Is your heart fluttering? You may not be in love, but you might have an arrhythmia.
Arrhythmia is the medical term for a heart with an irregular beat, according to health information website WebMD.com, and it could be an indication of ailments such as atrial fibrillation. It’s the most common type of heart arrhythmia and could lead to chest pain or, even worse, heart failure.
The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that anywhere between 2.7 million and 6.1 million people in the U.S. are afflicted with atrial fibrillation.
Anyone with an arrhythmia may experience his or her heart beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly. Should you ever have this feeling, it might be best to get it checked out. And now you can do just that at Marian Regional Medical Center, which recently held a grand opening for its new electrophysiology program on July 28.
Electrophysiology is the science of diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders. The program is part of the ever-growing Marian Heart Center, which now includes two cardiac catheterization labs equipped with technology to detect irregularities in the heart’s electrical system. So far, it’s the only such program on the Central Coast.
Along with the new electrophysiology program comes the addition of Dr. Brett Gidney, who’s certified in cardiovascular diseases and sub-specializes in electrophysiology. Gidney received his medical degree at the Yeshiva University’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, N.Y., and was appointed medical director for Marian’s electrophysiology program.
Before joining the staff at Marian, Gidney maintained a practice in Santa Barbara, where he’s also affiliated with Cottage Hospital and Community Memorial Hospital.
“As a cardiac electrophysiologist, I am able to diagnose and treat abnormal heart rhythm disturbances so that our patients can return to a healthy and active life,” Gidney said.
Other Dignity Health hospitals that offer electrophysiology include French Hospital Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, which began its program in 2014.
Highlights
• The South Central Coast Regional Consortium (SCCRC) invites the public to participate in developing its regional strategic plan between 9 a.m. and noon on Friday, Aug. 5, at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott located at 555 McMurray Road in Buellton. The SCCRC strategic plan is a five-year projection and assessment of demographic and labor market data for business sectors in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties, as well as Northern Los Angeles County. The event is free, but registration is required at tinyurl.com/zcdfpck. For more information, contact SCCRC Co-chair Diane Hollems at diane.hollems@gmail.com.
• Six Sigma is a business and manufacturing methodology introduced by Motorola engineer Bill Smith in 1986 that relies on a collaborative team effort to improve output by systematically removing waste. The Business Excellence Enterprise is offering a hands-on Level 1 course from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 22, at the Radiology Associates building, located at 1310 Las Tablas Road in Templeton. Participants will learn how to utilize this method that could help impact their company in a successful way. For more information, call 538-2331, or email bee.improvement@gmail.com.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Aug 4-11, 2016.
