BENEFITS VS. RISK OF ASPIRIN THERAPY

Low dose aspirin has been shown to be of benefit as secondary prevention (preventing second events) in people who have suffered heart attacks or strokes. It is also of benefit as primary prevention (preventing first events) in patients with cardiovascular risk factors though it's use should be balanced by a slightly increased risk of bleeding and gastric irritation.


POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD 

ATORVASTATIN (BRAND NAME: LIPITOR) SIDE EFFECTS

Atorvastatin is a statin. Side-effects include muscular aches , inflammation, LFT elevation. Dangerous toxicity such as outright rhabdomyolosis is rare (less than 0.05%), but muscle aches can occur in 10% patients.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

SIDE EFFECTS TO ADVICOR?

Advicor contains a statin as well as niacin. Side-effects include muscular aches (statins), inflammation (both), LFT elevation (both), and flushing (niacin). Dangerous toxicity is rare, but muscle aches can occur in 10% patients.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

DEFINATION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Fast and irregular heartbeats could imply atrial fibrillation. This is an arrythmia wherein their is an uncoupling of the electrical synchronization between the upper cardiac chambers (atria) and lower chambers (ventricles). This leads to a fast and irregularly irregular (irregular cadence). This can result in light headedness and potentially in clot formation and stroke risk.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

WHAT IS HYPOKINESIS?

Hypokinesis suggests that an area of the heart is not thickening and contracting normally typically as a result of reduced blood supply and inadequate oxygen delivery to that portion of the heart.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

MICHIGAN HEART GROUP INTERGRATES WITH WILLIAM BEAUMONT HOSPITAL

On June 1, 2012 a change occurred at Michigan Heart Group we became integrated with William Beaumont Hospital in the form of a Professional Services Agreement. Our signage will soon read Beaumont Michigan Heart Group, Beaumont Michigan Heart Rhythm Group and Beaumont Western Wayne Heart Group.

This professional agreement will integrate some of the services that we provide with the hospital as well as some of our operations including our outpatient testing and billing, but will allow Michigan Heart Group to maintain operational control of the practice. Management of these operations still occurs locally within Michigan Heart Group. We have not experienced that these changes with Beaumont have disrupted any of the services that you currently receive from your physician.

We believe that with this integration model, we will be best able to provide you with the high quality of care that you have come to expect and deserve from our practice. All of our physicians will continue practicing from their current locations and your records will remain available to your physician without any further actions taken on your part. This is intended to be essentially a transparent change to you, the patient, in terms of how your care is delivered. Such a change has been made necessary after we have experienced years of progressive cuts in insurance reimbursement while our fixed costs have steadily increased. The status quo was no longer a viable option for the future.

You will notice changes specific to billing. Beaumont will bill applicable charges to your insurance. You will receive a billing statement from Beaumont rather than from Michigan Heart Group. You may still call Michigan Heart Group for billing inquiries however questions/determinations will be advised and directed by Beaumont.

We value your loyalty and trust that you have placed in our physicians and staff over the past several years and we continue to look forward to serving you in the future. As we indicated above, we believe that most of these changes will be transparent to your healthcare needs. If you have any questions, please contact our administrator, Darlene Nichols at 248-267-5050, select option 2.

Thank you for choosing Michigan Heart Group, in affiliation with William Beaumont Hospital for your healthcare services. We look forward to serving you now and in the future.

Very truly yours,

Beaumont Michigan Heart Group

CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS AND THE RISKS THEY HOLD

Arrhythmias can be either benign either (asymptomatic) or nuisance type events (palpitations), or dangerous (potentially life-threatening). Which depends on the type of arrhythmia and the structural context of the heart in which it occurs.  If you think you have one, it should be check by your primary care physician.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

PREGNANCY AND ELEVATED HEART RATES

During pregnancy, here is a significant increase in plasma volume, creating a dilutional effect on one's blood counts (anemia). This coupled with the large flow of blood from maternal circulation to the placenta causes a compensatory rise in heart rate to generate the necessary cardiac output and deliver enough oxygen to the tissues.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

WHEN SHOULD ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECTS BE CORRECTED?

ASD's are congenital heart defects wherein blood is shunted from the left atrium (oxygenated) to the right atrium (deoxygenated) circulations. When this shunt is significant (shunt ratio greater than 1.8) or if there are symptoms of dyspnea or right sided pressure/volume overload (pulmonary hypertension), the ASD'S should be corrected either surgically or by catheterization techniques.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

TESTS THAT RULE OUT STROKE

Typically stroke risk is assessed by a good neurological exam coupled with a patient history followed by an imaging study (head CT or MRI). Stroke can be diagnosed or ruled out by assessing that.

A bleed caused by a cerebrovascular accident can be ruled out by Unenhanced CT of the head.

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

HOW SIGNIFICANT OF A ROLE DO GENETICS PLAY IN HEART DISEASE

One's genetics are a strong predictor for the development of heart problems when the connection is close (sibling or parent), and when the heart problems occur at a young age (less then 65)

POSTED BY:  STEVEN AJLUNI, MD

MICHIGAN HEART GROUP INTEGRATES WITH WILLIAM BEAUMONT HOSPITAL

On June 1, 2012 a change occurred at Michigan Heart Group we became integrated with William Beaumont Hospital in the form of a Professional Services Agreement. Our signage will soon read Beaumont Michigan Heart Group, Beaumont Michigan Heart Rhythm Group and Beaumont Western Wayne Heart Group.

This professional agreement will integrate some of the services that we provide with the hospital as well as some of our operations including our outpatient testing and billing, but will allow Michigan Heart Group to maintain operational control of the practice. Management of these operations still occurs locally within Michigan Heart Group. We have not experienced that these changes with Beaumont have disrupted any of the services that you currently receive from your physician.

We believe that with this integration model, we will be best able to provide you with the high quality of care that you have come to expect and deserve from our practice. All of our physicians will continue practicing from their current locations and your records will remain available to your physician without any further actions taken on your part. This is intended to be essentially a transparent change to you, the patient, in terms of how your care is delivered. Such a change has been made necessary after we have experienced years of progressive cuts in insurance reimbursement while our fixed costs have steadily increased. The status quo was no longer a viable option for the future.

You will notice changes specific to billing. Beaumont will bill applicable charges to your insurance. You will receive a billing statement from Beaumont rather than from Michigan Heart Group. You may still call Michigan Heart Group for billing inquiries however questions/determinations will be advised and directed by Beaumont.

We value your loyalty and trust that you have placed in our physicians and staff over the past several years and we continue to look forward to serving you in the future. As we indicated above, we believe that most of these changes will be transparent to your healthcare needs. If you have any questions, please contact our administrator, Darlene Nichols at 248-267-5050, select option 2.

Thank you for choosing Michigan Heart Group, in affiliation with William Beaumont Hospital for your healthcare services. We look forward to serving you now and in the future.

Very truly yours,

Beaumont Michigan Heart Group

MICHIGAN HEART GROUP'S PHYSICIAN LIAISON IS HERE TO HELP YOU

Michigan Heart Group has a Physician Liaison on staff to assist with questions, concerns or problems you, your staff or your patients may have with our office.

Stacie Batur is available Monday through Thursday at (248) 267-5050 (x6509). She is often between two buildings or visiting referring physician offices. If you get her voice mail, please leave a message and she will call you back shortly. If you need to speak to her immediately you can reach her on her cell phone at (248) 765-4466.