Let's Hear It for the Heart

Though I am a fan of Valentine's Day, because of this annual holiday, the "heart" has essentially taken ownership over the month of February.

We've only recently passed February 14 - a big day for "heart" enthusiasts - but there's another reason the heart requires our respect, if not our attention, 365/24/7.

As a healthcare professional, I believe the heart beating in your chest is still more important than a carefully illustrated "heart" on a greeting card. Sorry, St. Valentine, but without this vital organ pumping blood throughout the body, your special day wouldn't carry the same weight.

Not surprisingly, February is also American Heart Month, when everyone is encouraged to focus on cardiovascular health.

The Heart Center at Physicians Regional

As the primary healthcare provider for a significant portion of SW Florida, Physicians Regional must continually invest our time and resources in those service areas that will most impact our patient population - now or in the years ahead.

Established in 2020, the Physicians Regional Heart Center has now been home to over 500 open heart surgeries and over 300 Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) procedures. TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure to replace the aortic valve in patients with severe aortic stenosis. TAVR is less invasive than open-heart surgery, typically taking less than one hour.

Whether you need acute emergency treatment due to a heart attack or have a chronic heart condition that requires continued care, Physicians Regional Healthcare System has cardiologists close to your home.

Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with the study, diagnosis and care of the cardiovascular system. As there are three main types of cardiology: invasive, non-invasive and interventional, your cardiologist may use one or a combination of techniques to identify and treat your heart condition.

Physicians Regional's expanded Heart Center includes advanced surgical equipment and technologies, allowing a range of interventional cardiology procedures, including minimally invasive structural heart procedures. These services include coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), heart valve repair or replacement, as well as aortic, carotid and thoracic procedures.

Cardiac care teams provide heart care services for patients throughout the area. Patients have received a wide range of treatments, from lifesaving procedures to education on a heart-healthy lifestyle; treatment is available for conditions ranging from heart failure to heart attack to vascular disease and beyond.

Plus, our Collier Blvd and Pine Ridge hospitals are both recognized as 24/7 STEMI-receiving facilities, providing around-the-clock treatment for patients experiencing chest pain and other cardiology emergencies.

STEMI stands for ST-elevation myocardial infarction, a severe heart attack caused by clotting in one or more arteries, and is a time-dependent, life-threatening condition requiring rapid recognition, diagnosis and treatment.

The Heart of the Matter

Ask almost any healthcare practitioner why they chose this specific line of work, and the majority will state their healthcare career was a "calling" to serve others.

Recently, a Cardiac Rehab patient came to his scheduled session. While in the waiting room in Cardiac Rehab, he began to choke on some food. He ran to the bathroom in the rehab gym, and the staff heard a loud thud. 

Cardiac Rehab nurse Ericka Lara responded quickly to find the patient unresponsive and blue, lying on the bathroom floor.

She successfully provided the patient with the Heimlich Maneuver to dislodge the food in his throat. The patient regained consciousness, was treated in the emergency room, and discharged to his home.

Ericka's quick thinking and response and considerable heart saved this patient's life. She serves as just one of countless examples of the empathy and compassion of the Physicians Regional physicians, clinicians and staff. I honor Erika today as a shining example of the caring—the "heart"—that permeates our facilities and drives our healthcare teams.

Heroes—every one of them.

Heart Education

We proudly offer various healthcare programs at our various campuses throughout the year. If you'd like to learn more about our wide array of cardiac and stroke services and meet our physicians, please join us at our Heart & Brain Health Fair on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Physicians Regional – Pine Ridge at 6101 Pine Ridge Road.

Meet our rehabilitation team and explore how patients recover after stroke, surgery and other serious illnesses.

You will also learn about technology designed to improve quality of life and see demonstrations of medical devices used to treat various heart & stroke care. Plus, this event will help you discover whether you may be a candidate for lung screening.

Not only will the event feature tips for healthy living from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, but you can also register for free cardiac/stroke risk factor screenings.

We are honored to provide you with this unique opportunity to get an up-close look, ask questions, and get advice on everything Heart & Brain health.

Just as we are honored to serve you and your healthcare needs every day of the year.

Take heart; we're here.