Fingernails are good for scratching itches, but they are also a window into your health. If the skin under your fingernails has a blue or purple tinge, you might need to see a health care provider or a heart specialist. Why are my nails blue? The medical term for blue nail beds is cyanosis. Cyanosis…
A recent study of atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and alcohol found patients with intermittent A-fib would have episodes within hours of drinking. The study in Annals of Internal Medicine provided more evidence that A-fib patients could improve their condition by drinking less. This was the first study to show and measure the real-time relationship between alcohol…
Barry Barmore had been getting his annual physicals, and the routine had become familiar. Blood pressure, reflexes, lots of poking and prodding. “I never expected to hear anything serious from my exam,” Barry said. His primary care provider, Alice H. Johnson, M.D., an internal medicine specialist at Norton Community Medical Associates – Audubon East LL2,…
A device recently approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the treatment of long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is changing the way heart specialists can care for patients with A-fib. A-fib is a potentially serious heart rhythm irregularity that raises the risk of stroke and heart failure. Heart specialists at Norton Heart &…
Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is a heart rhythm condition that isn’t life-threatening, but can lead to other conditions such as stroke and heart failure, so it should be taken very seriously. A-fib is an irregular heart rhythm starting from the atria — the top of the heart — sending out fast, erratic signals that cause the…
During his 30-year coaching career at the University of Louisville, legendary Basketball Hall of Famer Denny Crum was prepared for the toughest matchups on the court. Off the court, two strokes in two years not only caught him off guard but proved to be a formidable opponent. Now, one year after his debilitating second stroke,…
Snoring loudly is a telltale sign of obstructive sleep apnea and a warning you may face a higher risk of stroke. Sleep apnea more than doubles the risk of stroke for middle-aged and older men and also increases the stroke risk in middle-aged and older women. “Sleep apnea is a common but under recognized risk…
Today Norton Healthcare held a celebration to honor the Norton Heart & Vascular Institute team. During the event, local businessman G. Hunt Rounsavall, a long-standing member of the Norton Healthcare board of trustees and major donor to the health system, announced a $1.5 million gift to the Norton Healthcare Foundation from the Robert W. Rounsavall…
Rosemary Stiles’ Apple Watch started vibrating. A text message? An incoming call? A new bit of social media nonsense? None of the above. “Your heart has shown signs of an irregular rhythm suggestive of atrial fibrillation.” The message from her watch went on to suggest she see a doctor. But it’s just a gadget, right?…
You could say that for Sofya Kuznetsov, M.D., cardiology is in her blood. Her mother was a cardiologist in her native Russia. “I saw how grateful her patients were. Some of them became her lifelong friends,” said Dr. Kuznetsov, a cardiac electrophysiologist with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute Heart Rhythm Center. As an electrophysiologist, Dr….
Although the science of studying sleep dates back to the 1920s, it’s only within the past 40 years that physicians have been able to diagnose and treat one of the largest groups of people with sleep disorders — those living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Roughly 10% of U.S. adults — an estimated 22 million…
Robby Speer is delegating more these days. He’s had to slow down a little since he experienced a stroke in 2018. “I realized that if I’m doing everything, someone else isn’t getting the chance to,” Robby said. “It’s been good for me to learn the importance of giving others the opportunity to do what they…
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