Here is a lovely tee shirt that belongs to Dave.

He purchased it through Medtronic Corporation, the manufacturer of his and Jim's ICDs.

Jim has his own Medtronic shirt. It's a real hoot whenever one of them has this shirt on!

While driving home from the store this evening, I heard Medtronic Corporation named as a sponsor of BBC World News heard on National Public Radio. Go Medtronic!!

World Heart Day 2005

David in the summer of 1988,
hand over heart! Very cute!

Do you know the difference between cardiac arrest (heart attack) and sudden cardiac death? They both sound pretty ominous! Well here is an explanation that a cardiologist offered to me: think of cardiac arrest as a problem with the plumbing. There is a clog or obstruction somewhere which is severely affecting the flow of blood to the heart. There can be varying levels of the problem. A person having a heart attack may experience several symptoms such as arm or jaw pain, nausea, stomach upset, chest pains. Heart attacks can cause minor damage to the heart muscle - or they can be fatal. It is imperative that a person in cardiac arrest receive medical intervention immediately. Long term treatment may involve heart bypass surgery, lifestyle changes, and medications such as blood thinners, beta blockers, and such.

In contrast, "sudden cardiac death" can be described as an electrical problem. There is a power failure, as though somebody just switches the power off. Period. There are no painful symptoms. Your heart stops beating properly, and within seconds, you lose consciousness. There is no treatment for Sudden Cardiac Death brought on by Brugada Syndrome. This is why patients are fitted with an implantable defibrillator.

We aren't sure exactly how common Brugada Syndrome exists in the population, one 2002 Italian study found "The current prevalence estimate is 1-5/10.000 in the Western countries. Higher frequency (1/2500) may be found in eastern countries, especially Thailand, where BrS is considered the major cause of sudden death in young individuals."

So in our small town, perhaps 5 to 10 people are walking around with Brugada Syndrome. And that is only one of several serious, diagnosable conditions that may lead to sudden cardiac death. There are others, such as Marfan Syndrome, or Long QT Syndrome. Should people be screened for these conditions, so that they may receive treatment?

In the United Kingdom, there is an active movement to raise awareness of sudden death syndrome and generally, cardiac risk of the young. One organization, C-R-Y, is working with the medical community to establish a national screening program. It recommends that youngsters receive a few screening electrocardiographs over the course of several years, with special attention to young athletes, a group at special risk for some cardiac conditions.

Electrocardiographs are noninvasive, quick and easy screening methods. But they aren't free. Is it worth the time and money to screen millions of people for such a rare condition?

The next time you read a sad story about a young healthy person who dies in her sleep, think about it: a routine screening electrocardiograph, conducted years earlier, just might have saved her life...

Did you know that World Heart Day is Sunday, September 25?

Bill Clinton (former pres) and Roger Federer (current tennis star) both support the World Heart Association and announced World Heart Day through a joint press release. President Clinton had heart bypass surgery a year ago after experiencing chest pains. He maintains a healthy lifestyle, eats smart and stays fit. His Foundation is working hard to promote heart health.

Roger Federer, currently ranked the number one player of professional tennis, is the spokesperson for United Nations International Year of the Sport and Physical Education. You might have caught him beating Andre Agassi earlier this month. Wow was that a terrific match or what!! Anyway, he said, "Where ever you live in the world, moderate but regular exercise is extremely important. A small amount of exercise can make a big difference and help you have a healthy heart for life, too."

The World Heart Association is based in Geneva, Switzerland. Here in the U.S. , the American Heart Association, the American College of Cardiology, and the Children's Heartlink each have activities planned to promote awareness of heart health.

So you have an ICD...Medic Alert tags - to wear or not to wear? - this is the question. (Here's a picture of Dave's.)

Both Jim and Dave ordered and received medic alert tags after they had their ICDs implanted. It's just good planning, I guess. There IS a sizeable scar on their chests, and I'm sure any EMT worth his or her salt would immediately realize there was something in there besides the ticker.

But just in case, it's good for the ambulance crew to know about the ICD. You definitely don't want someone who thinks you are cardiac arrest or some other heart problem thinking about giving you the paddles on top of your ICD. This would definitely not be good. The great thing about Medic Alert is that you are also registered with an ID number, and your medical information is available to help the staff learn about your condition almost immediately in case of emergency.

Only one problem. Dave won't wear his tag. He says it's uncomfortable. He worked as a line cook this past summer, and said that it really bothered his skin in all the heat. I think the tag is currently on his set of keys. So what good is it there?

Dave's decided that it would be much more efficient to have his medic alert "tag" tattooed directly to his chest. The other side from the ICD of course. So this is the plan. In a couple of weeks, he'll visit the tattoo parlor with a clear drawing of the emblem, and have it - shall we say - implanted.

I just don't understand tattoos.

Dave had his four-month check-up at the cardiologist's office yesterday. The staff in this practice is very thorough. As Dave lay flat on his back, they placed a mouse-sized gadget on his chest over the defibrillator implant, where it "read" the ICD and fed the data into the computer. In addition to reading the information on the computer screen, they also print out a report that tells about any cardiac events that have been recorded, such as pacing the heart, or a shock. The doctor had a couple of medical students with him so he remarked aloud while reviewing the readout from the ICD report. It was all good news. Dave has had no problems and the ICD battery remains strong. The doctor told us that he continues to see evidence of Brugada Syndrome on Dave's ECGs however. This doesn't surprise us, although it is common for the unique waves to appear occasionally but not always. It wouldn't change the diagnosis either way.

Dave's and Jim's surgeries were nearly a year ago, in October of 2004. Sometimes it seems as though years and years have passed since then. For lots of reasons.

I've added a link about Brugada Syndrome. It's from a different perspective - a website about genetic conditions, not cardiac conditions. Interesting reading.

I've been watching the news coverage of Katrina, the devastating hurricane that has ravaged much of the gulf coast of the United States. It is heartbreaking. The overwhelming stories of the people who have lost everything brings tears to my eyes. And I have seen local government officials, members of the news media, and first responders break down from sheer frustration and exhaustion. The number of lives lost grows by the hour. Thank you to the countries from all over the world who have offered to help with money or services. I have faith that the areas will be rebuilt to their previous splendor, with better protection from storms, and people will be able to return to their old neighborhoods and rebuild their lives. My heart goes out to all who have been affected by the storm, and to those who have stepped up to help.