When Julie Tam was climbing a ladder to replace a lightbulb, she suddenly felt dizzy with chest and jaw pain. She thought it was indigestion. When the pain went down her left arm, she went to Carle Health Prompt Care.
“I knew this had never happened before,” said Tam. “I asked for an EKG because something felt off.” A cardiac nurse was on duty and saw there was a problem, and she called an ambulance to take Tam to Carle Health Proctor Hospital, later being transferred again to Methodist Hospital.
“Her EKG wasn’t normal, but the angiogram used for heart attack patients did not indicate a blockage,” said Ramyashree Tummala, MD, FACC. “An ultrasound revealed her heart was weak. The squeezing motion indicated stress weakening.”
Tam was diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a sudden weakening of the heart muscle. Because she acted quickly when she felt something was wrong, Tam received the quick medical intervention needed to diagnose and treat her condition.
“This diagnosis is common in women between 40 and 60,” said Dr. Tummala. “It makes the heart pumping function weak.”
For Peggy West, her heart attack was also unexpected.
“I was completely surprised by a cardiac event,” said West. “I’m an artist and I was on my way to a meeting with other artists. On the way down the steps, I felt nauseous and dizzy. I thought it was something I ate.”
At this meeting, a friend of West who had recently taken CPR training noticed her symptoms. She pressed her that something was wrong. When West lost consciousness, her friend and a retired surgeon also at the meeting performed CPR until emergency services arrived.
West experienced six cardiac arrests in six hours needing constant chest compressions. She had a 100 percent blockage of her left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. She needed three stents put in and spent 30 days recovering in the hospital.
While Tam recovered in the intensive care unit, she experienced more complications from her initial event. Tam stayed at the hospital for a week due to cardiac, respiratory, and kidney failure. Her vision also decreased. After the hospital, she started taking medication. Tam also began occupational therapy for her eyesight at a Carle Health facility and at home.
Due to the quick, life-saving actions of those around her, West received the treatment needed to survive such a serious medical emergency.
“I never stopped breathing, and my heart never stopped because of them,” said West.
“I did exercises and puzzles every day,” said Tam. “My eyesight came back. It took a while to get my strength back, but it’s all good now.”
While Tam’s strength returned, she managed the anxiety that came with her experience. “I had nightmares for a long while. They’ve gone, and the anxiety is going away. It’s a common thing to have this fear, but little by little you feel better, and the fear goes away.”
For West, her recovery has been ongoing.
“It’s a miracle that I’m still here,” said West. “Dr. Tummala was there from the beginning. She put me on an external defibrillator for six months and was with me through cardiac therapy and occupational therapy.” Medication and cardiac rehab have also helped to increase her heart function.
Because those around her called for EMS quickly and provided chest compressions until they arrived, West did not experience any brain function deterioration. “I have all my memories,” said West. “It took a little bit to get my motor skills back, but I have all my learning, and all my skills are there. I don’t know what I would have done if those were impaired.”
“The timely approach with CPR results in better brain function,” said Dr. Tummala. “More patients are likely to survive with better brain function is CPR is quickly given.”
Tam considers herself lucky that she was knew she needed care and that she able to see a cardiac nurse right away to identify that something was wrong. “The doctors gave me great care,” said Tam. “I’ve gotten to know them all and they’re just great.”
“If patients have any symptoms that they notice aren’t normal, early treatment and diagnosis helps prevent symptoms or helps them get better sooner,” said Dr Tummala.
West is grateful for her friend who first noticed her symptoms. “She followed me like a puppy, told me not to lock the bathroom door, and told me she’d be there because she had a suspicion that what I was feeling was larger than I knew long before I said to call 9-1-1.”
West encourages everyone to get CPR training. “We often see the symptoms in others but ignore it in ourselves,” said West. “So, if we’re all prepared, we’re all better off.”
For more information about the cardiovascular conditions treated at Carle Health, visit Carle.org.
“I knew this had never happened before,” said Tam. “I asked for an EKG because something felt off.” A cardiac nurse was on duty and saw there was a problem, and she called an ambulance to take Tam to Carle Health Proctor Hospital, later being transferred again to Methodist Hospital.
“Her EKG wasn’t normal, but the angiogram used for heart attack patients did not indicate a blockage,” said Ramyashree Tummala, MD, FACC. “An ultrasound revealed her heart was weak. The squeezing motion indicated stress weakening.”
Tam was diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a sudden weakening of the heart muscle. Because she acted quickly when she felt something was wrong, Tam received the quick medical intervention needed to diagnose and treat her condition.
“This diagnosis is common in women between 40 and 60,” said Dr. Tummala. “It makes the heart pumping function weak.”
For Peggy West, her heart attack was also unexpected.
“I was completely surprised by a cardiac event,” said West. “I’m an artist and I was on my way to a meeting with other artists. On the way down the steps, I felt nauseous and dizzy. I thought it was something I ate.”
At this meeting, a friend of West who had recently taken CPR training noticed her symptoms. She pressed her that something was wrong. When West lost consciousness, her friend and a retired surgeon also at the meeting performed CPR until emergency services arrived.
West experienced six cardiac arrests in six hours needing constant chest compressions. She had a 100 percent blockage of her left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. She needed three stents put in and spent 30 days recovering in the hospital.
While Tam recovered in the intensive care unit, she experienced more complications from her initial event. Tam stayed at the hospital for a week due to cardiac, respiratory, and kidney failure. Her vision also decreased. After the hospital, she started taking medication. Tam also began occupational therapy for her eyesight at a Carle Health facility and at home.
Due to the quick, life-saving actions of those around her, West received the treatment needed to survive such a serious medical emergency.
“I never stopped breathing, and my heart never stopped because of them,” said West.
“I did exercises and puzzles every day,” said Tam. “My eyesight came back. It took a while to get my strength back, but it’s all good now.”
While Tam’s strength returned, she managed the anxiety that came with her experience. “I had nightmares for a long while. They’ve gone, and the anxiety is going away. It’s a common thing to have this fear, but little by little you feel better, and the fear goes away.”
For West, her recovery has been ongoing.
“It’s a miracle that I’m still here,” said West. “Dr. Tummala was there from the beginning. She put me on an external defibrillator for six months and was with me through cardiac therapy and occupational therapy.” Medication and cardiac rehab have also helped to increase her heart function.
Because those around her called for EMS quickly and provided chest compressions until they arrived, West did not experience any brain function deterioration. “I have all my memories,” said West. “It took a little bit to get my motor skills back, but I have all my learning, and all my skills are there. I don’t know what I would have done if those were impaired.”
“The timely approach with CPR results in better brain function,” said Dr. Tummala. “More patients are likely to survive with better brain function is CPR is quickly given.”
Tam considers herself lucky that she was knew she needed care and that she able to see a cardiac nurse right away to identify that something was wrong. “The doctors gave me great care,” said Tam. “I’ve gotten to know them all and they’re just great.”
“If patients have any symptoms that they notice aren’t normal, early treatment and diagnosis helps prevent symptoms or helps them get better sooner,” said Dr Tummala.
West is grateful for her friend who first noticed her symptoms. “She followed me like a puppy, told me not to lock the bathroom door, and told me she’d be there because she had a suspicion that what I was feeling was larger than I knew long before I said to call 9-1-1.”
West encourages everyone to get CPR training. “We often see the symptoms in others but ignore it in ourselves,” said West. “So, if we’re all prepared, we’re all better off.”
For more information about the cardiovascular conditions treated at Carle Health, visit Carle.org.
Categories: Redefining Healthcare
Tags: Cardiac, Cardiology, Cardiomyopathy, Department, Emergency, Function, Health, Heart, Month, Muscle, Pump, Stress, Tachycardia, Takotsubo, Ventricular