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Healthy hearts Almost every day, doctors at the Franklin County Heart Center treat patients whose heart health is declining and some patients who don't take the initiative to get tested or screened to live healthier lives. "I've seen a 28-year-old who had a heart attack," said Dr. Arshad Safi, cardiologist at the heart center, 757 Norland Ave. "They (younger people) think that can't happen to them." Doctors, such as Safi, at the Franklin County Heart Center, an affiliate of Keystone Health Center, is hoping to make the community aware that screenings are important to lower the climbing rates of stroke and heart disease. From 2000-02, Franklin County saw 1,038 deaths from heart disease, according to the state Department of Health, making it the leading cause of death during that period. During that same time period, six deaths from heart disease were reported among people between ages 25 and 44, 36 cases among those 45 to 64, and 294 cases among those 65 and older. "We are trying to make people aware that the faster you get treatment, the quicker you'll survive," said Joanne Cochran, CEO and president of Keystone Health Center, Chambersburg. One reason people don't get screened is that they put their concerns about heart disease on the backburner, Safi said, meaning other diseases carry more importance, such as breast cancer. "Why would you not care about another problem that could kill you?" said Safi about heart disease. "We try and get to the people before they have any problems. That's what our main focus is." Heart attack symptoms can often be misdiagnosed, especially in women. Women don't have the classic symptoms that men do, such as chest, back, jaw, arm or stomach pain. Women may experience breaking out in a cold sweat, palpitations, weakness, fatigue, unexplained anxiety, stomach or abdominal pain, nausea or chest pain. Doctors treated 1,021 patients in their cath lab and 178 emergency cases. Of those 178 cases, 152 were the result of a heart attack. The heart center, which opened in January 2003, has seen a total of 8,000 patients. Before the arrival of the center, patients had to travel to hospitals as far away as Harrisburg for treatment and Franklin County didn't have any doctors who specialized in cardiology, Safi said. "There were no facilities available (in Franklin County)," Safi said. "The available testing and availability of angioplasty has changed everything in this area."
覧覧覧覧覧 Originally published April 21, 2005 |
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