{"id":25698,"date":"2019-08-01T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2019-08-01T15:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=25698"},"modified":"2023-06-23T10:49:00","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T16:49:00","slug":"dealing-with-abnormal-heart-rhythm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/dealing-with-abnormal-heart-rhythm\/","title":{"rendered":"When it\u2019s time to deal with abnormal heart rhythm"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

Dr. Steven Rutledge enjoys the excitement and adventure that comes with being an atmospheric scientist. He travels the world studying storm systems and sharing data with other researchers, as well as with his graduate students at Colorado State University.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty fascinating work and it keeps me really busy,\u201d Rutledge said.<\/p>\n

In his spare time, he takes to the road with his bicycle, covering 100 miles or more a week. And, every day, he walks his almost 14-year-old pit bull lab mix companion, \u201cSaffy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The otherwise healthy Rutledge was surprised to learn he was diagnosed with an abnormal heartbeat. It didn\u2019t need addressing right way, but eventually it started to interfere with how he lived his life. After research and guidance from his doctors, Rutledge decided it was time to do something about it.<\/p>\n

\"Steven
Steven Rutledge spends time with his almost 14-year-old pit bull terrier companion, Saffy. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finding atrial fibrillation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a quivering or irregular heartbeat. About 2.7 million Americans live with AFib, according to the American Heart Association<\/a>. An atrial flutter, or a faster-than-normal heartbeat, is closely related. Rutledge, now 65, had both.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt didn\u2019t affect my performance,\u201d Rutledge said. \u201cI was able to walk miles, ride miles on my bike and exercise nearly at full capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"big
The R\/V Roger Revelle operated by Scripps out of San Diego, and on the front deck (large white ball called a radome) houses the antenna for Colorado State University SEA POL radar. This new radar, built at CSU, deploys on research ships around the world to study storms over the oceans. Photo courtesy of Steven Rutledge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What worried Rutledge, however, was taking long trips that sometimes left him hours or days away from medical care. People with AFib have five times the risk of stroke<\/a> than those without the condition. What if something happened to him while he was away?<\/p>\n

Episodes of atrial fibrillation <\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cSymptoms of AFib aren\u2019t always clear-cut,\u201d said Dr. Russell Heath, a clinical cardiac electrophysiologist with UCHealth Heart and Vascular Center in northern Colorado<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Often with abnormal heart rhythm, people just don\u2019t feel well. They may experience dizziness, weakness or shortness of breath. Sometimes the fluttering or thumping in the chest is noticed, or a rapid or irregular heartbeat.<\/p>\n

In some cases, the heart experiences abnormal rhythm for long periods of time. In others, like Rutledge\u2019s, the heart returns to a normal rhythm on its own in a few days. But in the vast majority of cases, AFib is progressive and becomes more frequent over time, Heath said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt would happen for a few hours where I\u2019d have this irregular heartbeat. It may continue for a few days and then be gone for a week to maybe a few months,\u201d Rutledge said.<\/p>\n

In 2017, while on a research project at sea, Rutledge went six weeks without an abnormal heart rhythm. It was the longest timeframe in the past several years he had not experienced an abnormal rhythm.<\/p>\n

\u201cDr. Heath joked that we\u2019d found a solution \u2014 just stay at sea,\u201d Rutledge said. \u201cThat would be a lot of fun, but not sure if I could do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Between sea voyages, Rutledge is fully engaged in teaching graduate courses at CSU and traveling for speaking engagements on climate change and other weather-related topics. His abnormal heart rhythm was causing him some stress.<\/p>\n

\"Steven
When he\u2019s not working, Steven Rutledge spends his time riding or walking his dog. And what he didn\u2019t want to worry about was his abnormal heart rhythm. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Living with an abnormal heart rhythm<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Rutledge\u2019s primary care physician had been monitoring his atrial fibrillation over the years, and Rutledge had been seeing Heath since 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I met Dr. Heath, he explained that I could get on medication to reduce or eliminate AFib, or we could do an ablation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

AFib ablation is a procedure that works by scarring or damaging tissue in the heart to disrupt the faulty electrical signals causing the arrhythmia.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was not at that point yet.\u201d Rutledge said. \u201cI said we should first try the drug.\u201d<\/p>\n

But drug treatment was ineffective for him.<\/p>\n

A long excursion<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In the summer of 2018, Rutledge was getting ready for a long research cruise in the western Pacific. He had a regular wellness exam set with his primary care doctor, as well as a regular checkup with Heath.<\/p>\n

\"about
A team of scientists, technicians and students on a research cruise, including Steven Rutledge, far left in a white T-shirt. Photo courtesy of Steven Rutledge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rutledge was in an abnormal heart rhythm for both visits \u2014 he\u2019d had enough. Rutledge began to conduct more research on AFib and the ablation procedure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the science of it,\u201d he said. \u201cMaybe I over analyzed it and studied it too much, but that\u2019s my nature.\u201d<\/p>\n

He decided not to go on the research excursion, and opted to participate remotely with his team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to put my health in front of my work at that time, and I\u2019m better off for doing that,\u201d Rutledge said.<\/p>\n

He scheduled an ablation procedure for Aug. 10, 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of what we do for AFib, outside of those who have heart failure, is a quality-of-life measure,\u201d Heath explained. \u201cIn most cases, AFib is not shortening their life, but it is making them feel bad and that\u2019s what we are treating.\u201d<\/p>\n

AFib ablation procedure<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When electrophysiologists like Heath do an ablation, they\u2019re intentionally creating scar tissue in the heart.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are affecting the electrical conduction in the heart, creating just enough scar tissue to affect that connection,\u201d Health said.<\/p>\n

How much tissue do they damage? \u201cIf all the muscles of the heart fill a bucket, even with a large ablation, we are affecting just a few drops in that bucket,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Currently in northern Colorado, ablation is offered at UCHealth Heart and Vascular Center at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland. In 2019, UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital<\/a> will open its expanded cardiac catheterization lab, and the same cardiologists who treated Rutledge will be able to offer this procedure there, as well as several other services addressing heart attacks and prevention.<\/p>\n

A love for science<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In a way, Rutledge\u2019s procedure was a mini science experiment for him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe lab they have at MCR is super cool and the technology \u2014 being a scientist and all \u2014 was fascinating,\u201d he said, joking that his cardiologists were probably a bit annoyed with all his scientific questions.<\/p>\n

Poudre Valley Hospital will have the same technology and state-of-the-art lab that is in place at Medical Center of the Rockies (MCR), Heath said.<\/p>\n

Although the technology hasn\u2019t changed much in the past decade, Heath said, the techniques in electrophysiology have.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is cutting-edge for what we do for AFib,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Rutledge said he appreciated the vast training and experience of Heath and his colleagues.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re a top-notch group, and I did my research and knew it was important to go to a high-volume center to get this done,\u201d Rutledge said. \u201cThe electrophysiologists are all young and they\u2019ve learned the new stuff. That resonated with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

The American Heart Association<\/a> recommends patients look to centers that have performed at least 50 ablation procedures annually as high-volume centers have better outcomes. In 2018, the UCHealth heart and vascular team in northern Colorado performed more than 650. That sheer number is one reason for expanding capabilities at Poudre Valley Hospital.<\/p>\n

\"After
Only two weeks after his AFib catheter ablation procedure, Steven Rutledge was back riding about 100 miles per week on his bicycle. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Same team, another location<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Currently, UCHealth cardiologists who practice in northern Colorado are performing mostly inpatient pacemaker procedures at Poudre Valley Hospital. In addition to ablations, the expansion will allow for the PVH lab to offer other electrophysiology treatments, like defibrillators and the newer \u201cleadless\u201d pacemaker devices, for outpatients as well, Heath said. It also will increase capacity for procedures already offered, like stenting and angioplasty.<\/p>\n

Freed from AFib<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cI\u2019d do it all over the same way,\u201d Rutledge said as he walked Saffy in his neighborhood park in Fort Collins recently. \u201cI\u2019d do the testing, give it time, and then approach it with ablation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rutledge was released from the hospital the day after his procedure. He said he felt tired for a few more days but about a week later, he was able to get out again with Saffy. Two weeks later, he was back to 100 miles a week on his bicycle.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s also back to traveling for work, without much concern.<\/p>\n

There is always the possibility that AFib may return after treatment, Heath said. But Rutledge said he\u2019s been free of any abnormal heart rhythm since his procedure.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had no problems at all,\u201d he said. \u201cI had very positive results because of an experienced and caring team of cardiologists and nurses at UCHealth.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Steven Rutledge enjoys the excitement and adventure that comes with being an atmospheric scientist. He travels the world studying storm systems and sharing data with other researchers, as well as with his graduate students at Colorado State University. \u201cIt\u2019s pretty fascinating work and it keeps me really busy,\u201d Rutledge said. In his spare time, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2164,"featured_media":25701,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[84,122,495,3512,82,3300,9187,9167,4301,1789,2182],"class_list":["post-25698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-cardiology","tag-colorado-state-university","tag-electrophysiology","tag-heart-and-vascular-care-cardiovascular","tag-heart-and-vascular-care-cardiology","tag-heart-surgery-treatments","tag-readysetco","tag-specialized-services","tag-uchealth-heart-and-vascular-center","tag-uchealth-medical-center-of-the-rockies","tag-uchealth-poudre-valley-hospital"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDealing with abnormal heart rhythm - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Steven Rutledge\u2019s abnormal heart rhythm wasn\u2019t shortening his life, but it was limiting it. 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