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James Reiss, MD
PeaceHealth Southwest’s
Heart & Vascular Center
Cardiology
200 E Mother Joseph Place,
Suite 400
Vancouver, WA 98664
360.514.4444
WHEN YOUR HEAR T S K I P S A BEAT OR F L UT T E R S
in your chest, it could be a sign that your heart’s electrical
system is not working the way it should. The treatment
of irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmias, requires highly
sophisticated care, both with expertise and technology.
It is among the many specialties offered at PeaceHealth
Southwest’s Heart & Vascular Center Cardiology.
To remain on the leading edge of cardiac care, upgrades
and enhancements to services and technologies are
essential—and expensive. The PeaceHealth Southwest
Foundation recently gave $500,000 from its Area of
Greatest Need fund to begin construction of a new cardiac
catheterization lab. The Foundation is committed to
raising an additional $500,000 this year to secure the most
advanced technology for lifesaving heart procedures, such
as angioplasty and stent placement.
This project will also upgrade the Heart & Vascular
Center’s Electrophysiology Lab, a specially equipped
procedure room used for interventions, such as the
implantation of pacemakers and devices that eliminate
electrical currents in the heart that cause irregular
rhythms.
One of the most exciting advances in the treatment of
arrhythmias is technology that offers a permanent solution
for many people living with an irregular heartbeat. It
involves using a combination of ablation therapy and
3-D imaging to literally zap the problem pathway.
“In the past, doctors relied solely on the patient’s EKG
(electrocardiogram) to monitor the electrical activity of
the heart,” explains James Reiss, MD, electrophysiologist
at PeaceHealth Southwest’s Heart & Vascular Center
Cardiology. “It’s an accurate but time-consuming method
of tracking irregular heartbeats.” By contrast, 3-D mapping
is faster and provides a level of detail far superior to
traditional EKG mapping.
With the 3-D images to guide them, doctors send
radiofrequency energy through a catheter to ablate, or
destroy, the problem pathway. It’s a quick, minimally
invasive procedure with life-changing results for the
patient. No more worrying about medication management
and unpleasant side effects—just a healthy heart that can
finally keep the beat on its own.
As medical technology continues to evolve, PeaceHealth
Southwest is proud to offer its community the very
latest in cardiovascular treatments. In addition to being
the only medical center in southwest Washington
equipped to perform emergency heart attack and stroke
interventions, PeaceHealth Southwest’s Heart & Vascular
Center is also known for its sophisticated techniques
for opening blocked arteries anywhere in the body and
even zapping the heart with pinpoint precision to keep it
beating in perfect rhythm.
Have you or a loved one benefited from a lifesaving
or life-changing intervention at PeaceHealth
Southwest’s Heart & Vascular Center? Tell us about it
at myheart@swmedicalcenter.org.
Heart
Health
A
heartfelt
investment
MYTH BUSTERS
Myth:
My racing heart isn’t a
heart condition. It’s just anxiety.
Busted:
While in some
instances a rapid heartbeat is
caused by stress, it can also
be a sign of a more serious
irregular heartbeat that
requires medical treatment.
Talk to your doctor if you
experience a racing heart.
4
SOUTHWEST
health