Author: eri

How To Treat AFib While Traveling This Summer

Posted on by eri

As the summer travel season takes off, patients who cope with atrial fibrillation (afib) might wonder how to treat afib while traveling and what risks traveling poses. We sat down with electrophysiologist Dr. Monica Lo (a physician who treats heart rhythm problems) to ask her about any risk factors with airplane travel or long road trips.

Q: What is Atrial Fibrillation?

A: Afib is an irregular rhythm (erratic firing) coming from the top chambers of the heart. Not everyone with afib feels palpitations; some people may feel fatigue, dizzy and not able to do as much. It’s a very common condition – 1 out of 4 people over 80 have it. However, afib patients can range from people in their teens to 90 year olds.

Q: It’s vacation season – what recommendations do you have for patients how how to treat afib?

A: People overindulge a lot on vacations. They forget they have a chronic medical condition. They eat excessive salt since they are eating out. Sometimes there is heart failure that is related to afib. A lot of times, it is fluid buildup causing afib rather than afib causing fluid buildup. If you eat excessive salt, that can bring about an afib exacerbation. If you drink a lot of alcohol on vacation, that can also be a trigger for afib.

Q: For afib patients that plan to fly, what suggestions can you recommend?

A: People worry that being in an airplane is going to trigger afib. It’s a pressurized cabin at about 5,000-8,000 feet. Airplanes have enough oxygen where that shouldn’t be a problem. You always want to check with your physician before going out of town. Make sure your condition is well controlled and you are on appropriate medication, and make sure you have your medications and refills with you. When traveling by plane, people can get very dehydrated due to cabin pressure and rushing around to make connections. Someone who is dehydrated can get into afib easily. To minimize this, drink plenty of fluids and give yourself plenty of time so you aren’t overly stressed or overly tired.

Q: Is it only airplane travel patients should worry about?

A: There is a risk of blood clots for some patients. Those with afib who are over 65, depending on their stroke risk factors, are likely on a blood thinner. If you have afib and have low risk factors for stroke and you’re not taking a blood thinner, you are at a higher risk for clotting. If you’re traveling by car, stop every hour, get out and walk. By plane, every 30 minutes, walk around, move around, that can prevent the risk of clotting.

Q: What about people with pacemakers?

A: If you’re on a blood thinner such as Warfarin or Coumadin and it’s a long trip, make sure you have some place that’s available to check your blood thinner level.  If you have a pacemaker or defibrillator and you’re doing international travel, make sure there is somebody who would be able to check your device in case of an emergency.

Q: What circumstance can get patients into trouble?

A: When patients are doing well and they forget to take their medications or they stop taking them, that can cause problems. They may pass out from afib if they aren’t taking the correct medications. If they forget or miss their blood thinner, they may end up in the ER with a stroke.

Q: What about traveling to the mountain states – does altitude pose a problem?

A:  If you are traveling somewhere above 8,000 feet, the recommendation is to stay in an area with lower altitude for five days or so and then climb up to a higher area that can help your body adjust to the altitude. Hydration is key.

To learn more about atrial fibrillation and how to treat afib, click here and listen to our podcast with Dr. Lo.

Heart Healthy Meals: Chicken Salad Wraps

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Part of the success bariatric patients experience comes with healthy eating habits. One of the keys to healthier eating is planning and prepping heart healthy meals ahead of time. Using a rotisserie chicken can save you time and make meal prepping easier. These Chicken Salad wraps are easy to make, packed full of flavor, are portable and something the family can enjoy.

Ingredients:

  • Shredded rotisserie chicken breast (from one chicken)
  • ¼ cup diced celery
  • ¼ cup peeled, chopped apple (Honeycrisp used for recipe testing)
  • ¾ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise (Duke’s used for recipe testing)
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Boston or Butter Lettuce leaves (sometimes packaged as “Living Lettuce”)
  • Sliced almonds

Place shredded chicken breast in medium mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients except almonds.  Pour over shredded chicken and toss to coat.  Refrigerate 2-3 hours for best flavor.

To serve:

Place lettuce leaves on plate.  Place ½ cup chicken salad on each leaf.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sliced almonds on each wrap.

Nutrition info per ½ cup chicken salad

  • 183 calories
  • 12 grams fat
  • 3 grams carbohydrate
  • 16 grams protein

For more heart healthy meals and recipes, click here.

Heart Healthy Lunch: Greek Lettuce Wraps

Posted on by eri

Summertime calls for light, cool, easier meals to beat the heat. Fresh produce and lean meat make wraps the perfect heart healthy lunch for summertime! Here’s a recipe for Greek lettuce wraps that’s quick, easy and one bariatric patients love.

Ingredients:

  • Shredded rotisserie chicken breast (from one chicken)
  • Boston or Butter Lettuce Leaves (sometimes packaged as “Living lettuce”)
  • Fat free plain Greek yogurt
  • Roasted red bell pepper strips
  • English cucumber cut into strips
  • Feta

Remove white and dark meat from chicken and place in separate bowls, shred.  *Leftover carcass may be used for stock.

Remove root ball from lettuce and rinse. Allow to drain or place in salad spinner to remove excess water.

For Greek Tzatziki Sauce:

  • 1 ½ cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt (Chobani was used in recipe testing)
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons dry dill or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together in bowl.  May be placed in squeeze bottle for easy use.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to develop.

To assemble:

Place 2 lettuce leaves on plate.  Add 2 ounces shredded white meat to each lettuce leaf.  Top each with 3 strips roasted red bell pepper, 3 strips of cucumber, 2 Tablespoons Tzatziki sauce and ½ ounces crumbled feta.

Components may be assembled ahead of time or stored in separate plastic storage bags and placed in cooler for easy travel meal!

Extra Tzatziki Sauce may be used as a high protein veggie dip.

Nutrition info per serving (2 lettuce wraps)

  • 290 calories
  • 13 grams fat
  • 36 grams protein
  • 3 grams carbohydrate

For more great tasting heart healthy lunch and other meal recipes, click here.

Get Your Heart Healthy Shopping List Here!

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Healthy eating starts with healthy ingredients. So we’ve compiled a heart healthy shopping list for the best foods to get for your summer trips. Shop for tasty, versatile and healthy items that our bariatric patients will love. From produce to protein to peanut butter, this list will keep you healthy, feeling energized and stress-free when it comes to your meals. Happy travels!

Produce:

  • Boston or Bibb Lettuce (sometimes packaged as Living Lettuce)-2
  • Garlic-raw or jarred (whichever you prefer)
  • Ginger paste
  • English cucumber – 2
  • Shredded carrots – 1 bag
  • Cilantro – 1 bunch
  • Lemon – 1
  • Lime – 1
  • Fresh dill (or dried dill in spice aisle-whichever you prefer)
  • Celery-may use celery in veggie tray, other vegetables may be used with leftover Tzatziki Sauce

Protein:

  • Rotisserie chicken – 2

Dairy:

  • Fat free plain Greek yogurt (example: Chobani)
  • Feta 

Baking/Oils/Spices:

  • Splenda
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Rice bran oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Curry powder
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Sliced almonds

Miscellaneous: 

  • Roasted red pepper strips
  • Lite soy sauce
  • Rice wine vinegar (unseasoned)
  • Sesame oil
  • Duke’s Mayonnaise
  • Dijon mustard
  • Dill pickle relish
  • Peter Pan Simply Ground Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

For more tips on your heart healthy shopping list and great recipes, click here.

Heart Healthy Meals To Cook: Asian Lettuce Wraps

Posted on by eri

For bariatric patients, there’s a common misconception they cannot enjoy common, flavorful, delicious food. Fortunately, we have some healthy meals to cook that taste as good as they are for your heart. Here is a for Asian lettuce wraps that’s perfect for summer and easy to make and one the whole family can enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon rice bran oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ cup lite soy sauce
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Splenda
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons honey roasted peanut butter (Peter Pan Simply Ground Honey Roast used in recipe testing)
  • Boston or butter lettuce leaves (sometimes packaged as “Living Lettuce”)
  • Shredded rotisserie dark meat chicken (may use shredded chicken breast if preferred)
  • Shredded carrots
  • Cucumber cut into strips
  • Cilantro leaves (optional)

Directions:

Remove root ball and rinse lettuce. Allow to drain or place in salad spinner to remove excess water.

Whisk all ingredients except peanut butter together. Reserve ¼ cup dressing, whisk peanut butter into remaining dressing.

Heat skillet on medium heat, add chicken. Sauté two minutes. Add reserved dressing and increase heat to medium high. Allow to crisp slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place two lettuce leaves on plate. Top each leaf with 2 ounces chicken, shredded carrot, cucumber strips and cilantro. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons dressing over each lettuce wrap.

Nutrition info per serving (2 lettuce wraps)

  • 315 calories
  • 22 grams fat
  • 4 grams carbohydrate
  • 28 grams protein

For more heart healthy meals to cook, click here.

Our Top Tips For Summer Skin Care

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Summer vacation is underway, which means pools, water parks and lakes are packed with families and vacationers soaking in some time in the sun. With the official start of summer less than two weeks away, it’s important to remember to be kind to your skin — whether you’re out on the beach or just cutting your grass at home. Just as it’s important to focus on internal heart health, it’s important to keep in mind skin care as well

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that sunscreens have an SPF of at least 30, be water resistant and broad spectrum, meaning it protects from both UVA and UVB rays. Some of the best ingredients to meet all these requirements are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide sunscreens. “These are really good because they stay on top of your skin and don’t get absorbed like some of the others. People will have a lot less reaction,” said Dr. Payton Card, an internal medicine doctor at Arkansas Heart Hospital.

Dr. Card says if you are going to be outside for an extended period of time, you should lather up no matter what you’re doing. “If you’re not getting wet or sweaty, you might only have to put it on one time if you’re only going to be out for a couple of hours.”

With the proper sunscreen use, you can still enjoy the Vitamin D, emotional and metabolic benefits of being out in the sun – just without the nasty sunburn. You might not tan as quickly as you’d hope, but experiencing these benefits and practicing good skin care are well worth it.

Bad sunburns early in life, tanning oils and other methods put people at a greater risk for skin problems down the road. Using tanning products might be a quick fix for getting a tan, but they will likely increase your risk of developing cancer later in life.

Other summer skin care recommendations include:

  • Avoid being in the sun from 10am-2pm. If you are outside during these hours, make sure you have adequate sunscreen protection.
  • Use a water resistant sunscreen. Water resistant means if you’re sweating or getting in and out of the water, the sunscreen has been rated to provide the protection it’s been advertised with for up to 40 minutes.
  • If you aren’t sweating or in the water, reapply every two hours.
  • Look for sunscreens with the ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
  • If you have acne, alcohol based lotions and creams work well.
  • Use sunscreen even if you’re not prone to sunburn — if you don’t get visible sunburns, you’re still receiving the harmful UVA and UVB rays.

For more on summer skin care, click here to see a conversation with Dr. Card on the importance of sunscreen with Channel 7 news.

Arkansas Heart Hospital Receives Patients From Neighboring Hospital

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On Friday afternoon, Arkansas Heart Hospital began receiving patients from Arkansas Surgical Hospital. “We didn’t hesitate to help our friends across the river,” said President Drew Jackson.

According to officials with Arkansas Surgical Hospital (ASH), they learned that wastewater manholes already underwater were beginning to back up and could possible enter the facility as flood waters increase. In an abundance of caution, and interest of patient and staff safety, the immediate decision was made to transfer patients to Arkansas Heart Hospital.

High Blood Pressure: The Silent Killer

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Because hypertension shows no warning signs, most people do not know they have it until it’s too late. What is high blood pressure (BP)? The American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and American Society of Hypertension, the benchmark for optimum blood pressure control is 130/80 mmHg. It should be less than that in everyone.

Since the condition rarely has symptoms, doctors recommend investing in an over-the-counter blood pressure machine or cuff for the home. When checking your BP there are a few things you can do to ensure an accurate reading. Do not consume caffeine, smoke or participate in physical activity 30 minutes prior to checking. Rest for five minutes, and do not have your feet dangling or talk to a nurse if you are at a doctor’s office. If you don’t take those steps, your BP can be falsely increased by 10mmHg, which can result in a patient being over-treated. Seventy percent of blood pressure readings in doctor’s offices are inaccurate.

It is recommended to check your BP twice a day. Take the reading two hours after breakfast and one hour after dinner. The more you check it in a day, the more it will go up. Keep a record and take that to your physician. If it’s above 130/80 for three readings, you have hypertension and it must be treated.

Key facts on high blood pressure:

  • Affects one in three adults worldwide
  • Contributes to more than 1, 000 deaths per day
  • When blood pressure is high, you are 4x more likely to die from a stroke and 3x more likely to die from heart disease

You might be wondering, “can I avoid, delay or reduce my need for medication?” The answer is yes, by following these 9 easy steps.

Our 9 easy steps:

  • Maintain a healthy weight
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • Reduce sodium intake
  • Cut back on caffeine
  • Exercise regularly
  • Eat a healthy diet
  • Manage and reduce stress
  • Quit smoking or don’t start
  • Monitor BP regularly

Want to learn more about our patient-centered, specialized cardiac care? Discover our wide range of cardiac care services or ask your primary care provider for a referral today.

Why You Should Stay Away From Energy Drinks with Christine Alongi

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 15:43 — )

Subscribe: RSS | https://www.arheart.com/at-the-heart-podcast/

It’s no secret that athletes today love downing energy drinks before a big game. But whenever you take a stimulant, such as caffeine, to give yourself that energy boost for the day, it causes your heart to beat faster for a long period of time — and consuming high concentrations of caffeine can cause serious damages to your heart. Today we have Christine Alongi, director of our StrongHearts cardiac rehabilitation program, to talk about what too much caffeine looks like and what effects it can have, especially with the surge in popularity for energy drinks.

Understanding Your Weight Loss Surgery Options with Dr. Samuel Bledsoe

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:53 — 21.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS | https://www.arheart.com/at-the-heart-podcast/

Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery, has become a common path many Americans take to help manage their weight and reach their health goals. But did you know weight loss surgery can also help treat more diseases than obesity, such as diabetes? Dr. Samuel Bledsoe, a bariatric surgeon from Arkansas Heart Hospital’s Bariatric & Metabolic Institute, is here to talk about the different weight loss surgery options patients have, what occurs during those surgeries and how they’ve helped countless Americans lead healthier lives.