http://www.americanffc.org RSS feeds for American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy 60 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/251/New-heart-renews-life-for-local-man.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=251 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=251&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/251/New-heart-renews-life-for-local-man.aspx In his early 30s, Nick Hunter seems too young to have had a heart transplant. But after two years of increasing heart complications from a genetic disorder, Nick, a Tiffin native, received a new heart in early September. It was a traumatic procedure, but one that was necessary to save Nick’s life. “Mentally, going into this, it seemed like it wasn’t real,” Nick said. “But I had to do what I had to do to live.” At a young age, Nick found out that he had a genetic mutation for familial dilated cardiomyopathy — a condition in which an enlarged heart inhibits the heart’s ability to pump blood — in 2000, during his freshman year of college at Ohio State University. Though dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by hypertension, coronary heart disease and other factors, Nick’s condition was caused as a result of genetics. Sudden death is not uncommon among those with dilated cardiomyopathy. Unfortunately, Nick’s family members who also shared the disorder were no exception. His grandmother had died in 1989 as a result of the disease, and Nick’s mother, Denise, died of a sudden heart attack in 2002, while Nick was still a young college student. But, in spite of the condition, Nick had lived a relatively normal life for the ten years following his diagnosis. “I was pretty asymptomatic,” he said. “There were light symptoms but nothing that was huge.” He graduated from Ohio State in 2005 and moved to New York City to work in pharmaceutical marketing. He met regularly with a cardiologist while he was in school in Columbus and after he moved to New York, and continued to feel few minor symptoms from his heart condition. Then, in 2010, Nick’s life changed. “I started getting really sick,” he said. “I felt like I had the flu. I started noticing that I couldn’t walk and that I felt terrible all the time.” He met with his cardiologist in New York, who diagnosed Nick with end-stage heart failure in November 2010. His doctor told Nick that he would need a heart transplant within five years, and Nick had an internal defibrillator implanted as a precautionary measure to save him in case he suffered a heart attack. “People with this type of disease [often] die a sudden death, where all of a sudden their heart goes into a really fast rhythm and it causes them to go unconscious and into cardiac arrest,” Nick said. Earlier this year, that defibrillator saved Nick’s life. “I was at a restaurant in New York after work and my heart went into a deadly rhythm and I passed out. My defibrillator shocked me and I woke up,” he said. After this incident, medical personnel told Nick that had the defibrillator not been in place, he would have died. As his health gradually declined, it became apparent to Nick and his cardiologist that a heart transplant would be needed sooner than originally expected. “My heart was working probably one-fifth of what it should have been,” he said. “So it was working very badly. It was barely pumping oxygenated blood.” Nick decided to come back to Ohio to have the transplant done at the Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital in Columbus, where he had once worked and also knew many of the hospital’s staff. Nick also had the support of his family and friends — a necessity for have done it without a 24-7 caretaker.” Nick came back to Ohio in late June, and, after two possible heart transplants fell through, he received a new heart Sept. 4, and was finally released from the hospital six weeks after surgery. Though his health improves each day, Nick still has a long way to “The new heart is working very strongly,” he said. “It’s going to take a whole year to recover.” Read More: http://www.fostoriafocus.com/article.php?id=4337 Herb Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:55:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:251 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/250/Channing-Frye-Embarks-On-The-Toughest-Challenge-Of-His-Life.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=250 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=250&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/250/Channing-Frye-Embarks-On-The-Toughest-Challenge-Of-His-Life.aspx With a somber look on his face, Channing Frye walked to the make-shift conference room to talk in more detail about the suddenness of a virus that has rocked his and the Suns for the upcoming season. Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby flanked Frye at the table opening up with genuine remorse over what is happening to his employees, and more important to a member of his family here with the team. Lon, consistently, leaned over to Frye with a pat and a whisper to make sure he was ok or if he wanted to continue. About 20 feet away Jared Dudley looked on with fresh sweat coming out of a workout and his practice gear on -- he wasn't going to miss the opportunity to support his teammate and friend. Little to the crowd's knowledge former Suns forward Grant Hill was also in the back lending his support as all the attention was on Frye. Despite the aura in the room of a player telling the world he has a health condition -- not an injury -- that will keep him off the court for the foreseeable future. The term "indefinitely" is a broad stroke, but when you are talking potential life or death it is the right course of action. Frye will miss this season due to the dilated cardiomyopathy found in a routine NBA offseason physical. "You have to give credit to the NBA," said Babby about catching this during the offseason. "I'd like to take credit for it from the Suns standpoint, but this is really an NBA protocol. It's about making sure players are healthy when they get on the court and we are very, very fortunate that we had the information we needed before it became catastrophic." Those cautionary tales of Jeff Green, Chuck Hayes, Willie Cager, as well as the most extreme situation, which was Hank Gathers. "When we see patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, with heart muscles that have increased size and diminished in function there is a whole host of potential causes," said Team Cardiologist Tim Byrne. "At the end of the day the most likely cause of this is a virus and many times those do improve." When asked about the chances of a full recovery, Byrne responded that the "chance is better than not." There is a very good chance that this virus subsides and is gone in 90 days when the next check-up is scheduled for Frye, but also a chance that this lingers. In the mean time Frye has the rare opportunity to take a year off of basketball to focus on his health, rehabbing his shoulder, and more importantly spending time with his family that includes a wife and two children ages two and four months. For the Suns it is back to business. After a tough situation happens in any family you address it, resolve it, and then get back to business as usual. Frye knows that as he stated he will be involved, but not to the point where he is getting in the way: ""I told Lon and the team that I was going to soak it up over the weekend and really see. For me I like to be involved and I like being part of the guys, but at the same time I have to let them have their own chemistry. I don't think traveling a lot is going to be in the cards, but being there to help some of the younger guys and see my friends, Jared (Dudley) and some of the older guys." The team now looks to fill the void that is the teams' fifth leading scorer (10.5 per game) from last season and a versatile weapon on offense. His loss is even bigger from a leadership standpoint. Read  More: http://arizona.sbnation.com/phoenix-suns/2012/9/22/3371050/channing-frye-embarks-on-the-toughest-challenge-of-his-life Herb Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:49:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:250 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/249/A-Familys-Tragic-Loss.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=249 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=249&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/249/A-Familys-Tragic-Loss.aspx A family from Williamsport is dealing with the losses of their mother and sister. Both died within five days of each other from the same heart disease. Two other siblings in the family are living with that same disease. Alan Neidig and his sisters are trying to heal from the tragedy that shook their family from Williamsport this week. “Can it get any worse? It can’t,” Neidig said. Last Wednesday, their 46-year-old mother Ann died from a heart disease called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. “She was always helping other people. Always giving and giving and not much receiving,” Neidig said. Just five days later, their 22-year-old sister Alicia Hall passed away from the same disease, and both of Alan’s sisters, Amanda and Alanna have the disease too. “It’s very difficult for me to watch them go through this knowing their mom and sister went through it,” Marguerite Wolfgang said. Marguerite Wolfgang lives near Allenwood and has known the Neidig family for more than 30 years. Newswatch 16 spoke to a cardiologist from Geisinger Medical Center. Doctor Peter Berger did not treat the Neidig family, but he says people living with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy have a 50% chance of passing on the disease to their children. Up to 1.5 million Americans are living with that form of heart disease. A Facebook page has been set up to remember Ann and Alicia. The family does not have life insurance, and hardly any savings. So friends are holding fundraisers for the Neidig family. There will be a car wash this Saturday morning at Advanced Auto Parts in Montoursville. Money raised will go toward funeral expenses and medical bills. Read More:http://wnep.com/2012/09/04/a-familys-tragic-loss/ Herb Mon, 10 Sep 2012 21:06:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:249 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/248/Menendez-Lautenberg-Introduce-Legislation-to-Educate-Families-about-Cardiomyopathy.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=248 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=248&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/248/Menendez-Lautenberg-Introduce-Legislation-to-Educate-Families-about-Cardiomyopathy.aspx Menendez, Lautenberg Introduce Legislation to Educate Families about Cardiomyopathy Cardiomyopathy Estimated to Affect 30,000 Children U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Risk Assessment, and Training in the Schools (HEARTS) Act, which is designed to increase awareness of the disease and the risk of sudden cardiac arrest among health professionals, parents, and educators. Cardiomyopathy is a chronic and sometimes progressive disease in which the heart muscle is abnormally enlarged, thickened and/or stiffened. The actual muscle cells and the surrounding tissues of the heart become damaged and eventually the weakened heart loses the ability to pump blood effectively. February is National Heart Month. “As a parent, I remember worrying over my children when they had a simple cold, so I cannot imagine the pain the parents of a child with cardiomyopathy must go through,” said Menendez. “This is a devastating disease, one which we simply do not know enough about. Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest, which strikes 7,000 children a year, with only a 5 percent survival rate.Schools need to be educated and ready for a cardiac emergency, as do families. The HEARTS Act is the first step toward raising awareness and saving lives.” "This legislation will help raise awareness about a deadly heart condition that threatens tens of thousands of young children” said Lautenberg. “Sadly, many more children may be at risk for cardiomyopathy but go undiagnosed because of failures to properly screen for the disease. It's time to raise awareness of this disease and provide parents, schools, and health departments with the tools to respond quickly and effectively when heart conditions strike." The HEARTS Act has the support of 21 organizations, including the Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF) in Tenafly, NJ, which was founded by the parents of two children who died from cardiomyopathy. CCF, the American Heart Association, and nineteen others wrote a letter to the Senators on behalf of The HEARTS Act bill. “As a parent who lost two children to cardiomyopathy, one to sudden cardiac arrest, I thank Senators Menendez and Lautenberg for their leadership and foresight in introducing this life-saving legislation”, said Lisa Yue, President and Founder of the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF) of Cresskill, New Jersey. “By educating families and schools about cardiomyopathy and the risk factors associated with sudden cardiac arrest, this legislation has the potential to save the lives of many children." Read More: http://politicalnews.me/?id=11978&keys=CARDIOMYOPATHY-CHILDREN-EDUCATION-HEARTS Herb Fri, 24 Aug 2012 22:18:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:248 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/247/Shock-tactic-Runner-will-be-first-person-with-a-built-in-DEFIBRILLATOR-to-attempt-London-marathon.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=247 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=247&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/247/Shock-tactic-Runner-will-be-first-person-with-a-built-in-DEFIBRILLATOR-to-attempt-London-marathon.aspx A man with a rare genetic disorder will be the first to complete the London marathon with a built-in defibrillator that will zap him back to life if his heart stops mid-race. Chris Taylor nearly died when he went into cardiac arrest suddenly last year. Since then he has worn a small heart-shocking device implanted under his skin similar to footballer Fabrice Muamba’s. Chris, 23, was born with a condition which means the walls of his heart are sponge-like instead of ‘compact’ like a normal heart. It means that at any time he could suffer another arrest and must limit his physical activity at all times. But despite his potentially deadly condition, Chris has pledged to take on the 26-mile challenge on April 22 in the hope of raising thousands for the British Heart Foundation. His case comes just weeks after Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba dramatically collapsed on the pitch suffering from a similar heart condition. Muamba was technically 'dead' for 78 minutes after collapsing during the FA Cup tie at Tottenham last month, but was released from hospital on Monday after being fitted with a defibrillator implant. Chris, from Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, said: 'I heard about it after it had happened and watched it back afterwards. 'I saw the paramedics shocking him and it was very close to home for me. 'I can’t remember how long my own heart stopped for, but seeing the Muamba incident makes you remember being in that position 'It’s one of the reasons that I’m so determined to complete the marathon because I want to raise awareness of heart conditions such as his and mine.' Chris was diagnosed with the condition, called left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy, at 15 after a series of MRI scans. His a genetic illness so rare that at that time only a handful of cases had been discovered. His father Tommy, 48, an airline pilot, carries the faulty gene and had also passed the condition on to Chris’s sister, Vicky, 24, a trainee solicitor. Read More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2131059/Heart-zap-gizmo-help-man-million-heart-condition-stay-alive-London-marathon-bid.html Herb Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:18:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:247 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/246/Blaine-sisters-shared-the-need-for-a-new-heart.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=246 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=246&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/246/Blaine-sisters-shared-the-need-for-a-new-heart.aspx Sisters usually swap toys, clothes and secrets. But Madison and Sidney Rippy have also shared something quite rare – the need for a new heart. Both Madi, 6, and Sidney, 3, have been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy – a disease that affects the size of the heart and how it pumps. They have also both received heart transplants at the Mayo Hospital. For parents Linsey and Noel Rippy of Blaine, the last four years have been anything but what you might expect raising a couple of little girls. Madi’s story Madi first got sick when she was 2 1/2 years old, while Linsey was pregnant with Sidney in October 2008. “One day she started acting really weird, her eyes were funny and she was slumped to one side so we called an ambulance,” said Linsey. After being transferred quickly from Mercy Hospital to Children’s Hospital, doctors performed an MRI and discovered the little girl had suffered multiple strokes. “When they did an X-ray they found she had this enormous heart,” said Linsey. An enlarged heart that isn’t pumping properly can throw deadly blood clots. “In essence the strokes saved her life,” said Linsey. Madi was started on medication and doctors told Noel and Linsey a third of children diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy get better, a third get worse and a third stay the same. In mid to late July 2009 Madi was stable. Noel and Linsey had gone out to a movie when they got a phone call from her dad and stepmother who were baby-sitting. “They said ‘we called an ambulance – we think Madi is having a stroke’,” Linsey said. One of the drugs had gone toxic in her system and she required a temporary pacemaker. “In early July of 2009 we had started a transplant workup at Mayo (Clinic) just in case, because dilated cardiomyopathy is the number one cause for children to need a heart transplant,” Linsey said. After complications following open heart surgery to install a permanent pacemaker, Madi was transferred to the Mayo Clinic with the hope of getting her off the intravenous heart drugs. At that point, she was placed on the transplant list. “Eighteen hours later she got a heart,” said Linsey. Read More:  http://abcnewspapers.com/2012/05/30/blaine-sisters-shared-the-need-for-a-new-heart/ Herb Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:13:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:246 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/245/Sudden-cardiac-arrest-law-raises-awareness.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=245 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=245&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/245/Sudden-cardiac-arrest-law-raises-awareness.aspx The images flashed on the screen in the auditorium at Emmaus High School: There was Hank Gathers, the All-American basketball player, collapsing and dying on a basketball court in 1990. Then an unnamed girl suddenly collapsing like Gathers in a school hallway. Two teachers rush to her aid, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and within two minutes shock her chest with an automated external defibrillator. She lived. It was a scary, sobering presentation by Dr. Matthew Martinez, director of the Sports Cardiology program at Lehigh Valley Health Network. It is being repeated around the state in one form or another, as a new law requiring schools to present information annually about sudden cardiac arrest took effect at the end of July. Gov. Tom Corbett on May 30 signed the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act, reportedly the first law in the nation to address the condition in children and young adults. Sudden cardiac arrest is not a heart attack, in which a blockage prevents blood from getting to the heart. Instead, it is an electrical malfunction that causes an irregular heartbeat that stops the heart from pumping blood through the body. About 250,000-450,000 cases occur a year, but almost all of them involve older adults, according to the Mayo Clinic. The shocking deaths of Gathers and around 100-150 other people younger than 30 every year are unnerving, but what may be even more unsettling is that there is no simple answer to sudden cardiac arrest. "Much remains unknown," Martinez said. "Many of the signs are no signs." Some of the causes of sudden cardiac arrest cannot be detected in screening, Martinez said. The American College of Cardiology does not recommend automatic screenings for all athletes. In 10 percent of cases, Martinez said, electrocardiograms present "false negatives," or results showing problems where none exists. Portable defibrillators, called AEDs, can save lives, but the window to save someone who has sudden cardiac arrest can be as little as five minutes, he said. So what is a student, parent, coach and athletic director to do? The first thing, Martinez said, is for student-athletes to undergo a full pre-sports physical, which would include a review of family history of cardiac arrest, since some risk factors may be inherited. Doctors also would screen for a history of fainting, chest pain, dizziness, racing heartbeat or difficulty breathing during or after athletic activity. Read More:http://www.mcall.com/news/local/eastpenn/mc-sudden-cardiac-arrest-20120812,0,3457433.story Herb Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:27:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:245 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/244/Heart-Transplant-Patient-Awake-And-Talking-I-Want-To-Make-My-Donor-Proud.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=244 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=244&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/244/Heart-Transplant-Patient-Awake-And-Talking-I-Want-To-Make-My-Donor-Proud.aspx Hours after receiving a heart transplant, Colby Salerno awoke and spoke to his family, surrounding his bed. "He said, 'I want to make my donor proud,'" his mother, Kelly Salerno, said Wednesday in front of Hartford Hospital, where her son received his new heart Salerno, 24, from Cheshire has been blogging about his stay in the hospital — more than five months — waiting for a new heart. The blog gained an avid following, including New York Yankees' manager Joe Girardi, who called Salerno weeks ago. Kelly Salerno said her son is now sitting, exhausted and in a lot of pain. Dr. Detlef Wencker, director of the hospital's heart transplant program, said the operation went well. Colby Salerno will be out of the cardiac intensive care unit in three to five days and should be home in two weeks. His drug regimen will at first consist of 32 different medications, mostly to keep his body from rejecting the new heart. Salerno was diagnosed 12 years ago with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that is usually detected during the teenage years. It is a congenital defect in which heart muscle thickens in the heart's left ventricle, which interferes with blood flow. That forces the heart to work harder to pump blood, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Salerno's condition began worsening during college. Because his condition doesn't allow for a mechanical pump, doctors had to rely on a cocktail of drugs to keep his heart functioning, but they cautioned Salerno that the medications wouldn't continue working for long. A transplant was deemed the best option. Kelly Salerno said her family does not know the identity of the heart's donor, other than that the person was 18. The family of Jesus Vega, an 18-year-old from Bristol who died Monday after injuries he suffered a week earlier on a basketball court, has said that it was his heart that Salerno received Tuesday. Kelly Salerno said Wednesday that she would like to know more about the donor and his family at some point, but for now, she's focused on helping her son recover. The hospital's policy doesn't allow officials to release the name of the donor without the family's permission. Read More:http://articles.courant.com/2012-05-30/news/hc-heart-transplant-blogger-0530-20120529-28_1_new-heart-heart-transplant-heart-muscle Herb Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:244 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/243/20-year-olds-life-depends-on-second-heart-transplant.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=243 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=243&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/243/20-year-olds-life-depends-on-second-heart-transplant.aspx Aisha Rivera needs to undergo a second heart transplant for her third lease on life. And she is only 20 years old. The Hamburg woman underwent her first heart transplant at age 10 in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center after experiencing cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle, according to her fiancé, Dennis Brown. He and Rivera's mother, Ana, have been at Rivera's side every day since the petite young woman was transported by Mercy Flight about three weeks ago from Buffalo General Hospital to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. There she remained, sedated and hooked up to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device until about a week ago. That's when she underwent an unconventional surgery intended to sustain her until a suitable heart donor is found. "They used this machine to save her life initially when she went into cardiac arrest and had to leave her on it to buy time for a plan," Brown explained in a recent email. "Her best option would have been to get a heart, but since a heart didn't come in time and the fact that she may have to wait months and months, maybe even years, for a heart, the doctors had to do something." What doctors did was implant two artificial heart pumps to give her failing, 10-year-old transplanted heart a lift. Brown said doctors at Strong Memorial had to get permission from the inventor of the device, Dr. Robert Jarvik, to use the patented Jarvik 2000 artificial heart pump in a way that it had never before been used. "Because this was the only way they could save Aisha's life, it was approved, and Dr. Jarvik himself came to Rochester to assist in the surgery. The surgery took close to 10 hours and was a success," Brown said. Rivera's most recent bout with heart troubles began about two months ago, after she told family she was experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath. "She started to get better, and they let her come home [June 26] ... but she got really sick after that," Brown said, noting that Rivera had begun to experience congestive heart failure. Once she arrived at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rivera went into cardiac arrest for three minutes before doctors were able to stabilize her. Read More: http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/hamburg/article960685.ece Herb Mon, 06 Aug 2012 17:54:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:243 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/242/20-year-olds-life-depends-on-second-heart-transplant.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=242 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=242&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/242/20-year-olds-life-depends-on-second-heart-transplant.aspx Aisha Rivera needs to undergo a second heart transplant for her third lease on life. And she is only 20 years old. The Hamburg woman underwent her first heart transplant at age 10 in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center after experiencing cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle, according to her fiancé, Dennis Brown. He and Rivera's mother, Ana, have been at Rivera's side every day since the petite young woman was transported by Mercy Flight about three weeks ago from Buffalo General Hospital to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. There she remained, sedated and hooked up to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation device until about a week ago. That's when she underwent an unconventional surgery intended to sustain her until a suitable heart donor is found. "They used this machine to save her life initially when she went into cardiac arrest and had to leave her on it to buy time for a plan," Brown explained in a recent email. "Her best option would have been to get a heart, but since a heart didn't come in time and the fact that she may have to wait months and months, maybe even years, for a heart, the doctors had to do something." What doctors did was implant two artificial heart pumps to give her failing, 10-year-old transplanted heart a lift. Brown said doctors at Strong Memorial had to get permission from the inventor of the device, Dr. Robert Jarvik, to use the patented Jarvik 2000 artificial heart pump in a way that it had never before been used. "Because this was the only way they could save Aisha's life, it was approved, and Dr. Jarvik himself came to Rochester to assist in the surgery. The surgery took close to 10 hours and was a success," Brown said. Rivera's most recent bout with heart troubles began about two months ago, after she told family she was experiencing fatigue and shortness of breath. "She started to get better, and they let her come home [June 26] ... but she got really sick after that," Brown said, noting that Rivera had begun to experience congestive heart failure. Once she arrived at Strong Memorial Hospital, Rivera went into cardiac arrest for three minutes before doctors were able to stabilize her. "She was sedated for quite a while after that," Brown said. Read More: http://www.buffalonews.com/city/communities/hamburg/article960685.ece Herb Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:30:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:242 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/241/A-donor-is-never-forgotten.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=241 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=241&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/241/A-donor-is-never-forgotten.aspx Twenty-year-old Tyler Smith is catching flak from his cardiac nurse at St. Paul’s Hospital. “He has gained a lot of weight,” says RN Carol Imai, who had last seen the young Revelstoke man six months previously. Smith, who keeps accounts for an auto-repair garage, has a heart that didn’t originally belong to him. Last year, suffering from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — a usually hereditary condition that thickens the heart and is most severe in young people — Smith received a heart transplant at St. Paul’s. As custodian of someone else’s heart, Smith is subject to chiding from medical staff if he doesn’t follow a strict health regimen. “We’re giving them a new chance at life and we want to make sure they’re doing the best they can,” Imai says. “You have to, I think, honour the donor. In order to be good stewards of the heart, they have to do as much as they can to be the best people that they can be. The only way to do that, I think, is to see them frequently and keep hammering home the message.” Smith’s heart problem began when he was four, and worsened steadily. “By the time I was 18, I was pretty much ready to die,” Smith recalls. “It’s not a fun life, living when you’re in bed all day every day.” Repeatedly, he was misdiagnosed. His breathing trouble was mistakenly attributed to exercise-induced asthma. Finally, in 2010, he received an accurate diagnosis in Kelowna. He was sent to St. Paul’s, where a doctor used echo-imaging to spot a blood clot in his heart. Blood-thinning drugs destroyed the clot. A biopsy confirmed Smith needed a life-saving transplant. “A doctor at St. Paul’s said if I hadn’t come in and been treated for what I had, I probably wouldn’t have made it to my 19th birthday,” Smith says. He waited eight months for a heart. Less than 48 hours after surgery, he was walking laps on his hospital floor. In spite of warnings from medical staff, he ran and walked the Sun Run six weeks after receiving his new heart. Now he comes back to St. Paul’s 13 times a year for biopsies that reveal the health of the heart. Imai assesses him during his visits. “With Carol, it gets complicated sometimes,” Smith says. “It’s like having a second mother.”   St. Paul’s cardiac surgeons perform about 20 heart transplants per year, each surgery taking three or four hours. Recipients are carefully selected. “They have to not have any other organ failure other than the heart, be in reasonable physical shape, have a good positive attitude and don’t have any bad social habits such as smoking, drugs, alcohol, and they must be very compliant with medical advice and appointments, and have good social support,” says cardiac surgeon Dr. Anson Cheung, who has performed more than 200 heart transplants, 150 of them at St. Paul’s. “With the limited resources — the heart — we want to give it to the one that’s going to benefit the most and who will take care of the organ.” Sixty per cent of the donated hearts come from B.C., with 35 per cent from nearby in the U.S. and the rest from other provinces. Hearts are matched to patients based on patient height and weight, blood group and, sometimes, types of antibodies. St. Paul’s has 20 patients waiting on the heart-transplant list. “You wake up every day and all you can think about is your heart, and it’s a horrible feeling,” says Lindsay Schneider, 28, an administrative assistant from Langley who is waiting for a transplant. “I’m always tired. I can’t pick up my three-year-old. I can’t walk up stairs. Some days I can’t even get out of bed.” Schneider has a malfunctioning left heart ventricle, along with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She had a defibrillator — which shocks her heart when its beats too fast — implanted in 2006. She had it replaced at St. Paul’s a week after her son, Brayden, was born in December 2008. She’s been told to expect to wait up to a year for a new heart — her O-type blood may make it harder to find a match. Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/health/donor+never+forgotten/6983721/story.html#ixzz22JgXLH1G Herb Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:26:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:241 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/240/New-Cardiac-Screening-May-Reduce-Sudden-Death-In-Young-Athletes.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=240 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=240&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/240/New-Cardiac-Screening-May-Reduce-Sudden-Death-In-Young-Athletes.aspx It’s estimated that more than 110 heart-related deaths occur in young athletes each year, 80% of these victims experience no abnormal cardiac signs or symptoms. Sadly, there have been four local cases of apparent sudden cardiac death (SCD) just in the last 3 years where athletes aged 17-24 simply collapsed during exercise without warning. Doctors Hospital is offering the first and only screening of its kind in the area, helping to detect these cardiac problems before they present themselves. “We recognize that for many families, any avoidable risk is too much to chance,” says Dr. Anthony Burke, Board-Certified Cardiologist for Doctors Hospital. “What we have developed is a next-level screening for young, asymptomatic athletes.” Most sudden deaths in athletes are due to cardiovascular disease – especially disease of the heart muscle called cardiomyopathy. Predicting the risk of sudden death in athletes involves screening them for hidden heart conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital structural abnormalities and heart rhythm disturbances. Currently, available screening tests are not perfect in detecting which young athletes are at risk and there is ongoing debate about which testes should be done routinely. However, all experts recommend a history and physical examination that targets specific heart conditions prior to participation in sport activities. “We are really excited to offer this type of screening because we feel confident that it could help  prevent a tragedy for a family,” says Dr. Burke. The European Society of Cardiologists and the International Olympic Committee recommend a routine EKG and the American Heart Association agrees that an EKG will detect more at risk conditions. However, the American Heart Association has not advocated and EKG as an absolute requirement to participate in sports because it could be costly on a national level and because there is always risk of a false positive. Read More:http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2012/jul/31/new-cardiac-screening-may-reduce-sudden-death-youn-ar-4246580/ Herb Wed, 01 Aug 2012 17:22:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:240 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/239/Home-Community-Focus-Local-resident-creates-sweepstakes-to-get-defibrillators-into-the-community.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=239 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=239&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/239/Home-Community-Focus-Local-resident-creates-sweepstakes-to-get-defibrillators-into-the-community.aspx With a sweepstakes contest that goes through the summer, an Ahwatukee-based organization seeks to donate life-saving defibrillators to community centers, schools and churches. The Ride for Your Heart sweepstakes is carried out by the American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy. The idea stemmed from a growing need for more defibrillators in places where kids spend their time, said Ahwatukee Foothills resident Anthony Miller, president and founder of the group. The sweepstakes’ prizes include Schwinn Cruiser bikes, a Harley Davidson motorcycle or a 2013 Ford Mustang as the grand prize. Miller said he’d like to draw the winners before the next year. However, Miller has gotten an early start by placing a defibrillator in Inca Elementary School, located in Buckeye. “It’s a risk that I’m taking by doing it early, but there’s such an overwhelming need for them,” said Miller, who is an open-heart surgery survivor. Cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease common in children. Unfortunately, while some early symptoms include shortness of breath or fatigue, among others, the first for many is a heart attack. According to Miller, one in every 15 deaths per day in Arizona are related to sudden cardiac arrest. That’s why Miller and his 3-year-old organization place such an importance on sending out automated defibrillators into the community and city. The defibrillators deliver a dose of electric energy to the affected heart, which works as a stimulant to the body’s natural pacemaker. On average, a single defibrillator costs around $1,500. Read More:http://www.ahwatukee.com/community_focus/article_f2568c82-cd47-11e1-ac67-0019bb2963f4.html Herb Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:43:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:239 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/238/Boy-9-playing-basketball-at-youth-club-collapses-dies.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=238 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=238&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/238/Boy-9-playing-basketball-at-youth-club-collapses-dies.aspx A 9-year-old boy who collapsed at the Boys & Girls Club of the Harbor Area has died, Costa Mesa firefighters said Friday. Myles Thames fell to the ground at 4:30 p.m. Thursday while shooting hoops on the club's basketball court, according to Battalion Chief Fred Seguin. An autopsy performed Friday morning determined that Myles suffered a cardiac arrest as a result of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the heart that makes it more difficult to pump blood, coroner's officials said. Titus Hasson, Myles' cousin who lives with the family, said when Myles was younger he had occasional health problems but hadn't suffered any in the last two years. Boys & Girls Club staff members called 911 four minutes after he collapsed, and when the fire engine arrived, one staff member met firefighters saying, "Hurry, I believe he stopped breathing," Seguin said. Myles' mother was at the club when firefighters were there, he said. The boy was taken to Hoag Hospital and pronounced dead. Myles played several different sports, including football and basketball, and wanted to sign up for soccer, said Hasson, a Newport Harbor High School senior. Read More: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/06/boy-9-collapses-dies-while-playing-basketball-at-youth-club.html Herb Thu, 12 Jul 2012 22:12:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:238 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/237/A-Celebration-for-a-Beautiful-Life.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=237 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=237&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/237/A-Celebration-for-a-Beautiful-Life.aspx Friends, family and classmates gather at Kaiser Elementary School on Friday for a memorial honoring the life of Myles Thames, a third-grader who died last week. A 9-year-old boy who died while playing basketball last week was remembered for his smile and energetic personality at a memorial service Friday in Costa Mesa. Myles "Smiles" Thames attended Kaiser Elementary School, where Friday's memorial took place. While at a Boys & Girls Club on June 14, the third-grader died after suffering cardiac arrest due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — a thickening of the heart that makes it more difficult to pump blood. "It's a beautiful day for a beautiful celebration of a beautiful life," said Isaure Blandin, Myles' aunt, whom he often referred to as "Auntie Pookie." The ceremony included a performance of "Amazing Grace," as well as a prayer led by Pastor Mike Jonkers of the Harvest Christian Fellowship of Orange County. "There is no 'Myles was,'" Jonkers said, "because Myles is alive and well in Heaven today." Throughout the service, Myles' presence could be felt as family and friends shared fond memories of him. Sherrilynne Dangl, Myles' teacher, presented some of the things her class said about him. "He was a good friend," the classmates wrote on a poster with a drawing of Myles. "He was a nice kid in class and was also a really good basketball player. He encouraged me to do things better, and I'll always miss him and love him." Blandin remembered Myles as a "special young man who grabbed your heart." Read More: http://articles.dailypilot.com/2012-06-22/news/tn-dpt-0623-thames-20120622_1_memorial-service-beautiful-life-classmates Herb Thu, 12 Jul 2012 21:59:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:237 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/236/Woman-30-died-of-heart-attack-linked-to-her-obesity.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=236 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=236&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/236/Woman-30-died-of-heart-attack-linked-to-her-obesity.aspx A WOMAN died of a heart attack due to factors linked to her obesity, an inquest heard. Johanna Janatuinen (30) was discovered dead in bed by her partner Warren Jones on the afternoon of February 6, 2012. The young woman, who was originally from Finland, was morbidly obese at the time of her death, and had a body mass index (BMI) of 40.9. This was about twice the level of normal body mass index, which is between 18.5 and 25. Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster said the young woman's death was due to heart and respiratory failure caused by a heart condition called dilated cardiomyopathy. This means the heart is enlarged and weakened and cannot pump blood efficiently. Dr Bolster said her heart condition was due to her raised BMI, and a genetic susceptibility to the condition. "Obesity is known to cause adverse effects on the heart," she said at Cork City Coroner's Court. Mr Jones broke down in tears when the pathologist told him that Ms Janatuinen did not suffer and died in her sleep. Headache He told how he last saw Ms Janatuinen, of Blackrock Place, Eden, Mahon, Cork, the evening before she died. He said she was fine, except for a headache, which they put down to a two-day hangover. The following day, he presumed she was at work until her boss telephoned him to say that she had not turned up. Mr Jones immediately went into her bedroom where he found her lifeless in bed. Read More: http://www.herald.ie/news/woman-30-died-of-heart-attack-linked-to-her-obesity-3160651.html Herb Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:32:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:236 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/235/Fury-of-parents-of-22-month-old-boy-left-fighting-for-life-after-they-misdiagnose-heart-disease-for-tonsillitis.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=235 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=235&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/235/Fury-of-parents-of-22-month-old-boy-left-fighting-for-life-after-they-misdiagnose-heart-disease-for-tonsillitis.aspx A couple have accused medics of diagnosing their critically ill 22-month-old son with tonsillitis - when he actually needs a heart transplant to keep him alive. Sean and Lisa Robb said they rushed their son Harry to a minor injuries unit in Ipswich, Suffolk, after he developed severe breathing problems on June 3. But he was sent home with penicillin after doctors wrongly diagnosed him with tonsillitis. His condition worsened during the day and his frantic parents called an ambulance. Harry was rushed to Ipswich hospital where he continued to deteriorate and two days later he was sent to the Evelina Hospital in London. There medics told Sean and Lisa were told their son had dilated cardiomyopathy and that his organ was operating at just 17 per cent of its normal function. The condition means he desperately needs a heart transplant. Mr Robb said: 'It is devastating. He was critically ill and they (Riverside Clinic) sent us away telling us he had tonsillitis. Lisa Robb with her critically-ill son Harry. He has dilated cardiomyopathy which means his heart can't pump blood efficiently 'Harry was unresponsive and sick at the clinic and he had terrible breathing problems. 'We are just so angry and disappointed that we put our trust in the system - we should have just gone straight to A&E.' Mr Robb said he and Lisa initially called the out-of-hours service, run by Harmoni, and were told to take distressed Harry to the minor injuries unit, where he was misdiagnosed. His heart had to be restarted after he went to intensive care at Ipswich Hospital, before he was transferred the the specialist Evelina Hospital in London. However, the family's problems continued after he was transferred back to a general ward at Ipswich after showing a slight improvement Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2169596/Fury-parents-22-month-old-boy-left-fighting-life-misdiagnose-heart-disease-tonsillitis.html#ixzz20G18mkcR Herb Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:24:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:235 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/234/Pennsylvania-law-aims-to-raise-awareness-of-sudden-cardiac-arrest.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=234 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=234&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/234/Pennsylvania-law-aims-to-raise-awareness-of-sudden-cardiac-arrest.aspx Her father’s death at age 26 from sudden cardiac arrest automatically put Janel Simmers into a high-risk category that meant close surveillance by a cardiologist and yearly heart screenings. At age 13, after a screening picked up a problem, she was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — thickening of the walls of the heart — and not allowed to play sports anymore. At age 20, after some symptoms that included nearly passing out, Simmers had surgery to place an implantable defibrillator in her chest. The device was a fail safe measure — it would restore normal rhythm if a life-threatening arrhythmia occurred. “I’ve been good since then,” said the South Lebanon Twp. woman, now 32. “Screenings saved my life. I am completely in favor of them for kids.” This fall, coaches, trainers, student athletes and their parents at school districts in Pennsylvania will be learning more about sudden cardiac arrest. A first-of-its-kind law signed by Gov. Tom Corbett in May requires that student athletes who exhibit warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest be pulled from play until they can be cleared by a doctor or nurse practitioner. The law also mandates that public school coaches undergo annual training on the condition and that information on a soon-to-be created Department of Health website be shared with families. While the law does not require heart screenings for athletes, many hope that it raises more awareness and inspires parents to request the tests. Susquehanna Twp. mother Rhonda Foster, 56, can only wish that her daughter Janna Becker would have had a screening. She died of sudden cardiac arrest at age 15. “It’s hard living afterward and not feeling bad about choices you made or wishing you could do it over again,” said Foster, who thinks that a test called an EKG would have uncovered Janna’s heart rhythm disorder, long QT syndrome. Had it been identified, Janna could have been treated. Her daughter had a couple of fainting spells prior to her death, but her primary care doctor attributed them to dehydration and not eating enough. Foster is on the board of directors of Parent Heart Watch, an organization dedicated to bringing awareness to sudden cardiac arrest, which kills an estimated 2,000 people under age 25 in the United States annually. The group organizes free EKGs for children and youth because sudden cardiac arrest often strikes with no warning signs but is related to a number of heart conditions that could be picked up by a screening, she said. Read more: http://www.pennlive.com/bodyandmind/index.ssf/2012/07/coaches_learn_to_look_for_sign.html Herb Tue, 10 Jul 2012 21:19:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:234 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/233/Collapses-like-Muambas-are-rare.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=233 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=233&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/233/Collapses-like-Muambas-are-rare.aspx The mid-game collapse of footballer Fabrice Muamba has received massive press attention this week, as the 23-year-old was left in a critical condition after his heart stopped beating. The Bolton Wanderers midfielder collapsed during an FA Cup tie against Tottenham and needed urgent medical attention to restart his heart. Since his collapse on Saturday, Muamba has been treated at the London Chest Hospital, where his condition has improved. He has now regained consciousness and is reported to be comfortable, although medics are still monitoring his health. The exact cause of Muamba's cardiac arrest has not been revealed. A great deal of newspaper coverage has centred on the potential risk of serious hidden heart problems among young people. However, these types of collapses and conditions are not common and the public’s awareness of them is often higher when they occur in a high-profile setting, such as during televised sport. What is a cardiac arrest? A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body. The immediate cause of this is usually an abnormal heart rhythm, called ventricular fibrillation. This occurs when the electrical activity of the heart becomes so chaotic that the heart stops its normal rhythmic beating and quivers instead. Someone who has a cardiac arrest loses consciousness almost at once, and it is vital that their heart is restarted as soon as possible to ensure they survive. This will often require the use of an electronic device called a defibrillator to shock the heart back into normal beating. A cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, which occurs if the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a section of heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked. If blood flow isn't restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. A heart attack usually happens because of coronary heart disease. A cardiac arrest may also be caused by the loss of large amounts of blood or fluid, lack of oxygen, the body being very hot or cold, and a blood clot in the lungs or arteries. A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest in some cases. What is cardiopulmonary resuscitation? A sudden stoppage of the heart can cause permanent damage to other organs and it is vital that blood flow is restored quickly. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an essential technique that is used to prevent permanent damage or even death. In CPR, the heart is pumped by external cardiac massage to keep the circulation going. CPR may also involve rescue breathing, where the lungs are inflated using mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, often referred to as the “kiss of life”. Cardiac arrest can sometimes be corrected by giving an electric shock through the chest wall using a defibrillator. Defibrillators are increasingly found in public places, including sports grounds, although they should only be used by people who are trained to use them. Read more: http://www.eastwoodadvertiser.co.uk/news/health/collapses-like-muamba-s-are-rare-1-4679229 Herb Tue, 03 Jul 2012 21:34:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:233 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/232/Should-young-athletes-be-screened-for-heart-conditions.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=232 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=232&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/232/Should-young-athletes-be-screened-for-heart-conditions.aspx University of Minnesota football player Gary Tinsley was found dead April 6 of a heart condition at the age of 22. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner said he died of an enlarged heart. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes, but what factors contribute to this heightened risk in otherwise healthy individuals? Some physicians believe that mandatory EKG screening for young athletes is the key to saving lives, while others believe the screening is too costly and would do more harm than good. What is the real risk for young athletes and what can we do the prevent deaths? William Roberts, professor of family medicine and community health at the University of Minnesota and the foundation president of the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine, will join The Daily Circuit Monday to talk about heart conditions in young athletes. Screening all athletes would be tough due to the economic barriers of the test, Roberts said. "This issue of screening hits on socioeconomic factors," he said. "I currently work at a clinic on the east side of Minneapolis and the schools near us are 85 percent free and reduced lunch. We have many students who just can't afford an EKG test. It's a totally different scene than what we'd see in athletes in Edina or Eden Prairie." Discouraging young people from exercising due to the risk isn't worth it, Roberts said. "I would say that ultimately it's much better to have kids be active then not just for such a small risk [like sudden cardiac death]," he said. Read More: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/05/21/daily-circuit-heart-conditions-athletes/ Herb Thu, 24 May 2012 15:43:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:232 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/231/Bexley-couple-to-hold-childrens-hospital-fundraiser.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=231 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=231&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/231/Bexley-couple-to-hold-childrens-hospital-fundraiser.aspx A Bexley couple is holding a jubilee funday to raise money for the hospital which saved their two-year-old son’s life. Benjamin Ballard was born in January 2010 with a range of health problems and his parents, Toby, 40, and Katie, 31, were given the devastating news. They were told their son would not reach his first birthday. He was born with a form of meningitis and cardiomyopathy, a serious heart muscle disease, but was saved thanks to the work of staff at Evelina Children’s Hospital, based at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. Benjamin is now thriving at 27-months-old. Mrs Ballard said: “The entire team at Evelina fought tirelessly against the odds to give Benji the very best care and medical attention and have since supported us in our fundraising. “Our goals are to raise money and let people know about the hospital.” The couple, who live on Bexley High Street, have since held a series of events to increase awareness of the hospital and raise money. The jubilee event takes place on June 3 at the couple’s home from noon, and will include a football tournament, tug-of-war, live music, cakes, BBQ and a visit from the fire brigade. Mr and Mrs Ballard first raised money for the hospital on Benjamin’s first birthday in January last year, a date he was not expected to reach. They also held a summer funday last June as well as a charity auction, casino and cocktail night in February of this year. The couple have raised $13,000 in total. Read More: http://www.bexleytimes.co.uk/news/bexley_couple_to_hold_children_s_hospital_fundraiser_1_1385743 Herb Thu, 24 May 2012 15:35:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:231 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/230/Wanted-One-heart-and-a-whole-bunch-of-cash.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=230 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=230&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/230/Wanted-One-heart-and-a-whole-bunch-of-cash.aspx Many 30-somethings worry about the job market, their economic futures, or how to have fun in their off time. But 35-year-old Sean Semon worries about staying alive. The longtime Henderson resident, and former Basic High School football standout, needs a heart transplant to survive. He already has outlived the expectations of his doctors, who, when he was 32, gave him only a year to live without a new heart. Two weeks after receiving that devastating news, Semon said, he learned his insurance plan with Aetna would not cover his transplant operation. Semon, who suffers from cardiomyopathy as a result of a virus attacking his heart when he was 28, also needs at least one part of President Obama's health care reform to survive in the U.S. Supreme Court in order to survive himself. A former semiprofessional football player, Semon recently became insured under the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, which provides insurance coverage to those who cannot get insured because of preexisting medical conditions. That new program bridges the gap until the Affordable Care Act's mandated insurance exchanges come into effect in 2014 and would cover Semon's $775,000 transplant procedure. PCIP program officials told Semon the High Court's decision could determine whether he will remain insured, and therefore be able to get his life-saving heart transplant. "They told me if the court strikes down Obama Care, they (Supreme Court justices) might allow part of it to stand or strike down all of it," Semon said. "In that case, I might have insurance for a month, or I might have insurance for a year. They don't know. It depends on what (the justices) do." Court observers have said they expect a decision on the Affordable Care Act to come down sometime in June. Sitting on his couch, the tall, husky Sean Semon looks healthy. Bald-headed and bearded, the 35-year-old still looks like he could be a security guard or football player. But appearances can be deceiving. Now weighing more than 295 pounds, the 6-foot-1-inch tall Semon said he is trying to lose the extra weight he put on—mostly due to depression, anxiety and the debilitation that resulted from having a bad heart. "I used to be very physically active, and I was depressed that I couldn't do the things I used to because of my heart," Semon said, "I need to rest a lot to conserve my energy." Semon's outwardly healthy appearance belies his ordeal. At 28, he woke up one night, unable to breath and drove himself to the hospital, being careful not to wake his parents, Lonnie and Rosemary Semon. "I was lying in bed, gasping for air," Semon recalled. "It was like I was trying to suck up air, and I couldn't. I had no problems previously." The cardiomyopathy was life-threatening from the start. "I was literally drowning in my own blood," he said. Read More: http://www.hendersonpress.com/local-news/item/1121-wanted-one-heart-and-a-whole-bunch-of-cash Herb Wed, 16 May 2012 17:08:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:230 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/229/Seattle-Childrens-Hospital-performs-100th-heart-transplant-on-infant.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=229 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=229&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/229/Seattle-Childrens-Hospital-performs-100th-heart-transplant-on-infant.aspx 5-month-old infant received the 100th heart transplant performed at Seattle Children’s Hospital on Saturday. Ethan Robbins, from the Puget Sound area, suffered from congenital hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition in which a thickening of heart muscle inhibits blood flow through the body, said a Children’s spokesperson. Ethan’s new heart is expected to help him have a better quality of life. The hospital’s spokesperson said Ethan is currently recovering well. The 100th heart transplant was led by surgeons Dr. Gordon Cohen, chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery; Dr. Lester C. Permut, program director of Cardiothoracic Surgery Education and Dr. Michael McMullan, surgical director of the ECMO Program. ”Ethan represents the 100 extremely courageous infants, children, teens and young adults to have a heart transplant at Children’s since the inception of our Heart Transplant Program in 1994,” said Dr. Yuk Law,  director of Cardiac Transplant and Heart Failure Services.  “He also represents 100 other patients and families who have made the decision to donate their own or a loved one’s heart to save a life.” The surgeons took approximately eight hours to remove the diseased heart and replace it with the new donor heart. “Ethan is doing well in his early recovery. We are very excited with his progress,” said Law. “We are proud to have been able to help Ethan and 99 other patients with some of the most serious heart conditions get a second chance to resume a healthy and productive life with a new heart.” Read More: http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/seattle-childrens-hospital-performs-100th-heart-tr/nNQwZ/ Herb Mon, 14 May 2012 14:58:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:229 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/228/Veterans-getting-together-to-talk-about-working-as-team.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=228 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=228&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/228/Veterans-getting-together-to-talk-about-working-as-team.aspx Along with booths set up by businesses and organizations, Anthony Miller of the American Foundation for Cardiomyopathy will be on hand raising funds for the foundation. Miller founded the Phoenix-based nonprofit with his wife Stephanie and is the president and CEO. Cardiomyopathy results from a weakened hearth muscle. One symptom is an irregular heartbeat, which can lead to a heart attack. Miller himself had two heart attacks because of the disease — the first at age 35. But it generally affects people under 30, including children. It can go undetected and is a leading cause of death among student athletes, according to the foundation website. Miller’s foundation seeks to raise money toward the purchase of 100 automatic external defibrillators for schools and athletic programs in all 15 Arizona counties. An automatic external defibrillator retails for about $1,800, Miller said. His main fundraising effort is a sweepstakes raffle, with the grand prize a new Ford Mustang. Second prize is a Harley-Davidson Blackline model. Third prize is a pair of Schwinn Cruiser bicycles. Tickets are $25 each or five for $100. Miller raised $325 for the foundation at a recent meeting of the Desert Sky Mustang Club. The contest closes on Oct. 1. Read the entire article at TriValleyCentral.com host Fri, 11 May 2012 18:02:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:228 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/227/Cause-of-Death-Released-for-Little-Leaguer-News.aspx#Comments 0 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=63&ModuleID=423&ArticleID=227 http://www.americanffc.org/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=227&PortalID=0&TabID=63 http://www.americanffc.org/Newsroom/tabid/63/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/227/Cause-of-Death-Released-for-Little-Leaguer-News.aspx The Clark County Coroner’s Office released Spencer Melvin’s cause of death Wednesday afternoon. He died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a thickening of the heart muscle. It is a condition that is usually inherited. The 8-year-old Little Leaguer suddenly collapsed died on his way to a baseball game April 10. Melvin's family was honored by the UNLV baseball team Wednesday afternoon. The family was on hand as Spencer's brother, Sam, threw out the first pitch at the UNLV game. They said the tribute was very touching. “It is unbelievable. These guys who memorialized our son ... we're a baseball family, so this meant everything to us,” Bob Melvin, Spencer's father, said. The UNLV baseball team also wore memorial patches on their uniforms. The patches are being sold to support the family. Read More: http://summerlin.8newsnow.com/news/news/128166-cause-death-released-little-leaguer Herb Tue, 08 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:227