Published: Feb. 2, 2017
It’s Heart Health Month and the Sparrow Heart and Vascular Center has lots of great advice on cardiac care and innovative treatments.
Former Sparrow Patient Mark Way of Williamston loves hockey; he started playing the sport competitively when he was 54. But Way had to stop playing for awhile because he was taking blood thinners to treat atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm that can lead to a stroke. He’s back on the ice now, though, after having a tiny Watchman device installed at Sparrow to help prevent blood clots that can cause strokes.
The Watchman has changed his life, Way said. Sparrow is the only hospital in the mid-Michigan region, and a relatively few nationwide, that offers the Watchman.
Besides discussing the Watchman, Way’s physician, Sparrow Interventional Cardiologist Gaurav Dhar, M.D., also provided tips about taking care of your heart. Tip No. 1: Don’t drive yourself to the hospital if you think you’re having a heart attack. Call 911. That will reduce the danger to yourself and others on the roads. Call 1.800.SPARROW to schedule a free heart screening.