormore for men and 35 inches ormore for women.

• Triglyceride level of 150 mm Hgor higher.

• Serum HDL (good) cholesterol lessthan 40 mg/dL for men and lessthan 50 mg/dL for women.

• Blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hgor higher, or being on bloodpressure medication.

• Fasting plasma glucose level of100 mg/dL or higher, or being onmedication for diabetes.

The more factors you have, the higher your risk for heart disease (including heart attack and stroke) and diabetes.

“You do not necessarily have to be obese to have metabolic syndrome,” says Jon Portnoff, MD, cardiologist at the Adventist Heart Institute in Ukiah. “The obesity criteria applies only to your waist. That’s because having fat inside, around your intestines, is linked to insulin resistance, hypertension, vascular inflammation and impaired blood vessels, all of which leads to coronary disease, and abdominal obesity is at the center of it.”

How Can You Have Metabolic Syndrome If You Feel Normal?Dr. Portnoff emphasizes that people who have metabolic syndrome usually feel normal, but he says, “They’re not normal inside.”

According to Dr. Portnoff, a blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg is higher than normal (120/80 mm Hg), but high blood pressure usually isn’t treated with medication until a reading of 140/90 mm Hg. Similarly, a glucose level of 100 mg/dL usually isn’t treated with medication, even though it’s in the range considered to be prediabetic (100 to 125 mg/dL). Medication usually isn’t prescribed until a reading of higher than 125 mg/dL. Therefore, many people who have metabolic syndrome are not flagged as having a serious health problem requiring medical attention.

“You may not feel the effects of your borderline cholesterol level or borderline high blood pressure or prediabetic blood sugar level, but that makes metabolic syndrome even more dangerous,” says Dr. Portnoff. “If you felt negative effects, you’d be more likely to do something to change it.”

He adds that it’s often more difficult for people to make changes to improve their health when they feel OK.

If you have a condition called metabolic syndrome, you should pay attention. This condition doubles your

risk for developing cardiovascular disease and increases your risk of developing diabetes by 10 times.

Worse – you may have metabolic syndrome yet feel perfectly healthy.

You may not feel the

effects of your borderline

cholesterol level or

borderline high blood

pressure or prediabetic

blood sugar level, but

that makes metabolic

syndrome even more

dangerous.

“

“

Jon Portnoff, MD

Jon Portnoff, MD Cardiologist

w w w . a d v e n t i s t h e a r t . o r g | 1 1

It might sound like a

cliché, but eating better

and moving more does

decrease your risk for

cardiovascular disease,

among other conditions.

If you have metabolic

syndrome, reducing your

risk for cardiovascular

disease isn’t a quick fix.

It’s about changing your

lifestyle. Jon Portnoff, MD

“

What Can You Do?If you think you might have metabolic syndrome, what steps should you take so you can avoid becoming a cardiology patient?

“While we welcome any patient and strive to help improve their cardiovascular health, we’re eager to spread the word about prevention and help people stay heart-healthy,” says Dr. Portnoff.

His recommendation is to eat a heart-healthy diet and exercise most days of the week.

“It might sound like a cliché, but eating better and moving more does decrease your risk for cardiovascular disease, among other conditions,” says Dr. Portnoff. “If you have metabolic syndrome, reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease isn’t a quick fix. It’s about changing

your lifestyle.”

Don’t Let a Silent Condition Get the Best of YouDr. Portnoff recommends talking to your primary care provider if you think you may have metabolic syndrome and he or she hasn’t mentioned it to you.

“Awareness of metabolic syndrome as a diagnosis varies among physicians, and awareness in the general public is low,” says Dr. Portnoff. “However, it’s estimated that 35 percent of American adults have metabolic syndrome, and most of them don’t know it. Don’t let a silent condition get the best of you. Just because you feel normal doesn’t mean you are in good health. If your numbers – waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and triglycerides – meet the criteria for metabolic syndrome, take aggressive action now to avoid becoming a future cardiology patient.”

“Any single risk factor for metabolic syndrome by itself is problematic. A combination of the risk factors is at least twice as bad,” says Dr. Portnoff. “If you don’t know your numbers, schedule an appointment with your doctor for an exam and blood work to find out. If the numbers show you have metabolic syndrome, learn how you can change the numbers. They’re not carved in stone. Changing them and reducing your future risk for heart disease is in your hands.”

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To learn more or schedule an appointment, call 888.529.9018.


CatheterizationCardiacReaching Your Heart Through Your Wrist

Cardiac catheterization is a nonsurgical procedure in which a thin tube is threaded through your blood vessels toward the heart to detect and treat blockages in the coronary arteries. You might need this procedure if you have symptoms of a heart problem and your cardiologist needs to see inside your heart to check for blockages, take pressure measurements or examine its pumping ability. One way to do cardiac catheterization – through the wrist instead of the groin – can greatly improve your experience and reduce the risk of complications.


Stewart Allen, MD

If you need cardiac

catheterization, it is well

worth your time to ask about

transradial catheterizations.

“ “

To learn more about transradial catheterization, call us at 888.529.9018.

Stewart Allen, MD Interventional Cardiologist

Out With the Old, in With the NewFrom the 1950s until recently, the most common entry point for cardiac catheterization has been the femoral artery in the groin. Today, approximately 10 percent of cardiologists in the United States offer a new approach with the entry point in the radial artery in the wrist. This is called transradial catheterization.

One analysis of the two approaches to cardiac catheterization found a 73 percent relative reduction of complications with the transradial approach. Another study found that the transradial approach cut bleeding complications in half. Bleeding complications are important to recognize because many patients who need the procedure take blood-thinning medication, which can complicate stopping their bleeding after the procedure. Because the radial artery is smaller and in a more confined space, the bleeding risks are reduced.

Diagnostic – A cardiac catheterization, often called an angiogram or left heart catheterization, is used to diagnose cardiovascular conditions including coronary artery disease, valvular disease and heart failure.

Treatment – It also can be used to treat conditions. This is called angioplasty,orPCI(percutaneouscoronaryintervention),whichinvolves a catheter with a balloon on the end to unblock an artery of the heart. The balloon is inflated when it reaches its goal and removes the blockage. Physicians alsocanplaceastent(asmallmeshmetaldevice)inanarterytopropitopen during angioplasty.

Once patients learn about the risks and benefits, they prefer the transradial over the femoral approach.

Stewart Allen, MD

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“

“The medical evidence in favor of transradial catheterization is compelling,” says Stewart Allen, MD. “I opt for the transradial approach if it is appropriate for the specific patient. Once patients learn about the risks and benefits, they prefer the transradial over the femoral approach.”

After your transradial catheterization, you will wear a pressure band around the wrist on the affected arm for about an hour. You can get up almost immediately, and you will usually remain at the hospital for only a couple of hours for observation.

Compare and contrast that to femoral catheterization through the groin. This requires you to lie flat on a bed for several hours afterward, sometimes with prolonged, constant pressure placed on the site of the procedure. This can be difficult for any patient but especially so for those who are obese, elderly or have back problems.

Clear BenefitsTHE BENEFITS DR. ALLEN REFERS TO INCLUDE:

• Reduced bleedingcomplications.

• Decreased risk ofrehospitalization.

• Faster recovery.

• Improved patient comfort.

• Reduced overall costs.

What Is Cardiac Catheterization Used For?


An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the aorta that develops in areas where the aorta wall is weak. The aorta extends from the heart down through the chest and abdomen. Although an aneurysm can develop anywhere along the aorta, most occur in the abdominal area and are called abdominal aneurysms. Those that develop in the chest area are called thoracic aneurysms.

Are You At Risk? Risk factors for developing an aortic aneurysm are some of the same risk factors for a heart attack: having a history of smoking (90 percent of people with aneurysms have smoked); having high blood pressure, high cholesterol or clogged arteries due to atherosclerosis; having a family history of aortic aneurysms; being male (men are at much higher risk than women for an abdominal aortic aneurysm); and being older (the risk rises with age).

How Are Aneurysms Detected? Aortic aneurysms are usually detected when a chest x-ray or computerized tomography (CT) scan is done for another condition, such as lung disease. That’s why anyone at high risk for aortic aneurysms – particularly men

between the ages of 65 and 75 who have ever smoked – may benefit from early, routine screening. For abdominal aortic aneurysms, an abdominal ultrasound is the most effective preventive screening tool.

Proven Surgical Treatment Options With Strong Long-Term ResultsTreatments for aortic aneurysms include open surgery and endovascular repair techniques. These are complex procedures that involve a team of experienced doctors. “It’s important to work with a surgeon with experience,” says Andreas Sakopoulos, MD. “Depending on the location, shape and size of your aneurysm, other factors such as your age, overall health and information from imaging tests are important factors. If you have an aneurysm that involves a long section of the aorta or multiple aneurysms, the best approach may be a combination of open surgery and endovascular repair.

Open Surgical RepairDuring open surgical repair, an incision is made in the chest or abdomen, depending on the location of the aneurysm. During the procedure, the bulging, diseased area of the aorta is removed and replaced with a synthetic graft that is stitched in place to connect it with the normal aorta. When the procedure is completed, the new, synthetic section of the blood vessel functions like a normal, healthy aorta. Dr. Sakopoulos is recognized for his work in performing this surgical technique. “Open surgical repair is a proven treatment with very good long-term results,” says Dr. Sakopoulos.

Endovascular RepairThe endovascular approach is rapidly becoming the preferred treatment for aortic aneurysms. Patients are able to go home the

Aortic Aneurysms:

Aortic aneurysms are the 10th leading cause of death in American men ages 65 to 74. The problem is that most people with an aortic aneurysm don’t have symptoms. As an aneurysm expands and it gets too large, it can rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding or death – without any prior warning. This is why it’s important to understand if you’re at risk and what steps can be taken now.

Are You at Risk and What Can You Do?

Andreas Sakopoulos, MD Cardiothoracic Surgeon

day after the procedure. There is less pain and trauma compared with open surgical techniques. During this procedure the surgeon makes small incisions in the groin area to access the arteries that connect to the aorta. A guide wire is inserted through the arteries and guided into the affected area of the aorta.

Using x-ray guidance, the surgeon inserts the stent-graft, which is compressed to the width of a pen, and puts it into proper position. The stent-graft, which is composed of fabric and reinforced wire scaffolding, is deployed and expanded to the size of the aorta, creating a new passageway for blood flow.

“At the Adventist Heart Institute, we are one of few locations in the area focused on treatment of all diseases of the aorta, including aneurysms, utilizing both traditional open surgery as well as endovascular techniques,” says Dr. Sakopoulos. “We bring together a multidisciplinary team of experts that includes cardiologists, radiologists and cardiovascular surgeons. And because of this, we’re able to provide patients with high-quality, innovative therapies that help them improve their quality of life.”

To learn more about screenings for aortic aneurysms, contact us at 888.529.9018.


Community Calendar

Welcome David R. Ploss, MD, Cardiologist

UKIAH

Childbirth ClassesPresented by the Family Birth

Center nurses. Call 707.463.7550.

Breastfeeding Support GroupEvery Wednesday, 5 to 6 p.m.

RSVP to 707.463.7550.

Hope for Grieving Parents and Friends Grief Support Group

Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7 to 8 p.m. RSVP to 707.463.7419.

Dessert with a Doc Seminar Series

Advances in Cardiac Care Tuesday, February 11,

6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Ukiah Valley Conference Center 200 South School St.

Ukiah, CA 95482 RSVP to 707.467.5270

or http://myuvmc.eventbrite.com/ or watch live online at www.uvmc.org/live.

Healthier Living with Chronic ConditionsSix-Week Seminar

Every Tuesday, starting Jan. 7 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Ukiah Valley Medical Center Glen Miller Conference Room

260 Hospital Drive | Ukiah, CA 95482 Ends Feb. 11

RSVP to 707.671.5939.

Freedom From Smoking Classes

For classes in Ukiah on Tuesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m., RSVP to Susan at 707.463.7391.

Diabetes Support GroupsFor support groups in Ukiah,

RSVP to Linda or Brenda at 707.463.7527.

WILLITS

Freedom From Smoking Classes

For classes in Willits on Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m., RSVP

to Jennifer at 707.540.4208.

Diabetes Support GroupsFor the support group in Willits,

RSVP to Annie at 707.456.3132.

David R. Ploss, MD Cardiologist

Dr. Ploss is an exceptionally trained cardiologist and brings with him over twenty years of experience in active practice. He comes to us from Pacific Heart Group, the largest cardiology practice in Humboldt County, where he practiced general cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology.

As a member of Humboldt County’s medical community he served as Chief of Staff and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at St. Joseph Hospital. His practice in Eureka included outreach clinics in Crescent City and Southern Humboldt as well.

Prior to this, Dr. Ploss was at the Dayton Heart Center in Dayton, Ohio, where he developed the cardiac electrophysiology services. He completed his residency in internal medicine at University of California, San Francisco, followed by a fellowship in cardiology at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Dr. Ploss then completed a second fellowship in cardiac electrophysiology at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center.

Dr. Ploss is seeing patients at: Adventist Heart Institute115 Hospital DriveUkiah, CA 95482

To schedule an appointment, call 800.529.9018.

Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital1 Madrone St.Willits, CA 95422www.howardhospital.org

Ukiah Valley Medical Center275 Hospital DriveUkiah, CA 95482www.UVMC.org

St. Helena Hospital Center for Behavioral Health

MENDOCINONATIONALFOREST

Ukiah

St. Helena

Healdsburg

Kelseyville St. Helena HospitalClear Lake

Hidden Valley Lake

Middletown

Santa Rosa

Willits

Petaluma

Novato

Napa

Vallejo

Sonoma

Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital

Lakeport

Fort Bragg

Calistoga

121

128

175

175

101

101

128

29

29

2020

101

St. Helena HospitalNapa Valley

101

29

128

101

101

Ukiah ValleyMedical Center

1

1

1

20

Mendocino

Cloverdale

St. Helena Center for Behavioral Health

If you are interested in a career at Ukiah Valley Medical Center, please visit www.UVMC.org. If you are interested in a career at Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital, please visit www.howardhospital.org.

To find the right doctor for you, call today

800.540.3611

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Wherever you are, you’re never too far from expert careFrank R. HowardMemorial HospitalOne Madrone St.Willits, CA 95490707.459.6801

Ukiah Valley Medical Center275 Hospital DriveUkiah, CA 95482 707.462.3111

St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake15630 18th Ave.P.O. Box 6710Clearlake, CA 95422707.994.6486

St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley10 Woodland RoadSt. Helena, CA 94574707.963.3611

St. Helena Center for Behavioral Health525 Oregon St.Vallejo,CA94590707.649.4040

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