Cardiology

Do you need to get off blood thinners? Meet WATCHMAN^TM– now available at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center.

WATCHMAN^TMIs An Alternative to Blood Thinners.
WATCHMAN^TM, the Left Atrial Appendage Closure Implant, has provided over 50,000 patients around the world with an alternative to blood thinners like warfarin.

WATCHMAN^TM is a one-time procedure at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center that may reduce stroke risk for a lifetime in people with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem. WATCHMAN^TM is a permanent implant that closes off a part of the heart where blood clots commonly form. 

In a clinical trial, 9 out of 10 people were able to stop taking warfarin just 45 days after getting WATCHMAN^TM. At one year, 99 out of 100 people were able to stop taking warfarin. This can lower the risk of bleeding associated with the long-term use of blood thinners like warfarin. 

Taking Warfarin for AFib?
You may have heard that atrial fibrillation increases your risk of having a stroke. In fact, a person with AFib is 5 times more likely, on average, to suffer a stroke than someone with a regular heartbeat. 

That’s because AFib causes your heart to beat irregularly, which affects its ability to pump blood normally. And when the heart doesn’t pump as it should, blood can collect and form clots. If a clot escapes, it can cut off the blood supply to the brain—causing a stroke.

How WATCHMAN^TM Works

•     WATCHMAN^TM fits into a part of your heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA). 
•     90% of stroke-causing blood clots that come from the heart are formed in the LAA.
•     WATCHMAN^TM permanently closes off this part of your heart to keep those blood clots from escaping. 

The WATCHMAN^TM Implant is about the size of a quarter, and it doesn’t require open-heart surgery. Here’s what happens during the procedure. 

1. To implant WATCHMAN^TM, your doctor makes a small cut in your upper leg and inserts a narrow tube. 
2. Your doctor then guides WATCHMAN^TM through the tube, into your left atrial appendage (LAA). 
3. The procedure is done under general anesthesia and typically takes about an hour. People who get the WATCHMAN^TM Implant usually stay in the hospital overnight and go home the next day. 
4. After the procedure, you’ll take warfarin until your LAA is permanently closed off—usually just 45 days. 
5. During that time, heart tissue grows over the WATCHMAN^TM Implant to form a barrier against blood clots.

Have you started to notice bulging, twisted, or discolored veins in your legs? Maybe your skin has a shiny red color or feels hot to the touch. Many people write off these signs and symptoms of varicose veins as “just getting older.” However, these painful vein problems can be quite serious. While varicose veins might be the most visible kind of peripheral venous health problem, they’re only one of many potentially life-threatening conditions.

• Peripheral Arterial Disease
• Varicose Veins
• Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI)

Diagnosing Vein Problems

• Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) Test: During an ABI test, blood pressure cuffs are placed on the arms and ankle. If the ankle blood pressure reading is significantly lower than the arm blood pressure reading, then your ABI results may indicate the presence of PAD.
• Vascular Ultrasound: A vascular ultrasound uses a small, handheld transducer that bounces sound waves off the veins. These sound waves are recorded and then used to create an image of the blood vessel, revealing blockages, narrowing, and other health issues. This test is completely harmless and painless.
• Angiography: During the procedure, a special contrast dye is injected into an artery – usually the femoral artery in the groin. X-ray imaging is used to trace the dye as it moves through your body’s blood vessels. (In some cases, a magnetic resonance angiogram or computed tomography angiogram may be used instead.)