The long-awaited question as to how Jack Pearson died on the hit NBC show “This Is Us” was finally answered. Viewers had expected Pearson (played by Milo Ventimiglia) to die in a house fire. As it turned out, the fire was only part of the story. Viewers learned Pearson suffered a type of heart attack…
Norton Healthcare’s newest vascular surgeon is Hanna Davis, D.O. What’s a D.O.? It stands for doctor of osteopathy. Her medical degree requires the same type of training as an M.D., but her training focused on working with the body’s ability to heal itself. As a child, Dr. Davis liked to take things apart and put…
It has been a bad year for the flu. Just ask Wanda Blanford, who has been at Norton Hospital for three days. Influenza triggered her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and caused atrial fibrillation. Blanford’s illness came on quickly and started as chills and fever. Within a day she began having trouble breathing. “I’ve…
In honor of American Heart Month, Theresa Byrd, coordinator for the Norton Heart & Vascular Institute Women’s Heart Program, shares why she wears red to raise awareness each February. I wear red for my brother, Michael Brown, who at the young age of 40 experienced a severe hemorrhagic stroke. We were driving to Michael’s home…
NBC’s “Today” broadcast from the emergency department at Norton Brownsboro Hospital Monday morning, Feb. 5, encouraging viewers to take the flu seriously, get the vaccine and keep their hands clean. The flu can be diagnosed quickly with a test administered by a health care provider. “I do think there are people that unfortunately don’t take…
Tara Mudd, APRN, with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute’s Heart Rhythm Center, answers questions about atrial fibrillation medications, their risks, side effects and what happens if they don’t work. Q: How often and for how long do people have to take atrial fibrillation drugs? Anti-arrhythmic medications can be taken anywhere from once daily to three times…
Cardiology and neurology specialists at Norton Healthcare knew there was a growing body of evidence suggesting that the underlying cause for many cryptogenic strokes is atrial fibrillation (A-fib). However, many A-fib patients do not receive additional cardiac monitoring, leaving them at risk for a recurrent stroke. To address this issue, a new multidisciplinary cryptogenic stroke…
Surviving a stroke is the beginning of a recovery that encompasses not only physical challenges, but can include emotional, social and financial ones as well. Norton Healthcare is the only health care system in Louisville with a neuroscience resource center to help patients navigate their lives after a stroke. Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Center services…
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) recently unveiled its recommendations for reducing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in the knee. It includes specific exercises and guidelines on how athletes should implement an injury prevention program to improve their chance of avoiding an injury. The recommendation supports calls from sports medicine professionals and provides training recommendations…
Norton eCare visits have more than doubled since October when flu season began. Norton eCare offers two types of “virtual care” — eVisit and video visit. “We’re seeing a lot of patients right now who have flu-like symptoms,” said Rachel Alexander, APRN, Norton eCare. “But we’re also seeing many other patients with health concerns who…
The big game is this weekend! Anything could happen, from halftime show hijinks to breathtaking finishes. Could all the excitement give you a heart attack? During the National Football Conference (NFC) divisional playoffs, the Minnesota Vikings secured a last-minute, nail-biting win over the New Orleans Saints. Some fans were so excited their Apple Watches thought…
When it comes to treating stroke patients, there’s a saying: “Time saved is brain saved.” “For every minute you do not treat a stroke, you lose 2 million brain cells,” said Lynn Hundley, APRN, director, Clinical Effectiveness and Stroke Care. Hundley has worked to bring down the door-to-needle time at Norton Healthcare hospitals. That’s the…